The Hidden Man

The Hidden Man by Robin Blake Summary: The year is 1742, and the people of Preston are looking forward to their ancient once-every-twenty-years festival of merriment and excess, the Preston Guild. But the prospect darkens as the town plunges into a financial crisis caused by the death of pawnbroker and would-be banker Philip Pimbo, shot behind the locked door of his office. Is it suicide? Coroner Titus Cragg suspects so, but Dr Luke Fidelis disagrees. To untangle the truth Cragg must dig out the secrets of Pimbo's personal life, learn the grim facts of the African slave trade, search for a missing Civil War treasure and deal with the machinations of his old enemy Ephraim Grimshaw, now the town's mayor. Cragg relies once again on the help and advice of his analytical friend Fidelis, his astute wife Elizabeth and the contents of a well-stocked library. As in his previous Cragg and Fidelis stories, Robin Blake brings a vivid cast of characters to the page in this third historical mystery about the dramas that breeds below the surface of life in a provincial Georgian town. Angie's Comments: The Hidden Man is the third book in the Cragg and Fidelis mystery series. It works as a stand-alone book as well. The book is an excellent look into 1700s England. The author is able to balance providing explanations for modern readers and writing an interesting story. Cragg and Fidelis are likeable characters. Recommended for readers who like historical mysteries.  Request this item