The Straits of Treachery
BY Richard Hopton

Allison and Busby
23 April 2020/ ASIN: B081RZRSVR
Fiction /Historical/Military

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

AMAZON UK || AMAZON US

September 1810: The English and French forces face each other across the Straits of Messina, with the French poised to invade Sicily. It is up to army officer Captain George Warne to investigate a possible spy as the French always seem to know what their opponents are going to do.

If you are a fan of the exploits of characters like Hornblower and Sharpe you will enjoy this first novel by new author Richard Hopton. Warne and his company wait anxiously as Murat’s forces amass ready for an invasion, and the author manages to conjure up the atmosphere of long periods of inactivity followed by quick bursts of action. Two men clash over a visiting lady; Warne leads forces on missions, spends time with his mistress and undertakes spying to hunt out the traitor. Swirling through the story are the frequent and vivid descriptions of the setting, with Messina coming to life in a few strokes. The book ends tidily enough but with many loose ends left tantalizingly for a possible sequel. As well as Warne, there are quite a few other characters with stories of their own, all of which have the potential to make for interesting reading. I hope this materializes and we get to read more about Warne and his men.

http://myshelf.com/literary/15/straitsoftreachery.htm

i really enjoyed this book, the historical aspects were great and it didn't make it too modern or out of this time. The characters were great.

An excellent book set in an unusual time period. I enjoyed learning more about it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The events in the book unfold over the course of September 1810 with each chapter representing a day and moving frequently between various characters, but principally focussing on Captain George Warne. The setting is Sicily with the British forces facing the French under the command of Joachim Murat, brother-in-law of Napoleon, across the Straits of Messina. Such is the proximity of the opposing forces that each side can observe the other. It’s a waiting game for the British with a French invasion expected at any time.

Ordered to investigate when it becomes apparent there is the possibility of a spy within the British command giving vital information to the enemy, George enlists the help of his mistress, Carlotta. She is a very merry widow who, it has to be said chiefly provides him with assistance of a more intimate nature. There are no shortage of suspects including a local lawyer with high-placed friends and fingers in many pies and a suspiciously helpful member of the nobility.

The book has a generous number of secondary characters and subsidiary storylines. For example, the rivalry between two officers for the affections of a young lady arrived from England to visit her soldier brother which has dramatic consequences.

The author’s background as a historian is evident in the meticulous descriptions of weaponry, uniforms, and military and naval assets. The action scenes, both at sea and on land, are vividly depicted. I also liked the way the author conjured up the bustling piazzas and thoroughfares of Messina.

“The street itself was a seething flood of city life: pedestrians, men on horseback, carts, mules and donkeys uncomplaining under spreading loads, the occasional carriage, its whip-flicking driver impatiently clearing a passage through the crowd, a sedan chair making its stately way among the throng, the odd mangey dog, an aged priest bent over his walking stick, a couple of chickens pecking sneakily in the gutter, men labouring under weighty parcels, a peasant pushing a small handcart laden with lemons, a prim posse of nuns, a pair of young boys rolling a barrel.”

I enjoyed the setting of the book, the period detail and the exciting action scenes, however I’ll confess to being a little disappointed by how the book ended. It seemed to fizzle out with the results of Warne’s investigation wrapped up rather rapidly and some storylines left unresolved. However, perhaps the author is saving those for the planned sequel. But I did like the clever touch of having the ending of the book mirror the opening with George gazing out across the Straits of Messina towards Calabria and the French forces gathered there.

The Straits of Treachery will definitely appeal to fans of historical fiction with a strong naval or military element.

It is 1810 on the Straits of Messina. British Officer George Warne suspects treachery is afoot when a secret plot to cabotage French ships is ambushed. He is charged to investigate and discovers there are traitors on almost every corner.

I had high hopes for this one. The premise was promising: a young officer being charged to find traitors on the island. And I think if the story had been more focused on Warne, I would have found it more interesting. As it was, there are a lot of characters to keep track of and the transition between them was always jarring. There were several plot points for a few of the characters that seemed to go nowhere and distracted from the main story.

The detail of the time and era both make and break the story. It helps add to the atmosphere of the story and were interesting. At times, though, the action was bogged down by the same details, making the narrative tedious. The story also just ends with some points left unresolved. This may be to set up for another book, but it took me offguard. I don't like when a book does that.

I also did not care for the language. Although it may be authentic to the time, I found it distasteful. Coupled with the instances of Warne in bed with his mistress made this a book I won't return to.

An engrossing and entertaining historical fiction that kept me hooked till the end.
I was fascinated by the well researched historical background as it is vivid and it made me learn more about Napoleonic wars in Sicily.
The cast of characters is well thought, the plot well crafted and flows.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.