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34th out of 182 books
—
17 voters
Murder in Grub Street (Sir John Fielding #2)
Following Blind Justice, this second Sir John Fielding mystery finds the keen-minded 18th-century London judge & his assistant Jeremy faced with a murdered family and a madman caught at the scene brandishing an axe. Is the gruesome case solved or not?
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
November 1st 1996
by Berkley
(first published 1995)
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Jeremey Proctor, by thankful circumstance, is once again to be left in the care of Sir John Fielding in the second novel of this series. Six murders have occurred on Grub Street, the street full of printers and books, and it's up to Sir John to solve it - with a bit of help from Jeremy as always.
The beginning of the book somehow didn't seem to flow with the middle of the book at first. We start off questioning a suspect, then the story almost drags a bit as the murders are, at least to me, pushe...more
The beginning of the book somehow didn't seem to flow with the middle of the book at first. We start off questioning a suspect, then the story almost drags a bit as the murders are, at least to me, pushe...more
Another enjoyable book in this series. The characters are engaging, the historical setting feels authentic, and the writing is clear and readable. Yes, it's true that the baddies are fairly obvious almost from the start of the book, but that doesn't necessarily detract from the book -- any more than it does a classic Columbo show, where you know perfectly well whodunit, you're just waiting for Columbo to lead the killer along with his bumbling detective routine until he can prove it.
There's no b...more
There's no b...more
From a review originally posted here.
Murder in Grub Street picks up just a few weeks after Blind Justice ends. Mourning the death of his wife, Sir John has arranged for Jeremy to have an apprenticeship in a printer's shop. The night before Jeremy is supposed to start the family and two young apprentices are savagely murdered with axes in their beds. A man, apparently crazed, was found at the scene axe in hand. He is apprehended but Sir John chooses to send him to Bedlam rather than bind him over...more
Murder in Grub Street picks up just a few weeks after Blind Justice ends. Mourning the death of his wife, Sir John has arranged for Jeremy to have an apprenticeship in a printer's shop. The night before Jeremy is supposed to start the family and two young apprentices are savagely murdered with axes in their beds. A man, apparently crazed, was found at the scene axe in hand. He is apprehended but Sir John chooses to send him to Bedlam rather than bind him over...more
Murder in Grub Street is I think, the first Sir John Fielding mystery, and also my first. Fielding is blind and depends on others to physically assist, but his brilliant mind sees all despite his handicap. I love the era and setting of this historical mystery series, Georgian England, rich with texture, politics, social issues.
Until writing this snippet, I'd not realized that Sir John Fielding really did live from 1721-1780, really was blind and really was a Bow Street Magistrate. There's plent...more
Until writing this snippet, I'd not realized that Sir John Fielding really did live from 1721-1780, really was blind and really was a Bow Street Magistrate. There's plent...more
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I thoroughly enjoyed this next book in the series. While the murder of the title is very grim, there are a host of suspects and interesting characters which make Alexander's books a fun read. The only issue I have with the two books I've read so far is the voice of the narrator. I have trouble believing the 13-year-old narrator of the books would be so well spoken and educated, no matter how much he read and what his father taught him. He sounds more like the main character, Sir John Fielding, m...more
This second book in the Sir John mystery series is another interesting tale set in 18th century London. The historical details display that the work is well-researched. Young Jeremy Proctor finds himself apprenticed to a printer. On the night before he is set to move into the printer's home, the printer and the family were all murdered in their beds. Jeremy finds himself called upon by Sir John Fielding to assist in another criminal inquiry. The pace of the book is quick and the plot unfolds in...more
I generally like this series about Sir John Fielding, the "Blind Beak of Bow Street" which are based on the actual historical figure of the same name. When I read my first Sir John Fielding book by Bruce Alexander, I thought "what an unlikely character for a mystery." It seemed ridiculous to me that the leading investigator should be a blind magistrate of Bow Street, London, England. Imagine my surprise to find this was based on fact! If one enjoys historical mysteries, these are among the most...more
I began liking Alexander's book - London in the 18th century, potentially interesting characters. But in the end I found the story incredibly lazy in its historical research, character development, and plot. The London he creates is formed by a slim number of particular details (unlike the London David Liss creates) and feels like a stage where the director is saying pay attention to this prop, do not notice I have not managed to do any other set design. His characters show little change, though...more
Well Paced, Well Written...Enjoyable
I enjoyed this second novel in Bruce Alexander's series which revolves around Justice Sir John Fielding and is narrated by his thirteen year old assistant Jeremy Proctor. I liked the narration and the young boy's perspective as well as his relationship with Sir John.
