Barrister and the Letter of Marque

The setting for the story is 1818 in London. William Snopes is the son of Lord Snopes but gave up his wealthy upbringing twenty years ago. He is estranged from his father and supports himself as a barrister. He has avoided taking cases involving the aristocracy his entire career until he meets Lady Madeine Jameson. He agrees to hear her out but secretly has already decided he will not take her case because she is of the aristocracy. After hearing her case and consulting his subordinates, he decides to decline her case but wants to do so in person. He arrives at her estate and it is not at all what he expected. He sees the condition of the estate and knows Lady Jameson has told him the truth and is in dire straits. He changes his mind and agrees to take her case, never realizing exactly the powers that he is up against.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.

It took me a long time to start this book because I did not know what to expect. I like getting to know what it was like in Englan in 1818. If you had money and power, you could do whatever you wanted and the poor was just poor and abused. It is suprising how fast you become a nobody when you lose your money. I like Lady Jameson she was strong and brave and maybe too brave. If Fater Thomas wasn't in the story it would not have been a Christian novel. I like all his input and his caring nature. William Shopes was a very smart barrister; if not a genius, not unlike Petty Mason who could see solve any plot. I would have like the American more involved and show a stronger character. He seemed to be strong, but caring. This story moved along faster then I thought it would and could not put it down in the end.

I am not usually a fan of historic or British novels but as I love Christian legal suspense and the other books by this author, I decided to try this when it came out at an affordable price. I noticed most of the reviews were all free books. It started out very slow but towards the end it picked up the pace and had an interesting ending.

This book captures all that is imaginable in an 19th century trial. The picturesque writing carries the book’s plot. But it isn’t heavy like other writers of the era like Charles Dickens or Nathaniel Hawthorne. Much is left to the reader to create an image, which makes for more involved participation in the plot. I’ve read all of Todd Johnson’s books and this is the best. I can see a good movie in this book. Todd’s Princeton education and decades of trial practice serve Todd Johnson especially well. Riveting courtroom cross examinations are a special treat.

The premise for the story is good and well-thought-out. The atmosphere of London in the early 19th Century is very tangible. So, why do I have a problem with this book? Because, either the author is doing some sort of alternate reality here -- or he's just sloppy with the details of History and the Regency period.The list is too long for me to go into full details -- but for example: Madeline would never be referred to as "Lady Jamieson", that would have been her Mother. The Prince Regent would never have been called "Prince Regent George", he was simply "The Prince Regent", everybody knew which son of George III was Regent, so no need to add a name.Then there's the Alternate Reality problem -- Strauss waltzes before Strauss was composing?, Princess Charlotte alive in 1818?, "Beau" Brummel a Lord?Just a few samples, but each time something like this came up -- it took my attention away from the story-line -- and that was sad because it was a really good story.

I was, at first, skeptical of the setting chosen for this fourth novel by Attorney Johnson. Early 19th century England for a legal thriller is daunting. But this author, once again, rewards his readers!I love his capacity for blending character development with a plot that simply grips you with its intrigue and redemptive promise of "never say die" outcomes. I understand Mr. Johnson is an accomplished attorney in the courtroom. But his legacy may well lie with the 'scrivening' of unforgettable stories.

So well written with amazing insights to the legal system in the regency era. It begs to be continued, please.

At first, I had trouble keeping up with the characters in the story, but I am so glad that I kept at it! I enjoyed this book very much! It taught me much about the early 1800s legal system in England.