Karen Charlton

Catching the Eagle is a nice light, quick read. Set during the Regency period, this story follows the lives of those in the middle and lower classes. Set in northern England, the story has us meeting the Charlton family, of whom one of the eldest sons is accused of stealing from the local estate. To me, this was a unique point of view, for a novel set in this time. The Charltons, and most of the people we encounter in the book are all working people. The Charltons are farmers or perform odd jobs around the region. Most of the novels I've ready that are set in this time are ones that mostly deal with the people in the big houses, or those in their social circles. What makes it more interesting, is that these are real people. Jamie Charlton is an ancestor of the author's husband, who was tried for the robbery that is the basis of the novel.

While it was a fun and light mystery novel feel, and it had a good ending that tied things up, it was not the most satisfying ending to a story. Although, I suspect that is largely related to the nature of the crime and what was known when the events took place. However, this is the first novel of a series based on the border reivers (robbers or raiders along the Scottish border, according to the author), so I hope we get to see more of the Charltons in the next one.… (altro)

This is the long awaited seventh book in this series of Regency era mystery novels featuring Bow Street Runners Detective Stephen Lavender and Constable Ned Woods. This presents a rather complex plot involving poisonous trousers, jewel thefts, feckless young aristocrats, bodysnatchers, disguises and vengeance based on past tragic events, and more. In the process of the story, Woods and his wife Betsy acquire a new foster son and a pet dog. Bow Street is under new command, that of Magistrate Conant, who is a stereotypical police boss, trying to limit his officers from displaying any initiative and trying to break up the successful Lavender-Woods partnership. By the end of the novel, and after the successful resolution of all the plot threads, he seems to have accepted their success, and Lavender is being referred to as the Chief Constable, with Woods as Assistant Chief Constable. Great to have the series back, and the characters are as great as ever, but I think this lacked some of the strong central drive of most of the earlier novels.… (altro)

I had begun to despair of ever getting another Detective Lavender mystery because it has been four long years since the last one was published in February 2020. I was afraid I would have forgotten some of the finer nuances of the relationships, etc. but – no, I hadn’t. It was an interesting and exciting book that takes Lavender, Woods, Bow Street, and Woods grown sons in a new direction that I think will be so much fun! One of the things I love about this series is that there really was a Detective Lavender in Bow Street at that time and the author is giving us a fictionalized version of his cases. He was quite a celebrity in his day and a number of the details in the stories really happened. Is that cool or what?

Beloved Magistrate Read has retired and the new magistrate, Conant, wants to make his mark on Bow Street. So far, nobody cares for him or his changes. Especially the changes he’s made to their working relationships – as in – he splits up the dynamic duo of Lavender and Woods. Or – at least he thinks he does.

We begin with a very strange and history-making autopsy performed (or not) by esteemed surgeon Sir Richard Allison at Guy’s Hospital and then, we go on to robberies, murders, grave robbers, imposters, usurers, you name it. Before all is said and done, you’ll think there can’t possibly be any more criminals left in London because Bow Street has arrested all of them.

This was a breath-holding, fun read with Lavender and Woods solving cases separately and together while managing Magistrate Conant at the same time. I recommend this book and hope you will love it as much as I did. Happy Reading!… (altro)

I loved this story, even as the injustice involved made me angry. Jamie Charlton is a poor farmer who is accused of stealing the farm rents from the local lord. Whether he committed the crime is actually irrelevant as he is the favored suspect. As a poverty-stricken tenant farmer, he has no defense against the laws of the day, which favor the gentry and titled.

As his family fights for his freedom, they are involved in their own lives and struggles. Jamie's brothers are arguing over how to help him, while his wife and son are just trying to survive. His brother William is desperate to get away from all the family drama and live his own life. Their oldest brother, John, is more worried about maintaining a good reputation for the family and keeping the family farm going. His wife Cilla is trying to keep her four children fed. His oldest son, Jack has befriended a wild animal and believes his family's fate is tied to that of his new friend.

If you read the acknowledgements at the beginning of the book, you know how the book ends, as Catching the Eagle is a fictionalized account of a real family's story. However, the ups and downs through the book will keep you coming back. It had me hoping for a different ending. In fact, despite some emotional scenes in the story, I didn't cry until the end of the book. This is in no way a "happily-ever-after" and is very disturbing when you remember that there was a time when England's law system was based more on class than justice.

Apparently, this is the first in a series. I'm very curious about what subsequent books will involve. Oh, and this story takes place in northern England, on the Scottish border, so the characters reminded me of the Scots in my favorite historicals. That was a big bonus.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.… (altro)