Product Description

A gripping historical thriller introducing Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood -- a sexy, dangerous and fascinating hero who hunts down thieves, spies and murderers in the crime-ridden streets of Regency London. Hunting down highwaymen was not the usual preserve of a Bow Street Runner. As the most resourceful of this elite band of investigators, Matthew Hawkwood was surprised to be assigned the case -- even if it did involve the murder and mutilation of a naval courier. From the squalor of St Giles Rookery, London's notorious den of thieves and cutthroats, to the brightly lit salons of the aristocracy and the heart of the British government, Hawkwood relentlessly pursues his quarry. As the case unfolds and another body is discovered on the banks of the Thames, the true agenda begins to emerge. And only Hawkwood can stop a dastardly plot that will end British mastery of the seas forever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49679 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Review
'Irresistible! rambunctious entertainment.' Observer 'Rumbustious!a darkly attractive hero, terrific period atmosphere and action.' The Times 'Atmospheric and well researched! try it.' Daily Mirror '"Ratcatcher" has everything: duels and derring-do, London highlife and lowlife, French lechery and treachery -- all contained in a fast-moving, cleverly constructed plot with an immaculately detailed historical background. Add a hero who is ruthless, mysterious and sexy, and it's a safe bet that "Ratcatcher" marks the start of a series that will run and run!and run!' Reginald Hill '"Ratcatcher" is a richly enjoyable and impressively researched novel -- also very gripping. James McGee is clearly a rising star in the historical galaxy and I look forward to Hawkwood's return.' Andrew Taylor, author of 'The American Boy'

The Times
‘Rumbustious…a darkly attractive hero, terrific period atmosphere and action.’

Observer
‘Irresistible… rambunctious entertainment.’

Customer Reviews

Lacks Originality But Still Great Fun
Ratcatcher is the first adventure to feature Hawkswood, Bow Street Runner, former soldier and enigmatic man of mystery. Set in London during the Napoleonic wars, in the book Hawkswood is assigned to investigate the death of a naval courier in what initially appears to be a case of simple highway robbery. Needless to say his investigation soon reveal links to a far larger conspiracy that goes all the way to highest levels of society and threatens the security of the entire nation. With assistance from old friends, current colleagues and an asortment of rogues its up to Hawkswood to save the day.

In other words this is another historical thriller in the same vein as Cornwell's Sharpe novels or Lunn's Killigrew series, and sticks to the formula set by its precursors; lone hero with a past uncovers and then foils conspiracy. On the way romantic entanglements ensue, he gains a sidekick, thumbs his nose at authority, faces certain death, has numerous fights, yet eventually comes out on top. As such Ratcatcher is hardly the most original work ever published.

Despite this lack of freshness in its approach however, it still deserves four stars for being jolly good fun, a must for books such as these. Hawkswood, the hero, is a good creation. He ticks all the requisite boxes, being simultaneously handsome, energetic, charming, mysterious, witty, serious, haunted, romantic, brave, self-sacrificing, wild, unpredictable and morally upstanding as and when the plot requires. His background is drawn in enough depth to make him interesting and the author has enough skill with dialogue and narrative to make him believable. The success of book like this depends heavily on the strength of the lead character, and in Hawkswood Ratcatcher has a winner.

The same goes for the supporting cast, both on the side of good and bad. All the major players are well enough drawn and fill their roles adeptly, even if each one is merely a cliche given form; from the cheeky yet dependable sidekick to the stern authority figure to the villain of the piece.

The plot trundles along at a rapid pace, faltering only once when a large chunk of exposition is required in order for the reader, through Hawkswood's eyes, to understand the plot. Its utterly predictable in every respect, with no twists prompting particular surprise, and the central hook lacks freshness (reader's familiar with recent Killigrew adventures in particular will have a strong feeling od deja vu reading Ratcatcher), but its well put together, easy to follow and flows nicely. Its a satisfying tale well told.

All in all Ratcatcher will not win any awards for originality but gains points for being an entertaining period romp told with a pace and wit. Judged on those requirements alone it is worthy of four stars.

Derivative but enjoyable
It is a book that falls into certain spaces. It has a nod to Sharpe, a slight nod to James Bond, a nod to Trevelyan's Pendragon and many others of that ilk. Hawkwood is a Bow Street Runner, a man with a past in the Army fighting France. England is still at war with France.

The story starts with a highway robbery and journeys into the pits of the London stews. It's high adventure and not a serious book but I enjoyed it and I want to read more about this character.

I'd recommend it to people who enjoy light detective stories with a historical twist, however if you're looking for something with a lot of scholarship and authenticity, I'd look elsewhere. For me it was a fun read, a Regency mystery somewhat akin in seriousness to a Regency Romance.

Good atmosphere and fun, but 'Sharpe clone'
There are many things to recommend James McGee's book 'Ratcatcher.' For the first two hundred pages or so, there is little in the way of directed plot, more a picaresque amble through Regency London in the company of Matthew Hawkwood, a Bow Street Runner. There are fights, romances, duels - in fact its all pretty enjoyable stuff.

The book makes a turn for the worst as a highly involved plot begins to come into focus. I think this is a pity. A lot of the charming atmosphere of the first half of the book goes due to the necessity of plot devices.

I didn't really care about whether the big crime would work or wouldn't and found its unraveling a bit dull. This was at its worst during a seemingly unending 'exposition' by Hawkwood's boss that seemed hell bent on bringing every detail of the seemingly disparate elements of the tale together.

I think the writer would have been better served with a lighter tone, focussing on realistic cases, instead of bringing in what is actually fairly well-known Napoleonic war exotica about submersibles.

The other main criticism is that Hawkwood was so close to Sharpe, that I sometimes forgot I wasn't reading about him (had pictures of Sean Bean in my head.) Surely the author could have found a better back story than putting him in the Riflemen under Wellington! It was almost like he had rubbed out 'Sharpe' on his Baker rifle and scratched in 'Hawkwood.' He could have been a sailor under Nelson, a colonial adventurer, anything but a rifleman. I thought that was a disappointment.

Nevertheless this is an interesting character and there is a good sense of pace and place. I will certainly read the next one in the series.