An Experiment in Treason

An Experiment in Treason takes Sir John Fielding into the international politics of the 1770s, with a London robbery that turns out to involve correspondence between Benjamin Franklin and an American sympathizer in England. Sir John is asked to investigate quietly because the official disclosure of the documents could damage Anglo-American relations at a delicate moment.

Bruce Alexander handles the political stakes with appropriate weight. Franklin makes a careful cameo. The London geography (the Bow Street and Whitehall scenes) is rendered with the usual precision. The case opens out to involve familiar series characters in ways the longtime reader will appreciate.

Four stars. One of the more politically ambitious entries in the series. Read in order.