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| Plot Summary of The Thief-Taker: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner |
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"
TF Banks
Delacorte, Oct 2001, 23.95, 288 pp.
ISBN 0385335717
In 1815 London the Bow Street Runners are the nearest entity to a police force that the city has but it is not looked upon favorably by the public. The Bow Street Runners are not paid a salary but earn a commission when a person they arrest is convicted and an even bigger reward if that person is hung.
Henry Morton is a Bow Street constable who is an honorable man. He obeys the laws and doesn't take bribes to look the other way when a crime is committed. After boxing with Lord Byron at Gentleman's Jack, he is called to investigate the death of Halbert Glendinning who died in a coach that was driving him to his friend's house. A doctor who is a guest at the house says that the man choked on his own vomit but Morton believes it was murder. He sets out to investigate the man's death never dreaming that the inquiries will end with him in jail struggling to save his own life.
TF Banks has written a historical mystery that is very atmospheric and captures the ambiance of Regency England. The characters are very well developed and the hero is a man to admire, an individual who rises above the corruption that surrounds him. THE THIEF-TAKER is the first installment in what appears to be a fascinating series.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Thief-Taker: Memoirs of a Bow Street Runner |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- 19th century
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Special suspect?
- investigator him/herself
Murder of certain profession?
- lawmen
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an above average amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Misc setting
- prison
- fancy mansion
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 5-7
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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