It is 1815 and the former, great Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte has just
sailed into Plymouth. Not as an invader, but rather as a prisoner of
the British.
Meanwhile, back in London, Bow Street Runner, Henry Morton, has been
informed by the police surgeon that the young woman on his table did not
self murder herself, but rather was tortured and then killed. He turns
to his friend, Arabella Malibrant, an actress to see if she can tell
him something about the clothes the victim had been wearing.
An older Runner tells Morton that the torture suggests a political
motive. Arabella discovers who made the victim’s dress, and the
dressmaker is able to identify the victim, but beyond that she knows
nothing of the victim. When Morton gets to the victim’s house, the
workers there are shocked to hear of their mistress’ death. They inform
Morton that she was the mistress of a French count. Lord Darley tells
Morton that the count is an unofficial ambassador of the French king.
Morton shares information he has with a captain from the Admiralty, who
knows the Bonapartists in England. Several names are eliminated because
they are dead, but Morton comes away with a few to investigate. He has
a French contact who refined the list and provides him with more
background.
The count connected to the first victim is murdered just moments before
Morton is to meet with him. Unfortunately Morton and his assistant
arrive too late to prevent the killing. Are there going to be more
assassinations? Could the killers possibly have Napoleon in mind?
What follows in author T. F. Banks historical thriller is a chase from
London to Plymouth, with plenty of action ensuing. A good quick read.
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