Sea Change

by Robert Goddard

London 1721. William Spandel is deeply in debt and desperate. Sir Theodore Janssen, director of the recently collapsed South Sea Company, Spandel's major creditor, comes to his rescue. But there is a catch. Spandrel must secretly deliver a package to Amsterdam to a man named de Vries, a friend of Janssen.

A man of his word, Spandrel delivers the package as promised, but things soon take a turn for the worse. He narrowly escapes an attempt on his life, only to find himself accused of murdering de Vries. Then de Vries' secretary and wife go missing, along with the secret package. Spandrel senses that he has become a pawn in a game of international proportions involving many players. British government agents, among others, are hot on his trail, convinced that the package contains secret details concerning the great South Sea financial scandal, information so explosive it could spark a revolution in England.

Spandrel believes his only chance is to find the package and to place it in the right hands. But he's not sure whose hands. And he is definitely not sure what the package contained.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Historical, Suspense

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

In a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have now read a handful of books by this author and found this one to be educational as well as engaging. Much of what I learned from reading this book had managed to slip through the cracks of my education as to what the main drivers were in early to mid 1700's
Spandrel the mapmaker makes for a very interesting main character and his fate is what drives the reader to carry on even through some rather heavily laden episodes. There is not one drop of humour in this book.
There is a lengthy Epilogue covering the South Sea Company and the characters in this book - all educational for me, at least.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening line of the Goodreads description is It’s January 1721, and London is still reeling from the recession caused by the greatest financial scandal of the age: the collapse of the South Sea Bubble. My knowledge of history, especially British history is none too good. Had I not read David Liss' A Conspiracy of Paper I would have been entirely unfamiliar with said South Sea bubble. No doubt I could know more, but basically the South Sea Company was a company which wanted to rival the Bank of England. What it really was about was power and riches for the founders. It did this by selling stock which was worthless because there were no assets nor business on which the stock could be based. It made a few people very rich and a lot of people dead broke. A bubble.

In the opening pages, Robert Knight has an appointment with Sir Theodore Janssen. It is to be a very private meeting. Knight gives Janssen a locked dispatch case, the whereabouts and contents to be protected at all cost. Next we meet a William Spandrel who is in debtors prison for failure to pay his debt to Janssen, and others. Janssen offers Spandrel a deal: take something to Amsterdam, bring back a receipt of delivery, and all debts will be expunged and freedom returned. Poor William Spandrel, the unwitting pawn of such powerful people who only wanted to be debt free. And pawn he was.

The something in the dispatch case was a green book. This book contained the financial shenanigans of the South Sea Company. It divulged the corruption of those behind it. That corruption reached to the highest places of the British government. Who got stock for pennies on the pound? Who was bribed to look the other way? Let us say the very highest personage, no higher personage lived, and others who ran the goverment, of course. What would people do to acquire that green book and how much would those named therein pay for making sure the information recorded was never disclosed?

I like Robert Goddard. I like the way he writes. Others of his books have had somewhat better characterizations. The plot wasn't hard to follow, but a lot happened to poor William Spandrel. There were more cliff-hangers than should fill two novels. And then there was all that needed background knowledge. There were a couple of glossaries at the end so that we could know which of the named people were real and which would never be found in any history book. (Robert Knight and Sir Theodore Janssen were real, Spandrel was not.) I had no trouble turning pages, but there was a time or two I thought things were a bit much. For me, this was a low 4-stars, but I could see where others might think differently.

[gaudeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

"History is the geology of human experience, a study, as it were, of tragedy and comedy laid down in the strata of past lives. In death there are no winners or losers, merely people who once lived but can never live again. What they thought, what they believed, what they hoped, is largely lost. That which remains is history."

This is a highly entertaining picaresque novel set in the 18th century in England, the Netherlands, and various other European countries. The characters brush elbows with famous figures who actually lived then, and they are all embroiled in a financial scandal that actually took place. The pages keep turning, because "it's just one damn thing after another." It's not great literature, but it's not bad either, and the main character is likable and learns much as he goes. I recommend it for people who are interested in the time period.

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1721, the great South Sea Bubble has collapsed**, and a mapmaker, heavily in debt, is persuaded by his debtor that he must travel to Holland and deliver a package. Turns out it contains a green book listing all those government officials who had been bribed to help investors make money from the bubble.

The Goddard books I have read all have some sort of multi-continent chase in them and this one is a whopper. It takes place in England, Holland, Switzerland, Germany and Italy as several groups pursue the rogues who stole the "green" book, which itself had been purloined. Shades of Louise de la Valliere and deception abounds on all sides with poor Spandrel caught in the middle. The Captain was my favorite character.

My only gripe with the book is that I had no sense of place. Here was a marvelous opportunity to present the results of research into traveling conditions, housing, how people lived, etc., in the early eighteenth century. Instead the focus seems solely on the characters and the chase. This may also be one of those books in which the audiobook narrator enhances the reading. Very well read.

**The story of the South Seas bubble is fascinating and well-recounted in this wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Se.... How little times have changed.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Goddard writes really interesting and descriptive novels and I really enjoyed this one, an entertaining read!

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this Robert Goddard. It's the first one i've struggled to finish. They are usually fantastic page-turning thrillers with lots of mystery and suspense plus they often have a historical element which appeals to me. However this one just totally failed to capture my interest - i think because it contained just too much politics - eighteenth century politics too which is not an era which interests me at all. As a result the novel felt quite dry. The plot involving the 'South Sea Bubble' scandal held no mystery or intrigue for me whatsoever! If you've never read a Goddard before, don't start with this one because it might put you off ever reading another one - and the rest are great!

[Anupa Dharmaraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sea Change by Robert Goddard
Genre: #crimefiction , #suspense , #historicfiction
My Rating : 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 (3.7/5)
.
.
.
An engaging and entertaining mystery set in the 18th century, Europe.

The story revolves around the main character William Spandrel, a map maker who is caught amid the greatest financial scandal of the age.

It is a well written detailed slow burn mystery that digs deep into the age and time. The plot is developed slowly from financial scandal to crime fiction, exploring the nook and cranny and establishing the plot thoroughly.

The main characters are amiable and developed brilliantly. Dragged into a situation unforeseen, the development of MC - Spandrel is portrayed to its very precision - something that you can definitely look forward to in this read. In fact, all the characters were realistic and depicted with ample depth that each offered the very right complexity to the plot.

The book runs in a slow pace and moving from one situation to another as in a chain reaction, but the mystery of a particular ‘green book of secrets’ which triggers the crime element and the plot running around Spandrel trying to prove his innocence is very well narrated. The book gave us a well satisfactory ending, wrapping it up perfectly.

There are places where the plot dragged a bit, and you wouldn’t be glued to its pages as the dry bit might make the book feel a whole lot bigger than it really is. But the ending and the whole feel of the book is well worth exploring indeed.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and would certainly explore more from him. If you enjoy a slow burn well plotted, historic mystery you have the right pick here 😊

[Deborah O'Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usual twists and turns you would expect from Robert Goodard. I liked the way he mixed historical figures with fictional figures and inter weaved the story.

[Joe Stamber · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a tricky one, this. I'm a big fan of Goddard and for most of the way through Sea Change I was swaying between 3 and 4 stars. Goddard likes his smoke and mirrors and at times it felt like he overdid it a bit here, and that's what nearly dragged Sea Change down to 3 stars. But his weaving of history with fiction into a great story, his fascinating characters and excellent prose pushed it back up again. Goddard has a great eye for period detail, including some marvellous dialogue ("Who's this spindleshanks?") and I was entertained and absorbed. Not Goddard's best, more a 3.5 than a 4 star rating, but as always I found it hard to put down and that's usually a good sign.

[Evy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I actually liked the book's historical setting. What I did not like was seeing the same tedious story line over and over and over again, every 50 pages or so.
In the end, I just grew so tired I stopped reading with only 60 pages or so more to go. Never have the main characters aggravated me more. The only character with whom I could somewhat identify was McIlwraith, and it was so obvious he would return. Although his continued story line was meagre at best. To me, it was a dread.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, Goddard always has a historical component to his whodunits - with details woven into the modern day whodunit. But this novel, is totally set in the 1700's in England and the Netherlands, with lots of politics, financiers, and royalty thrown. Not my type of read at all. Gave up after the 5th chapter. Simply could not get past all the political shenanigans, etc.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Goddard novel I read. And for me it is the best! I think because it was not in a contemporary setting but the storyline and action were as if it was happening today. Goddard has a writing style which I really enjoy. I read it quite a while ago, but still remember it as if I just read it recently.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment. This is about the 10th R. Goddard book I've read, and for some reason, with this one the elaborate plotting just seemed cumbersome, there was too much historical information, and the characters seemed a little flat. Not a great read.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Victorvanr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although a fan of Goddard, this book was bad. The story is never convincing and the main character boring. Goddard at his worst.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through history with the ever changing fortunes of William Spander. A good yarn indeed

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"Every map has it's history..."

Immaculately written, and performed with a warm and good natured flourish by Paul Shelley, this is the incredible tale of a young map maker fallen on (sometimes very) hard times after taking on his father's debts in 1721 with the bursting of the SouthErn Bubble. His hopes of lifting himself and his mother out of penuary are raised when he is asked to secretly convey a satchel containing a green covered book to a businessman in Amsterdam. But events do not go smoothly for William Spandrel. Instead, he finds himself accused of murder.

Adventure, history, betrayal but also love and kindnesses, this is a convoluted story with well formed characters. I was captivated from the beginning and enjoyed it all. But somehow this book did not resonate with this reader as much as earlier Goddard stories have done.
Nevertheless, still recommended.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is January 1721. London is reeling from the effects of the greatest financial scandal of the age, the collapse of the South Sea Bubble. William Spandrel, a penniless mapmaker, is offered a discharge of his debts by his principal creditor, Sir Theodore Janssen, a director of the South Sea Company, on one condition: he must secretly convey an important package to a friend of Janssen's, Ysbrand de Vries, in Amsterdam.

