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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Book two in the Sir John Fielding mystery series. Young Jeremy Proctor has been apprenticed to a printer on Grub Street, but the night before he was to move to Mr Crabbs’ establishment to begin his training, the entire Crabb family and the two apprentices to lived with them were brutally murdered. A poet who also resided there was found with the likely weapon in his hand and taken into custody. But he maintains he is innocent. Sir John, though he is blind, is an astute investigator and Jeremy along with some of the colorful residents of Covent Garden help Sir John ferret out the truth.
This was much more complicated than the first book, and I admit my attention wandered a bit. There is religious fervor, multiple personalities, professional jealousy, anti-semitism, dreadful conditions of tenement buildings, and a light-fingered imp of a thief to complicate the case. Still, I love the way that Alexander has taken bits and pieces of history and woven them into these mysteries. Set in 1765 London, the protagonists must rely on their wits and old-fashioned investigative techniques. Sir John is, of course, further hampered by being blind, but Jeremy is an astute observer and honestly relates what he sees to his mentor.
I’ll keep reading this series.
This was much more complicated than the first book, and I admit my attention wandered a bit. There is religious fervor, multiple personalities, professional jealousy, anti-semitism, dreadful conditions of tenement buildings, and a light-fingered imp of a thief to complicate the case. Still, I love the way that Alexander has taken bits and pieces of history and woven them into these mysteries. Set in 1765 London, the protagonists must rely on their wits and old-fashioned investigative techniques. Sir John is, of course, further hampered by being blind, but Jeremy is an astute observer and honestly relates what he sees to his mentor.
I’ll keep reading this series.
jvilches's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
brandypainter's review against another edition
From a review originally posted here.
Murder in Grub Street picks up just a few weeks after Blind Justice ends. Mourning the death of his wife, Sir John has arranged for Jeremy to have an apprenticeship in a printer's shop. The night before Jeremy is supposed to start the family and two young apprentices are savagely murdered with axes in their beds. A man, apparently crazed, was found at the scene axe in hand. He is apprehended but Sir John chooses to send him to Bedlam rather than bind him over for trial immediately when he acts as though he is someone else speaking for himself. Things are further complicated for Sir John and Jeremy when a new group of religious zealots determined to convert all the Jews make their presence known in Covent Garden.
Again, I enjoyed the way this novel depicted Georgian London and the way it is written in the language of the time. The plot was fast paced and interesting. I felt a couple of scenes were a bit unbelievable, but overall the story was engrossing. One thing I really liked about the first novel was Jeremy's voice and how he showed us this city through the innocent wide eyes of a country boy newly arrived. This continues in this novel although there were times when his innocence seemed a bit disingenuous.
Murder in Grub Street picks up just a few weeks after Blind Justice ends. Mourning the death of his wife, Sir John has arranged for Jeremy to have an apprenticeship in a printer's shop. The night before Jeremy is supposed to start the family and two young apprentices are savagely murdered with axes in their beds. A man, apparently crazed, was found at the scene axe in hand. He is apprehended but Sir John chooses to send him to Bedlam rather than bind him over for trial immediately when he acts as though he is someone else speaking for himself. Things are further complicated for Sir John and Jeremy when a new group of religious zealots determined to convert all the Jews make their presence known in Covent Garden.
Again, I enjoyed the way this novel depicted Georgian London and the way it is written in the language of the time. The plot was fast paced and interesting. I felt a couple of scenes were a bit unbelievable, but overall the story was engrossing. One thing I really liked about the first novel was Jeremy's voice and how he showed us this city through the innocent wide eyes of a country boy newly arrived. This continues in this novel although there were times when his innocence seemed a bit disingenuous.
weaselweader's review against another edition
4.0
Recreates the 18th century in full colour and sound!
Recently orphaned Jeremy Proctor, "adopted" by blind magistrate Sir John Fielding and dutifully installed in the position of his assistant, protégé, jack-of-all-trades and utilitarian gopher, narrates a thoroughly entertaining tale of their continuing life together in MURDER IN GRUB STREET. Mere hours before Proctor is to report to a publishing house to begin his apprenticeship, Ezekiel Crabb, the owner, his entire family and two of their staff are found brutally axe murdered. John Clayton, a disgruntled poet fresh from a heated disagreement with Crabb is found wandering in the house, dazed and bewildered, clutching the murder weapon and the constabulary are immediately convinced the murder has solved itself! Fielding, of course, remains unconvinced by the evidence and looks elsewhere concerned that failure to find the real culprit might result in the conviction and execution of an innocent man.
Not to insult any reader's intelligence, least of all my own, but when other apparently unrelated murders and an arson in a nearby synagogue point Fielding's sleuthing in the direction of an outrageous sect of American zealots styling themselves Brethren of the Spirit who would forcibly convert any Jews to Christianity - well, it doesn't take a heavyweight literary analyst to realize the two cases will come together at some point! The plotting is quite transparent and the culprit is easily predicted at little more than the halfway point of the novel.
