What do you think?
Rate this book
The Thief Taker
In the cellar there was no sound at all except her own breathing and the soft rustle of her skirts. After her eyes had grown accustomed to the dark, she noticed a niche in the wall a yard from where she stood. She saw something there about the size of her fist. Agnes quietly picked it up. It was wrapped in a cloth and surprisingly heavy. . . a pistol, the hilt filthy with mud and dirt. Suddenly she heard the chinking sound of glasses nearby. There was no mistaking the voices now. Before she had time to call out, another door creaked open and the pair emerged from the darkness.
Agnes Meadowes is cook to the Blanchards of Foster Lane, the renowned London silversmiths. Preparing jugged hare, oyster loaves, almond soup, and other delicacies for the family has given her a dependable life for herself and her son. But when the Blanchards' most prestigious commission, a giant silver wine cooler, is stolen and a young apprentice murdered, Theodore Blanchard calls on Agnes to investigate below stairs. Soon she is inside the sordid underworld of London crime, where learning the truth comes at a high price.
Agnes Meadowes is cook to the Blanchards of Foster Lane, the renowned London silversmiths. Preparing jugged hare, oyster loaves, almond soup, and other delicacies for the family has given her a dependable life for herself and her son. But when the Blanchards' most prestigious commission, a giant silver wine cooler, is stolen and a young apprentice murdered, Theodore Blanchard calls on Agnes to investigate below stairs. Soon she is inside the sordid underworld of London crime, where learning the truth comes at a high price.
305 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Janet Gleeson
22 books43 followersJanet Gleeson was born in Sri Lanka and has a degree in both art history and English. She has worked at Sotheby's, as well as at Bonham's Auctioneers, where she headed the Old Master Painting Department. A former art and antiques correspondent for House and Garden and editor for Reed Books, Janet Gleeson has contributed articles to numerous publications, including The Antiques Collector, Country Life, and Apollo.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
July 18, 2015
Best parts of the book: the setting of 18th century London, learning about silversmithing & the interesting meals of the merchant class in 18th century London.
Least favourites: not many likable characters, too repetitive with facts about the mystery, & Agnes as the heroine was a bit unbelievable.
Least favourites: not many likable characters, too repetitive with facts about the mystery, & Agnes as the heroine was a bit unbelievable.
January 26, 2015
Waited a long time to read this book, then was a little disappointed. I enjoy historical fiction and did like the cooking references from the time period, but they seemed to be added as side notes, not really part of the story, if left out, the story would have been fine, so that was little distracting. Spoiler Alert: As to why the cook was chosen to lead the investigation I was unsure, this point was also mentioned in another review and I have to agree with the reviewer. That Agnes would lead the investigation did not seem plausible for the norms of the era. Also, a lot of coincidences and convenient situations: such as Elsie being involved with Pitt, Williams being engaged to Rose, being able to find a place for Peter on such short notice. Major spoiler alert: The killer at the end, Phillip, was totally unexpected, but did not make sense with his character in the story. Phillip was also just a side character, if he was written as more than a flirty footman, if this character was better developed then the ending may have been more believable. But as it turns out, he was just popped in at the end as the major villain, and the reasons did not seem substantial enough. A little more than half-way through, I skimmed to the end, I was getting impatient with plots that did not seem to move progress forward, like when she went to visit an wealthy gentleman to confirm facts and find out about Rose. Her going to question him seemed farfetched and the fact that she could even get a face to face conversation with him was not believable, again because of the norms of the era and I think the information given by him was not even worth it.
April 6, 2010
What is fabulous to me might not be for you and vice versa. I wasn't that thrilled with this mystery. In general historical mysteries are a favorite genre for me, but this one fell short of entertaining me. While the writing was good the story and character development were not very good or satisfying.
