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As the latest stop on the blog tour for this brilliant historical fiction, let me welcome you to the world of late Georgian London and the political machinations of the Foreign Office!
This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Reluctant spy.
July 1794, and the streets of London are filled with rumours of revolution. Political radical Thomas Hardy is to go on trial for treason, the war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with the independent American colonies are on a knife edge.
Laurence Jago - clerk to the Foreign Office - is ever more reliant on the Black Drop to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter has been leaked to the press, which may lead to the destruction of the British Army, and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk, supposedly a suicide.
Blame for the leak is shifted to the dead man, but even as the body is taken to the anatomists, Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, and at a time when even the slightest hint of treason can lead to the gallows, how can Laurence find the true culprit without incriminating himself?
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this dark and delicious novel set in Georgian London, which provides an excellent backdrop for a story of revolution, politics, secrets and treachery. The story is well paced, with an excellent cast of interesting characters, most of whom are either from history or based on someone from the period.
In the midst of a world where he can trust no one, you follow the protagonist Jago as he tries to decipher the truth of a political affair which, in truth, is far beyond him; he has his own secrets to hide and becoming marred by a scandal in his professional life could be fatal, in all senses of the word. Nevertheless, Jago is a persistent character, compelled mostly by decent motives in a world where the majority of people he encounters are entirely self-serving.
The mystery itself is less central to this novel than I expected; seeing the way that politics worked behind closed doors during this period, and how far a man could fall without much control over it, was fascinating to witness in itself. Nattrass' writing creates a world that is colourful and stark all at once; she does not shy away from painting a picture of a dirty city, a harsh and rigid society, and a government at its centre with, at best, dubious morality.
I'd highly recommend this to any fans of historical crime fiction from the likes of Andrew Taylor or C J Sansom. Perfect atmospheric reading for a dark, winter's night.
Thank you so much to Viper Books and Leonora Nattrass for giving me a spot on this blog tour!
Black Drop is out now and can be found on Amazon, Waterstones, BookshopOrg, or at a local indie bookshop near you.
Text may contain affiliate links. All opinions and photography not marked 'VIPER' my own.
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