A Just and Upright Man
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- John Lynch
- https://www.pubmatch.com/john-lynch.html
More About This Title A Just and Upright Man
- English
English
It is 1763. James Blakiston, overseer of Lord Ravenshead’s estate and a newcomer to the Durham parish of Ryton, is determined to solve the mystery of old Reuben Cooper’s murder – but he has no idea how to go about it. As enclosure threatens to make the poor even poorer, Blakiston follows one misguided hunch after another. The only thing that he can really be certain of is his love for the beautiful and spirited Kate Greener – a love he is determined to resist, for Kate is the daughter of a penniless labourer and Blakiston has in any case not recovered from being thrown over by the woman he believed loved him. The mysterious Joseph Kelly, an Irishman who is not an Irishman, falls under suspicion. But Kelly cannot be found. Then Matthew Higson flees to America, leaving his boyhood love Catherine Robinson behind in his headlong rush to be gone, and the mystery is solved. Higson was the murderer. But when Higson is found, not fled but murdered in his turn, Blakiston’s search resumes. As he builds a picture of the history of the murderous Cooper family over three generations, a missing coat also begins to occupy his mind. How did it get from where it was to where it is? And why? A chance remark by Lady Isabella Claverley opens the door to the murderer at last. And Blakiston rejects love. But will love let him go?
- English
English
If you want to find out how ordinary people lived in Northern England in the 18th century you can try to find the appropriate history books or you can read this excellent novel of historical fiction which probably does a better job. “A Just and Upright Man' is who-dunnit murder mystery but to say that is to sell it short, because there are multiple sub plots and a cast of interesting characters portrayed in a very believable way.
We find that there are three main classes in the farming community around the village of Ryton (an actual place in the county of Durham of the time). The principle protagonist, James Blakiston, is in the middle – beholden to his employer, a nobleman, but greatly superior to the common folk of the village. His social equal and best friend is the rector whose wife's diary conveys her thoughts about the poverty and desperate lives of the common folk. She is the only character who apparently would be happy to see the situation change and would likely be an avid follower of contemporary Dutch philosopher Spinoza's political theories if such were available to her.
Blakiston is commissioned by his master, Lord Ravenshead, to find out who murdered cottager Reuben Cooper and set fire to his home. But Blakiston has other work to do for the Earl and his detective skills are not well developed, so the elucidation of the mystery is long drawn out. Along the way many closets disclose their skeletons and all kinds of details about the rich cast of characters come out.
There is romance.
R. J. Lynch is at his best when providing nuggets of historical interest – in this respect I am reminded of the “Master and Commander” series which is somewhat limited though by being concerned with the operation of a British war ship of the Napoleonic era. For example, there are several instance where recipes of the time are described, and we are told that “pudding” is much better cooked wrapped in muslin than in a sheep's intestine.
We find out about woman’s underwear, or lack of it. The rector's wife is shocked, but then fascinated to discover that one of her friends wears drawers under her skirts, and then sets out to sew a pair for herself.
As I was reading I wondered about the rendering of the villagers’ speech. I believe that were a modern English speaker to go back in time to this area they would have a hard time following much of what was said to them. There would a strong regional accent sprinkled with local dialect words. Somewhat akin to the Scots of Robert Burns. R. J. Lynch has chosen, wisely I think, not to attempt to reproduce the genuine article here, in the interests of reading clarity.
A word of warning to those of a sensitive or squeamish nature – there are a few scenes of sex, violence, and sex combined with violence described fairly graphically.
We find that there are three main classes in the farming community around the village of Ryton (an actual place in the county of Durham of the time). The principle protagonist, James Blakiston, is in the middle – beholden to his employer, a nobleman, but greatly superior to the common folk of the village. His social equal and best friend is the rector whose wife's diary conveys her thoughts about the poverty and desperate lives of the common folk. She is the only character who apparently would be happy to see the situation change and would likely be an avid follower of contemporary Dutch philosopher Spinoza's political theories if such were available to her.
Blakiston is commissioned by his master, Lord Ravenshead, to find out who murdered cottager Reuben Cooper and set fire to his home. But Blakiston has other work to do for the Earl and his detective skills are not well developed, so the elucidation of the mystery is long drawn out. Along the way many closets disclose their skeletons and all kinds of details about the rich cast of characters come out.
There is romance.
R. J. Lynch is at his best when providing nuggets of historical interest – in this respect I am reminded of the “Master and Commander” series which is somewhat limited though by being concerned with the operation of a British war ship of the Napoleonic era. For example, there are several instance where recipes of the time are described, and we are told that “pudding” is much better cooked wrapped in muslin than in a sheep's intestine.
We find out about woman’s underwear, or lack of it. The rector's wife is shocked, but then fascinated to discover that one of her friends wears drawers under her skirts, and then sets out to sew a pair for herself.
As I was reading I wondered about the rendering of the villagers’ speech. I believe that were a modern English speaker to go back in time to this area they would have a hard time following much of what was said to them. There would a strong regional accent sprinkled with local dialect words. Somewhat akin to the Scots of Robert Burns. R. J. Lynch has chosen, wisely I think, not to attempt to reproduce the genuine article here, in the interests of reading clarity.
A word of warning to those of a sensitive or squeamish nature – there are a few scenes of sex, violence, and sex combined with violence described fairly graphically.