The main character, Agnes Meadowes, is a cook in the home of Nicholas Blanchard and his family. The Blanchards are well known silversmiths. A giant silver wine cooler, the largest silver piece the company has ever made has been stolen and an apprentice has been murdered. Nicholas Blanchard's son Theodore now runs the company and he has enlisted Agnes' help to recover the cooler.
The details about the setting were well done, the details about the silversmith business were interesting but the main character was not at all convincing. Gleeson describes Agnes as a quite and shy woman who avoids conflict at the beginning of the novel and by the end of the mystery she is practically able to leap small buildings in a single bound. Some of the perilous situations were really not very believable. I thought Agnes' actions were very out of character and extremely unlikely for a cook during this period in history.
Overall I just didn't find the story believable or satisfying.
The main character, Agnes Meadowes, is a cook in the home of Nicholas Blanchard and his family. The Blanchards are well known silversmiths. A giant silver wine cooler, the largest silver piece the company has ever made has been stolen and an apprentice has been murdered. Nicholas Blanchard's son Theodore now runs the company and he has enlisted Agnes' help to recover the cooler.
The details about the setting were well done, the details about the silversmith business were interesting but the main character was not at all convincing. Gleeson describes Agnes as a quite and shy woman who avoids conflict at the beginning of the novel and by the end of the mystery she is practically able to leap small buildings in a single bound. Some of the perilous situations were really not very believable. I thought Agnes' actions were very out of character and extremely unlikely for a cook during this period in history.
Overall I just didn't find the story believable or satisfying.
July 5, 2011
Loved this book, a historical fiction mystery set in the 1700s in england. The main character, a cook, was very engaging, I liked her. All of the characters felt real, I loved reading about the foods that were prepared as well. I read this book in just over a day. i'll be reading more by this author!
November 2, 2018
This was a pretty meh historical fiction mystery. Agnes is a young cook for a middlingly wealthy family and she gets recruited by the master of the house to assist with finding a large silver wine cooler that's been stolen from their shop. They explain why she was picked, but I still found it rather unlikely they'd recruit their chef to help solve a crime, even if they wanted it done without the help of the local police. There were also some murders that happened, so Agnes takes it upon herself to solve those, as the family she works for could care less about the loss of a few servants.
Nothing really grabbed me, though. Agnes was likable enough - your standard, headstrong, independent, forward-thinking woman who struggles between wanting to do what's right and wanting to keep her job because she has a child to support. There's the dichotomy between the upper and lower classes and of course, the guessing game of who-dun-it. It was well-written but not stand-out.
Nothing really grabbed me, though. Agnes was likable enough - your standard, headstrong, independent, forward-thinking woman who struggles between wanting to do what's right and wanting to keep her job because she has a child to support. There's the dichotomy between the upper and lower classes and of course, the guessing game of who-dun-it. It was well-written but not stand-out.
July 26, 2021
Felt super meh about this book. The whole premise is that there’s a theft and a murder in the Middle Ages and the people who own the shop ask their female cook (who works in the household and not in the shop), Agnes, to solve it because they think the thief was one of the staff. If you can get past that premise by accepting some suspension of disbelief for fiction’s sake, then you’re surprised by the violence against women and all the sexism that was probably very true to the times. If the world was really so sexist and violence against women so rampant, why the heck would the trust their female cook to solve a mystery?
I had a hard time getting into the story and by the time you figure out who the bad person is you don’t really care. Debated about giving this one or two stars but we will start with two and maybe I’ll come back and change it.
I had a hard time getting into the story and by the time you figure out who the bad person is you don’t really care. Debated about giving this one or two stars but we will start with two and maybe I’ll come back and change it.
April 5, 2009
This well-written novel is a historical mystery with a great deal of suspense. In fact, it's more of a suspense novel than a 'piece together the clues' puzzle. The world-building was excellent with vivid details that brought the time period to life. Many of the obstacles Agnes faced arose from the constrains of the time period and she very much acted as a woman of her times.
