Book Review: Treason's River by Edwin Thomas

By Angela Youngman Apr 17, 2006, 11:40 GMT

Having offended most of the powerful men in the British navy, Lieutenant Martin Jerrold accepts the advice of the Secret Office and disappears as quickly as he can. Bound for the newly independent America, Jerrold's task is to infiltrate a group of conspirators and stop them at all costs before they affect the war with Napoleon.

Bumbling along, he survives encounters with pirates; trips across the American wilderness and down the Mississippi river only slightly in advance of Spanish and American secret agents intent on capturing him and his associates. The danger to himself and his country steadily intensifies; and raises the possibility that a wrong choice could lead to war between Britain and America on top of its existing conflict with France.

Edwin Thomas is adept at throwing up new obstacles in Jerrold's way, even at the very last moment when he thinks he has escaped. It is not always easy to tell who is friend and foe; especially when ladies get involved.

A fair read overall albeit not one of Thomas's best. His earlier novels featuring Jerrold were much better and much more convincing than this one. The humour found in The Chains of Albion is missing. A light, undemanding read which offers some interesting insights into life in eighteenth century America.