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A review by usbsticky
Gallows Thief by Bernard Cornwell
5.0
Spoilers ahead:
I have a feeling this really should be the beginning of a series. These stand alone really shows the versatility of Bernard Cornwell. I started off reading his Saxon books, thought they were ok. Then I went on to his Sharpe books, which were much better. I'm now into his stand alone books and they have really wow'd me. Some of his boos remind me of the writing of Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith, which is high praise. Cornwell does a fantastic job of writing a sympathetic protagonist, which is half the battle. Then he provides a story which puts the protagonist in a tough situation and makes him come out on top.
This book: It's a few years after Waterloo and Captain Rider Sandman is between jobs, having to sell his commission in order to try and satisfy his father's debts and prevent his mother and sister from going into the poor house. The Home Secretary offers him a temporary job. A portrait artist is to be hanged for murder of a countess. The artist's mother is a maid to the Queen. And the Queen has requested that the artist's case be investigated.
Since the protagonist is a decent guy, he takes the job and instead of phoning in the result, he actually decides to investigate. It's a good mystery book or detective protocol book where he starts by looking for clues, questioning suspects and witnesses and doing the footwork.
As with most of Cornwell's books, there are plenty of interesting characters including sidekicks and villains, a lot of history and background and description of contemporary injustices. All of which results in a book imbued with a great setting and story.
It really is too bad that this isn't a series because I can see Rider Sandman making this his career, either officially sanctioned or hired as a private investigator. Excellent book.
I have a feeling this really should be the beginning of a series. These stand alone really shows the versatility of Bernard Cornwell. I started off reading his Saxon books, thought they were ok. Then I went on to his Sharpe books, which were much better. I'm now into his stand alone books and they have really wow'd me. Some of his boos remind me of the writing of Ken Follett and Wilbur Smith, which is high praise. Cornwell does a fantastic job of writing a sympathetic protagonist, which is half the battle. Then he provides a story which puts the protagonist in a tough situation and makes him come out on top.
This book: It's a few years after Waterloo and Captain Rider Sandman is between jobs, having to sell his commission in order to try and satisfy his father's debts and prevent his mother and sister from going into the poor house. The Home Secretary offers him a temporary job. A portrait artist is to be hanged for murder of a countess. The artist's mother is a maid to the Queen. And the Queen has requested that the artist's case be investigated.
Since the protagonist is a decent guy, he takes the job and instead of phoning in the result, he actually decides to investigate. It's a good mystery book or detective protocol book where he starts by looking for clues, questioning suspects and witnesses and doing the footwork.
As with most of Cornwell's books, there are plenty of interesting characters including sidekicks and villains, a lot of history and background and description of contemporary injustices. All of which results in a book imbued with a great setting and story.
It really is too bad that this isn't a series because I can see Rider Sandman making this his career, either officially sanctioned or hired as a private investigator. Excellent book.