The novel was mainly written from Agnes' viewpoint, but the viewpoint routinely switched through a number of other characters. I generally didn't have trouble keeping track of who was who, though, especially once I'd been reading for a while.
The varied, realistic characters engaged my interest. I enjoyed how there were consequences to a person's actions and how Agnes grew as a person as a result of the circumstances she was forced into. At times I wasn't certain why Agnes acted the way she did, but I was convinced there was a good reason...though perhaps one she hadn't even admitted to herself.
There was some swearing, though not much. There was one semi-explicit accidental glimpse of sex and several non-explicit sexual encounters between people who weren't married to each other (once by the heroine). The sex was treated fairly realistically--it wasn't treated lightly and it came with emotional and physical consequences. Overall, I'd rate it good, fairly clean fun.
The novel was mainly written from Agnes' viewpoint, but the viewpoint routinely switched through a number of other characters. I generally didn't have trouble keeping track of who was who, though, especially once I'd been reading for a while.
The varied, realistic characters engaged my interest. I enjoyed how there were consequences to a person's actions and how Agnes grew as a person as a result of the circumstances she was forced into. At times I wasn't certain why Agnes acted the way she did, but I was convinced there was a good reason...though perhaps one she hadn't even admitted to herself.
There was some swearing, though not much. There was one semi-explicit accidental glimpse of sex and several non-explicit sexual encounters between people who weren't married to each other (once by the heroine). The sex was treated fairly realistically--it wasn't treated lightly and it came with emotional and physical consequences. Overall, I'd rate it good, fairly clean fun.
September 26, 2014
This is the story of a household cook who loses her kitchen helper, when she mysteriously disappears, then decides to find out what happened to her. She works for silversmiths and when a huge wine container that is their biggest commission gets stolen about the same time, she is determined to solve the mystery and find out who is behind it.... Add to the fact that she discovers a gun that had been missing, and she realizes that she may be in further than she wanted.
This book is well written and takes you back to the time when crime, sickness, and despair is rampant. The writing is very descriptive as it continues to draw you into the storyline. It is a bit unusual to have a cook be the person solving the mystery, but it works really well overall, and the fact that her son becomes part of the reason that she is not giving up, it makes sense as it becomes a personal vendetta.
It was a quick read with lots of twists and turns.....which I enjoyed, as well as learning more about the silversmith trade and the different markings and what they meant on silver items that are made. Love when a historical novel can teach me something new as well!
This book is well written and takes you back to the time when crime, sickness, and despair is rampant. The writing is very descriptive as it continues to draw you into the storyline. It is a bit unusual to have a cook be the person solving the mystery, but it works really well overall, and the fact that her son becomes part of the reason that she is not giving up, it makes sense as it becomes a personal vendetta.
It was a quick read with lots of twists and turns.....which I enjoyed, as well as learning more about the silversmith trade and the different markings and what they meant on silver items that are made. Love when a historical novel can teach me something new as well!
May 30, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. I'm a fan of historical fiction, and had hopes this might be the beginning of a series I could explore and enjoy. It may be the start of a series, and did, indeed, have some luscious details about life below stairs, particularly in the kitchen, but I just never connected with the main character, or any others. The mystery, itself, kept me paging through til the end, but it was with a great sense of relief when I finally finished, and realized I could pass it along via a BookCrossing release. I do love the cover art on the book, though.
Additional note: Picked up this book April 2019, with no recollection I'd read it, and maintained no recollection of doing so all the way through.
Additional note: Picked up this book April 2019, with no recollection I'd read it, and maintained no recollection of doing so all the way through.
January 3, 2016
Well written and historically detailed, unfortunately it disappoints in the end. The cookery has little to do with the plot and the choice of a cook as the lead investigator seems to be arbitrary. Even the title has little to do with the story, the thief taker simply being one of the characters rather than a major component. So a little disappointed with the saving graces being the quality of the writing and the research. Shame the author didn't spend more time on the story.
