Death at the Boston Tea Party

John Rawlings #16

by Deryn Lake

1773. Following a long and perilous journey, Apothecary John Rawlings has arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue a new business venture... Rawlings finds the place riven with tension and unrest. There are many who feel it’s time the colonies sought freedom from British rule, and the seething resentment erupts into outright rebellion during the notorious Boston Tea Party. But has someone taken advantage of the chaos to commit cold-blooded murder? Called in to examine a body fished out of Boston Harbour, Rawlings recognizes one of his fellow travellers from England. If he could unearth the truth about the victim’s past and the reason why they’d come to Boston, he would be one step closer to catching the killer. But has Rawlings become a pawn in an altogether bigger game? Praise for Death at the Boston Tea 'Newcomers and devoted fans will delight in the period detail, excellent mystery and well-drawn characters' - Kirkus Reviews Deryn Lake started to write stories at the age of five then graduated to novels but destroyed all her early work because, she says, it was hopeless. A chance meeting with one of the Getty family took her to Sutton Place and her first serious novel was born. Deryn was married to a journalist and writer, the late L.F. Lampitt, has two grown-up children and lives in Mayfield, Sussex, with two large cats. She is also the author of Fortune’s Soldier, Sutton Place, To Sleep No More, The King’s Women, and Pour The Dark Wine.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Mystery, Fiction

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2016

About the author

Deryn Lake is a well-known historical novelist who joined the popular ranks of historical detective writers with her gripping John Rawlings Mysteries, Death in the Dark Walk, Death at the Devil's Tavern, Death on the Romney Marsh, Death in the Peerless Pool and Death at Apothecaries' Hall.

Deryn also writes popular historical romances including the acclaimed The King's Women, Sutton Place and Pour the Dark Wine.

Deryn Lake lives near Hastings, East Sussex

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

easy going crime novel based around the time of the Boston tea party, just felt it was missing something though

[Michael Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really liked the early books but this one was just OK.

[Jim Hunter]

What utter awful horseshit.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 4 out of 5]

A letter from across the pond, from the American Colonies no less, about the possible importation of Rawlings' bottled carbonated water caused all the Rawlingses to cross the Atlantic with Tom (Irish coachman and friend) and the twins' nursery maid for business and adventure... their destination ~ Boston, Massachusetts. But they did not touch Boston harbour because they were shipwrecked (some passengers drowned including the nursery maid) and were rescued by the tribe where the wreck happened which is more than a week's trek from the wilderness to their original destination. Here is another turning point in both Tom's and John's lives... for Tom would find love and marriage in Boston and John would have come full circle as far as his first love and obsession is concerned. There was a death during the dumping of the tea from the ships at the harbour and amidst the brewing omen of a revolution, Rawlings is again trying to find a murderer among spies and fellow survivors of the wreck.

P.S. ~ I have always wanted Mary Ann Fielding for John because I would have somebody who is smart and innocent (one with the strength of character and not allow herself to be seduced even when vulnerable like Emilia) and yet not unaware of the darkness in people given that she is the Blind Beak's adopted daughter after all, and/or somebody who has the courage of the valiant Elizabeth as well as her giving heart and someone with Coralie's ability to act reasonably during perilous situations but without her selfish ambition. I do not know If Mary Ann has the last two women's characteristics but I truly hope she does and that she has been waiting for John half of her life all of the 16 books to date of the series.

[Tim Deforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I thought the book was a little slowly paced at times (it's close to the halfway point before the murder is committed), the mystery is a good one, complete with a couple of unexpected twists at the end.

The main character is John Rawlings, an apothecary living in 18th Century England. This particular adventure, though, brings him to Boston in late 1773. He's there on business, but finds the city brimming with revolutionary feelings and soon witnesses the Boston Tea Party.

A woman is drowned that night and it appears that someone used the Tea Party as a distraction to committ a murder. Rawlings ends up investigating at the request of a British officer. There's plenty of suspects and several possible motives.

The author knows her history and does a great job--both through detail, dialogue and the attitudes of the various characters--to recreate the time. As I said, I thought the main story could have moved along a little faster. Even though the novel is only 216 pages long, I felt that it could have been 20 to 30 pages shorter. For instance, there's a subplot in which Rawlings meets an old flame and might be falling in love that has nothing to do with the mystery. Though, to be fair, I have not read previous entries in this series. Had I read them in order and been more emotionally invested in the main characters, I might have gotten more involved in this part of the novel.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

#16 in the 42 year old London Apothecary John Rawlings who is a widower raising his 13 year old daughter Rose as a single parent mystery series.
1773 and Rawlings, his 3 children and a couple of others travel to Boston to pursue a new business venture. However, they are ship wrecked before reaching Boston, rescued by Native Americans and it is a couple of months before they reach Boston as anti British feelings are running high and just in time for the Boston Tea Party. Then someone takes advantage of the chaos to commit murder. John is called in to examine the body fished out of Boston Harbor where he recognizes one of his fellow travelers from England. If he could unearth the truth about the victim’s past and the reason why they’d come to Boston, he would be one step closer to catching the killer.

There is a lot of personal dram in this one as the business venture falls apart, John encounters a former love interest and wrestles with returning to London.

