A Parcel Of Rogues (Paradice & Dark)
Modest merchant Sam Jessop comes to 1715 London seeking his runaway daughter and is told to consult the taciturn Andre Dark, which sets into motion a plot that combines a road trip, spy novel, rags-to-riches tale, and love story against the backdrop of Jacobite efforts to overthrow the new Hanoverian king. Dark, an artist, produces a sketch that leads him to actress and courtesan Poll Paradice, who then leads the two men on a merry chase to Bristol, where it is discovered that Mary Jessop has absconded with a Jacobite leader inciting rebellion in the West Countries, who also happens to be Poll’s ex-lover.
The initial adventure story with its ensemble cast in the second half becomes Poll’s story as she returns to London, opens a coffeehouse, and tries not to pine for Dark, whose spying interrupts their would-be affair. This is the only place where the pace slows, with pauses for entertaining sketches of an aged former mistress of Charles II and the transformation of street urchin Gin. The climax is delightfully gripping, with a prison break, assassination attempt, betrayal, and exploding skyrockets, and a partnership that lays the ground for future books.
While the action and language evoke the best 18th-century English novels, with shades of Fielding’s Tom Jones, the incredible details of time and place make this novel rise above. My favorite character, after Gin, is London itself: Belle’s characterization of a sprawling, busy, vice- ridden city is faultless, and her descriptions feel real enough to touch. Her characters are familiar types but brought to vivid life, particularly Poll with her canny charm and competence. Belle’s return to historical fiction is perfect for readers who want a delightful picaresque with romantic undertones and authentic period dress. Recommended.
