William Snopes abandoned his privileged life to become a barrister. Over his 20 year career, he has declined political cases or those involving the upper classes, preferring to offer legal representation to those who have been denied it through lack of status or funds.
His stance changes when Lady Madeleine Jameson asks him to defend her cousin, Captain Harold Tuttle, against a charge of piracy, which carries a death sentence should he be found guilty, and save her family from financial ruin. A Letter of Marque issued by the Crown which would prove Tuttle's innocence has mysteriously disappeared. He is intrigued by the story she tells and also by the lady herself, but is reluctant to accept the case until he knows more. Snopes' preliminary enquiries meet with little success as he is unable to ascertain the whereabouts of Captain Tuttle or the identity of the other two investors in the Padget venture.
Snopes devises his own plan to flush out those involved. Unfortunately, the repercussions place himself, his team and Lady Madeleine in danger. When Snopes eventually gains access to Tuttle, the trial is scheduled to commence within a matter of days. Snopes and his team struggle to make a case for their client's defence in such a short time, but they are a tenacious lot and uncover an elaborate plot which suggests that the people behind it have wealth and power at their disposal. But who are they?
William Snopes is a very likeable character. He is honest, kind and passionate about what he does for a living. His other passion is music, which often winds through his thoughts. Despite his honesty, he is willing to bend the rules to achieve his aims and is often accused of courtroom trickery by his peers. His methods certainly make the courtroom scenes entertaining. Although he outmanoeuvres the Prosecution a number of times during the trial, he does suffer a series of set backs that threaten to derail his defence. An unsympathetic judge and witnesses that disappear or prove hostile make his task that much harder.
With time running out before the trial winds up, Lady Madeleine makes one last desperate bid to find a crucial witness. Help comes from an unexpected quarter and reveals to William that she has not been entirely truthful in her dealings with him.
I loved all aspects of this novel. Todd M. Johnson's experience as a trial lawyer made those courtroom scenes come alive and his depiction of post Napoleonic War England suggests a familiarity with the era which also enlivened this brilliant courtroom tale.
There is the basis for an excellent series here. Whether or not Johnson follows that path, I hope he writes more historical mysteries in this vein.
The Barrister and the Letter of Marque
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Top reviews from other countries
Jane's Sister
Something's the matter here.
Reviewed in the United States on 17 August 2021Verified Purchase
lighthouse88
Enjoyable story
Reviewed in the United States on 28 September 2021Verified Purchase
lighthouse88
Reviewed in the United States on 28 September 2021
Lady Madeleine Jameson is desperate for Mr. Snopes to take her case. She has invested all her money, as well as quite a bit borrowed from a smuggler and a crooked lawyer, in the purchase of a ship. The ship is captained by her cousin. The ship has sailed with a Letter of Marque signed by King George, which allows the ship to seize foreign goods from other ships that are carrying smuggles goods. The captain seizes such a ship, arrives back in London after a year at sea only to be arrested for piracy immediately upon docking. As the captain arrives in his cabin to produce his Letter of Marque, which assures the legality of his actions, the letter is nowhere to be found. The ship and cargo are held by the crown, so the cargo can’t be sold. Piracy is a crime that carries the sentence of transportation to a prison colony or hanging. Lady Jameson will lose her worn down estate and could herself be arrested as she is part owner of the ship. What unravels as William and his aides investigate is challenge after challenge seeking answers and justice and a deadly plot involving those at the highest level of power.
I enjoyed the plot of the story very much, though it was a bit slow in some parts. This is one of my favorite time periods to read about, so I also enjoyed that aspect. The aspect of class differences as far as how justice was meted out and how life was lived were accurate I thought. There was no personal relationship with God in the story, so I’m not really sure why this is marketed as a Christian book and published by a Christian publisher. There were also some historical errors but that didn’t detract from the entertainment value for me.
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Bulldog
Riveting writing and plot development
Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2022Verified Purchase
a christian book fan
Historic suspense
Reviewed in the United States on 15 January 2022Verified Purchase
Barb
History, mystery and the triumph of justice.... TJ's Best?
Reviewed in the United States on 2 September 2021Verified Purchase