January 3, 2012
An excellent book! This historical murder mystery mixes crime, cooking and social history. It made me think of the world of Gosford Park, only darker, in a Sherlock Holmes sort of way. Very well-written, this book is a real page-turner that kept me guessing until the very end!
February 11, 2008
I enjoyed this book, even though you know from the outset who the murderer is. I really liked the main character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2015
This was my first historical fiction and I really enjoyed it. I loved reading from that era and learning how the help in rich households were treated.
November 21, 2017
**Spoilers**
The first half really intrigued me, but the way it was resolved seemed very amateur. It did not seem plausible that at that time, and in her position, she would be allowed or capable (also thanks to her own awareness towards her social position) to investigate like she did and to enter wealthy men's houses to interrogate them, especially when she was not close enough to Rose to be spurred on by emotion.
I agree with other reviews here, that her repetition of the clues and theories were frustrating at times and I skipped through some of it. I actually skipped the last couple of chapters just to get to the answers because I was so frustrated with the narration. I just feel that the honesty that was there in the beginning (real, honest concerns), and the historical accuracy, melted away when the author was faced with having to resolve the conflicts.
I was at first really happy at how honest and realistic the narrator was in her thoughts, at how she was uneasy and unfamiliar with relationships and how she was aware of her inferiority in that sense. Even the cooking details seemed truly interesting. But when she repeats it all over and over, it becomes almost irrelevant. And her arguments with other characters don't seem to be backed by any real personal or emotional connection. Basically, the second half of the book is written in such an amateur way that, like in fan fiction, you can see the shifts in plot coming as if the structure is laid out in front of you. Arguments between Agnes and Thomas are there only to create more interpersonal conflict, to make you doubt if they will really end up together, and to create more suspicion, but no one really buys it. No one is really surprised at Philip's involvement, and no one is surprised at how Agnes and the girl end up trusting each other.
Over all, I was disappointed.
The first half really intrigued me, but the way it was resolved seemed very amateur. It did not seem plausible that at that time, and in her position, she would be allowed or capable (also thanks to her own awareness towards her social position) to investigate like she did and to enter wealthy men's houses to interrogate them, especially when she was not close enough to Rose to be spurred on by emotion.
I agree with other reviews here, that her repetition of the clues and theories were frustrating at times and I skipped through some of it. I actually skipped the last couple of chapters just to get to the answers because I was so frustrated with the narration. I just feel that the honesty that was there in the beginning (real, honest concerns), and the historical accuracy, melted away when the author was faced with having to resolve the conflicts.
I was at first really happy at how honest and realistic the narrator was in her thoughts, at how she was uneasy and unfamiliar with relationships and how she was aware of her inferiority in that sense. Even the cooking details seemed truly interesting. But when she repeats it all over and over, it becomes almost irrelevant. And her arguments with other characters don't seem to be backed by any real personal or emotional connection. Basically, the second half of the book is written in such an amateur way that, like in fan fiction, you can see the shifts in plot coming as if the structure is laid out in front of you. Arguments between Agnes and Thomas are there only to create more interpersonal conflict, to make you doubt if they will really end up together, and to create more suspicion, but no one really buys it. No one is really surprised at Philip's involvement, and no one is surprised at how Agnes and the girl end up trusting each other.
Over all, I was disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2017
I really wanted to like this book more than I did, especially the main character, chief cook, Agnes Meadowes. But I just never could relate to her and I felt the reasons for making her the ( at first, reluctant, then later, aggressive) investigator, were too weak to hold up. The only likeable character is the silversmith journeyman, Thomas Williams, who saves the day on a number of occasions, but always in a modest, quiet manner. And even he has his unlikable aspects! Basically, the plot revolves around the theft of a unique and very valuable large wine cooler, made by the silversmith firm of Nicholas Blanchard. There is the murder of an apprentice, but nobody (except Agnes) cares about that. Also, a kitchen maid runs away for no clear reason. The 12 year-old daughter of a low-life criminal wanders rather aimlessly across the landscape of the story, who Agnes develops a soft spot for, without any good reason. Another couple of murders take place, the "upstairs" family put in some unpleasant appearances, but even after things seem to end more than satisfactorily, they are still far from pleased and the book goes on. It is only to fair to admit that the murderer took me completely by surprise and left me feeling very dumb! I think most readers should figure it out; don't know why I didn't!
