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Scarlet Town

Series: Laurence Jago
3.77 goodreads logo

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( 258 ratings, 52 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Scarlet Town by Leonora Nattrass, the gripping crime thriller unfolds as protagonist Laurence Jago finds himself tangled in a web of political intrigue and deceit on the dangerous streets of 18th-century London. Tasked with uncovering secrets of the corrupt and powerful, he must navigate treacherous alliances and sinister plots to uncover the truth, all while ensuring his own survival. The novel expertly blends suspense with historical detail, creating a tense and immersive narrative that keeps readers on edge.
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Format: Hardback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy atmospheric settings woven with historical intrigue. With a mix of mystery and vivid storytelling, you might find it captivating if you're a fan of immersing yourself in thrilling plots and suspenseful narratives.

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The sequel to 2021's critically acclaimed Black Drop and 2022's bestselling Blue Water, in which reluctant sleuth Laurence Jago becomes enmeshed in a deadly election in his native Cornwall

The sequel to 2021's critically acclaimed Black Drop and 2022's bestselling Blue Water, in which reluctant sleuth Laurence Jago becomes enmeshed in a deadly election in his native Cornwall

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'A wonderful and compelling murder mystery' - LOUISE FEIN

'A brilliantly entertaining historical crime' - PHILIPPA EAST

'An elegant, richly detailed, historical joy' - KATE GRIFFIN

1796. A rigged election. A town at war. A murderer at large...

Disgraced former Foreign Office clerk Laurence Jago and his larger-than-life employer, the journalist William Philpott, have escaped Americaβ€” and Philpott's near imprisonment for libelβ€” by the skin of their teeth. They return to Laurence's hometown of Helston, Cornwall, in the hope of rest and recuperation, but instead find themselves in the middle of a tumultuous election that has the inhabitants of the town at one another's throats.

Only two men may vote in this rotten borough, and when one of them dies in suspicious circumstances, Laurence is ordered to investigate on behalf of the town's patron, his old master, the Duke of Leeds. But it is no easy matter, thanks to the machinations of the rival political factions, not to mention the riotous performances of Toby the Sapient Hog.

Then the second elector is poisoned, and suspicion turns on the town doctor, the gentle Pythagoras Jago, Laurence's own cousin. Suddenly, Laurence finds himself ensnared in generations of bad blood and petty rivalries, with his cousin's fate in his hands...

The new page-turning historical mystery from the author of Black Drop, a 2021 Times Book of the Year, and Blue Water, a Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and S.J. Parris.

Series: Laurence Jago

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  • Black Drop
    Black Drop is a joy from start to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR 'A thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction' - EMMA STONEX 'A gripping, intricate story of Georgian high politics' - W.C. RYAN This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Reluctant spy. July 1794, and the streets of London are filled with rumours of revolution. Political radical Thomas...
    Paperback
    $2300
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    Available
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  • Scarlet Town
    'A wonderful and compelling murder mystery' - LOUISE FEIN 'A brilliantly entertaining historical crime' - PHILIPPA EAST 'An elegant, richly detailed, historical joy' - KATE GRIFFIN 1796. A rigged election. A town at war. A murderer at large... Disgraced former Foreign Office clerk Laurence Jago and his larger-than-life employer, the journalist William Philpott, have escaped Americaβ€” and Philpott's near imprisonment...
    Hardback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Blue Water
    AN INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A truly gripping read' - The Guardian 'Fabulous, a delight' - S.G. MACLEAN 'A fine adventure reminiscent of Patrick O'Brian' - Sunday Times This is the secret report of Laurence Jago. Unwilling spy. Reluctant sailor. Accidental detective. New Year 1795, and Laurence Jago is aboard the Tankerville mail ship,...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Scarlet Town by Leonora Nattrass is praised for its clever plotting and historical richness, drawing comparisons to the works of Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Reviewers commend the wit of the characters and an engaging narrative filled with elements like poison, murder, and a psychic pig. The novel combines political intrigue with a murder mystery, set against the backdrop of the chaotic and corrupt election scene in Helston town. The book is noted for its fast pace, unexpected twists, and highly entertaining historical crime story.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781800816961

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 05 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Viper

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 162.0mm

Height: 236.0mm

Weight: 620g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Leonora Nattrass studied eighteenth-century literature and politics, and spent ten years lecturing in English and publishing works on William Cobbett. She lives in Cornwall, in a seventeenth-century house with seventeenth-century draughts, and spins the fleeces of her Ryeland sheep into yarn. Her first novel, Black Drop, was published in 2021, and was a Sunday Times Historical Fiction Book of the Month. Her second, Blue Water, was published in 2022. Find her on Twitter @LeonoraNattrass

Also by Leonora Nattrass

View all
  • Black Drop
    Black Drop is a joy from start to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR 'A thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction' - EMMA STONEX 'A gripping, intricate story of Georgian high politics' - W.C. RYAN This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Reluctant spy. July 1794, and the streets of London are filled with rumours of revolution. Political radical Thomas...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Blue Water
    AN INSTANT TIMES BESTSELLER A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A truly gripping read' - The Guardian 'Fabulous, a delight' - S.G. MACLEAN 'A fine adventure reminiscent of Patrick O'Brian' - Sunday Times This is the secret report of Laurence Jago. Unwilling spy. Reluctant sailor. Accidental detective. New Year 1795, and Laurence Jago is aboard the Tankerville mail ship,...
    Paperback
    Sold Out

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