But the real strength of this novel lies elsewhere - extraordinary characterization and atmospheric embellishment that brings people, time and place to life with a sparkling vitality and a sense of realism that can hardly be rivaled - the slums, the prisons, the docks, pubs, theater, outdoor markets, upstairs, downstairs, Grub Street and the publishing business, of course, courts, gaming houses, bordellos, street walkers, pickpockets, scamps, cut purses and thieves. Jimmie Bunkins, a ne'er do well street urchin that begs to be compared to Dickens's The Artful Dodger and Corrie Swanson, the bright but rebellious teen Goth from STILL LIFE WITH CROWS, describes Sir John's wisdom, kindness and leadership ability, in a hilarious stream of street lingo that nearly defies understanding:
"What a rum cove he is! I ain't never met such a joe and I don't never hope to. I could be sent to crap by such as him and thank him for it."
(Now that would be an interesting and amusing English essay question for further research ... "Compare and contrast the characters of Jimmie Bunkins, The Artful Dodger and Corrie Swanson with reference to the roles of Sir John Fielding, Fagan and Aloysius Pendergast as their benefactors, teachers and mentors!")
A much more graphic and grittier novel than its predecessor BLIND JUSTICE, Alexander has used this novel to present a mystery - not a great one but a darned good one - that brings Georgian England to life in full sound and Technicolor. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Paul Weiss
Recently orphaned Jeremy Proctor, "adopted" by blind magistrate Sir John Fielding and dutifully installed in the position of his assistant, protégé, jack-of-all-trades and utilitarian gopher, narrates a thoroughly entertaining tale of their continuing life together in MURDER IN GRUB STREET. Mere hours before Proctor is to report to a publishing house to begin his apprenticeship, Ezekiel Crabb, the owner, his entire family and two of their staff are found brutally axe murdered. John Clayton, a disgruntled poet fresh from a heated disagreement with Crabb is found wandering in the house, dazed and bewildered, clutching the murder weapon and the constabulary are immediately convinced the murder has solved itself! Fielding, of course, remains unconvinced by the evidence and looks elsewhere concerned that failure to find the real culprit might result in the conviction and execution of an innocent man.
Not to insult any reader's intelligence, least of all my own, but when other apparently unrelated murders and an arson in a nearby synagogue point Fielding's sleuthing in the direction of an outrageous sect of American zealots styling themselves Brethren of the Spirit who would forcibly convert any Jews to Christianity - well, it doesn't take a heavyweight literary analyst to realize the two cases will come together at some point! The plotting is quite transparent and the culprit is easily predicted at little more than the halfway point of the novel.
But the real strength of this novel lies elsewhere - extraordinary characterization and atmospheric embellishment that brings people, time and place to life with a sparkling vitality and a sense of realism that can hardly be rivaled - the slums, the prisons, the docks, pubs, theater, outdoor markets, upstairs, downstairs, Grub Street and the publishing business, of course, courts, gaming houses, bordellos, street walkers, pickpockets, scamps, cut purses and thieves. Jimmie Bunkins, a ne'er do well street urchin that begs to be compared to Dickens's The Artful Dodger and Corrie Swanson, the bright but rebellious teen Goth from STILL LIFE WITH CROWS, describes Sir John's wisdom, kindness and leadership ability, in a hilarious stream of street lingo that nearly defies understanding:
"What a rum cove he is! I ain't never met such a joe and I don't never hope to. I could be sent to crap by such as him and thank him for it."
(Now that would be an interesting and amusing English essay question for further research ... "Compare and contrast the characters of Jimmie Bunkins, The Artful Dodger and Corrie Swanson with reference to the roles of Sir John Fielding, Fagan and Aloysius Pendergast as their benefactors, teachers and mentors!")
A much more graphic and grittier novel than its predecessor BLIND JUSTICE, Alexander has used this novel to present a mystery - not a great one but a darned good one - that brings Georgian England to life in full sound and Technicolor. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Paul Weiss
appalonia's review against another edition
3.0
Another good book in the Sir John Fielding series. This one centers around a religious cult and the murder of an entire household. I love how the author shows just a bit of Jeremy's self-importance. Enough so you can see it as a bit of ego but not enough to make the character unlikeable.
amphipodgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I continue to enjoy Sir John Fielding and his protégé/assistant Jeremy. This book had a bonus for me in the form of Jewish content -- one Sephardic Jew and a whole congregation of Ashkenazim. There's a very minor factual error that irked me -- the story the Chasidic rabbi shares is from aggadah, not the Haggadah. But that's a quibble, and may even have been introduced by a well-meaning editor. I really enjoyed Sir John's discussions with the rabbi -- he's working with an open mind to try to understand this culture which is foreign to him. There are two plots through much of the book, and they're kept in good balance with each other and tied together neatly in the end.
plantbirdwoman's review against another edition
3.0
The Sir John Fielding series by Bruce Alexander is really one of my favorite mystery series. I combines my interest in history with a good mystery. All the books are extremely well written with attention to historical detail. This is the second in the series.
mrsdarcylynn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
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