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Sir John Fielding #6

Death of a Colonial

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The latest case of Sir John Fielding, a blind eighteenth-century London judge, finds Fielding and his ward Jeremy investigating the strange reappearance of a long missing nobleman shortly after his brother's execution and his connection with an American's recent suicide.

275 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

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About the author

Bruce Alexander

53 books121 followers
Pseudonym of American journalist and author Bruce Cook.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Bruce Alexander Cook (1932–2003) was an American journalist and author who wrote under the pseudonym Bruce Alexander, creating historical novels about a blind 18th century Englishman and also a 20th century Mexican-American detective.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
Profile Image for Paul Weiss.
1,467 reviews548 followers
February 11, 2025
Another winner in a winning series!

DEATH OF A COLONIAL
, Bruce Alexander's sixth novel in the highly acclaimed Sir John Fielding series, is neither the cozy, lightweight mystery (à la Agatha Christie or Susan Wittig-Albert) nor the historical thriller that many readers might expect. It might more accurately be categorized as an atmospheric and compelling investigation set within a graphic description of 18th century Georgian England.

Fans of Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding series will recall that, in JACK, KNAVE AND FOOL, Lord Laningham died under mysterious circumstances and left behind him a vast estate whose sole heir would have been Arthur Paltrow. But, as Sir John Fielding has sentenced Lord Paltrow to be hanged for Lord Laningham's murder, the estate will now revert to the crown. And, with a seriously depleted treasury, King George III is positively drooling over the thought receiving a delicious slice of a very large pie indeed. DEATH OF A COLONIAL investigates the unlikely last minute appearance of a claimant to the estate, Arthur's younger brother, Lawrence Paltrow, returned from the colonies in America after having disappeared under mysterious circumstances seven years earlier. With the support of his mother, Lawrence now stands ready to do battle in court with King George III and his legal minions. Even under extensive questioning, the man conducts himself in such a fashion as to convince almost everyone, including his supposed mother, that he is Lawrence, the prodigal son returned to England after an absence of nearly a decade. But, of course, if that was all there was to it, then we wouldn't have a story, would we? Sir John smells a rat and, as the master sleuth, Sherlock Holmes (who, for almost a hundred years to come, was not even a twinkle in his parents' eyes), might have said, "The game is afoot!"

DEATH OF A COLONIAL, as its predecessors in the acclaimed series did before it, will treat its readers to extraordinary characterization and atmospheric embellishment that brings people, time and place to life with a sparkling vitality and a sense of realism that can hardly be rivaled - the sights, the smells, the sounds, the slums, the prisons, the docks, pubs, outdoor markets, dark alleys, upstairs, downstairs, courts, gaming houses, bordellos, street walkers, poor houses, pickpockets, scamps, cut purses, thieves, and murderers. In short, Bruce Alexander brings a gaslit Georgian London to life with an unrivaled clarity.

It's also quite exciting to witness the early growth of modern jurisprudence; some glimpses of Regency law as it pertains to inheritances and the conferring of titles and nobility; and, of course, the exciting story of the birth of modern police procedure through the fictionalized account of Sir John Fielding's experiences as the magistrate of Bow Street Court and his leadership of England's first police force, the "Bow Street Runners.

Of particular interest in DEATH OF A COLONIAL was a brief travelogue of Bath and the narrative of student life at Oxford University in the 18th century.

I've said it before in other reviews of the series but it bears repeating. While each novel in the series can be read as a stand-alone mystery, maximum enjoyment will be the reward for the reader who takes the time to go back to the beginning and read the entire series in order. There is definitely a background story line to all of the characters, their development, their personal growth and their outlook on the world around them. Characters from previous novels pop in and out of the story and it definitely adds a layered dimension of enjoyment to each subsequent novel to know who they are and where they came from.

A highly recommended novel in a terrific ongoing series.

Paul Weiss
Profile Image for Nikki.
2,001 reviews53 followers
May 1, 2015
I'm coming to realize that I don't read these books for the plots, which are OK but not great. It's the voice of the young narrator, the setting in 1770s London, and the insights into the beginnings of modern English criminal justice that keep me coming back. In this book, an inquiry into a claimant to a title and fortune links up with both a previous Fielding story and a case from 1763, and both deal with "The Colonies" as they then were. A good but not great entry in this series.
Profile Image for Christopher Taylor.
Author 10 books78 followers
August 1, 2022
The story of Jeremy Proctor, employee and eventually adopted son of Sir John Fielding continues. This book involves a man claiming to be a lost heir to a noble house. A commission has been founded to prove the man a fraud and fold the house and name away so the king gets all its lands and possessions.

