Leonora Nattrass Livres

***A TIMES HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR***'A joy from start to finish' - ANDREW TAYLOR 'Thrilling... Deserves to be huge' - EMMA STONEXThis is the confession of Laurence Jago. Clerk. Gentleman. Spy. July 1794, and London is filled with rumours of revolution. The war against the French is not going in Britain's favour, and negotiations with America are on a knife edge. Laurence Jago, Foreign Office clerk, is ever more reliant on opium - the Black Drop - to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter, whose contents could lead to the destruction of the British Army, has been leaked to the press and Laurence is a suspect. Then he discovers the body of a fellow clerk - a supposed suicide - and it seems clear where the blame truly lies. But 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, can Laurence find the true culprit without ending up on the gallows himself?

The sequel to 2021's critically acclaimed Black Drop, charting the adventures of reluctant spy Laurence Jago at sea.

Set against a rich historical backdrop, this standalone thriller weaves a gripping narrative filled with suspense and intrigue. The author, known for their bestselling works, brings to life complex characters and a captivating plot that explores themes of mystery and adventure. Readers can expect an engaging experience that combines meticulous research with a thrilling storyline, making it a must-read for fans of historical fiction and thrillers alike.

The book delves into William Cobbett's rhetorical strategies, revealing the complexity and skill behind his polemical writings from his early American journalism onward. Leonora Nattrass conducts close readings that highlight the political implications of Cobbett's style in the context of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century political prose. She argues that perceived flaws in his writing are actually deliberate strategies aimed at engaging diverse audiences, challenging the notion of Cobbett as merely an unselfconscious populist.

The sequel to 2021's critically acclaimed Black Drop and 2022's bestselling Blue Water, in which reluctant sleuth Laurence Jago becomes enmeshed in a deadly election in his native Cornwall