Matthew Plampin

A highly imagined story based on some true facts.
Young Will (JMW) Turner arrives at Harewood House in 1797, invited to paint the estate by Edward "Beau" Lascelles. Also invited- to his surprise- is fellow artist acquaintance Tom Girtin (whom I'd never heard of, but who was a serious rival to Turner.)
The life in an 18th century aristocrat's house is well drawn- the swagger and contempt.
Turner- of humble origins and with a sense of resetment- must swallow the insults and cultivate influential patrons.
But why does Girtin seem to be so "in" with the family?
It's pretty implausible, with dodgy servants, a younger Lascelles sister who has fallen from grace, and midnight adventures.
The final section, after Girtin's death (his magnum opus, a panoramic art work of London, was lost long ago) provided a touching finale.… (mais)

Will Turner arrives at Harewood House in the summer of 1797 in a turbulent frame of mind. His invitation from ‘Beau’ Lascelles, the eldest son of Baron Harewood, could be the beginning of something big. Will’s talent has been noted by his contemporaries and by the press. Now he might be able to win the greatest prize of all: an understanding patron. On the other hand, in order to achieve said prize, Will is going to have to endure several days in the company of frivolous aristocrats without causing offence which, for an obstinate working-class Londoner with a chip on his shoulder, won’t be easy. And worse is to come. For Will isn’t the only painter who’s been invited to Harewood this summer. When his boyhood friend (and fellow – rival? – painter) Tom Girtin unexpectedly turns up, looking mightily comfortable in this aristocratic milieu, Will bristles, assuming they’ve been set up to compete for the nobles’ amusement. But the truth – if truth it is – turns out to be more peculiar than even he could have imagined...

For the full review, please see my blog:
https://theidlewoman.net/2019/08/05/will-and-tom-matthew-plampin/… (mais)

WHEN Samuel Colt sets up a gun factory in the heart of Victorian London, his new London secretary sees only career advancement and excitement ahead. But it is not long before Colt’s deadly product brings conspiracy, bitter deception and bloodshed to the streets of Westminster.
Among the workforce Colt has gathered from the seething mass of London’s poor are a gang of desperate Irish immigrants, embittered refugees from the potato famine, who intend to use these stolen six-shooters for a political assassination in the name of revenge.
As pistols start to go missing, divided loyalties and hidden agendas make the gun-maker’s factory the setting for a tense story of intrigue, betrayal and murder.
This detailed and gripping historical novel draws the reader deep into the overlapping worlds of Victorian London, from the drawing rooms of the political elite to the worst slums of the desperate poor. A revealing portrait of an exhilarating period in English history.

Bookdrum http://www.bookdrum.com/(less)… (mais)