James Frain Books

Those familiar with Cornwell's many historical series will get more or less what they expect from this latest effort: a plot-driven story featuring a rugged, likable hero who must use his wits and skill at arms to defeat dastardly villains, all spiced with a bit of romance and plenty of period detail. Set in 1817, following the defeat of Napoleon, we meet Captain Rider Sandman, late of the 52nd Foot Regiment. His father's massive fraud and subsequent suicide have forced Sandman to sell his commission in order to maintain his mother and sister in at least semi-respectable style. Meanwhile, Sandman is forced to lodge in a shabby room above a "flash" London tavern, hoping to find some kind of respectable work while he ekes out a living as a professional cricket player.

A friend recommends him to the Home Secretary, who offers Sandman short-term prospects as a special investigator. He is to investigate an appeal from a "death row" inmate, a portrait painter convicted of the rape and murder of a Countess. He is expected to rubber-stamp the conviction by eliciting a confession from the petitioner, but those who know Cornwell's work won't be surprised when Sandman instead believes the painter's protestations of innocence and sets out to reinvestigate the murder. Soon, his poking and prodding places him in conflict with powerful and wealthy interests, and things become increasingly perilous as he races against time to find the real culprit and prove the painter's innocence.

It's a serviceable enough mystery, and Cornwell's command of the era enables him to bring Regency-era society vividly to life with. There is some nice detail on "flash" (underworld) slang, the ineptitude of the legal system, the horror of capital punishment by hanging, and even cricket (there's not nearly as much cricket in the book as some reviewers insinuate, it's really a very minor element). Like most of Cornwell's books, it's all about plot and period; the characters aren't particularly complex, and there are perhaps a coincidence or two too many to help Sandman along. Still, it's a lively, easy-to-read, historical entertainment which leaves plenty of setup for further Rider Sandman adventures.

Bernard Cornwell is best known for several trilogies and the Richard Sharpe series; with the historical plots typically centered on famous/infamous battles.

That is why Gallow's Thief is particularly interesting, since it is a mystery set within an historical framework. Do not think for one moment that you will budget small amounts of time to get through the book.

Cornwell draws you into solving a killing through the main character, Capt. Sandman - a veteran from the Battle of Waterloo - and his band of "merry person's," including a woman whose brother is Robin Hood.

The writing is concise and poignant to issues confronted in society today. History does repeat itself, especially when it comes to the wealthy manipulating the legal system.

While I am a fan of Cornwell's books based in much earlier ages, and not much of a fan of his american history based series, this one is a BIG exception.
This is a wounderfully told story that captivated my attention early in the book and held it throughout - realistic and slightly disreputable hero much like the characters who are heros of the founding of our country ..... Washinton, Jefferson, Franklin, etc.... who ends up serving his country despite himself... ala Carey Grant in Gone with the Wind.... sort of character....
Like I said, generally I do not recommend Cornwell's american history based books.... This one is an exception ..... DON'T MISS THIS BOOK.... it is truly an original story by one of the best story tellers out there.

Mainstream historical fiction writer Bernard Cornwell gives us a romp this time, and a good one. This is in essence a detective story set in London, full of likeable good guys, adorable female sidekicks, annoying male sidekicks and not so intelligent bad guys.

The setting and descriptions are exceptional. You feel you are next to Ryder Sandman trying to solve the mystery. This does not have the roaring battle scenes we are accustomed to see in Cornwell's books, but have plenty of action and twists.

If you like historical fiction and are looking for a little light entertainment you will enjoy Gallows Thief.

Captain Rider Sandman, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars and the Battle of Waterloo, has returned to England to find a civilian life in shambles. As a matter of personal honour, Sandman has sold his commission to raise cash to help repay a portion of the debts left behind by his disgraced father when he committed suicide. Now unemployed and with no income or prospects, his fiancée's family have cancelled their wedding plans and Sandman finds himself forced to lodge in an attic room in the Wheatsheaf Tavern in London's Drury Lane, a known criminal "flash" haunt of rather shady repute.

Charles Corday, an up and coming young artist and portrait painter to London's moneyed class, sits on death row in Newgate Prison awaiting imminent execution for the murder of the Countess of Avebury. His mother, a seamstress to Queen Charlotte has successfully begged the Queen's intervention to support a letter of petition for clemency or pardon asking the Home Secretary to investigate more carefully and to assure Her Majesty that justice is being done. Captain Sandman is surprised to find himself summoned to the Home Office to be granted the appointment as investigator. Of course, as a very upright, disciplined officer with an extremely well-established sense of duty and obligation, he takes the task much more seriously than the rather cynical instructions he received upon the appointment - "I suggest your work need not be laborious. There is no doubt of the man's guilt. Corday is a rapist, a murderer, and a liar, and all we need of him is a confession. You will find him in Newgate, and if you are sufficiently forceful then I have no doubt he will confess to his brutal crime and your work will then be done." I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that just isn't the way the story unfolds at all ...

A historical piece set in the height of the Regency period, "Gallows Thief" is a thoroughly enjoyable lightweight mystery that will not fail to amuse Cornwell's legion of fans. Although not entirely devoid of narrative description, much of the flavour of the period is derived from other areas - the nature of the plot and the intense explanation of the judicial "process", imprisonment and hanging; a colourfully described side dish of London's recreational pursuits such as hunting, cricket and the theatre; absolutely sparkling, witty dialogue that is brilliantly differentiated depending on the class, wealth and occupation of the speaker and listener; the earthy, often racy, "flash" vocabulary of the criminal and lower class; the camaraderie of the military; the overbearing, stuffy sense of entitlement that is unique to London's wealthy gentry; the amorality, corruption and decadence of a London gentleman's club that is, in fact, a very sleazy bordello; and the politics of marriage.

Sandman's partners in the investigation - Sally Hood, an actress and nude model, Sergeant Rex Barrigan, also a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo and his ex-fiancée, Eleanor Forrest - are characterized brilliantly with an abundant serving of warmth, love, life and humour. We can but hope that they'll all make appearances in future novels penned by the very talented Bernard Cornwell. Two thumbs up!

Paul Weiss