Black Drop: SUNDAY TIMES Historical Fiction Book of the Month

Description

'Black Drop is a joy from start to finish... Jago is a very sympathetic hero, with all his flaws, virtues and secrets' - ANDREW TAYLOR ________________________________________ 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 Hardy is to go on trial for treason, the war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with the independent American colonies are on a knife edge. Laurence Jago - clerk to the Foreign Office - is ever more reliant on the Black Drop to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter has been leaked to the press, which may lead to the destruction of the British Army, and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk, supposedly a suicide. Blame for the leak is shifted to the dead man, but even as the body is taken to the anatomists, Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, and at a time when even the slightest hint of treason can lead to the gallows, how can Laurence find the true culprit without incriminating himself? A thrilling historical mystery, perfect for readers of C.J. Sansom, Andrew Taylor, Antonia Hodgson and Laura Shepherd-Robinson. ________________________________________ 'Well written and well constructed, Jago is a character that readers will want to follow' - ALIX NATHAN 'This opium-fuelled gem is a murderous romp through the tangled roots of British democracy' - JANICE HALLETT 'Superb. Vivid and fast-paced, it's an impressive achievement and hugely enjoyable' - GUY MORPUSS

Leonora Nattrass studied eighteenth-century literature and politics, and spent ten years as an English Literature lecturer, including eight at Nottingham Trent University. During this time she published several works on William Cobbett, and was a reviewer for The Year's Work in English Studies journal. She then moved to Cornwall, where she lives in a seventeenth-century house with seventeenth-century draughts, and spins the fleeces of her traditional Ryeland sheep into yarn. Black Drop is her first novel.

'Black Drop is a joy from start to finish. I particularly liked the glimpses of the grubby machinery of government from the inside, giving a real sense of the intrigues behind closed doors. Jago is a very sympathetic hero, with all his flaws, virtues and secrets, and Philpott made me want to smile and cheer' - Andrew Taylor, author of The Ashes of London 'A gripping, intricate story of Georgian high politics and low life. Leonora Nattrass's historical spy novel is top notch' - W.C. Ryan, author of A House of Ghosts 'A riveting political thriller, set at a fulcrum-point in global history. The setting is viscerally immersive and the characters spring to life from the page. This masterful narrative of deception, intrigue and heroism unfolds with compelling pace, wry humour and acute psychological observation. Gripping, moving and utterly engaging' - Philippa East, author of Little White Lies 'A thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction, led by a superbly engaging narrator. Entertaining and deftly written, this gripping tale of murder and treachery on the smouldering streets of eighteenth-century London deserves to be huge' - Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters 'Lovers of historical thrillers have a treat in store. A splendid twisting tale of murder and espionage at the political heart of Georgian Britain' - Kate Griffin, author of Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Murders 'A sparkling evocation of a distant time which is remarkably similar to the current one. I loved it' - TREVOR WOOD 'An astounding debut novel, written with style and confidence' - A.J. WEST