The Watermen

Tom Pascoe #1

by Patrick Easter

In the dark and slimy streets of Wapping a prostitute is beaten half to death, a not uncommon fate in late 18th century London. So begins this gripping tale set in 1798 in the Port of a cruel villain holds sway over the underworld. His name is Boylin. His face is scarred by lime and his back by the two hundred lashes he received following a naval court martial. He holds Captain Tom Pascoe responsible for his suffering. They meet again when Pascoe becomes River Surveyor for the newly formed marine police. They've had orders to investigate a sudden fall in government revenue that is affecting the nation's ability to fight the war against Napoleon and stem the rising tide of Irish rebellion. Pascoe knows that Boylin is behind it, but he can't prove anything, yet. THE WATERMEN follows these two adversaries across London as they try to outwit one another. Working alongside Pascoe is Sam Hart, a Jewish immigrant with his own agenda, Pascoe throws the rule-book out the window, scouring East London and the docklands in search of information. But fate takes a cruel twist when the two men find themselves involved with the same woman - there's much more at stake than the fate of the nation.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2011

About the author

The son of a colonial police officer, Patrick was born in Cyprus at the tail end of 1943 and lived there until, at the age of 12, when he was sent ‘home’ to school in England.
At 19 Patrick joined the Metropolitan Police in London and three years later went onto the river.
On leaving the police service in 1994, Patrick became a journalist chasing deadlines for technical magazines and articles in national newspapers. He still writes, full time, but now concentrates on his novels. He lives in Sussex with his wife and three dogs, working out of a Victorian pump-house, complete with its own well and pumping machinery, in the grounds of his home.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in 2012, and its the 1st part of the "Tom Pascoe" series, featuring Watermen in the Port of London during the War against Napoleon Bonaparte.

This tale is set in the year AD 1798, and this story tells us about the duel between the River Surveyor of the new marine police, Captain Tom Pascoe, with Wapping in East London as the main base, and the King of the underworld, Boylin.

Working alongside Tom Pascoe, there's also the Jewish immigrant with his own agenda, Sam Hart, and in search for information they throw the rulebook out of the window.

While the two adversaries are trying to outwit each other, there's also the same woman that will come into the picture, and she will play a very important part in this suspenseful story because these two men are both involved with her.

What is to follow is a very exciting tale, in which Tom Pascoe and his men, in search of falling government revenue will have to travel within the cruel underworld of East London and dangers on the river itself, in an effort to solve this mystery of the missing money and to catch the perpetrator(s) behind this scheme.

Very much recommended, for this is a very promising begin of a new series about Watermen on the River Thames in London, and that's why I like to call this 1st episode: "A Very Enjoyable Watermen Start"!

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was extremely underwhelming.
I was interested in this book for its unusual setting since I've never read a book set in the London ports of the late 1700s before. I did like that aspect of it and also thought the style of writing was quite nice, but that's about it.
The plot is DULL, to say the least. It fails to engage entirely and since it's written from multiple POVs, there is nothing much the reader doesn't know. Essentially the plot trundles along as the characters figure out what's happening while you as the reader have been aware of everything for several chapters. Not what I would call an exciting concept. There are some revelations made towards the end but that by that point I had simply stopped caring.
Another reason for this is the extremely unrealistic and strange characters. They straight up DON'T MAKE SENSE. Their actions and words don't match up, especially with regards to Boylin. So he's this evil mastermind without scruples but then you're also supposed to believe he sits shivering in the corner of his room at the least threat of being caught? Hardly.
Same goes for their backstories, that were supposed to make them into more multi-faceted characters - nothing made sense, the whole thing felt very contrived and unrealistic.
The dialogue is also quite stilted at times, even though I did enjoy the different use of language in this book - I have no idea if this is how people actually spoke back in the day but it is definitely quite interesting.
At the end of the day this is a book that promises political and criminal intrigue and then doesn't really deliver. Utterly forgettable, I regret to say.

[Colin Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

1798 – the Port of London. Villainous Irishman Boylin gets the opportunity to take revenge on his nemesis, Captain Tom Pascoe, the man responsible for giving Boylin 200 lashes on board ship. When Pascoe is offered the position of River Surveyor in the newly formed marine police, he must investigate thefts from ships that have caused a loss of government revenue. But with Boylin in charge of unloading, Pascoe knows he must at least be civil to the Irish rogue and use his new position of authority to obtain proof of his suspicions in order to make Boylin face up to his crimes.

