A final gift from Bruce Alexander: a new book in his acclaimed mystery series about blind eighteenth-century London judge Sir John Fielding
Beloved by legions of fans and a staple of best-of-the-year book lists, the Fielding mysteries thrill listeners with a pitch-perfect fusion of vivid characterizations, evocative atmosphere, and riveting plotlines.
In RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, Sir John and Jeremy are confronted with a series of bizarre deaths on the streets of Georgian London, in a mystery that tests even Sir John's legendary skills of deduction. When Lord Lammermoor, a close personal friend of the Lord Chief Justice, plunges to his death from the heights of Westminster Bridge in front of a dozen witnesses, suicide is ruled as the most likely cause of death. But Lammermoor's fatal leap coincides with the arrival of Dr. Goldsworthy, a student of the famous Dr. Anton Mesmer and his research in animal magnetism. Sir John's suspicions grow when it is discovered that Goldsworthy's patron in London is none other than the beautiful and austere Lady Lammermoor. Meanwhile, Jeremy's sleuthing uncovers a web of intrigue within the Lammermoor family, and the deeper he investigates, the more suspects he discovers who stand to gain from Lammermoor's death. Filled with Alexander's richly textured depictions of eighteenth-century London, and with a vibrant cast of characters "as vivid and sharp-witted as a Hogarth sketch" (The Seattle Times), RULES OF ENGAGEMENT is the brilliant conclusion to a splendid series.
When John Lammermoor falls to his death from Westminster Bridge, the intrepid Sir John Fielding believes he was murdered, possibly through hypnotism. John Lee adds his tremendous range of vocals and accents to this Fielding novel of intrigue and atmosphere. The murders are not the only things of interest in Bruce Alexander's series, set in Georgian London; more than the plot are the subplots and the depth of understanding of the era that he brings to these beloved mysteries. John Lee's many voices carry to the listener the echoes of the time. So complex is this cast of characters that the book becomes a theatrical performance. B.H.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine