Tangled Web UK Review May 2008
The Duke's Agent by
Rebeccca Jenkins
hbk out June 08
Published by Quercus
at £18.99
Of all the periods in history, there is one which appears to be rather ignored. Many writers are fascinated by the medieval age, and more and more are coming to write about the Dickensian era, but if you look at the time from Queen Elizabeth 1 to Victoria, there are massive holes in literature, and it was a pleasure for me to find that Rebecca Jenkins is doing her best to fill the gap.
This book is set in Georgian England, in the early 1800s. Raif Jarrett is sent by his master, the Duke of Penrith, to settle the affairs of one of the Duke's tenants who has died. Jarrett is happy to have what appears to be an easy job, having only recently recovered from the wound which had invalided him out of Portugal, where he had been serving with Arthur Wellesley in the war against the French.
But the task is not as easy as he had anticipated. Not only is the Duke's agent soon entangled with two women, one a well-born lady, the other looked down on by all in the town for her provocative behaviour, he also seems to be thwarted in his efforts by the odious Raistrick in his search for the elusive Talleyman, a kind of Georgian loan shark.
This story is set in the beautiful country of Durham (Rebecca Jenkins is the daughter of thr Rt Revd David Jenkins, retired bishop of Durham), and you get a feel for the way of life of many different people: poachers, wandering groups of actors, washerwomen, publicans and others fill the pages. The action scenes are effectively portrayed, and those elements which are intended to thrill succeed.
The Duke's Agent is Rebecca Jenkins' first novel. I hope she will write more.
(
Michael Jecks
- author of the highly acclaimed Furnshill & Puttock series)
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