As a fan of historical thrillers and the Regency Period, I'm always on the lookout for new authors that combine the two. McGee's Matthew Hawkwood is custom-made for fans of Horatio Hornblower, Richard Sharpe and Sebastian St. Cyr!
Matthew Hawkwood, a cashiered officer from Wellington's Rifle Brigade now works as a Bow Street Runner, an investigative officer working out of London's Bow Street Magistrate's Court (precurser to London's Metropolitan Police). Although most of Bow Street's remit involves civil crimes such as murder, body-snatching, highway robbery and fraud, Hawkwood's military experience and his reputation as a ruthless and determined investigator mean he is also called upon to handle undercover assignments involving conspiracies and national security.
In Rapscallion, third in the Hawkwood series, he is charged with discovering how French prisoners of war are escapng from the prison hulks --- and what happened to two military officers previously assigned to the task who vanished without a trace. Disguised as an American fighting for Napoleon, Hawkwood goes undercover as a prisoner on the prison hulk Rapacious anchored off Sheerness in Kent. To survive the grim conditions on shipboard, Hawkwood allies himself with a French privateer, Paul Lasseur. The two men discover that it is easy enough to arrange an escape, as long as they have money to pay their "fare." But then Hawkwood realizes the same smugglers' network that organizes prisoner escapes is also responsible for the missing naval officers as well as undermining the war effort, with the complicity of some of the most important and influential merchants and bankers in London. Conflicting loyalties, a well-constructed plot (wheels within wheels within wheels), nonstop action, historical accuracy and plenty of suspense make for a thrilling and intelligent read.
I recommend the entire series: Hawkwood (originally published under the title Ratcatcher), Resurrectionist, Rapscallion and Rebellion. James McGee is the pseudonym of Glen Moy, who was born in Kent but grew up as an Army brat in Gilbralter, Germany and Northern Ireland. Before establishing himself as a novelist, he worked in various trades, including banking, newspapers and bookselling. He now lives in Somerset, England.
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