Sir John is tasked with checking into claims, and it soon becomes likely that the man is not just false, but probably being backed by someone powerful, hoping to gain from his inheritance.

This book didn't read as easily or as well as the previous ones in the series. The sequence in Bath of several chapters simply wandering around town like a 18th century travelogue of the area was informative but not particularly gripping and felt like padding. I like the Clarissa character but having her the Lisa Simpson of the book - always right and very loudly opinionated - was not very enjoyable.

Its still a solid novel and once you get past the first third or so begins to move along but it felt more like a short story stretched into a novel than a real novel.
Profile Image for Ann.
956 reviews87 followers
November 11, 2009
Another Sir John Fielding mystery - I always enjoy them, and this one was especially good because it was a pretty pure mystery (sometimes they are more in the suspense genre). A man comes back from the colonies claiming to be the long lost son of a recently deceased lord, so Sir John and Jeremy must determine whether he is entitled to the fortune he seeks. It's funny that I initially joined GoodReads to try to keep better track of the plots of mysteries I read, and one of my first reviews was for the preceding book in the series, yet I could remember nothing from that story. This was a little bit of a problem since this one constantly references the former novel. Oh well.

Also, everyone that saw my copy, including myself, read the title as "Death of a Colonel". EVERYONE.
752 reviews
March 15, 2021
Another story involving the magistrate and his ward in solving both a past crime and settling a present claim. The last book I read was concerning a man who inherited his uncle's estate because he was the eldest male relative and he was in the process of gaining the title of Lord when he was convicted of murder. This book involves that case plus another unsolved case of Lord John from a few years ago concerning the murder of a man named Mudge. What I enjoy about reading these books is the deductive system that is used to resolve the mystery and all of it is done in a time when one had to use perceptions of reactions to gauge the situation. Our narrator is both learning and developing his skills through his association with Lord John who is blind, thus forcing him to be the eyes.
The best part of this book was the trial of the person who claimed to be the brother of the person who was convicted of murder, and his claim of succession to the estate, hence denying the throne and how the plot was conceived by someone who was trying to gain profit regardless of the costs. Very entertaining story.
Profile Image for Marsha Valance.
3,840 reviews61 followers
May 6, 2020
This book is 5th in Alexander's series that featuring Sir John Fielding, the blind judge who founded the Bow Street Runners (forerunners of London's Police ). "Death of a Colonial" shows the reader how contemporary Britain viewed the American colonies 50 years before the Revolution: a wild, savage land that converts even civilized men to barbarians. King George I desires the country home of an executed criminal of noble family, but an heir has arrived from America to claim it. Sir John is appointed to a commission to evaluate the claim. As we follow Sir John in his thorough examination of the claimant's history, we also absorb the attitudes of the people he encounters. "Death of a Colonial" is a classic police procedural: a step-by-step investigation of what occurred, and why, enriched by the context of the time in which it takes place. It is an excellent example of the historical mystery.
Profile Image for pearl_seeker.
137 reviews4 followers
May 20, 2018
Not my favorite Sir John Fielding book. I thought it ran rather long and the criminal was pretty obvious from early on. I did like the character growth in Jeremy Proctor and the way the 'family' lives with camaraderie, bickering, hurt feelings, love, assistance - like a real family instead of a collection of saints. Jeremy and Clarissa are quite equals - intellectually and in personality - will they end up together, or will they be brother/sister in adulthood? And will Annie's attempts to improve herself by becoming literate make her more attractive to Lady Fielding's seaman son?

