The Revenge Of Captain Paine
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"* 'Tangy and rambunctious stuff' Observer * 'The novel drips with all the atmospheric detail of a pre-Victorian murder mystery - "pea-soupers", dingy lanterns and laudanum' The Times"
Book Description
Terrific second novel set in the criminal underworld of pre-Victorian England from the author of THE LAST DAYS OF NEWGATE
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book charts the path of Pyke, once a Bow Street Runner and sometime crook and takes place in the London of 1835. For those who have read James McGee's Ratcatcher and Resurrectionist there are similarities, both in the main character, Pyke and of course the period that the book takes place. I enjoyed this second book in the series just as much as the first.
This is the second book in the Pyke series and has moved on six years from the `Last days of Newgate.' As has the main character in the book, Pyke. Those who read the previous book will know that Pyke has weedled his way into a far more luxurious life than ever he had as a Bow Street runner. Marrying into the aristocracy no less. But when he is asked to investigate a murder in Cambridgeshire he cannot resist the chance to hone his old skills . . .
The author has the knack of making his novels very atmospheric, dark, dank streets with swirling mists from the river and thick vaporous fog, something we rarely get nowadays. I would say that the author has researched the period very well and it shows. I enjoy the author's writing skills and I hope there are many more to come.
This is the second book in the Pyke series and has moved on six years from the `Last days of Newgate.' As has the main character in the book, Pyke. Those who read the previous book will know that Pyke has weedled his way into a far more luxurious life than ever he had as a Bow Street runner. Marrying into the aristocracy no less. But when he is asked to investigate a murder in Cambridgeshire he cannot resist the chance to hone his old skills . . .
The author has the knack of making his novels very atmospheric, dark, dank streets with swirling mists from the river and thick vaporous fog, something we rarely get nowadays. I would say that the author has researched the period very well and it shows. I enjoy the author's writing skills and I hope there are many more to come.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a sort of 'Dickens on steroids' story, featuring our anti-hero Pyke. A sort of poacher turned gamekeeper turned back into poacher type figure. He is hard to love but easy to begrudgingly admire. Intelligent, quick witted, tough as old boots but also a bully, quick tempered and lets face it downright murderous!
I missed the first in this series but I didn't find that a problem in following this story and I am rather inclined to buy it having thoroughly enjoyed this rather dark and gruesome tale.
All manner of early 19th C life is here. Ruthless bankers, Railway magnets, bickering Whigs and Tory's but also some suitably sinister 'Bill Sykes' like baddies, as well as would-be revolutioneries, prostitutes, sweatshops, open sewers and bull baiting! All brought graphically back to life by Pepper in quite at times visceral fashion. Not for the feight hearted or the sqeamish.
Pyke is reluctantly called to action as he is coerced into a world of violence, murder, blackmail, corruption, thievery, ruthless big business, lowdown politics and threats to those who he loves.
As a couple of other reviews have mentioned the story at times threatens to lose itself in it's own complexity and the more far fetched 'Ripping Yarn' elements at times felt a out of step with the more gritty and realistic elements of the story.
But I found much to enjoy here. The book was fast paced and exciting from the beggining. Pyke, though utterly ruthless and at times bordering on pychotic, is a compelling central figure who I was (rather disturbingly) routing for from the off despite his far from subtle methods.
If you like your Victorian history, like murder mystery and don't mind blood and guts, you will like this I'm sure.
I missed the first in this series but I didn't find that a problem in following this story and I am rather inclined to buy it having thoroughly enjoyed this rather dark and gruesome tale.
All manner of early 19th C life is here. Ruthless bankers, Railway magnets, bickering Whigs and Tory's but also some suitably sinister 'Bill Sykes' like baddies, as well as would-be revolutioneries, prostitutes, sweatshops, open sewers and bull baiting! All brought graphically back to life by Pepper in quite at times visceral fashion. Not for the feight hearted or the sqeamish.
Pyke is reluctantly called to action as he is coerced into a world of violence, murder, blackmail, corruption, thievery, ruthless big business, lowdown politics and threats to those who he loves.
As a couple of other reviews have mentioned the story at times threatens to lose itself in it's own complexity and the more far fetched 'Ripping Yarn' elements at times felt a out of step with the more gritty and realistic elements of the story.
