A Marked Man is the second in a three-part series by Barbara Hamilton featuring the incomparable Abigail Adams as a detective in Boston on the eve of the Revolutionary War.
I am not usually a fan of real people showing up historical fiction, but Hamilton's Abigail is masterfully done. The entire time I am reading one of these books, I am seeing and hearing Laura Linney as she portrayed Abigail in the fabulous HBO series John Adams.
Anyway, I read book 1, The Ninth Daughter, a few years ago and liked it, and so put the next book, A Marked Man, on my October mystery reading list.
I absolutely loved it. The mystery itself was quite good. Basic idea is that an absolute rake of a man, Sir Jonathan Cottrell, has been found murdered, and one of the local Patriots, Harry Knox, is accused of his murder.
In solving the mystery of whodunit and how, we get to enjoy life with the young Adams family (John Quincy is a mere 6-year old, but already studying Greek and Latin), experience the loving banter between Abigail and John, hobnob with the Sons of Liberty (cousin Sam Adams and friend Paul Revere), and sympathize with the British soldiers who are missing home in cold, hostile Boston town.
There's also a missing slave woman, cross dressing, and poison. A connection to Barbados and a troupe of actors. The Boston Tea Party was only a few months earlier and Boston is about to erupt.
A Marked Man is my 4th book in the R.I.P. reading challenge.
I've never tried any of these books, but they do sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am also uneasy when real characters are included in fictional; books. With that, sometimes an author handles it well.
ReplyDeleteThe Adams's were such interesting people. I also am particularly interested in the American Revolutionary War Era.
I have heard of Barbara Hamilton's Abigail Adams mystery series. I planned one day to start with the Ninth Daughter but maybe Marked Man is where I should begin. I loved Laura Linney and Paul Giamanti as Abigail and John Adams. They were perfect for the roles.
ReplyDeleteThe Abigail Adams mystery sounds like lots of fun! I would like to learn more about that family and this sounds like an entertaining place to start.
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