Iridescence

by Peter Wells

Can you keep a secret? Samuel Barton, a remittance man, is blown into Napier in 1871, after an undisclosed scandal. He is damaged goods, but he carries with him an earring made up of fabulous jewels. With this earring he will buy his freedom.

463 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2003

Reviews

[Lhizz Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I should find more books by Peter Wells. I remember reading Dangerous Desires about 30 years ago, and Desperate Remedies has always been one of my favourite films (even though it does look a bit silly now, it's still wonderful). This book just happened to show up in an op shop while I was on holiday so I picked it up as it sounded interesting, but as I started to get into it, I realised that it was based on the Boulton and Park trial, a cause de celebre of 1870s London (refer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulton...). I'd previously read about it in Barbara Ewing's "The Petticoat Men". Wells gives the story an Antipodean slant, and he writes so beautifully, really bringing to life the vivid London theatre scene as well as the dusty, makeshift colonial town of Napier. A great read.

[Elizabeth Rayner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting book re the history.but too graphic in parts!

[P.D.R. Lindsay]

Just couldn't get into this novel. Sorry Mr Wells. Not my thing.