The mystery is well laid out, the pacing is good, the period details convincing and the supporting characters are well drawn. I enjoyed it and thought it was well done.
I enjoyed this second novel in Bruce Alexander's series which revolves around Justice Sir John Fielding and is narrated by his thirteen year old assistant Jeremy Proctor. I liked the narration and the young boy's perspective as well as his relationship with Sir John.
The mystery is well laid out, the pacing is good, the period details convincing and the supporting characters are well drawn. I enjoyed it and thought it was well done.
The Blind Beak of Bow Street was the common name among the criminal class of London in the mid-eighteenth century for Sir John Fielding. As a magistrate, he was known and respected by them for being firm but fair. He was knighted for creating the first police force in London, the Bow Street Runners. . . .
To read the rest of this review go to my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
To read the rest of this review go to my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
Book #2 in the Blind Justice mystery series by Bruce Alexander. The series takes place in London about 400 years ago. Really interesting from a historical perspective and the stories are entertaining as well. The protagonists are Sir John Fielding (a blind magistrate/investigator) and Jeremy Proctor (an orphan and Fielding's ward who is being trained by Fielding to become a lawyer/magistrate).
My second book of the series which I enjoyed as much as the first. On reflection it lacked that "Who-done-it" element but that did not detract from the telling of the story at all. As I said in my review of Blind Justice, I still find it difficult to accept that the author was American, such was his mastery of old London and his knowledge of the jargon and mannerisms of the time.
I have the next in the sequence on order.
I have the next in the sequence on order.
Murder in Grub Street - VG
Bruce Alexander - 2nd in series
Following Jeremy proctor's adoption" by the Bow Street magistrate, Sir John Fielding, he has been found an apprenticeship with a printer in Grub Street. It was his father's trade and his knowledge of the business that had been happily snapped up by Ezekiel Cribb. However, on the day he was due to begin his apprenticeship, Cribb and his entire household are found massacred, the only survivor - heavily blood-stained - being a young poet whos...more
Bruce Alexander - 2nd in series
Following Jeremy proctor's adoption" by the Bow Street magistrate, Sir John Fielding, he has been found an apprenticeship with a printer in Grub Street. It was his father's trade and his knowledge of the business that had been happily snapped up by Ezekiel Cribb. However, on the day he was due to begin his apprenticeship, Cribb and his entire household are found massacred, the only survivor - heavily blood-stained - being a young poet whos...more
I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. Another reviewer has pointed out my main problem with it, which is that there was no mystery - it was perfectly obvious who committed the murders, as they were portrayed as cardboard-cutout bad, and all the other characters were cardboard cutout good. I was hoping for a twist at the end, but there wasn't one. Meh.
This is the second in the series i've read and it's as good as the first, very solid characters, dialogue and plot. It doesn't AMAZE you with how clever it is, but you can completely sink into the story and the time period and not emerge until the story is done and that's, to me, a good read.