But I found much to enjoy here. The book was fast paced and exciting from the beggining. Pyke, though utterly ruthless and at times bordering on pychotic, is a compelling central figure who I was (rather disturbingly) routing for from the off despite his far from subtle methods.
If you like your Victorian history, like murder mystery and don't mind blood and guts, you will like this I'm sure.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's been a couple of years since Pyke worked as a Bow Street runner, and much has changed: he is a married man now, father to a five-year old son, and a wealthy banker. But deep down he's still the same, and when coerced (blackmailed rather) by Sir Robert Peel to investigate into a gruesome murder in Huntingdon Pyke sets out to do so in his inimitable style: cooperate or face the consequences. Before long Pyke realizes the Huntingdon-murder is not the solitary act of a lonesome lunatic but has connections with the world of business he moves in himself now, and he and his family face perhaps worse threats than in his days as a Bow Street runner. As he says at a certain point himself: 'It had been easier (...) when people came at him with pistols and brickbats rather than handshakes and contracts.'
As in 'The last days of Newgate' Pyke goes at it full throttle like a sort of natural element set on an unalterable course, all the more so when his wife and son are threatened, resulting in some pretty violent (even gruesome) scenes. However, what to my mind makes Pyke such a life-like and likeable hero is the fact that we also get to see his intimate self: how deeply he loves his wife and dotes on his son, and regrets missteps from his earlier days. Pepper serves it all up in a delightful prose, very straight-to-the-point (as Pyke himself would) and yet deeply atmospheric at the same time, with superb descriptions of London in the 1830s.
Pyke has rapidly become one of my all-time favourite characters, and I eagerly await his further adventures.
As in 'The last days of Newgate' Pyke goes at it full throttle like a sort of natural element set on an unalterable course, all the more so when his wife and son are threatened, resulting in some pretty violent (even gruesome) scenes. However, what to my mind makes Pyke such a life-like and likeable hero is the fact that we also get to see his intimate self: how deeply he loves his wife and dotes on his son, and regrets missteps from his earlier days. Pepper serves it all up in a delightful prose, very straight-to-the-point (as Pyke himself would) and yet deeply atmospheric at the same time, with superb descriptions of London in the 1830s.
Pyke has rapidly become one of my all-time favourite characters, and I eagerly await his further adventures.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Coudn't put it down
The second Pyke novel, and another that I couldn't put down ...but neither did I want to finish it, I enjoyed it so much. Andrew Pepper isn't worried about shocking us. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S Clark H
Consistently good
Andrew Pepper's series of Pyke thrillers maintains a high standard. Great read. Good thriller. Great period detail. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2010 by Village Reader
Stomach churning
I am enjoying this one better than the first, though both Pyke books are hugely atmospheric. It doesn't do to try and imagine some of the scenarios too clearly, certain deeds made... Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2009 by pigsmayfly
Revenge of Captain Paine
Good read by Andrew Pepper, this one is on the shelf to read again in a couple og years
Published on 20 Jun 2009 by Mr. I. D. Rhodes
Pyke is in fine form again
I found this book better than the first Pyke outing - darker and with more twists and turns. Pyke is in grim form, and the tale develops well. Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2009 by Ms. Theresa H. Stevens
Pyke's back and everything has changed.
He's now a rich married banker with a five year old son and his station is life couldn't be more different than the first novel. Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2007 by Mrs. F. L. Marney
Better but still needs work
The Revenge of Captain Paine, the second in Andrew Pepper's series of Pyke novels, is a step up on the first, The Last Days of Newgate, but still leaves room for improvement. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2007 by C. Green
Erratic
Give me a good old London murder mystery and I'm hooked - usually. Andrew Pepper brings to life again the old East End of London in this second outing for Pyke. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2007 by Michael Watson
Complex, but so worth it
Having enjoyed the first Pyke mystery, I found this one to be even better.
The plot is complex, as one reviewer has pointed out, but complexity is not a bad thing! Read more
The plot is complex, as one reviewer has pointed out, but complexity is not a bad thing! Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2007 by Jehangir
A great read but oh what an overly complex plot.
I was frankly a little disappointed in this the second Pyke novel. His murdrous rampage continues with gusto and the reader is constantly trying to make sense of the really complex... Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by Nicholas Peacock MA
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