Having had this book on my shelf for five years, it’s good to finally get around to reading it. The author goes to great lengths to create a realistic and believable world around the historic Port of London, and his attention to detail pays off. More than anything else, Easter brings his characters and scenes to life so vividly that even if the story wasn’t up to scratch, it’d be worth reading just for the author’s descriptive abilities. As it happens, the plot is an interesting one, though it flits around so much we don’t get as good a grip on the characters and their motivations as we might. There are also too many cliches mixed in with the narrative that should have been given the old heave-ho at the editing stage.

Nevertheless, The Watermen is an enjoyable read that enlightened me on a period of English history I didn’t know much about.

[Yungstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book with a brilliant plot. Thoroughly enjoyed it from start to end. What struck me most about the book was the authors use of his english. Much more complex than basic however adaptable and a great way to expand your vocabulary, it also allows you to interpret situations from an interesting perspective as you'll find out for yourself.
It didn't get my 5 stars though as i felt at times it was quite dull and bland

[Robyn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting first book in a series, highlighting the corruption round ports in late 18th century England.
What I found fascinating in this book was the language, a type of English I'd never encountered before eg people greeting each other by saying "Give you joy, sir,"and the person being addressed responding by saying "Joy, Miss....." I assume it's part of some kind of religious ritual, as I've never struck it before, perhaps Quaker or Wesleyan.
Tom Pascoe, formerly a ship's captain, loses his position because of an incident aboard his ship after it's berthed. He becomes a "waterman", a type of marine policeman, on the lookout for smugglers, receivers of stolen merchandise etc.
However, Joseph Boylin, an Irishman, has the wharf sewn up with protection rackets and is able to do more or less what he likes. He also hates Pascoe because he once presided over the administering of 200 lashes after Boylin was court-martialled when he was at sea.
So the scheming and intrigue starts......., quite a good read, it'll be interesting to see if Patrick Easter manages to make Pascoe into another "Master and Commander" or "Hornblower" type in the subsequent books in the series.

[C.A. A. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute peach of a read. Set in London in 1798. A young Captain of a merchant vessel and ex-Royal Navy brings his ship into the port of London. His arrival coincides with the forming of a marine police force. Through a set of twisting circumstances, our hero Tom Pascoe embarks upon a new career as a marine policeman. He comes up against a formidable gang of villains led by a notorious Irishman named Brolin. Lots of twists and turns - friendship, murder, mystery and mayhem all the way. I enjoyed the old picture of the London streets I know well. Especially in the E.C. area where I worked as a postman for twenty years. It is where all the banks and reinsurance companies are today. Yet at this time, there are residential dwellings etc. My childhood districts of Bow and Poplar are mere marsh areas with fields etc. I thought the picture of this old style outer fringe of what is today East London was brilliant. I would highly recommend this story. It is the first book in a saga of Tom Pascoe stories. He is a river policeman in the port of London. Smashing stuff. I will certainly read more of these adventures.

[Julie Trapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Takes place in 18th century London on the waterfront. Two people with a personal history try and get the best of each other. Boylin, a cruel villain with a lime-scarred face and Tom Pascoe, a marine policeman responsible for Boylin's 200 lashes after a court martial some years before. Pascoe is trying to find evidence that Boylin is stealing & reselling sugar from shipments coming in. The money lost from this is less money to fight the war against Napoleon. A pretty good read. Took about a third of the book to sort everyone out, but picked up after that. Language was of seagoing folks and the historical era. Only complaint is that the love interest was a pretty far-fetched coincidence.

[Eric Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in a series set in the late 18th Century . A beached naval captain finds himself in charge of a newly formed River Police on the Thames in London . So much of cargoes arriving there is going missing that the Exchequer is concerned by its loss of revenue . Tom Pascoe 's first task is to discover where the losses are occurring and who is behind the thefts . An easy and entertaining read , enjoyable enough to want to try another by the author .

[Nathaniel Mathies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book!
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent.
Has to google a lot of the terms and names and places but that's just who I am. You could enjoy the story without.

[Mark Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Easy to follow and get involved with. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I have the next two in the series already. Looking forward to reading those and see where we end up!

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not finish. I persevered over half way in the hope it would improve but it was just so dull. The characters didn't engage me at all and it just felt very repetitive.
Odd because my elderly father really enjoyed this and the others in the series..

