A Spectacle of Corruption

A Spectacle of Corruption (2004) David Liss

In the sequel to A Conspiracy of Paper, Benjamin Weaver is convicted of a murder he did not commit, in a trial that was a farce of justice, as the judge all but ordered the jury to find Weaver guilty, despite the fact that the witnesses against Weaver were shown to have perjured themselves.

Although like the first book, A Conspiracy of Paper as a slow, leisurely read, it certainly started off more quickly. Weaver is standing trial for murder, and the judge is clearly out to convict him–regardless of the truth of the matter. Then, in an attempt to learn who has set him up and why he has been convicted, Benjamin Weaver delves into 18th century politics.

I have to say that anyone who thinks modern politics is bad should realize that there is a long tradition of political corruption, and London was a leader. Elections were–quite literally–up for sale, as those running for Parliament took money from businessmen who wanted to own their own Parliamentarians. This money was then handed out to the voters and thugs alike (although the voting clubs got more money than the thugs.)

The major negative about this book is not the writing but the book itself. Like A Conspiracy of Paper the cover of this book is thin, and tends to curl upon itself even sitting upon the table before being read. This makes me crazy, so I was constantly looking for something heavy to sit on the book to keep the covers from curling up. For $14.95, I’d really like a trade paperback cover that is at least as thick as a mass market paperback cover, and didn’t make a book look worn before I even open the cover.

If you enjoyed A Conspiracy of Paper then you should enjoy A Spectacle of Corruption. If you haven’t read A Conspiracy of Paper, but enjoy historical mysteries, then I recommend A Spectacle of Corruption even more than the first book, since I found it easier to get into.
Rating: 7/10

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