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Robert Fairfax #1
The Complaint of the Dove
Seductive Lucy Dove is the toast of the London stage in 1760-until she is strangled. When lovestruck Matthew Helmsley is found drunk on her doorstep, private tutor and amateur sleuth Robert Fairfax must save his young pupil from the hangman...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Hannah March
12 books7 followersHannah March is a pseudonym used by the author who was born and brought up in Peterborough on the edge of the Fens and was a student on the University of East Anglia MA Course in Creative Writing under Malcolm Bradbury and Angela Carter. He is married and lives in Peterborough.
A pseudonym used by Tim Wilson.
Also wrote under the names T.R. Wilson and Jude Morgan.
A pseudonym used by Tim Wilson.
Also wrote under the names T.R. Wilson and Jude Morgan.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 21, 2014
As an interesting mystery set shortly after the death of George II, The Complaint of a Dove has a rich historical flavor and a somewhat predictable, but entertaining mystery. The title comes from a sad ballad sung by a beautiful actress on stage, an actress with which one of the principals of the story falls, at least, in “calf love.”
And, of course, such infatuation proves to be the young man’s undoing.
Yet, the story really isn’t about the young man so much as about the young man’s tutor. Robert Fairfax is the scion of a once-distinguished judge who fell into disgrace, as did Fairfax. The elder Fairfax had his career attenuated by rumors surrounding a case where he should have recused himself; the younger Fairfax was disgraced in a duel as we eventually discover, but he is an intelligent and graceful gentleman who seems to have been bitten by circumstances and is making the best of what he has left. The misfortune which occurs to his young charge doesn’t help his future.
I like several little phrases and ideas in the book. The young gentleman, Matthew Helmsley, critiques the way Members of Parliament are apparently “bought and sold” by saying, “Give and take, but who keeps their soul?” (p. 80) Fairfax at one point warns Matthew that London “…breeds gossip as a dung hill does maggots.” (p. 83) An older character once suggests that “Young cocks love no coops” and again, asks, “Where would lovers be without the quarreling? ‘Tis the wormwood in the purl, but it gives spice.” (p. 90). Since I also love interesting words, I was quite taken with the use of funambulist (p. 182) for a tightrope worker and abortifacient (p. 190) for an illegal mixture designed to induce, even as it sounds, abortions of unwanted pregnancies.
As an instructor in the history of games, I enjoyed references to the popular gambling games of the era—particularly Faro, a system I demonstrate in a lab period (with no money at risk!). A gambler losing at cards suggests at one point, “What say we switch to faro? The game’s pure chance, so I may lose more creditably by it.” (p. 88) A popular predecessor to the modern casino game of Craps is called Hazard and it plays a role in an ugly metaphor: “But gaming for life or death—now there’s a hazard for you!” (p. 113)
One conversational phrase that I enjoyed in the book was included in a supposed reminiscence where Robert Fairfax remembered his days working on the first Dictionary of the English Language with Samuel Johnson. Understanding Fairfax’s frustration with his situation, the literary lion would say, “Not so glum, young Robbie, not so glum. Remember that though Alexander had conquered an empire at four-and-twenty, by four-and-thirty he was dead.” (p. 176)
Another memorable phrase was captured in a musing belonging to Fairfax with regard to one of the suspects or vital witnesses in the case. “That this thief, opium-eater, extortioner, and trader in shady drugs should find the stage morally reprehensible bore out a theory of Fairfax’s, that nobody believed themselves to be without ethics.” (p. 243)
Appropriately enough, one of the more interesting characters (and I hope we see more of her in future installments) says to Fairfax, “I hope you find your grail, Mr. Fairfax. But then—perhaps, it’s best if we all learn to live without it.” (p. 265) Such a sentiment proved a most satisfying bit of closure.
And, of course, such infatuation proves to be the young man’s undoing.
Yet, the story really isn’t about the young man so much as about the young man’s tutor. Robert Fairfax is the scion of a once-distinguished judge who fell into disgrace, as did Fairfax. The elder Fairfax had his career attenuated by rumors surrounding a case where he should have recused himself; the younger Fairfax was disgraced in a duel as we eventually discover, but he is an intelligent and graceful gentleman who seems to have been bitten by circumstances and is making the best of what he has left. The misfortune which occurs to his young charge doesn’t help his future.
