Watery Grave by Bruce Alexander (A Sir John Fielding mystery)

This third entry into the Sir John Fielding series was thoroughly satisfying, nicely continuing the character development, plot lines and story arcs Bruce Alexander artfully laid in the first two installments.

Family ties and old friendships are tested, young boys become men on the high seas while fighting pirates, characters are forced to examine their faith in and fidelity to their country and ultimately justice itself is threatened by the inherent fallibility of man and flawed loyalty to the institutions that often become one's identity.

You know, all the stuff that makes you delve into a book like it's piece of warm bread fresh from the oven with a melting pad of butter on it.

However, the book was also a bit light on the law, so fans of Alexander's immensely entertaining way of educating the readers about British law in the late 18th century will find themselves a bit wanting in that regard. The reader unfortunately doesn't get to watch the cases that come before the blind magistrate as much as in the previous books. 

The excuse for that, however, is more than adequate: much of the action centers around a Royal Navy court martial wherein a man is accused of pushing the captain overboard during a gale and Sir John Fielding is merely consulting on the case. 

But of course, it's never that simple, and Alexander has cleverly enfolded a not-entirely-new plot line, or issue, into the Bow Street world he created.

Though the principles remain on land and the HMS Adventure remains docked in the Thames, there is plenty of page-turning nautical action.

It is not the most complex mystery, and most arm chair sleuths will likely have figured out what the courts do not before the ending. Still, Alexander steers clear of cliches, shows his usual talent for historical detail and research the reader doesn't even notice (the best kind, in historical fiction) and gives an ending that is satisfying and not too pat. 

Devotees of the series will enjoy how Jeremy Proctor's journey into manhood is honestly, but respectfully, chronicled. Jimmie Bunkins still uses flash without hitting you over the head with it and Black Jack Bilbo makes another welcome appearance. 

Best of all, however, we learn more about Sir John Fielding the man, including how he lost his sight, and find him less two-dimensional than his role as Jeremy Proctor's employer and magistrate has allowed him to be in the first two novels.

Blind Justice by Bruce Alexander

This is the first and only Sir John Fielding mystery I've read and I thought it was pretty good. A friend of mine described it as a "Swimming pool book" and I think that's pretty accurate. 


I enjoyed snippets of life and jurisprudence in London during the 1760s and the 13-year-old who narrates the novel is a surprisingly well-developed character. Although we witness the slow, inevitable death of Sir John's wife, we don't get to know him all that well in the first book and I think that's what going to keep me reading this series.

Murders on Grub Street by Bruce Alexander (Sir John Fielding)

As always, Bruce Alexander skillfully weaves historical research into the story and maintains young Jeremy's Proctor voice (and period prose) without allowing the narrative to become too heavy.

Jeremy, of course, is the thirteen-year-old ward of the court who assists the blind magistrate of Bow Street Court and narrates Sir John Fielding's adventures.

The second installment of the Sir John Fielding mystery series offers a glimpse both into the tumultuous printing industry of the 1760s as well as how Bedlam, the insane asylum, was run. There is also an underlying historical expose of how mentally ill prisoners were treated that is skillfully woven into the story as well.

Some of the characters from the pilot book make good reappearances (the Bow Street Runners) and a few more have been added. Jeremy experiences some growth, but still remains naive enough to teach the reader a few things as a matter of course.

The plot twists were well done, but I would have liked more of the view into the courts and the still-evolving legal system of the time that was present in the first novel. Still, another successful installment and I look forward to reading the next one.