First Time in Paperback
SummaryA final gift from Bruce Alexander: a 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 readers with a
pitch-perfect fusion of vivid characterizations, evocative
atmosphere, and riveting plot-lines. And now, for all those
fans, here is one more.
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 Lammermoore, 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.
Bruce Alexander was the pseudonym for Bruce Cook, a
well-known author of numerous works of both fiction and
nonfiction. When Alexander died in late 2003, he had
completed most of Rules of Engagement, leaving behind notes
on how the remainder of the story was to unfold. The novel
was been completed by Bruce's wife, Judith Alexander, and
John Shannon. Shannon himself is the author of four novels,
as well as six books in the highly praised Jack Liffey
mystery series, most recently Terminal Island.
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