Although this was not a favorite read of mine, I did appreciate the meticulous historical background, ranging from the sights, smells and habits of the various classes, to the detailed menus and methods of marking silver, of mid-eighteenth century London.
Although this was not a favorite read of mine, I did appreciate the meticulous historical background, ranging from the sights, smells and habits of the various classes, to the detailed menus and methods of marking silver, of mid-eighteenth century London.
August 23, 2022
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and this book did not disappoint. It gave me Downton Abbey vibes, so if you're a fan of that you'll probably enjoy this read. Janet Gleeson did an excellent job with properly setting the scene in its time frame, painting clear pictures with her descriptions and getting you to feel the emotions of the characters. The premise of the story is relativity simple but it is written beautifully, mysteriously and so interestingly that it proved to be quite the page turner. I can't say enough good things about this book but suffice to say, I enjoyed it until the very last sentence.
December 25, 2018
A good mystery in Victorian London. A main servant goes missing, the same night the most valuable commission from the silver smith shop goes missing. Agnes, the head cook has her suspicions and manages to get herself mixed up in the middle of the plot, and the crime in order to figure out what happened to Rose and who in the house was involved in the theft. Many different plots are afoot... this was an enjoyable read.
probably 3.5 stars.
probably 3.5 stars.
December 4, 2017
A curious mystery that kept me engaged with a natural unfolding of events and everyday realities breaking up the search for truth regarding the crimes of the story. A few too many detailed descriptions of meal asking for my interest, but they did provide easy to see in my head images. An easy read with Dickensian quick wrap up.
June 7, 2020
A but boring and dragged out in spot. However, the descriptions of 18th century households, meals, and such was quite interesting. The information about silver markings was also interesting. I found the story good, just too much useless and repetitive information in some spots. The characters were well written as well.
June 8, 2018
Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book involving a heist
3.5 stars
This book started a little slow, but I really enjoyed the main character Agnes who becomes a detective to find out who stole the silver wine holder and murdered innocents during the crime.
3.5 stars
This book started a little slow, but I really enjoyed the main character Agnes who becomes a detective to find out who stole the silver wine holder and murdered innocents during the crime.
August 30, 2020
A satisfying whodunnit with the right mix of peril and romance for an easy going palate cleanser. The details of food and cooking in 1700s London gave it a rich atmosphere which was very cosy and welcoming.
December 19, 2017
I really liked this historical mystery. This is my first by this author but I would definitely ready more.
April 11, 2020
I generously gave this book 3 stars even though I found it a rather dull read with a very predictable ending.
June 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The ending kinda tied-up quickly, but the story was great and I loved imagining the setting.
September 3, 2023
I liked it, the time frame, the upstairs/downstairs dynamic.
December 9, 2024
Quick read. 19th century England . Cook called upon to get back silver set and solve murders including the servant girl, rose
December 2, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Agnes Meadowes, head cook
SETTING: 18th century London
SERIES: Standalone
RATING: 2.75
There's something about historical mysteries set in 18th century England which usually fail to engage me. Many times, the book will feature a dandy-ish sort of character whose habits and language are completely irritating. If the protagonist is from the lower classes, they tend to be presented as being at that status only as a result of birth and exhibit only the most positive traits as far as character and intelligence. Neither strikes me as being particularly realistic or representative of the time. Therefore, when the protagonist of THE THIEF TAKER was presented performing her domestic duties competently and not overreaching her station, it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, this level of realism was not sustained throughout the entire book.
