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 readers with a pitch-perfect fusion of vivid characterizations, evocative atmosphere, and riveting plotlines. 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 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.
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"Maybe a 3.5. This is the last of the series, and I am sad to see it end. This last one was completed and published after Alexander died--thus the 3.5. But still worth reading to finish out the series."
— Donna (4 out of 5 stars)
“Alexander’s many fans will find the final, posthumous Sir John Fielding mystery a bittersweet experience. It marks a triumphant return to the series’ strengths.”
— Publishers Weekly" Victorian court with blind magistrate - murder "
— Jackie, 10/5/2013" Meh, disappointing end to the series. maybe unavoidable since the auther died while writing the book and his wife had to complete the story "
— Gary, 11/13/2012" I recommend this to all my AP students because it would give them practice in 18-19th century prose. It's an interesting story and the details are interesting. "
— Eldra, 8/3/2011" This one was a little too predictable! But I have loved the series and I am really sad to see it end. There need to be more Sir John Fielding's in this world! "
— Janice, 5/10/2011" See my review of the initial novel in the series, Blind Justice. "
— Joe, 12/16/2010" Another Sir John Fielding mystery - Jeremy is older now, and is confronted with a series of bizarre deaths in London. Mesmer's new theory of 'animal magnetism' and hypnotism are discussed here, and have something to do with the mystery. "
— Guna, 8/22/2010" I just discovered this series. It is clean with very likable characters. A good escape. "
— Belinda, 3/17/2010" I just discovered this series. It is clean with very likable characters. A good escape. "
— Belinda, 8/21/2008" See my review of the initial novel in the series, Blind Justice. "
— Joe, 7/29/2008Bruce Alexander (1932–2003) was the pseudonym for Bruce Cook, the well-known author of numerous works of 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 has been completed by John Shannon and Alexander’s wife, Judith Aller.
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.