An Experiment in Treason: A Sir John Fielding Mystery (Sir John Fielding Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Bruce Alexander (Author)

Book Description

Series: Sir John Fielding Mysteries | Publication Date: October 10, 2002

Consistently hailed as "wonderful" (The New York Times Book Review), the Fielding mysteries are a magical combination of period ambiance, vivid characterization, and intriguing plotlines. In An Experiment in Treason, a packet of incendiary letters is stolen from the London residence of a prominent official, and turns up in the colony of Massachusetts. Why are the contents so controversial? Why has a suspect in the theft turned up dead? And what should Sir John do about his feeling that Benjamin Franklin himself is somehow complicit? While the political tensions rise, Sir John searches for answers and finds that justice isn't always served by the letter of the law.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sir John Fielding and his young prot‚g‚, Jeremy Proctor, those delightful Georgian versions of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, get mixed up in pre-Revolutionary War intrigue in their ninth outing (after 2001's Smuggler's Moon). A burglary of the home of the British secretary of state for colonial affairs turns violent, leading to the disappearance of some valuable letters that may be connected with the incipient rebellion in Massachusetts. While Sir John, the legendary Blind Beak of Bow Street, sits and thinks, Jeremy functions as his eyes and legs, interviewing witnesses, conducting surveillance and further developing his detective skills. Jeremy's burgeoning relationship with a servant girl adds depth to the drama. The sleuths enlist the aid of the legendary Samuel Johnson when the government, which is weighing the political merits of charging American patriots with treason, wants American envoy Benjamin Franklin interrogated as a suspect. Alexander evokes the period without anachronisms of word or thought to jar the reader. Franklin himself comes across as a fully realized character, with his strengths and frailties both on display. Given the relative unimportance of the puzzle element of the plot, this work ranks a little below Blind Justice and the superb Watery Grave. Still, Alexander's creations are as full of life and interest as when they debuted, a formidable accomplishment for a long series, one that mystery fans should hope has many more entries to come.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (October 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399149236
• ISBN-13: 978-0399149238
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,089,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not up to par for this excellent series., September 21, 2004

By 

J. Carroll "Jack" (Island Heights,NJ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: AN Experiment In Treason (Paperback)

AN EXPERIMENT IN TREASON is a rather weak addition to this fine series. Basing the case on actual historical events involving Franklin and some rather interesting letters that became available for public consumption in the states; Alexander had a good idea, but the execution is lacking. Franklin comes off as a caracature of himself, a bit of an old lech, (which he may have been but I believe he may have been a bit more circumspect in an unfamiliar environment like Sir John's home.)who was rather lacking in the wit or the intellect that is so celebrated in many of his biographies. Even the tales involving Sir John's household were particularly weak, involving an unfortunate return of Lady Fielding's son from the navy. While I appear to be in the minority on this one; I feel this book is lacking the quality of mystery and character development that is the norm for Alexander's generally excellent historical mysteries.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not his best, March 10, 2005

By 

Karin (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: AN Experiment In Treason (Paperback)

The story "An Experiement in Treason" was by no means the best of the series. The story is a little slow and not much excitement is happening. The reader is left with little sympathy for the murder victim and thus not much interest in solving this crime.
Benjamin Franklin is being portrayed as a bumbling fool who at best is just full of air. He was apparently terribly afraid of the magistrate, to be found in the worst of pubs, drinking and in the company of whores (several at a time!) and at other times making advances to an underage girl while eating at her guardians dinner table. His scientific experiements where foolish and, of course, did not amount to much. Even I, who is not an american citizen, must say, that Alexander seems to have a chip on his shoulder about this particular part of Anglo/American history. I loved almost all the other stories in this series.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At The Top Of His Game, November 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: An Experiment in Treason: A Sir John Fielding Mystery (Sir John Fielding Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This series has replaced Anne Perry's series as my choice for the best historical detective fiction around. The mysteries are always tightly plotted and believable and the characters, from the stars to the supporting players, are intricately drawn and unforgettable. These books are just a tremendous reading experience.