Agnes Meadowes is employed as the head cook of the Blanchard family, renowned silversmiths who are beginning to experience some business difficulties. Their reputation and future is dependent upon the successful execution of a major commission for a silver wine cooler. When the cooler is stolen and an apprentice silversmith murdered, the son of the head of household asks Agnes to serve as a liaison between the family and a local "thief taker", Marcus Pitt. A thief taker is a person who gathers intelligence that leads to the restitution of stolen property. Oftentimes, the thief taker actually participates in the planning of the crime, so they are able to make the necessary connections.
At the time of the theft, Agnes' kitchen assistant, Rose, disappears. Is she involved in the murder and robbery? After completing the negotiations with Pitt, Anges feels compelled to investigate Rose's disappearance; in the meantime, there are other deaths and strange events occurring in the household. Aided by one of the other servants, Thomas Williams, who she does not entirely trust, Agnes proceeds to unravel a complex scheme and bring the truth to light.
Gleeson did a great job of portraying a typical Georgian England household, how its servant class supported their masters, the mores of the time. The details around meal preparation were fascinating. I give her 5 stars for how she handled the historical aspects of the book.
However, once the plot moved beyond Agnes negotiating with the thief taker, the book fell apart for me. It was completely implausible for a poorly educated domestic to be involved in an investigation of the scope in this book. There wasn't a valid reason for her to be so deeply into interrogating suspects or pursuing clues around robbery and murder. I wondered how she was able to perform her domestic duties and have the time to chase leads all around London, in that she only had one day off every fortnight. There was a secondary thread involving her young son that was touching, but Agnes as Sherlock Holmes just did not work for me.
From its promising beginning, the book descended into predictable territory, with a denouement that was completely over the top. I was disappointed to find my negative feelings about these kinds of historical mysteries reinforced, as I felt that Gleeson could have taken the premise somewhere special.
SETTING: 18th century London
SERIES: Standalone
RATING: 2.75
There's something about historical mysteries set in 18th century England which usually fail to engage me. Many times, the book will feature a dandy-ish sort of character whose habits and language are completely irritating. If the protagonist is from the lower classes, they tend to be presented as being at that status only as a result of birth and exhibit only the most positive traits as far as character and intelligence. Neither strikes me as being particularly realistic or representative of the time. Therefore, when the protagonist of THE THIEF TAKER was presented performing her domestic duties competently and not overreaching her station, it was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, this level of realism was not sustained throughout the entire book.
Agnes Meadowes is employed as the head cook of the Blanchard family, renowned silversmiths who are beginning to experience some business difficulties. Their reputation and future is dependent upon the successful execution of a major commission for a silver wine cooler. When the cooler is stolen and an apprentice silversmith murdered, the son of the head of household asks Agnes to serve as a liaison between the family and a local "thief taker", Marcus Pitt. A thief taker is a person who gathers intelligence that leads to the restitution of stolen property. Oftentimes, the thief taker actually participates in the planning of the crime, so they are able to make the necessary connections.
At the time of the theft, Agnes' kitchen assistant, Rose, disappears. Is she involved in the murder and robbery? After completing the negotiations with Pitt, Anges feels compelled to investigate Rose's disappearance; in the meantime, there are other deaths and strange events occurring in the household. Aided by one of the other servants, Thomas Williams, who she does not entirely trust, Agnes proceeds to unravel a complex scheme and bring the truth to light.
Gleeson did a great job of portraying a typical Georgian England household, how its servant class supported their masters, the mores of the time. The details around meal preparation were fascinating. I give her 5 stars for how she handled the historical aspects of the book.
However, once the plot moved beyond Agnes negotiating with the thief taker, the book fell apart for me. It was completely implausible for a poorly educated domestic to be involved in an investigation of the scope in this book. There wasn't a valid reason for her to be so deeply into interrogating suspects or pursuing clues around robbery and murder. I wondered how she was able to perform her domestic duties and have the time to chase leads all around London, in that she only had one day off every fortnight. There was a secondary thread involving her young son that was touching, but Agnes as Sherlock Holmes just did not work for me.