[Mrs Dawn Ratcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

What a stunner of a book, it was enthralling and I was sorry when it finished. Looking forward to the next book.

[Alison D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book took you back in time to the harsh living of that era, very enjoyable

[Fi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slightly reminiscent of Edward Marston's Bow Street Runners books - which, considering how much I enjoyed those, would explain how much I enjoyed this; looking forward to reading more in the series!

[Michael Knock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different perspective of working on/by the Thames.

[Paul Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable with sumptuous period detail and sense of place. Not quite enough tension or pace to earn 5 stars but very enjoyable nonetheless.

[Stuart McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a new series for me. Well researched historical drama following the exploits of the newly formed Marine Police during the late eighteenth century. A good romp.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so engrossing that I've read it in the space of about four hours this evening. Tom Pascoe is a former Navy captain, working on a merchant ship at the start of the novel when an incident sees him sacked from that job, but offered the chance to work for a newly-formed unit policing a stretch of the Thames. England is at war with Napoleon and the government wants to cut down on the revenue being lost to customs fraud. Tom thinks he knows the man behind it all, but proving it is another thing entirely.

I like the fact that the novel looks at a relatively unexplored aspect of this era - most Napoleonic-era novels deal with the sailors and soldiers fighting the conflict, rather than those left behind at home trying to keep some semblance of order and ensure that life goes on as normal. I also liked that the novel explores the treatment and inequalities faced by the various groups of people in London at the time - the Irish, who are forced into crime because no-one will pay them decent wages, the Jews being beaten up simply for being Jewish, women who find the law deaf to their pleas for help... they are all written in a manner that the reader can sympathise with them.

As someone who has previous read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, most of the nautical terminology was fairly familiar to me - and there is a glossary in the back to help those who are not. Pascoe, described as having blond hair worn in a ponytail, does have a certain Aubrey-ish aspect to him - and I like to think that some of the choices of phrasing in the novel may have been little references to O'Brian's canon by someone writing about the same era. I found this book an enjoyable read and will look out for more of the author's work.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to meet the Author, Patrick Easter at the Hailsham WI Book Club a month or so ago, and I have to say that the impression I had gained from him at the time was that he seemed to have certainly researched his subject well, and also had personal experience in policing (albeit of the modern day variety). He was also charming and packed full of charisma .... yes, it's true I have a bit of a crush on him!

Luckily, the organiser of the Group, Diane, lent me her copy of his novel to read for Review. As always with me, you will only get an honest one.

My first impressions were true, the book is well written, with good historical reference - apparently according to Patrick, real history buffs can pick holes in some of it - and do - but, for me it had an authentic feel, and that is all that counts are far as I'm personally concerned. The only thing that bothered me was his mention of Tom wearing a "blouse". Now, it's not the first time that I have come across this, I am sure some of you will remember my recent rant about an American Author that referred to a man's blouse. I am now beginning to wonder if I'm wrong, and they did clearly wear them. I think some historical research of my own might be called for, and then a slice of humble pie if they are proved right.

I have a huge liking for our leading man, Tom Pascoe, and also found myself routing for his side-kick Sam.

Why, oh why couldn't the lovely Miss Tompkins fall for him with a big bang? Although, I am still holding out hope that he can win her in the end, or find a worth lady from some other source.

All in all, a lovely and informative novel, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Four stars from me.

[Ian Houston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written as the first in a series of 'faction' novels designed to chart the antecedents of London's Marine Police by a former member, it is an undemanding read. The book is set in Georgian London in 1798. The British Empire is thriving and exotic cargoes are arriving daily in the Port of London but a failure to adequately police the docks and roads means that organised gangs can raid ships and make off with goods almost unmolested. This loss of tax revenue threatens the government which has to cope with unrest at home, instability in Ireland and war with Revolutionary France.
The plot moves at a brisk enough pace and its protagonist (a former RN officer and East India Company captain, dismissed for letting his cargo be stolen while at anchor in the Port of London) is a convincing enough hero; a man of action, loyal, suitably honourable and sufficiently handsome to introduce a burgeoning love-interest for later volumes.
The author injects some of the police procedural (unsurprising in view of his background) to achieve the tasks he has been set as an officer of this new police force: using informants, interviewing suspects, and there is even an scene or two involving Georgian court procedure when accused are arraigned but, although interesting enough, I did not find it really compelling. Although to be fair, there was a surprise at the end regarding the completion of one plot line.
All in all a pleasant enough book to while away a few hours on a beach as light holiday reading but I'm not sure I'd seek out others in the series.

