Wild Rover No More: A Bloody Jack Adventure
This is the twelfth and allegedly last volume of the adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, also known as Bloody Jack, the Scourge of the Caribbean, La Belle Jeune Fille Sans Merci, the Lily of the West, and the Belle of Botany Bay. Returning to Boston from some time in the Caribbean, Jacky delivers a diplomatic package that she doesn’t realize is a trap. The contents frame her for treason. Her fiancé, Jaimy, heads back to London to procure the documents that will show her innocence. Jacky escapes arrest and disguises herself as a governess, caring for a charming girl and a bad-mannered boy. When officials discover her whereabouts, she again escapes and hides out in a circus as an aerialist, walking the high wire without a net. Jacky moves from adventure to adventure, always one step ahead of the law. But as the title implies, she may not be able to rove forever. Will Jacky be captured? Will she be found guilty and hanged? Will Jaimy come to her rescue? Or is Jacky’s time finally up?
Although I had not read any of the previous books in the series, I was easily caught up. I never quite figured out the author’s unusual use of italics, but it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of the story. This is a fun, fast-paced romp with excitement and humor. Many characters from Jacky’s past adventures make cameos, coming to the aid of (or helping to hinder) our clever, beautiful, and full-of-hidden-talents heroine. Perhaps the end of the series…perhaps not. Ages 14 +.
