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A rich goldsmith turned banker goes missing, and his wife is found strangled on her own bed. It’s yet another case for Georgian Norwich’s most cunning and unconventional crime-solver, the bookseller Mr Ashmole Foxe!
Foxe is approached by representatives of the city’s mercantile elite to find the missing banker before his disappearance causes a financial panic. Thus begins a tale of intrigue, deceit and hatred, involving one of Foxe’s most loathed enemies.
Aided by a motley cast of street children, a beautiful teenage burglar, and several incompetent constables, Foxe must resort to breaking the law himself to bring the murderer to justice — and work out how thousands of pounds have been stolen from one of Norwich’s leading banks, without them noticing anything was missing.
Was Eleanor Melanus really as black as she was painted? Or was it her ill fortune to be both desirable and not too bright — a woman alternately used and betrayed by the men around her? Either way, Foxe must face down a pitiless criminal enterprise to discover what really went on in the Melanus household … and in the bank next door.
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Category Archives: Politics
The Independents, Precursors of Radicalism
To eighteenth-century Britons, the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and the Bill of Rights of 1689 were more than simple historical and political events. They were the foundations of British political stability, the guarantors of freedom from arbitrary rule. Under the … Continue reading
All ISN’T Fair in War
Here’s a fascinating piece from the Norfolk Chronicle of 21st October, 1780. In the course of the present war, humanity hath found a distinguished friend in Lord Viscount TOWNSHEND. His behaviour does honour to the dignity of his rank and … Continue reading
Norwich Election Riot. September 23rd, 1786
An account from the Norfolk Chronicle of an election riot in Norwich. I’ve noted before that Norwich elections tended to be turbulent, especially towards the end of the 18th century. However, this one seems to have drawn in nearly all … Continue reading
The Gordon Riots of 1780
This is an insider’s view of days of mob violence in late Georgian London. Laetitia Hawkins was more or less in the middle of things and her father, Sir John, was a local magistrate and thus responsible for trying to … Continue reading
Conservative Propaganda in the 18th Century
It’s fair to say that pro-government forces during the latter part of the 18th century proved better than the anti-government ones at manipulating public opinion against the radicals who demanded political and social reform. Governments of the day worked hard … Continue reading
The Language of 18th Century Politics
Many people today never encounter the English of the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible of 1611 or the Book of Common Prayer of 1662. This is a huge gap in their literary education. Not just because both are … Continue reading
‘Straights’, ‘Splitters’ and ‘Plumpers’
No, these are not esoteric sexual orientations; nor are they descriptions of carrots or any other root vegetables. They are the different voting strategies available to eighteenth-century voters throughout most of England. Forget ‘floating voters’ or tactical voting. These are … Continue reading