I look forward to the next book to see how Jeremy continues to grow in his quest to become a lawyer.
Profile Image for Dennis Fischman.
1,843 reviews43 followers
January 27, 2024
What's going on and who's behind it are pretty clear by halfway through this book, even to a bear of little brain like me. The process by which they are discovered and elucidated is entertaining, however, and so are the relationships between the mentor, Sir John Fielding, his assistant, Jeremy Proctor, and Clarissa, who I think is his wife's ward. So, read this series in sequence, to see how the relationships progress.
2,102 reviews38 followers
December 7, 2019
A wealthy earldom sans an heir... a treasure?... and greed, entitlement and ambition... then there is murder. There are also officious pompous intractable asses added to the mix. This one had our major characters journeying to Bath and then Oxford to debunk a false claim. I think this is the best so far of all the six I have read chronologically. A brilliant ending.
Profile Image for Ivor Armistead.
454 reviews11 followers
August 28, 2021
Four plus stars. “Death of a Colonial” is one of the best In the Sir John Fielding series, with less London and more political intrigue. As ever, these stories have strong historic elements. Good reads on many levels.
73 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2018
Like this series occasionally due to time and place. Very easy to read and simple
672 reviews1 follower
June 24, 2018
I had a hard time getting interested in the plot and it wasn't until the second half of the book that I got hooked and enjoyed the rest.
Profile Image for Carolyn Rose.
Author 41 books203 followers
May 30, 2020
Excellent sense of time and place and the privilege of the rich and titled.
318 reviews16 followers
June 18, 2021
A great read a novel about Great Britain and early police work .A interesting story but never boring.
819 reviews3 followers
October 11, 2024
The setting. The writing.

Setting - 5
Plot/Sory - 3
Characterization - 4
Writing - 4
144 reviews
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June 21, 2025
Another great book in the series. Excellent descriptions of the characters, local color, and as always interesting discussions of legal thinking.
2,311 reviews22 followers
August 30, 2015
This is the sixth book in the Sir John Fielding Series.

Sir John has been called by the Lord Chief Justice to attend a secret meeting at his home. Sir John is always wary of meetings called in secret and is reluctant to go but has no choice. Sir Patrick Spenser, the King’s Solicitor General has set up a commission and asked the Chief Justice to chair it. The commission is to examine the claim of Lawrence Paltrow to the huge Lanningham Estate. The man who calls himself Lawrence Paltrow insists he is the younger brother of the deceased Arthur Paltrow and thus next in line to inherit the huge fortune. In the past, Sir John sentenced his brother Arthur to hang for murder. Until Lawrence appeared, the huge estate was to pass to the king as is the custom for all possessions of a condemned man. And the King is excited about this new source of wealth and especially for the grand Lanningham country home which he wants to reserve for his son the Prince of Wales, currently only nine years old.

Lawrence Paltrow has not been seen or heard of for many years. He has not even communicated with his mother who now lives in humble circumstances in Bath. Lawrence has spent his time over in the American colonies but on hearing of the death of his brother has arrived in London to claim the estate.

Lawrence was only twenty when he left for America, but people notice he has changed and definitely looks different. He is a couple of inches taller and his speech is different, but his mother recognizes him as her son and has signed a document attesting to his identity. Lawrence is also travelling around collecting signatures from people who say they know him and that he is indeed Lawrence Paltrow.

It is up to Sir John and his ward Jeremy to help determine if this man is the person he claims to be and if he has claim to the Lanningham estate. The mystery includes reference to a sheaf of documents Sir John calls “the red file” which includes the details of three cases that were never resolved to his satisfaction.

Lord Mansfield is the same gruff character we have read about in the past from previous books, a direct man certain in the rightness of his causes, who has a rough manner and the reputation of a hanging judge. As it becomes clear that the entire purpose of the commission is to secure the Lanningham fortune for the King, Jeremy and Sir John meet many obstacles in their pursuit of the truth. But what initially looks like a conspiracy to gain a fortune takes another turn when murder is added to the charge.

Jeremy now sixteen continues to be the narrator of these stories and we see everything through his eyes. We meet “Black Jack” Bilbo once again and are brought up to date on Annie Oakum the cook and Clarissa Roundtree, who are both still living with Sir John and Lady Fielding. Anne and Clarissa have both taken their lead from Jeremy, working hard to learn to read and write and furthering their education.