The 18th Century historical setting is weak so the story is just another murder mystery. The mystery is good with the focus upon the inter-relations of the main characters and the supporting ones for this story.

[June Ahern · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first time read of author Deryn Lake. The title of the book (Death at the Boston Tea Party) attracted me first as I'm most interested in the 18th century American revolution. I wasn't sure what to expect but the first chapter caught my interest thus I continued. My usual 'who done it' sleuth novels are contemporary ones, so going back in time and with words use my mind had to flip around. The language is of the period and words unknown to me, not only of the era but because they are old British terms. I simply loved learning those words!

The main character, John Rawlings is an apothecary who takes his three children across the seas in hopes of a new life, start a business and have an adventure - and he does! The ship sinks within the first two pages. Finally, bedraggled and some who survived reach shore to be met, not only by the native Indians, but two men who were not and lived amongst them.

John, his children and the few survivors finally reach Boston after months of walking there. More characters fill the pages and the mystery of who killed one is far from right away, it is read later on after we get to know the purpose and follow the lives of those in a new country. The characters were believable and the terrain - living conditions of that time, also believable with every sense smelling, seeing, hearing, touching and tasting - okay, glad I wasn't back there to throw out my slop bucket. The beginning of the Sons of the Revolution become known to us and the British spy ring too. The story does seem to slant more to the Brits, but the author is from England, I believe. That didn't take away from my delight as each character's secrets and purpose emerged.

All in all, I found the story intriguing, but as said above, difficult at times because of having to drag out the dictionary often every page. I would most definitely read this author again.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Earlier novels in the series are good, light reading. However, at this point, the series seems to have jumped the shark. Rawlings and his family go to America because...why? After his ship sinks and he loses everything, he he has himself set up as an apothecary again within weeks. I wasn't able to read the previous book because it wasn't available on Kindle for some reason, but at the start of this one, the author has already killed off what was probably the most interesting character. I really rolled my eyes when the family nursemaid drowns and no one, not even the kids who she raised, bats an eye. (Little sociopaths.) I stopped reading about halfway through and won't be back. Sometimes, authors don't know when to stop writing, this appears to be one of those cases.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed the previous books in this series, especially for their setting in England. Moving John Rawlings and his family to Boston didn't really appeal to me at first. That didn't last long as I became caught up in the mystery and the setting of Boston .Very well done. I would advise readers new to this series to read them in order.
My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a review coy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

In almost every series I have read that is at least one book that I like least. Death at the Boston Tea Party is that one book in this series. I did read it all, but didn't really enjoy most of it. I couldn't picture Boston in the 1700s and couldn't relate to places so didn't feel I was following any of the characters as they walked about. Taking John Rawlings away from England didn't do him any favours and I was pleased that he was making his way home at the end of the book.

[Dee Halligan · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

The book was amusing but the editing was terrible. There were often things that didn’t make sense and occasionally the names were incorrect that was confusing. Overall it was entertaining but wouldn’t recommend it.

[Kurry Swigert · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book, there were far too many “improbabilities” for me.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

1773. John Rawlings after many mishaps finally arrived in Boston, Mass with his family and fellow travellers. Soon he had a thriving business. But death and rebellion occur.
An enjoyable historical mystery.

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last book in the series. I enjoyed it well enough but not well enough to seek out the other books.

A tale of medieval America and of spying etc.

[Debbie Sessum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I receive a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review from Net Galley.
I found this book to be an ok read, and below my expectations for the genre of historic mystery. I have not read any previous books in this series, and this installment did not make me rush to the store to find books on the shelf by this author. It was a decent story, and the characters are interesting, but their motivations are not always clear. John Rawlins, the apothecary takes it upon himself to solve a mystery of a woman's death, simply because he traveled with her on a ship to America. I'm not sure I found that believable. Having not read the other books in the series John Rawlins motivations to solve mysteries may have been made clearer in previous installments. Also, the different threads of the story don't weave well together. I think this might have been framed better as the adventures of people who were shipwrecked together and what happened to them when they arrived in Boston. The travelers pop in and out of the story, and don't really add anything to it. Overall, I was disappointed.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and own copies of all of them, however I found this one a bit of a struggle to get in to at first so didn't devour it as quickly as I usually do. As the story progressed with the party finally arriving in Boston and trying to make a new life for themselves across the water I really started enjoying it. The big bonus for me however was the re-appearance of a much loved character from John's past and I look forward to finding out whether it will be a happy ever after ending for the pair.

[Robyn Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

1773. John Rawlings is an Apothecary whose wife had died so he leaves London to pursue a business venture in Boston, Massachusetts. The ship he, his daughter and twin sons sailed on hit rocks and sank. They made it to shore then are befriended by a native Indian who guides them through the jungle to Boston. John sets up a business in Boston and this is the story of his family and the other survivors of the shipwreck. There is a body found in the Harbour, a murder, a suspected murder, some strange people, each with their own story.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. By number 16 I feel I know the main characters pretty well as well as the style of writing. However, having solves murders in most parts of the country, John Rawlings goes to Boston - at a time when feelings both for and against the British are running high. So this was a bit different but nonetheless a good tale.