I like several little phrases and ideas in the book. The young gentleman, Matthew Helmsley, critiques the way Members of Parliament are apparently “bought and sold” by saying, “Give and take, but who keeps their soul?” (p. 80) Fairfax at one point warns Matthew that London “…breeds gossip as a dung hill does maggots.” (p. 83) An older character once suggests that “Young cocks love no coops” and again, asks, “Where would lovers be without the quarreling? ‘Tis the wormwood in the purl, but it gives spice.” (p. 90). Since I also love interesting words, I was quite taken with the use of funambulist (p. 182) for a tightrope worker and abortifacient (p. 190) for an illegal mixture designed to induce, even as it sounds, abortions of unwanted pregnancies.
As an instructor in the history of games, I enjoyed references to the popular gambling games of the era—particularly Faro, a system I demonstrate in a lab period (with no money at risk!). A gambler losing at cards suggests at one point, “What say we switch to faro? The game’s pure chance, so I may lose more creditably by it.” (p. 88) A popular predecessor to the modern casino game of Craps is called Hazard and it plays a role in an ugly metaphor: “But gaming for life or death—now there’s a hazard for you!” (p. 113)
One conversational phrase that I enjoyed in the book was included in a supposed reminiscence where Robert Fairfax remembered his days working on the first Dictionary of the English Language with Samuel Johnson. Understanding Fairfax’s frustration with his situation, the literary lion would say, “Not so glum, young Robbie, not so glum. Remember that though Alexander had conquered an empire at four-and-twenty, by four-and-thirty he was dead.” (p. 176)
Another memorable phrase was captured in a musing belonging to Fairfax with regard to one of the suspects or vital witnesses in the case. “That this thief, opium-eater, extortioner, and trader in shady drugs should find the stage morally reprehensible bore out a theory of Fairfax’s, that nobody believed themselves to be without ethics.” (p. 243)
Appropriately enough, one of the more interesting characters (and I hope we see more of her in future installments) says to Fairfax, “I hope you find your grail, Mr. Fairfax. But then—perhaps, it’s best if we all learn to live without it.” (p. 265) Such a sentiment proved a most satisfying bit of closure.
June 29, 2010
Hannah March is another pen name of author Jude Morgan. I had read and enjoyed a book by Morgan and I decided to give this one a god when I found out the author was the same.
The story has a bit of a slow start, in fact we have time to meet all the characters and their situations in life well before the murder happens. As soon as we meet Lucy I was waiting for her to die but the authors takes his time before letting that happen.
Robert Fairfax is an intriguing character, there's a mystery in his past but we also have to perservere with the reading before finding out what it is. When the book starts he is working as the tutor of a young man, Mathew Hemsley. Mathew is bright, honest and a gentleman. A bit too impulsive at times in face of injustice and a bit too naive in terms of love and romance which leads him to fall heads over heels in love with Lucy when he meets her.
When Lucy is found dead and he is found on her doorstep without a clear memory of what happened inside he is the most obvious suspect and Fairfarx will have to do all he can to get him out of jail. To do that he must launch an investigation of his own, folowing leads and suspicious people to find who Lucy Dove really was and who had most to gain with her death. I did like all the twists and turns the action took although sometimes I wish it had gone a bit faster. Another thing I really enjoy enjoyed was the atmospheric setting, not only the city of Lodon but also the descriptions of Newgate and other unsavory places was so well done that it seemed we were there.
Grade: 4/5
The story has a bit of a slow start, in fact we have time to meet all the characters and their situations in life well before the murder happens. As soon as we meet Lucy I was waiting for her to die but the authors takes his time before letting that happen.
Robert Fairfax is an intriguing character, there's a mystery in his past but we also have to perservere with the reading before finding out what it is. When the book starts he is working as the tutor of a young man, Mathew Hemsley. Mathew is bright, honest and a gentleman. A bit too impulsive at times in face of injustice and a bit too naive in terms of love and romance which leads him to fall heads over heels in love with Lucy when he meets her.
When Lucy is found dead and he is found on her doorstep without a clear memory of what happened inside he is the most obvious suspect and Fairfarx will have to do all he can to get him out of jail. To do that he must launch an investigation of his own, folowing leads and suspicious people to find who Lucy Dove really was and who had most to gain with her death. I did like all the twists and turns the action took although sometimes I wish it had gone a bit faster. Another thing I really enjoy enjoyed was the atmospheric setting, not only the city of Lodon but also the descriptions of Newgate and other unsavory places was so well done that it seemed we were there.
Grade: 4/5
February 4, 2013
I picked this book up out of curiosity, since the Jane Austen mysteries were the only ones I had previously read set in the same general era. Unfortunately (for my research at least), the novel was actually set towards the beginning of the Georgian era, when George III had just ascended to the throne and the Hanover dynasty was beginning to settle in to ruling England. This book is set largely in the seedy underside of England (and contains suicide triggers, just be aware), and deals with the murder of an actress named Lucy Dove, ostensibly by Robert Fairfax's student Matthew Hemsley. Fairfax believes Hemsley to be innocent and sets about trying to uncover the true murderer.