[Tom Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a thriller based around the founding of the Marine Police Force in 1798. Details of the formation of the Force, and how they operated in the Port of London, suggest a degree of research that makes for interesting background. The novel also catches the horror of the poverty in London at the time. But the sense of period is not well maintained. One character carries a sword as a matter of course – unusual in London by 1798 but passing without comment. The cover illustration of a man in a tricorne hat catches the feel of much of the book although tricorne hats were rare amongst civilians by this period. At the same time, many of the attitudes of the characters are modern, often expressed in the dialogue of the 21st century. "I hear what you say," one character says. "It's their perception of reality that's important, not the reality itself." This is hardly the language of the late 18th century. And I am suspicious of some of the obscenities. Cuss words move in and out of fashion at speed and, though we have no reliable records, I doubt that "fucking" would be the swear-word of choice at the time.

The plot is not to be taken too seriously, but it bowls along, even if there is a sense that all the loose ends are being tied up too quickly as things come to their climax. Virtue triumphs, needless to say. It's that sort of book. And if that's the sort of book you like, you'll like it. But better historical novels are available.

[Booklovers Melbourne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed my introduction to Tom Pascoe and the London river police, the story flowed nicely, the characters are interesting and varied enough, though there were a couple of slightly irritating points. First among them is the author's over-indulgence in trying to write speech as if it were word perfect for the time period. I didn't need every Irish character to be scripted like an episode of 'Father Ted' to understand that he was Irish, nor did all female characters need to sound like pantomime/Dickensian ladies from 'days of yore'.
My other minor criticism was of the relationship between Pascoe and Peggy. Barbara Cartland would have been proud of its style, Patrick Easter probably shouldn't be.
All that said, I will be giving the next book in the series a go, or, as one of Easter's Irishmen might say, "will it be your next book I'll be reading now?"....

[Steve Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed my introduction to Tom Pascoe and the London river police, the story flowed nicely, the characters are interesting and varied enough, though there were a couple of slightly irritating points. First among them is the author's over-indulgence in trying to write speech as if it were word perfect for the time period. I didn't need every Irish character to be scripted like an episode of 'Father Ted' to understand that he was Irish, nor did all female characters need to sound like pantomime/Dickensian ladies from 'days of yore'.
My other minor criticism was of the relationship between Pascoe and Peggy. Barbara Cartland would have been proud of its style, Patrick Easter probably shouldn't be.
All that said, I will be giving the next book in the series a go, or, as one of Easter's Irishmen might say, "will it be your next book I'll be reading now?"....

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading this book. The author works hard to convey the atmosphere on the River Thames in the last years of the 18th century. Particularly how dirty and smelly living conditions were at that time. Reading the book made me very grateful I am alive now with the National Health Service and advanced medical practise. The formation of the River police is of particular interest to me as my Uncle, Ronald Main, was a senior member of that force for many years.The author and my Uncle may have even known each other. tis book covers all the bases; The river Thames, history, blood, violence, romance, hospital, sailing. All in all a good read.

[Wayne Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent and really captured a period in history that I hadn't really known about before - the creation of the Thames River Police in the late 1700s. I found the history fascinating and the characters really brought the period to life. If you enjoy either maritime novels or murder mysteries set in historical times then you could do worse than giving this book a try. I eagerly await the next novel in the series!

[Michael Harling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for crime enthusiast as well as history buffs. The story brings to life an era when stealing cargo from ships was rampant, to the point of causing a national crisis, and the men who were given the task of putting a stop to it.

A great read with plenty of heroes and villains to go around.

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of 18th century London and rogues and heroes. Gripping stuff written by local boy Patrick Easter. As an Isle of Dogs resident loved reading about the historic environs. A really atmospheric book, you can feel the chill in the air and taste the smog!

[David Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really excited about reading pre 19th century London and the age, but i felt the story lost abit of itself near the end. It does set up the character for the sequels but its not for me. However I thought Boylin was an excellent creation.

[Lynne Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this book, its different to anything I have read before. The language is quaint and some of the characters are predictable, but the same can be said of many books. I liked the history behind it, its well researched and does bring the 1700s to life. All in all a nice read

[Jacky · Rating 2 out of 5]

good book, but very much a "boys' story"