This is a well researched historical fiction set in early 18th century London. The protagonist, Benjamin Weaver, a recently retired Jewish pugilist has a new career, “thief catcher”. He becomes involved in an investigation of the deaths of two men, one of whom is his father, leading him into the murky world of English stock trading and the many sorts of con-men that populate it.

Weaver finds that his newest investigation requires different tactics than the combination of physical prowess and force of will that he had previously used, as described on pg. 162, “If you know nothing with certainty, but you guess reasonably, acting upon those guesses offers the maximum chance of learning who did this with the minimal amount of failure. Not acting offers no chance of discovery.”

A satisfying book that successfully transports the reader three centuries back in time and provides an interesting story line as well. I will look for more from this author.