I was intrigued by the author's use of non-forensic techniques to discover the villain. The time that the actress was murdered could possibly clear Matthew Hemsley's name, but there's no way the Georgians would have been able to tell that. This may be frustrating for some readers. I did not, however, connect with Fairfax quite the way I would have wanted to, and I was deeply disappointed by who the actual culprit turned out to be (although some parts of the resolution seemed quite satisfying, if slightly unrealistic in that the person in question would likely not have been punished). In general, it's a good book, but probably not for me. I'll still read the second in the series, but after that I'll probably let it go.
I was intrigued by the author's use of non-forensic techniques to discover the villain. The time that the actress was murdered could possibly clear Matthew Hemsley's name, but there's no way the Georgians would have been able to tell that. This may be frustrating for some readers. I did not, however, connect with Fairfax quite the way I would have wanted to, and I was deeply disappointed by who the actual culprit turned out to be (although some parts of the resolution seemed quite satisfying, if slightly unrealistic in that the person in question would likely not have been punished). In general, it's a good book, but probably not for me. I'll still read the second in the series, but after that I'll probably let it go.
September 23, 2014
Probably 3 or 3.5 but I felt that did unfair things to the book's average rating.
This is a very assured, entertaining mystery. I read it after loving several Jude Morgan books, and was not disappointed. March (as I guess I will call him here...) has as usual an excellent grasp of the period. There's neither unrealistic finery nor unnecessary grit - unpleasant realities of life in 1760 are mentioned when they are relevant, but there's none of the relish for dirt or misery one so often finds in historical fiction; likewise the past is not treated as a halcyon, rarefied paradise of elegance.
There's a similar avoidance of cliches with the characters. The naval captain isn't the stereotype of "naval captain" that springs to mind with the phrase, time is taken to draw the actors as real people, and Fairfax's relationship with his student is depicted naturally and realistically: they like and respect each other, but 19 year old Matthew sometimes treats the 30 year old Fairfax like an old man, and Fairfax sometimes gets annoyed.
I was wary of Fairfax's twagic past at first, as I think such things are often misused as a substitute for characterization. However, Fairfax's past informs his character; it isn't used in place of one. It's still a hook for a novel series, but it's a well done one.
I'll definitely be seeking out the other books in this series.
This is a very assured, entertaining mystery. I read it after loving several Jude Morgan books, and was not disappointed. March (as I guess I will call him here...) has as usual an excellent grasp of the period. There's neither unrealistic finery nor unnecessary grit - unpleasant realities of life in 1760 are mentioned when they are relevant, but there's none of the relish for dirt or misery one so often finds in historical fiction; likewise the past is not treated as a halcyon, rarefied paradise of elegance.
There's a similar avoidance of cliches with the characters. The naval captain isn't the stereotype of "naval captain" that springs to mind with the phrase, time is taken to draw the actors as real people, and Fairfax's relationship with his student is depicted naturally and realistically: they like and respect each other, but 19 year old Matthew sometimes treats the 30 year old Fairfax like an old man, and Fairfax sometimes gets annoyed.
I was wary of Fairfax's twagic past at first, as I think such things are often misused as a substitute for characterization. However, Fairfax's past informs his character; it isn't used in place of one. It's still a hook for a novel series, but it's a well done one.
I'll definitely be seeking out the other books in this series.
June 27, 2014
2.5 stars. This is a pleasant, if unexceptional, historical mystery with an interesting setting: Georgian England, just as not-yet-mad King George III ascends to the throne, aged 19. I picked this up because I love the Regency romances this author has written under the name Jude Morgan.
Our hero Fairfax is a gentleman fallen on hard times who has taken a job as a tutor. He is chaperoning his teenaged student’s first trip to London, where the boy immediately gets himself accused of murdering an actress. Fairfax must unravel the mystery to save the boy, not to mention his job.
This is well written, with decent characterizations and good dialog. It’s perhaps a little too formulaic as a murder mystery: as each secondary character is introduced, they are rather obviously being established as a potential suspect. The historical details are well done.
Our hero Fairfax is a gentleman fallen on hard times who has taken a job as a tutor. He is chaperoning his teenaged student’s first trip to London, where the boy immediately gets himself accused of murdering an actress. Fairfax must unravel the mystery to save the boy, not to mention his job.
This is well written, with decent characterizations and good dialog. It’s perhaps a little too formulaic as a murder mystery: as each secondary character is introduced, they are rather obviously being established as a potential suspect. The historical details are well done.