This is the second in Alexander's series of historical mysteries about Sir John Fielding, founder of the Bow Street Runners. Dr. Samuel Johnson is also a character in this one, which is centered around the printing and publishing industry in Grub Street. A horrific multiple murder takes place there just before hero Jeremy Proctor is to leave Fielding's house to apprentice as a printer in the same shop where the murders are done. Multiple personality disorder, anti-Semitism, religious cults, and...more
More Dr. Johnson in this installment, thankfully no Boswell. An introduction to Haredi Jews fleeing persecution from Eastern Europe, and a weird anti-Semitic cult from the colonies. Another highly improbable plot, but so readable.
Another good book in the Sir John Fielding series. This one centers around a religious cult and the murder of an entire household. I love how the author shows just a bit of Jeremy's self-importance. Enough so you can see it as a bit of ego but not enough to make the character unlikeable.
I found this book by plucking it somewhat randomly from the library shelf. I'm very glad I did. I loved the characters and the writing style. I plan to read the rest of the Sir John Fielding series now.
Jeremy Proctor, who has been taken into the household of Sir John Fielding, an eighteenth century London magistrate, is about to be apprenticed to Mr. Crabb, a printer in Grub Street. The night before Jeremy is sup0posed to report, the Crabb family is found murdered in their home, and a John Clayton is suspected of the crime. At the same time, a group0 of religious zealots from the American colonies arrive in London to convert the Jews. Sir John does not agree with others’ presumption of guilt o...more
A better mystery than the first book in the series, "Blind Justice". While I wouldn't want a steady diet of this series, reading it in order interspersed with other reading is fun.
1 like · like · see review
Mar 03, 2010
Patti
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Adults and teens who like historical mysteries
This is the second in the series about blind magistrate Sir John Fielding and his young assistant Jeremy Proctor. An excellent mystery with a creative twist at the end to catch the murderer(s).
i really liked this book. it's set in the mid 1700's in london and features a blind judge/sleuth and his young orphaned assistant. it's a time of tricorn hats and artful dodgers. i started with this one, the 2nd in the series, just by chance. the young assistant is 13 years old, but mature beyond his years. the narrator is this young man, many years later, recounting past stories. i plan to read the 1st one and continue with the rest in the series, of which there are about a dozen or so. one fun...more
I came across the Fielding series by accident and have read some later in the series. I think, however, this is a series best read in order.
I didn't think I would finish this. But after about three chapters, it caught my interest, and I thought the author was good. Overall, a good book.
Thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd book in the Sir John Fielding series. I love historical fiction, and the crime-solving methods and investigative techniques of the mid-18th century is intriguing. The characters are developing as you go along, building on the 1st book in this series nicely. Considering the story is told from the perspective of a 13-year-old boy, it is well-told and fits into how a young man of that era would look at life.
May 23, 2009
Donna
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any murder mystery fan
Recommended to Donna by:
Cathy
They are an unlikely pair. An orphaned boy (Jeremy) and a blind Justice (Sir John Fielding), solve a horrific murder in London in the 18th century. Bruce Alexander has a real talent for developing characters which are instantly recognizeable and realistic. Anyone who loves historical fiction and mysteries will find it a good read. Middle school and high school students may find it a little tedious at times, due to the highly detailed nature of the story and use of the more verbose 18th century E...more
3 1/2
Buena novela que combina misterio e Historia en una aventura que entretiene, repleta de grandes personajes.
Buena novela que combina misterio e Historia en una aventura que entretiene, repleta de grandes personajes.
I enjoy the main characters being a blind judge and a 13 year old boy.
That i can't stand not reading a series in perfect order.
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Pseudonym of American journalist and author Bruce Cook.
Bruce Alexander Cook (1932–2003) was an American journalist and author who wrote under the pseudonym Bruce Alexander, creating historical novels about a blind 18th century Englishman and also a 20th century Mexican-American detective.
More about Bruce Alexander...
Bruce Alexander Cook (1932–2003) was an American journalist and author who wrote under the pseudonym Bruce Alexander, creating historical novels about a blind 18th century Englishman and also a 20th century Mexican-American detective.
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