''A Spectacle of Corruption'' is a historical-mystery novel by

David Liss David Liss (born March 16, 1966) is an American writer of novels, essays and short fiction; more recently working also in comic books. He was born in New Jersey and grew up in South Florida. Liss received his BA degree from Syracuse University, ...

, set in 18th century

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It is the middle of three novels containing the memoir of the fictional Benjamin Weaver, a Jewish former bare-knuckle boxer and current "thief-taker" (private investigator).

Synopsis

This tale picks up a few months after the conclusion of David Liss' first novel, '' A Conspiracy of Paper''. It's late in the year 1721 and Benjamin Weaver is hired by a clergyman to investigate a death threat against him. His quest doesn't go according to plan, however, and Weaver soon finds himself falsely accused of murder, sentenced to hang and confined in the infamous

Newgate Prison Newgate Prison was a prison at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey Street just inside the City of London, England, originally at the site of Newgate, a gate in the Roman London Wall. Built in the 12th century and demolished in 1904, ...

. He must somehow escape this fate, clear his name, and find those responsible. The safest course, once having escaped from prison, would be to escape England altogether - but Weaver would not hear of it. He is determined to pursue his investigations in a London where he is a hunted man, with the very substantial reward of 150 Pounds offered to anyone who would help send him back to the gallows. Weaver's personal and occupational struggles play out against the backdrop of the upcoming general election, in which the contending Whig and Tory parties seem equally corrupt. Several of the other fictional characters are carry-overs from ''A Conspiracy of Paper''. As in the first installment of his "memoir", Weaver is aided by his uncle Miguel and his best friend, the surgeon Elias Gordon. His cousin's widow Miriam, now married to a Tory candidate for Parliament, once again tugs on Weaver's heart strings.

Historical References

At the front of the book, Liss provides a "Time Line of Significant Events Leading Up to the 1722 General Election". He states that "This first general election since George became king takes place and is widely viewed as a referendum on his kingship." The previously apolitical Weaver must take a crash course in London politics, as he attempts to understand the actions and motivations of various Whigs,

Tories A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...

, Jacobites and even the Chevalier himself. Among the less distinguished figures, the infamous

Jonathan Wild Jonathan Wild, also spelled Wilde (1682 or 1683 – 24 May 1725), was a London underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law, posing as a public-spirited vigilante entitled the "'' Thief-Taker General''". He simultaneously ran ...

again appears as Weaver's principal business rival. Weaver's adventures take him all over London to many historical landmarks, streets and districts. Liss also works into the story some curious and distinctive features of London life in the 1720s, such as the

Window tax Window tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house. It was a significant social, cultural, and architectural force in England, France, and Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries. To avoid the tax, some houses from the pe ...

, the Septennial Act and current styles in

perukes A wig is a head or hair accessory made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. The word wig is short for periwig, which makes its earliest known appearance in the English language in William Shakespeare's '' The Two Gentlemen of Vero ...

External links

* Author's websit

(accessed Aug, 2010) * Publisher's David Liss pag
(accessed Aug, 2010)
* A Spectacle of Corruption': Both the Kings' Men''. New York Times book review, April 25, 200

(accessed Aug, 2010) {{DEFAULTSORT:Spectacle Of Corruption, A 2004 American novels American historical novels Novels about boxing Novels by David Liss Fiction set in 1721