The Barrister and the Letter of Marque

 

 About the Book

 As a barrister in 1818 London, William Snopes has witnessed firsthand the danger of only the wealthy having their voices heard, and he's a strong advocate who defends the poorer classes against the powerful. That changes the day a struggling heiress, Lady Madeleine Jameson, arrives at his door.

In a last-ditch effort to save her faltering estate, Lady Jameson invested in a merchant brig, the Padget. The ship was granted a rare privilege by the king's regent: a Letter of Marque authorizing the captain to seize the cargo of French traders operating illegally in the Indian Sea. Yet when the Padget returns to London, her crew is met by soldiers ready to take possession of their goods and arrest the captain for piracy. And the Letter--the sole proof his actions were legal--has mysteriously vanished.

Moved by the lady's distress, intrigued by the Letter, and goaded by an opposing solicitor, Snopes takes the case. But as he delves deeper into the mystery, he learns that the forces arrayed against Lady Jameson, and now himself, are even more perilous than he'd imagined. (Goodreads)

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My Thoughts

 I haven't read a book by Johnson in a long time and this one looked intriguing because of it being historical fiction. The historical aspect of this story was fascinating. I had never heard of a Letter of Marque before and that is what this book's mystery is all about. I had to look into the historical facts after reading this because I found it so interesting.There is a mystery that weaves throughout the book and that is what kept me going until the end. I didn't end up loving the characters and I felt like there was a lot of jumping around which made parts confusing to me. I loved the setting and the overall plot was okay but I had a hard time really enjoying this book. I know many others have enjoyed this book to the fullest but it simply was not for me. 

Three Stars. 

"I received this book from Bethany House for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."