Customer Reviews

Gallows Thief

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bernard Cornwell has ranged over a vast time and space in his tales. In some he succeeds, as the regiments of fans of his Sharpe series will attest. In others he has swung and missed.

So I approached this latest book with an open mind, not knowing whether I would race through it or put it down unfinished.

I am happy to say that Cornwell has made a solid hit with this story. It is steadily paced action, building tension every step of the way until the very end, and it is very hard to put down without wanting to get back to see what happens next.

The setting is London, post Waterloo, and at times the reader almost gags from the stink of open sewers and corruption high and low. It opens with a gruesome execution at Newgate Prison and ends with another, the tension reaching an unbearable point as the last chapter echoes the first and we feel the dread of the condemned at each step along the final walk from cell to scaffold.

In between, we follow a new character, Captain Sandman, as he gains allies and enemies investigating a murder mystery. I hope we see more of him, and I rather think we will, as Cornwell leaves some plot strands dangling to be picked up again in the next novel.

Underlying the action and tension there is a wealth of historical information and an examination of the system of crime and punishment in Georgian England. Never rammed down our throats, nor sugar-coated, but it is there, and we may think some deep thoughts along the way.

All in all, this latest book is tightly written, filled with action, romance and tension. Strongly evocative of the place and time, and another big tick for Bernard Cornwell.

... In Bernard Cornwell's "Gallows Thief" the author changes gears abit (as well as genres) and give us a historical mystery procedural that is worthy of its classification. ... Set in Regency England, the book introduces us to Sandman, a hero of the Battle of Waterloo, who returns home to find his father's lost the family fortune (and committed suicide) and accompanying social standing. Rider is unemployed and, having previously sold his commission,is without a penny. His fiancee has canceled their wedding plans and he finds himself housed in a Drury Lane hotel of dire repute, or "flash house."

But all is not lost. His skills as a cricket player, plus his ties with friends in high places, count for something, so it's not as if he has to sell himself on the streets. Well, almost, anyway. He is recommended to the Home Secretary to look into a petition from the mother of a young man who's been found guilty of murder and is only days from being hanged. His job is to ascertain that justice has been served and then the sentence can be carried out. Sandman takes the employment and, being the honest and justice-minded soul he is, soon begins having doubts as to the young man's guilt. Slowly, he enlists an intrepid band of partners and they progress through the case: Berrigan, a former sergeant also of the Waterloo campaign; his friend Lord Alexander; Miss Sally Hood, an actress and model; and Eleanor, the aforementioned former fiancee. However, as they have only seven days to find "cause" to overturn the conviction, they have to work with full speed ahead.

Along the way, Cornwell's consummate research/background material support the general plot outline in typical Coarnwellian fashion. The author does not hesitate to dwell upon the abject social situations abounding in early 19th century England, from the court and prison systems to the religious areas. The social significance that he addresses does not go amiss, especially the zeal for the courts to hang as many as they can, ostensibly to deter crime. Sandman and other free thinkers have difficulty accepting this concept. "They don't hang as many in Scotland as we do in England and Wales. Yet, I believe the murder rate is no higher.Strange, wouldn't you say?" asks one of the characters.

But the strength of "Gallows Thief" is in the presentation of Rider Sandman, a good, healthy, lively man who is not content to tolerate these unacceptable conditions of the human spirit, naive man that he sometimes is. He has a good heart (even though he thinks it's broken!).

The book progresses well, for the most part, and it certainly leads one to believe that, surely, this is the first of a long series. History it is, but with a twist; it's England, warts and all. A good read. ...

I really do hope that "Gallows Thief" is the first book in a projected series. It was such a swashbucklingly good read, full of ambiance that's really evocative of the age, and a parade of lovingly detailed characters (both the good and the creepy) that stayed with me long after I finished the book. Definitely, "Gallows Thief" is a must read for all historical mystery fans.

Charles Corday, a young portrait painter has been found guilty of the rape and murder of Lady Avebury, whose portrait he was in the process of painting, and he is to hang in a weeks' time. However, Corday also happens to be the son of the Queen's seamstress. And the seamstress has petitioned the Queen for the case to be reinvestigated, and Lord Sidmouth, the Secretary of State in the Home Department is not happy at all. HE is sure of Corday's guilt and that the case was properly investigated, and is rather affronted that political pressure has been applied for Corday's guilt (or lack of) to be confirmed. He needs someone to do a pro-forma investigation -- to go through the motions, not create and waves and not to uncover any new evidence, but to merely reconfirm Corday's guilt. And the man that Sidmouth has been recommended for such a job happens to be Rider Sandman, a veteran of the Peninsula campaign, who happens to be currently without a job or funds. The job is a temporary one, but the reward for a job well done is substantial. And so Sandman accepts the commission and sets of for the Old Bailey in order to interview Corday and wring a confession out of him. What he finds however is a pathetic creature who (in Sandman's mind at least) seems an unlikely rapist-murderer. Corday further flabbergasts Sandman by claiming that he was never alone with the Countess and that her maid was always with them as a chaperone. Said maid has since disappeared, thus was unable to provide Corday with an alibi. Confused, Sandman is unsure what his next course of action should be -- should he ignore what Corday's claims or should he look for the mysteriously missing maid? With the help of some rather unlikely characters (his good friend, the Reverend Lord Alexander Pleydell, and actress Sally Hood) Sandman begins his unsolicited quest for the truth.

"Gallows Thief" was a truly fun and absorbing read. Bernard Cornwell really made England of the early 19th century come alive -- the sights and sounds and smells and the feel ... it was all there. If you're looking for a good historical novel that gives consideration to the social and political realities of the time, you'll be more than satisfied with this book. The plot unfolded in a brisk and smooth manner, and I was so caught up with what was going on, that I fairly devoured the book in one go! And the hero of this book (hopefully series) is bound to engage as well -- kind, honest, noble yet proud -- very much the white knight of detecting! All in all, "Gallows Thief" is a terrifically good and exciting read, and one that (esp if you are a Regency mystery addict) should not be missed.

Gallows Thief

God I love the names Cornwell give his characters. Rider Sandman ex Captain British Army, veteran of Waterloo, has taken his new job as a 19th century investigator. His first assignment is to investigate the "murder?" of a wealthy Countess. The investigation takes him on a chase across post Napoleonic England where he encounters roadblocks at almost every turn. It is funny to think in these days of electronic communication how this could possible be done. Cornwell takes us along for a ride I must admit I was not sure about until I grew to love the characters once again. He can paint a character into a readers mind so effortlessly that you are truly sorry when the last page has been turned. I do hope that Sandman makes return visits with more adventures. God knows that the this period of history has endless stories of this kind for the author to draw upon for future sequels. I pray it is the case. We need more from Cornwell the world is not the same without his heroes.

Gallows Thief is a good book, filled with interesting characters and great scenes. Cornwell is a master at bringing the scene to life with vivid descriptions that make the reader feel, and in the case of Gallows Thief smell, like they are in the middle of the story. Rider Sandman the hero of Waterloo finds himself down and out in London with few prospects for employment, when he is asked by the Home Secretary to "investigate" the circumstances surrounding a murder; he can earn a month's pay in a week. Sandman takes the job only to find that the murder is far from the open and shut case that it first appears. In his attempt to prove the innocence of a condemned man Sandman meets several interesting characters as the reader is taken across London and into the country side to Kent. Cornwell does his usual brilliant job of bringing the story to life. It is an interesting and entertaining mystery. I found that I figured out the plot twist before it was totally revealed but I did not make all the connections that the author lays out. Gallows Thief is a fun read and a good break from some of Cornwell's longer series.

Bernard Cornwell, famous for his Sharpe series, has now ventured into the historical whodunnit genre. While it was a good book overall, this reviewer felt that it was quite lightweight.

The protagonist, Rider Sandman, has been tasked by the Home Secretary to determine the guilt or innocence of Charles Corday, due to be hanged in a week. The more Sandman investigates, the more convinced he is of Corday's innocence. But to steal Corday away from the gallows (hence the title) Sandman has to present hard evidence to the Home Secretary.

There is nothing special about the characters in the book. Sandman is well rounded enough. He is more Poirot than Sam Spade; honest, intelligent and principled. Endearing to him will not be difficult.

However, the rest of the cast seem like stock characters from any novel set in the 19th century. The rogue, the wench, a couple of rich aristocrats with manners of a pig...they're all there. There's even a surprise witness who naturally doesnt turn up till the end of the book to wrap things up nice and neat.

All in all, veterans of crime fiction may not be impressed with this simple effort. Fans of Cornwell might want to try it for no other reason other than because it was written by their favourite author. But if you want to wait for the cheaper paperback version, I wont blame you.

A 3 star book.

This is a new departure for the author, an historical whodunnit set in 1817. It works very well - for my money the best thing he's done in recent years. The atmosphere is spot on, the plot is well worked out, character and dialog ring just right. It makes for a real page-turner, almost (but not quite) in the class of vintage Sharpe.

The leading character is a sort of upmarket Richard Sharpe: ex-Captain Rider Sandman, impoverished hero of the Peninsular War and Waterloo, a gentleman. Even the tough sidekick who gets co-opted after the usual teething troubles is a tad upmarket: an ex-Sergeant of the First (Grenadier) Guards. Their task is to re-investigate the murder of a beautiful Countess (former 'actress'), for which a hapless young fellow has been railroaded and is due to hang in a week. The trail leads from London low-life to the heights of society, and it's well worth following. I hope this is the start of a new series, although I don't quite see where it will go from here.

Two warnings: if you like big battles, or even small ones, sorry, this is different - there aren't any (for me that isn't essential even in Sharpe stories). And there's quite a lot of talk about cricket, but it's only incidental (think of it as a superior kind of baseball).

Better known for his Richard Sharpe series, Cornwell, nevertheless, scores big with Gallow's Thief. Historical fiction, it is set in London, two years after Waterloo. It has all the usual ingredients of a sucessful historical (or detective, or mystery) novel - action, intrique, murder, sex, mystery. While the book does tend to formula in it's detective work (The backhanded compliment to Sherlock Holmes is appreciated.), all that is overcome by a wonderful cast of characters.

Captain Rider Sandman is honorable, brave, consentious and, of course, poor as a church mouse. In order to keep body and soul together, he accepts the job of Inspector. In this case, he is given the uneviable task of determining the guilt or innocence of an already condemned man.

Sandman's allies are a disparate group. Sally Hood, actress and sometime model for various painters, is Sandman's tutor in the slang and life of London's slums. Her want-to-be beau and eventually Sandman's strong right arm is the very capable Sergent Berrigan. Her elusive and mysterious brother is Jack a.k.a. Robin Hood, a notorious Highwayman. The club-footed Lord Alexander is his true, if somewhat flighty friend. Finally, there is Eleanor, Sandman's somtime finace. To add a bit more spice, Eleanor and Sandman are still desparately in love dispite her mother's objections.

The opposition is rich, arrogant, and devoid of all scruples or any sense of honor. Members of the Seraphim Club consider themselves too rich or too well born to be subject to the law.

The chase for the truth careens through the upper crust of English society, the slums of London and the normally bucolic English countryside. It is a wild and intriguing ride.

Great historical story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the bitter end. Rider Sandman, a Captain in the Army during the Napoleonic wars, has returned home and sold his commission to support his mother and his sister. Captain Sandman is searching for work and is commissioned to search out the veracity of the guilt of a painter, Christopher Corday, who will hang on the gallows if Captain Sandman can not find the actual murderer. The author captures the sights, sounds, and smells of Regency England in this dark and suspenseful story. I loved every bit of the story but the very graphic descriptions of the those condemned to hang is very gruesome. A compelling historical novel.

I have enjoyed some of Cornwell's "Sharpe" series and this book, set in the same time period, shares many of their virtues -- and flaws.
Virtues: Cornwell knows how to create an appealing protagonist, in this case Rider Sandman, a former infantry officer newly returned to civilian life after playing a hero's part at the Battle of Waterloo.
Cornwell also knows how to construct a plot that keeps the reader reading -- although there's never a moment's doubt that good will triumph and evil be confounded.
Last and best is the wealth of historical research that goes into these novels. Cornwell makes you feel what it's like to witness a public hanging at Newgate -- you smell the stench of the prison and are appalled at the dreadful cruelty of the punishment. He must be one of the world's foremost experts on Waterloo and seems to have equal expertise on the early history of cricket.
Flaws: Cornwell is not a great prose stylist. His writing is workmanlike and rarely rises above that. The plot, as I alluded to above, lacks suspense and there is a kind of mechanical feel to this book. Cornwell is tremendously prolific. That can be both a good or bad thing.
Bottom line: I bought this for a couple of bucks at a second-hand bookstore for a rainy weekend and consider if money well spent.
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