Always good to have my horror of press gangs reaffirmed. I do think that there should have been another discussion in editing of what language to include; historical accuracy can be a consideration but you should also consider modern readers. ( )

excellent mystery - blind magistrate's helper - key character - will look for others ( )

January 2021 reread:
I was a tad taken aback by a relatively minor aspect of this book (which was mentioned in passing more than once) - the events in this 3rd book of the series take place about one year after the events of the first book. Yet so much has changed in the household during that time & during this book!

I had a pretty clear recollection of the plot which involves Sir John in a investigation for the Royal Navy. Each time I read this book, it reminds me of how the practices of the Royal Navy in the mid-eighteenth century formed part of the reason for the American Revolution...

The ending is one which leaves Sir John & the reader with mixed emotions and thus is not quite as satisfying to me as the previous books. However, it is interesting to see the jurisdicational questions (particularly at this moment in American history) along with the brief glimpse of how differently justice is dispensed at Mr. Welch's court from that at Bow Street. ( )

This is one of my favorite historical mystery series! Sir John Fielding, the blind cofounder of London's first police force, is also a magistrate in a London court. I am not a person who will write about the details of the story. What I love about this series is it's depiction of the time of the events in the story. It is a joy to watch the characters evolve as the series goes on. This particular book deals with how the British Navy functions with putting a man on trial. Is this the actual way their Navy Law works? I have no idea - but the Magistrates Court does it's usual good job. The ongoing characters from book to book are people that I enjoy and love to learn about. Give this book and series a try. ( )

One of my favorite historical mystery series! Sir John Fielding, the cofounder of London's first police force, is also a magistrate in a London court. One of his former Navy friends, now an Admiral, asks him to help with an investigation into a death on the ship Adventure. As it happens, Sir John's stepson has been aboard that very ship, recently returned from two years at sea. Soon Sir John and the Admiral are at odds, the Admiral wanting to ignore the clues pointing to murder. A good, solid mystery that is particularly intriguing because it was the ship's captain that was lost at sea during one of the most dangerous storms seasoned sailors had ever seen. Alexander also reveals how Sir John lost his sight. ( )