Alexaner, Bruce - THE PRICE OF MURDER

[LJ Roberts]

THE PRICE OF MURDER – VG Bruce Alexander – 10^th and final book in series

Set in Georgian England, blind magistrate, Sir John Fielding, and his young apprentice Jeremy Proctor investigate the brutal murder of a little girl whose mother had sold her into slavery. The trail leads Jeremy into the world of horseracing, as he joins forces with the victim's uncle, legendary jockey Deuteronomy Plummer. The challenges of the inquiry mount, as crucial witnesses turn up dead and evidence suggests that a member of the upper class is involved. The assistance of Jeremy's almost-fiancée, Clarissa Roundtree, proves vital when her childhood friend Elizabeth Hooker disappears only to resurface after a melodramatic escape from a brothel-a subplot borrowed from a celebrated real-life unsolved mystery.

Sadly, Bruce Alexander passed on shortly after the release of this book, and I shall very much miss this wonderful series. What this book may have lacked in suspense and plot twists, it more than made up for interesting, fully-developed characters and providing a picture of the period and, being a huge fan of Dick Francis, the racing world turning that time. I’ve always thought of his books as somewhat elegant reads. I do highly recommend this series for those who love elegant writing and period history.