David Liss
A Conspiracy of Paper (2000)
Author: David Liss
Genre: Mystery (Historical)
Plot Summary:
Former pugilist and current man-for-hire Benjamin “the Lion of Judah”
Weaver was well-acquainted with the seedier side of London, England in 1719.
After he had run away from an unloving father at the age of 14, Benjamin
had survived an impossible life on the streets by using a mixture of quick
wit and iron fists. Benjamin’s skills would be put to the test, however,
when the gentleman William Balfour, Jr. hired him to look into the possibility
that both William Balfour, Sr. and Benjamin’s estranged father had been murdered
as both men had died within days of each other nearly a year before. One of the
first things that Benjamin must do is to reconcile with his uncle in hopes of
learning more about his father’s last few days as well as who might have had
murderous feelings towards his father. Upon reconciling with his uncle, Benjamin
meets and falls in love with his late cousin’s lovely widow, Miriam, who lives
with his uncle. Benjamin soon uncovers that the two murders are connected through
the stock-market ventures of the Bank of England and the South Sea Company and
soon embroils himself in the tortuous task of unraveling the inner workings of
the devious companies. Learning about the world of Christian gentlemen proves
no easy task for this Jewish pugilist used to dealing with the wrong side of the law.
A combination of Benjamin’s skills learned from a life on the street and new
information on the workings of England’s stock market help
Benjamin to untangle this mystery. A few side issues that are discussed
in the book include the treatment of Jews, women’s roles, illegal stock market trading,
father/son relationships, and the privileges of the upper class in Victorian England.
Geographical Setting: London, England
Time Period: 1719 (Victorian England)
Series: First in the Benjamin Weaver series
Appeal Characteristics:
Winner of the 2001 Edgar, MacAvity, and Barry Awards for best first novel, A Conspiracy of Paper features a well-developed conspiracy plot and imperfect characters that are easy to identify
who keep this long novel refreshingly interesting. As a historical
mystery, A Conspiracy of Paper spends much time in informing the readers
of the setting, yet never has a dull lapse and keeps the reader on the edge of his/her sear.
For this book to truly be appreciated, however, the setting of London’s dark side during the
Victorian era has to be communicated to the reader. This mystery has
some fast paced chase scenes, but overall takes the time to develop
and understand the character of Benjamin Weaver, his relationship
with his father, his crush on Miriam, and his understanding of the
devilish businessmen that he encounters. The hero's status as a non-observant Jew is central to his interactions with society at large and with his own people. Fans of "outsider" detectives, those interested in the intruigues of finance, or conspiracy lovers will find much to enjoy. The large cast of secondary characters is fleshed-out and memorable.
Liss provides enough description to immerse the reader in the period without bogging down the action. Although not a quick read at over 400 pages, multiple twists and turns along with short chapters and a healthy dose of sword-and-pistol action make for a truly engrossing experience.
Read-alikes:
If you liked the ‘in your face’ character Benjamin Weaver and would like
to follow him on another mystery, check out the sequel to this book titled
A Spectacle of Corruption (2004). For those that love Victorian historical
murder mysteries with less-than-perfect protagonists interested in delving
into the dark underbelly of city life, author Caleb Carr in his novels The Alienist
followed by The Angel of Darkness provides similar read alikes in both the
pace and tone of A Conspiracy of Paper. Classic historical mystery writer
Anne Perry’s The Cater Street Hangman (1985) that introduces her famous
character Inspector Thomas Pitt is another option for the seedier
Victorian mystery crowd, as well as the readers that enjoyed Liss’s side
issue of women’s limited roles at this time and social taboos in London.
For those looking for more modern British financial and business conspiracies,
check out Thomas Caplan’s novel Grace and Favor (1998). If the pugilist
turned detective side of the novel attracted you, perhaps modern novel
The Butterfly Tattoo (1996) by Barry Norman could be of interest.
The historical mystery Some Danger Involved (2005) by Will Thomas could be
right up your alley if the anti-Semitic side of London of A Conspiracy of Paper
whetted your appetite for more fiction on the topic. Another literary historical mystery is Matthew Pearl's The Dante Club (2003), in which American literary figures like Oliver Wendell Holmes team up with police and private detectives to catch an intellectual serial killer in post-Civil War Boston. Readers looking for more mysteries set in 18th century England should try Bruce Alexander's Sir John Fielding series which presents a similar balance of historical detail and engaging plot, albeit with less emphasis on action. Blind Justice (1994) is the first in the series. Fans of "outsider" detectives will enjoy Barbara Hambly's A Free Man of Color (1997) a historical mystery that explores social themes through the eyes of its protagonist, Creole physician and musician Benjamin January, as he maneuvers through the complex racial politics of early 19th century New Orleans to solve a murder. For those who are more interested in finacial intrigues than historical settings, Black Maps (2003) by Peter Spiegelman features a tough, smart PI cracking a case of murder and blackmail on present-day Wall Street.
Red Flags: Violence, sexual innuendos, themes of antisemitism
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