Black Drop- Blog Tour

 

Author: Leonora Nattrass

Publisher: Viper Books 

Publishing date: 14th October 2021 

Many Thanks to the publishing team for my physical copy and a spot on the blog tour

Blurb

This is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Reluctant spy.

July 1794, and the streets of London are filled with rumours of revolution. Political radical Thomas Hardy is to go on trial for treason, the war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with the independent American colonies are on a knife edge.

Laurence Jago - clerk to the Foreign Office - is ever more reliant on the Black Drop to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter has been leaked to the press, which may lead to the destruction of the British Army, and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk, supposedly a suicide.

Blame for the leak is shifted to the dead man, but even as the body is taken to the anatomists, Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence, and that he was murdered. But after years of hiding his own secrets from his powerful employers, and at a time when even the slightest hint of treason can lead to the gallows, how can Laurence find the true culprit without incriminating himself?

My Thoughts

I was transported back to 1790. The descriptive wording and language utilised took me back there and I felt projected into the scene. 

We get to learn about political radical, Thomas Hardy who is being imprisoned and charged with treason. Laurence Jago is formidable character, carrying lots of secrets and to do list as long ad the day and hid addiction to opium. In the mix of all this his friend Benson has hanged himself, but has he really committed suicide or is this an act of someone else. Not long before Jago witness Benson being sacked and this leads him to wanting some answers but should he be digging around?

 I really enjoyed that you get to meet a plethora of different characters however it really helped to round the book off and took it to another level. Along the way we get to learn about power imbalance, corruption, vulnerability, sabotage, rumours and privilege. It has a layer of complexity to it around politics especially if it is not your forte but it made it more interesting, but also it set on the back drop of the war against France.  You do get-a real feel for the discrepancy in peoples lives; the rich and privileged lived a very lavish and luxurious life and the poverty stricken people suffered with hunger and overcrowding. 

You can tell it is well researched as it showed a-lot of attention to detail. The journey takes many twists and turns as you  move around different parts of London. I thoroughly enjoyed it and feel the author did a brilliant job elevating the book. 

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