Monday 21 January 2019

Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

Blood & Sugar
By Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Published by Mantle (24 January 2019)



Publisher's description
June, 1781. An unidentified body hangs upon a hook at Deptford Dock – horribly tortured and branded with a slaver’s mark. 
Some days later, Captain Harry Corsham – a war hero embarking upon a promising parliamentary career – is visited by the sister of an old friend. Her brother, passionate abolitionist Tad Archer, had been about to expose a secret that he believed could cause irreparable damage to the British slaving industry. He’d said people were trying to kill him, and now he is missing . . .
To discover what happened to Tad, Harry is forced to pick up the threads of his friend’s investigation, delving into the heart of the conspiracy Tad had unearthed. His investigation will threaten his political prospects, his family’s happiness, and force a reckoning with his past, risking the revelation of secrets that have the power to destroy him.
And that is only if he can survive the mortal dangers awaiting him in Deptford . . .

My verdict
Blood & Sugar is a compelling historical crime thriller, delving into the darkness and horrors of the slave trade and the rise of the abolitionist movement in the late 18th century.

The book is well researched and feels authentic, bringing to life an array of strong characters and the colours, sights and sounds of the Deptford setting. I savoured all of the tiny details - from the opulence of the wealthy to the grime of the dockside slums. Author Laura Shepherd-Robinson gets right into the hearts of her characters, as well as their heads. Protagonist Harry Corsham is easy to like, with his strong sense of duty and determination, not afraid to dive into danger in search of the truth.

The complex plot is unpredictable, dark and twisty, filled with murders and abuse, secrets and lies, conspiracies and corruption. It's brutal and gruesome, yet also handled with sensitivity. There's a underlying sadness, as the slave trade casts its shadow on to so many people's lives.

Blood & Sugar is an impressive page-turning debut - a beautifully written, honest look at the social and political unrest of this period in history. I can easily see this book transferring to the screen - big or small. I also enjoyed reading the historical note at the end of the book, providing some of the factual background that influenced the plot.

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