June 23, 2023
Hannah March è la versione poliziesca di Jude Morgan, bravissimo scrittore di romanzi storici e biografie.
La vicenda, ambientata in Inghilterra intorno alla fine del settecento, è condotta con l'abituale perizia: la vivida fantasia dell'autore, che si accompagna alle sue notevoli conoscenze storiche, trascina letteralmente il lettore a vivere nell'età georgiana, senza nasconderne (ma senza giudicarne) i lati più oscuri o torbidi.
Ho immediatamente comprato il secondo volume della serie, che vedrà l'anomalo 'tutore' Robert Fairfax impegnato in una nuova indagine.
La vicenda, ambientata in Inghilterra intorno alla fine del settecento, è condotta con l'abituale perizia: la vivida fantasia dell'autore, che si accompagna alle sue notevoli conoscenze storiche, trascina letteralmente il lettore a vivere nell'età georgiana, senza nasconderne (ma senza giudicarne) i lati più oscuri o torbidi.
Ho immediatamente comprato il secondo volume della serie, che vedrà l'anomalo 'tutore' Robert Fairfax impegnato in una nuova indagine.
May 27, 2019
Really enjoyed this one.
November 9, 2010
I'm always looking for a new historical series that I can fall into and love. I'm rather particular about my fiction and I know I am often rather difficult to please.
I have been able to find and fall in love with a few good historical series including The Captain Lacy Series by Ashley Gardner, The Lady Julia series by Deanna Raybourn, the Julian Kestrel series by Kate Ross and the Ben Weaver trilogy (which I hope will become a series) by David Liss.
This is the first Hannah March novel I've read, the author also writes under the pseudonym of Jude Morgan. Overall I thought 'The Complaint of the Dove' was a fairly enjoyable mystery set in London in 1760 before the Prince of Wales was crowned King George III.
I enjoyed the setting, especially the mention of Bow Street, Jack Sheppard and the appearance of Justice John Fielding. I thought the relationship between the protagonists, Matthew Hemsley and Robert Fairfax, was interesting but I would have liked a little more character development. I wasn't captivated by either of them and so I will continue looking for my next favorite series.
I have been able to find and fall in love with a few good historical series including The Captain Lacy Series by Ashley Gardner, The Lady Julia series by Deanna Raybourn, the Julian Kestrel series by Kate Ross and the Ben Weaver trilogy (which I hope will become a series) by David Liss.
This is the first Hannah March novel I've read, the author also writes under the pseudonym of Jude Morgan. Overall I thought 'The Complaint of the Dove' was a fairly enjoyable mystery set in London in 1760 before the Prince of Wales was crowned King George III.
I enjoyed the setting, especially the mention of Bow Street, Jack Sheppard and the appearance of Justice John Fielding. I thought the relationship between the protagonists, Matthew Hemsley and Robert Fairfax, was interesting but I would have liked a little more character development. I wasn't captivated by either of them and so I will continue looking for my next favorite series.
January 21, 2013
It wasn't bad writing and the plot was fine, but... Bleh. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good, either. I liked the themes and the writing was mainly entertaining in a sarcastic way, but the tone seemed a bit too ridiculous. It seemed stretched to fit the "Georgian" style. And I thought Fairfax was a pretty unlikeable character when the narration was obviously tied to him as the protagonist. He seemed both arrogant and completely naive, with the way he would suddenly realize he was being a hypocrite. Still, it was an interesting read.
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August 9, 2011Well, I've been hanging on to this book quite a while - it took me quite a while to pick this up and then frankly, quite a while to get into the book (I guess this is why I don't read historical mysteries very often - they just don't appeal as much to me). I found the first half of this book very slow-going - maybe I am too used to the fast pace of today's modern life but I felt like the characters were moving in slow motion. It picked up some during the last half of the book but I guess Georgian England is not the era for me!
January 17, 2009
A top notch historical mystery with very interesting well developed characters. The Georgian period is captured through language and setting, complete with sounds and smells, and historical detail. The main character is a young tutor who has a very interesting history of his own. I am now reading DEATH ON THE DARK WALK which is set during the same period and COMPLAINT OF THE DOVE is far superior.
October 26, 2012
This is a good historical mystery. Set in 1760, a tutor must find the truth when his pupil is accused of the murder of a popular actress. I enjoyed it. My only complaint is that it is very short, with a long build-up and short resolution. I felt the characters and suspects had barely been introduced by the time the book was over and the solution took hardly any time. I sort of hope that's a first novel problem, and the pacing of the sequels is better.
May 23, 2011
Another series of great historical mysteries.
December 21, 2011
sober, efficiently told, historically interesting (1760)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews