This is a book I love. It's a wonderfully entertaining, swashbuckling, murder mystery adventure series with a comic bent. Set at the turn of the nineteenth century, it focuses on the foppish cad, coward, and third-rate naval lieutenant Martin Jerrold is forced to try to clear his name of a murder charge before his uncle sends him off to some obscure colony. Enter conspiracies, murder and unsavory characters galore! He has a very entertaining way of creating a cast of characters that are some stylized without becoming stereotypical. The flow of dialogue is a joy to read and half the time it almost felt as though I could hear them talking.
Edwin Thomas has a particular knack for revealing dialects, dialogue rhythms, and speech mannerisms in a way that quickly identifies who is talking and each voice feels somehow unique. That is a very rare talent and one that other writers would do well to learn from. The only other author who comes close is the late, great Ed McBain of 87th Precinct fame.
Scrutinize it for varying dialogue styles and doing stylized characterizations.
5 / 5
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