From its promising beginning, the book descended into predictable territory, with a denouement that was completely over the top. I was disappointed to find my negative feelings about these kinds of historical mysteries reinforced, as I felt that Gleeson could have taken the premise somewhere special.
January 6, 2015
Despite the name, this book is not about a thief taker. Nor is the thief taker a love interest (which was my other guess going into this book). He is in fact a rapey rapist who the actual protagonist, the cook Agnes Meadowes, outwits.
Agnes Meadowes is the cook for a family of wealthy silversmiths. In the course of 24-hours, Agnes finds out that her son's caretaker has gotten sick and can no longer take care of him (bad because at that time servants couldn't have their children live with them), a flighty, flirty maidservant goes missing, and an expensive silver piece is stolen and the apprentice standing guard is murdered. A bad day for Agnes. For some reason she's tasked by the family with finding the silver thief (because...something about how they need someone within the household to question the other servants? It's a fairly thin excuse, but go with it). Agnes is supposed to just go to the local thief taker and pay him and he will "find" the silver (although everyone knows that in reality he likely stole the silver just so he could be paid to recover it, in standard thief-taker practice). Which makes Agnes' employers making her their designated detective even more confusing.
Agnes, however, goes off-task, as she is determined to find the missing servant girl. Agnes feels a responsibility for her underling. Also, she feels a bond with the servant girl, because she once caught her having sex in the pantry. This I never understood. If I caught someone having sex, I would not develop a soft spot for her. But Agnes does (maybe she's jealous that the servant girl enjoys a lusty sex life, whereas Agnes has only experience abuse at the hands of her dead husband?). Agnes thinks that the missing servant girl and the missing silver may be connected. So she runs around questioning people, and outwitting the creepy thief taker and falling in love with the silversmith apprentice who aids her and continually jeopardizing her job by brazenly questioning everyone. Agnes is tenacious, but not terribly subtle.
I'm not sure how well the mystery holds together - it feels like there was too much going on and then all the pieces suddenly jumped into place. But Gleeson is good at historical fiction - she can slip into the period and bring it to life. It doesn't feel like it's just 21st century people in corsets and britches, like some "historical" fiction.
Agnes Meadowes is the cook for a family of wealthy silversmiths. In the course of 24-hours, Agnes finds out that her son's caretaker has gotten sick and can no longer take care of him (bad because at that time servants couldn't have their children live with them), a flighty, flirty maidservant goes missing, and an expensive silver piece is stolen and the apprentice standing guard is murdered. A bad day for Agnes. For some reason she's tasked by the family with finding the silver thief (because...something about how they need someone within the household to question the other servants? It's a fairly thin excuse, but go with it). Agnes is supposed to just go to the local thief taker and pay him and he will "find" the silver (although everyone knows that in reality he likely stole the silver just so he could be paid to recover it, in standard thief-taker practice). Which makes Agnes' employers making her their designated detective even more confusing.
Agnes, however, goes off-task, as she is determined to find the missing servant girl. Agnes feels a responsibility for her underling. Also, she feels a bond with the servant girl, because she once caught her having sex in the pantry. This I never understood. If I caught someone having sex, I would not develop a soft spot for her. But Agnes does (maybe she's jealous that the servant girl enjoys a lusty sex life, whereas Agnes has only experience abuse at the hands of her dead husband?). Agnes thinks that the missing servant girl and the missing silver may be connected. So she runs around questioning people, and outwitting the creepy thief taker and falling in love with the silversmith apprentice who aids her and continually jeopardizing her job by brazenly questioning everyone. Agnes is tenacious, but not terribly subtle.
I'm not sure how well the mystery holds together - it feels like there was too much going on and then all the pieces suddenly jumped into place. But Gleeson is good at historical fiction - she can slip into the period and bring it to life. It doesn't feel like it's just 21st century people in corsets and britches, like some "historical" fiction.
