Plague by C.C. Humphreys

(23. – 820.) Plague by C.C. Humphreys – In the spring of 1665 Captain William Coke is in a pub marking two well dressed men and a lovely woman. She is wearing an even more beautiful necklace. Coke, who fought for the King in England’s Civil War, is impoverished and has become a highway man.

He leaves the inn to arrange an ambush of their coach. He is surprised when the the driver of their coach refuses to stop when Coke confronts the coach with a brace of pistols (loaded only with powder) and calls upon him to “Stand!” When the horses stop on their own he finds the coachman and the passengers have all been murdered. He notes they have been butchered not merely killed.

Hearing a horn and hunting dog Coke flees but not before taking the necklace.

In pursuit is a London thief taker, Pittman (a Quaker he prefers to be called plain “Pittman” not Mr. Pittman), determined to capture the infamous Captain Cock. (The subtle difference in the surname of the Captain sought by the thief taker has kept Coke a free man.)

Finding the brutally murdered driver and passengers Pittman is taken aback for Captain Cock had been a thief but never a violent highwayman. Yet the evidence is clear it was Cock. A pistol belonging to the Captain has been left inside the coach.

A massive reward of 30 guineas is offered for the capture of the Monstrous Cock.

In London Mrs. Sarah Chalker, one of the first women to act upon an English stage, is rehearsing a play.

An admirer seeks to become too familiar. Her husband, John Chalker, is determined to find and thrash the presumptious individual.

Coke loves the theatre. His connections with the Chalkers lead to more violence.

Lurking in the background is the “Plague”. Each year London experiences plague deaths but in 1665 the numbers are rising …..

The plague is present through the City. It strikes with a fierce intensity. In desperate attempts to prevent its spread the authorities will board up the inhabitants of any house in which a person has died of the plague. Only when it is clear the plague has run its course through the house will be the boards be taken down.

Fifth Monarchists, staunch believers who focus on the Book of Revelation in the Bible, see the plague supporting their conviction the Apocalypse is nigh.

There is an explosive mix of characters and plague and religious fervour.

What happens when Coke and Pittman meet is a genuine surprise.

I should really have enjoyed this book. I love learning history through fiction. The book has intriguing characters including Coke, Pittman and Chalker. There is the constant tension of the Plague underlying the mystery. The story moves fluidly. It does not defy belief. The ending is plausible.

Yet, yet, yet I found it just alright. I was affected by the constant grimness of 1665 London life in the book. The city is dirty, actually filthy. It is overcrowded. Most people are hungry and scrambling to exist. Alcohol abuse is rampant. The ugliness of life in 1665 London is overwhelming.

With regard to life in London I thought of the quote of Thomas Hobbes from The Leviathan written in 1651:

“No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

It is rare a setting so negatively impacts my reading of a book. Plague is such an exception.

Plague was the last of the shortlist for the 2015 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Mystery Novel I have read. It was the Award winner and I congratulate C.C. Humphreys. As I did last year I will shortly make my own ranking of the shortlist.

Plague also becomes the 2nd book I have read for the 9th Canadian Book Challenge hosted at the Book Mine Set blog.