The package safely delivered, Spandrel barely survives an attempt on his life, only to be blamed for the murder of de Vries himself. When de Vries's secretary, his English wife and the package itself go missing shortly afterwards, Spandrel realizes that he has become a pawn in several people's games. British Government agents, and others, are on his trail, believing that the mysterious package contained secret details of the great South Sea scandal - secrets so explosive that their publication could spark a revolution in England.

[D.A. Fellows · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars. This was an odd one from Goddard, but I liked it. It read more like a Robert Harris, blending fiction with actual historical events, and it was a departure from Goddard’s formula of some dark secret in the past coming back to haunt and kill people in the present. I didn’t find it as “twisty” as his other novels, but lately those twists have been feeling more contrived anyway, and what this book had about it was a base in reality that stopped it from feeling too outlandish or far-fetched. The many referenced Earls and Dukes and Kings and Viscounts and Bishops and whatnot takes some keeping track of, but I liked that Goddard included the political aspects that govern the fate of the mostly hapless main character. Definitely a memorable story.

[Mark Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tale of intrigue set within the context of the South Sea Bubble concerns itself less with the Bubble and its consequences than with a couple of bit actors caught in its wake. The characters within the Royal family, the government and the South Sea Company are historical figures that I wish had been examined more closely. For a historical novel, I feel I learned very little here.

That said, the everyman hero at the center of this plot is a wonderful character who is subject to one surprise after another as he is used by a pawn of those at the center of power. Over the course of the book he loses much of his innocence, but he comes through in the end, thanks in part to his own strengths, in part to the actions of someone who had at times been one of his chief tormentors.

[Ansie de Swardt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing. After a most promising start, which piqued the interest, the book deteriorated into a quasi-Ground Hog Day thing; the hapless non-hero, William, lurches along from one arm-twister to another. He never has a single idea in his head. He never learns from the absurd things that happen to him. He repeatedly finds himself in some or other dire situation, right up to being on death row. He is staunchly phlegmatic through all of this. He is a regular nice guy, but not the stuff for an action-packed story, really. Estelle de Vries, now there is a much more interesting character. She is devoid of all ethics and any basic goodness of heart, except for an inexplicable lapse at the end, where she sort of redeems herself, and the rather tedious book also.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting mix of historical fact and fiction, well-grafted by Goddard at his best. In spite of a large cast of characters, Goddard enables us to keep track of them easily, and the constant shifts in fortune of the main character, Spandrel, keep us turning the pages. There's a Glossary of historical matters in the back of the book too, for those (like me) for whom most of the events described are familiar only in name.
Goddard is never one to shirk using coincidence in his stories, and it's vital to the forward movement of this book. Only occasionally did I say to myself: 'uh oh, there's going to be somebody following him,' or, 'this isn't what it seems...' and so on.
All in all an enjoyable and interesting read, and certainly one of Goddard's best stories.

[Ursula · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those of us relatively unfamiliar with this period of history, it was a bit of a hassle to research unfamiliar terms and geographies to make full sense of this book. It was galling to discover also that the edition I possessed had a very informative appendix which explained many of the useful historical references. Wish it had pointed that out at the beginning of the book. However the plot was interesting, the characters engaging and the outcome was satisfactory. Don’t think it Goddard’s best but we can’t expect excellence every time.

[Lucinda Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

HISTORY LESSON PLUS FICTION
I thought I knew a lot about the debacle of the South Sea Bubble, but in this book I learned so much more as facts intertwined with the story. Our hero managed to extricate himself from every disaster that befell hi, and they followed on one after the other. An interesting read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ric Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the end, I was really drawn into the world and the characters seemed real to me. I must admit that I almost gave up about 20% in when it slowed pretty badly for perhaps an hour of reading. I'm so glad I didn't stop.

[Anke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Met moeite uitgelezen. Er waren teveel personen die door elkaar in het verhaal kwamen en allemaal een grote of kleine rol hadden. Achterin bleek een namenlijst te zitten van ca 3 bladzijdes.
Als dat beter verwerkt was in het boek, zou het boek best goed zijn.

[Sara G · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 33%. I thought a thriller about the South Sea Bubble would be really interesting, but the setting isn't fleshed out very well and the "thriller" parts are pretty predictable up to this point. Moving on.

[Pam Milburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book. I was happy to learn about the South Sea bubble and the problems it caused but the novel irritated me because of all the totally unrealistic coincidences that held it together.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction set in 1722 and thereabouts, mainly in England. It was interesting to consider that time period. The tale was somewhat convoluted and the main character made some questionable decisions. Politics, power, and love all got in the way at times of good decision making.

[Michael Heath-Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather a good read, with the setting of the aftermath of the South Seas Bubble (no Tulips or Bitcoin) from London to Amsterdam to Rome, with a caste of dour characters trying to murder each other, often successfully.