We get some interesting historical details of Bath and the university community at Oxford in this book although I did not find it as entertaining as some of the others.
Profile Image for Booknblues.
1,534 reviews8 followers
November 6, 2012
Death of a Colonial by Bruce Alexander brings to life an interesting historical period. Sir John Fielding a blind magistrate in London helped to develop the Bow Street Runners, the first professional police organization in England . Sir John, the brother of Henry Fielding was a famed and gifted magistrate who compensated for his lack of sight by developing other skills. It is said that he never forgot a voice and could recognize a criminal by his voice alone.
Sixteen year old Jeremy Proctor assists Fielding in this pursuit of justice in Death of a Colonial. Fielding is commissioned to ascertain the validity of the claim of a fortune by Lawrence Paltrow the brother of an executed murderer, Arthur Paltrow. Arthur had been a wealthy man when he was executed and it was thought that there were no heirs to his estate. Together Jeremy and Fielding travel to Bath to meet the man's mother. It is at this point that the plot thickens. Jeremy and Fielding work together as a formidable team in discovering the conspirators.

Death of a colonial is rich in description of the feeling and times of England from Bath to London to Oxford. The reader is intrigued by Fieldings and Jeremy's journey through England and is ready to assist them in their search for criminals. The characters in the book are well developed and entertaining.

This is an entertaining book for those who love historical mysteries. Those who want fast paced action may wish to avoid this book
Profile Image for Wendy.
1,025 reviews22 followers
October 22, 2016
With Death of a Colonial, Jeremy is now 16 and beginning the process of studying Law. Sir John is teaching Jeremy the art of interrogation, and observation. He shows him some case files he deems as his personal failures. They are failures because theybwere ether unsolved or unresolved to his satisfaction. Sir John wants Jeremy to read and learn from those files.
In a previous novel, a nobleman with no known heirs is executed for homicide. By law, the lands and property of the deceased noble automatically go to the Crown. The Crown wants the property badly, so his superiors order Sir John to investigate a claimant who says he is the next heir the sizable estate. Sir John and Jeremy search for proof that this man IS NOT a heir in London, Bath, and Oxford. They find that this claimant and a suspicious companion is seeking out witnesses for affidavits to prove his claim. In the course of the investigation, they find a name that is very similar to one in those failed cases, could the current investigation be connected?
Once again, Bruce Alexander writes in an "old" style making the plot more realistic, and intriguing with an incredible sense of time and place with beautifully written characters.


Profile Image for Carole Moran.
94 reviews6 followers
September 20, 2010
I generally like this series about Sir John Fielding, the "Blind Beak of Bow Street" which are based on the actual historical figure of the same name. When I read my first Sir John Fielding book by Bruce Alexander, I thought "what an unlikely character for a mystery." It seemed ridiculous to me that the leading investigator should be a blind magistrate of Bow Street, London, England. Imagine my surprise to find this was based on fact! If one enjoys historical mysteries, these are among the most interesting and best written.

This one, however, was less interesting to me than the others in this series. Perhaps the historical subject matter was less interesting to me.
Profile Image for Cindy.
2,764 reviews
September 5, 2007
Bruce Alexander's series of mysteries are set in 18th century England and have as protagonists blind magistrate John Fielding and his teenage assistant. "Death of a Colonial", like the five volumes before it, is a quick, fun read and no more. If you're heading to the beach, this is the right choice. If you want a complex mystery, subtly-shaded characters, or true historical detail, you'll have to look elsewhere.

CMB
Profile Image for Meggie.
5,333 reviews
May 31, 2014
I really enjoy the humorous part in each case, we are presented in "Sir John Fielding" series. And as such love each new book, I audio listen. Both Jeremy Procter and Sir John Fielding are amazingly well developed character, I love them both. I enjoy how their working and personal relationship progresses with each new story. The main storyline in the seventh book, was awesome as suspected, and really well developed.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Profile Image for LJ.
3,159 reviews305 followers
September 10, 2007
DEATH OF A COLONIAL – G+
Alexander, Bruce – 6th of Series
Jeremy Procter and Sir John Fielding are asked to disprove the claim of a man who has returned from the Colonies to claim his family’s fortune.

This series provides a wonderful sense of history and character. It is a series I enjoy greatly.
Profile Image for Rhonda.
208 reviews10 followers
May 23, 2009
another good one in this great series. jeremy is 16 now and starting to learn the law, and his relationship with sir john is strengthened further.these characters are so memorable and enjoyable that it's easy to pick up the next book in the series after being away for awhile and get right back into it.
Profile Image for Lynn.
684 reviews
May 4, 2012
This one was guessable after a while, but it was nice to see Sir John continue to puzzle over a case he was unable to solve several years earlier. It's somehow comforting that even so able a person as he has some at least temporary setbacks.

As ever, the language and texture of the series is compelling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews

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