December 12, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book. (Having just read another of Gleeson`s book (Biography-Harriet Spencer Dunncannon), I jumped at the opportunity and I am very happy I did).
This work of fiction exposes the class system in England during the 18th century especially as it pertains to servants. Having said that the book is a clever mystery and the protagonist is a female cook who is granted permission by her employer to find a very valuable specially commissioned ice-chest made of silver. Her employer is a silver-smith, a not-so-honest-one himself, turns to a thief taker to find and return the ice-chest and uses Mrs Meadowes as a go-between.
The stealing of the item is but a small part of this crime which also involves the disappearance of a servant who was murdered and two other murdered victims. The protagonist, Mrs. Meadowes is determined to disobey her employer at the risk of being punished to find the murderer after successfully negoiating the return of the chest.
The road to resolve this murder mystery is fraught this much danger-the kiddnapping of Mrs. Meadowes only son, instances of "getting away with her life" and almost being killed by the murder himself are but few of the dangers. One must read to book to learn of and experience this very clever and engrossing murder mystery set in the pre-victorain era.
This work of fiction exposes the class system in England during the 18th century especially as it pertains to servants. Having said that the book is a clever mystery and the protagonist is a female cook who is granted permission by her employer to find a very valuable specially commissioned ice-chest made of silver. Her employer is a silver-smith, a not-so-honest-one himself, turns to a thief taker to find and return the ice-chest and uses Mrs Meadowes as a go-between.
The stealing of the item is but a small part of this crime which also involves the disappearance of a servant who was murdered and two other murdered victims. The protagonist, Mrs. Meadowes is determined to disobey her employer at the risk of being punished to find the murderer after successfully negoiating the return of the chest.
The road to resolve this murder mystery is fraught this much danger-the kiddnapping of Mrs. Meadowes only son, instances of "getting away with her life" and almost being killed by the murder himself are but few of the dangers. One must read to book to learn of and experience this very clever and engrossing murder mystery set in the pre-victorain era.
December 2, 2012
*Actual Rating* = 4.5 stars
LOVED this book. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because I hated the ending. The first 270 pages were pretty awesome. The last thirty or so seemed kind of rushed and not as well planned as the rest of the book. I was highly disappointed with her choice of the "bad guy". I doubt many people guess who it is because it just seems like it should be someone more intriguing. If you don't like 18th century England, don't read this book. It is a mystery, yes; but I believe the beauty of this story is more in the detail and research rather than the blood pumping action that most mystery novels call for. The author did an astounding amount of research to produce this fantastic book. I applaud her for that. Many authors don't do such work, to their detriment, if I may say so. I love to learn while I'm reading fiction. Sometimes you just don't want nonfiction. Gleeson weaves a wonderful tale here and I am excited to read some of her other works. She demonstrates a nearly flawless flow of intelligent dialogue between her characters. I devoured the conversations with fervor. I'm so delighted that I found this gem! =)
LOVED this book. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is because I hated the ending. The first 270 pages were pretty awesome. The last thirty or so seemed kind of rushed and not as well planned as the rest of the book. I was highly disappointed with her choice of the "bad guy". I doubt many people guess who it is because it just seems like it should be someone more intriguing. If you don't like 18th century England, don't read this book. It is a mystery, yes; but I believe the beauty of this story is more in the detail and research rather than the blood pumping action that most mystery novels call for. The author did an astounding amount of research to produce this fantastic book. I applaud her for that. Many authors don't do such work, to their detriment, if I may say so. I love to learn while I'm reading fiction. Sometimes you just don't want nonfiction. Gleeson weaves a wonderful tale here and I am excited to read some of her other works. She demonstrates a nearly flawless flow of intelligent dialogue between her characters. I devoured the conversations with fervor. I'm so delighted that I found this gem! =)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews