Period drama
The blackstone key<br>by Rose Melikan<br>Sphere pp435, ISBN: 10-1847441335
Frock coats, cocked pistols, mail coaches, piracy, smugglers, highwaymen, French philosophy and Republicanism, politically defining movements, bloody battles, new scientific discoveries and literary creations, delicate Chippendale furniture, fine silver and society balls. I ask you - what wasn't there to like about the swashbuckling 18th century? Politically, culturally, socially and economically, the 18th century was a revolutionary period indeed - no wonder that there is a renewed interest in it, with books, films, documentaries and fashion trends dedicated to it.
Rose Melikan's first novel, The Blackstone Key, is one such book which has embraced the period. Set in Georgian England in 1795, it has young school mistress Mary Finch as its heroine, whom we meet travelling from her Cambridge girls' boarding school to the Suffolk coast to meet her wealthy and ailing uncle in the hope of bringing a long-standing family estrangement to an end. Mary herself proves to be an unconventional heroine for a novel set at this time. Far from being the blushing young maiden whose weakened female sensitivity requires her to be the constant damsel in distress, Mary is a resourceful, independent and intelligent woman who isn't afraid of handling her own affairs and holds her own in a predominantly male society mainly by relying on her wit and a natural sense of discretion. She is an avid reader with a keen interest in the law and practical matters as well as the higher forms of literature.
Ms Melikan's creation of a character like Mary's gives the novel a decidedly refreshing twist which is made all the more clear when Mary is compared with the rest of the conventional characters in the novel. On her journey to Suffolk, Mary's coach finds the road blocked by an accident in which a man is mortally injured. While her travelling companions go to fetch help, Mary and the coach guard stay on to assist the injured man and this is when her adventure begins to take shape. The delirious man whispers a barely coherent warning whose ominous but obscure meaning escapes Mary. However, the fact that he is carrying a watch inscribed with her uncle's initials sets her mind racing.
A historical detective novel develops from this point forward, combining the thrill of a mystery with observations on the manners and attitudes of the time. The initial fear of smugglers trespassing on her deceased uncle's property gives way to the realisation that a ring of spies may be at the centre of all things and Mary's own life is put at risk. Teaming up with the brash and brave Captain Robert Holland, Mary becomes Miss Subtle Sleuth when she finds out that she has inherited her uncle's fortune and consequently all his property. This leads her to make a discovery (Cluedo anyone?) in the library, where she had previously been set upon by the supposed smugglers. She comes across a code based on certain passages in Blackstone's The Commentaries on the Laws of England, as well as four encoded documents. With her determination and cryptographic skills, Mary breaks the code and informs those men around her who she believes she can trust. Yet the real key is not to trust anyone, for the truth can be easily manipulated.
Mary's determination, intelligence and earnest desire to get to the bottom of things and clear her uncle's name while doing her duty for King and country makes her a credible and likable character. Her manners are unaffected and her demeanour easy to relate to - she rather dislikes the idea of being bossed about by the benevolent Mrs Tipton, her self-appointed guardian, and certainly detests being thought of as a helpless young girl. The Blackstone Key, with its imperfect characters and plausible plot, is a very good read which fulfils the novelistic promise of captivating its readers with an enjoyable story while keeping them keen with atmospheric descriptions which flow as readily as they are willing to read them.
• Mr Delicata is a teacher and freelance writer, with a Master's degree in English Literature.
• A review copy of this title was supplied by ARCO - Allied Retail and Commercial Co. Ltd.
Rose Melikan's first novel, The Blackstone Key, is one such book which has embraced the period. Set in Georgian England in 1795, it has young school mistress Mary Finch as its heroine, whom we meet travelling from her Cambridge girls' boarding school to the Suffolk coast to meet her wealthy and ailing uncle in the hope of bringing a long-standing family estrangement to an end. Mary herself proves to be an unconventional heroine for a novel set at this time. Far from being the blushing young maiden whose weakened female sensitivity requires her to be the constant damsel in distress, Mary is a resourceful, independent and intelligent woman who isn't afraid of handling her own affairs and holds her own in a predominantly male society mainly by relying on her wit and a natural sense of discretion. She is an avid reader with a keen interest in the law and practical matters as well as the higher forms of literature.
Ms Melikan's creation of a character like Mary's gives the novel a decidedly refreshing twist which is made all the more clear when Mary is compared with the rest of the conventional characters in the novel. On her journey to Suffolk, Mary's coach finds the road blocked by an accident in which a man is mortally injured. While her travelling companions go to fetch help, Mary and the coach guard stay on to assist the injured man and this is when her adventure begins to take shape. The delirious man whispers a barely coherent warning whose ominous but obscure meaning escapes Mary. However, the fact that he is carrying a watch inscribed with her uncle's initials sets her mind racing.
A historical detective novel develops from this point forward, combining the thrill of a mystery with observations on the manners and attitudes of the time. The initial fear of smugglers trespassing on her deceased uncle's property gives way to the realisation that a ring of spies may be at the centre of all things and Mary's own life is put at risk. Teaming up with the brash and brave Captain Robert Holland, Mary becomes Miss Subtle Sleuth when she finds out that she has inherited her uncle's fortune and consequently all his property. This leads her to make a discovery (Cluedo anyone?) in the library, where she had previously been set upon by the supposed smugglers. She comes across a code based on certain passages in Blackstone's The Commentaries on the Laws of England, as well as four encoded documents. With her determination and cryptographic skills, Mary breaks the code and informs those men around her who she believes she can trust. Yet the real key is not to trust anyone, for the truth can be easily manipulated.
Mary's determination, intelligence and earnest desire to get to the bottom of things and clear her uncle's name while doing her duty for King and country makes her a credible and likable character. Her manners are unaffected and her demeanour easy to relate to - she rather dislikes the idea of being bossed about by the benevolent Mrs Tipton, her self-appointed guardian, and certainly detests being thought of as a helpless young girl. The Blackstone Key, with its imperfect characters and plausible plot, is a very good read which fulfils the novelistic promise of captivating its readers with an enjoyable story while keeping them keen with atmospheric descriptions which flow as readily as they are willing to read them.
• Mr Delicata is a teacher and freelance writer, with a Master's degree in English Literature.
• A review copy of this title was supplied by ARCO - Allied Retail and Commercial Co. Ltd.