Old Scores: A Barker & Llewelyn Novel

Japan has sent a delegation (including an Ambassador, representatives of the army, navy, ministry of trade, and a cultural attaché) to London; the year is 1890. And, thirty-some years after U.S. warships forced Japan to open itself to the rest of the world, the ruling class in Japan wants to play a major role in the world—and not as a subordinate country to anyone, and especially not in Asia. Cyrus Barker, a private inquiry agent, becomes involved because members of the delegation have asked to see his (recreation of a) Japanese garden.That night, Barker has gone to the house which is being used by the Japanese as their embassy—and was outside when the Japanese ambassador was shot. He has, or course, been arrested. (His assistant, Thomas Llewellyn discovers this when he realizes Barker is not in his house and decides to look for him at the embassy; Llewellyn is also arrested.)Subsequently, following their release, Barker is summoned to the embassy and is asked to investigate the murder of the ambassador. Despite the inherent difficulties of this task, he accepts. After a long series of twists and turns, involving two rivals in the Chinese community in London, the disappearance—and reappearance—of one of the ambassador’s bodyguards, and much more, Barker is able to uncover the source of the murder. We do not, however, reach what can be called a happy ending. Although it is actually remarkably well-suited to the situation and the persons involved.This is the ninth book in the series, and all have been very good. In some ways, this is not as strong an entry. In part, this is because the author spends a good deal of time in the first half of the book providing us with substantial exposition about Japan. The information is important, and useful as we move through the events, but the fact that it is essentially a data dump slows the narrative considerably. But the second half of the book is extraordinary. And along the way, we learn a good deal about Barker’s background, and everything we learn is germane. So in saying it might not be as strong as the previous books, I am far from attempting to discourage you. It seems to me that, as the series continues, what we have learned, and what the characters have experienced on this book, will be of ongoing importance.

_Old Scores_ is the 9th book in the Barker and Llewelyn series ( Some Danger Involved: A Novel (Barker & Llewelyn) , To Kingdom Come: A Novel ) - I recommend the series (especially those who are fans of 19th century detective fiction), but you really must begin at the beginning in order to understand the interrelationships between characters. Set in 1891 London, emissaries of the Meji emperor have been sent to Britain to establish formal diplomatic relations and open an embassy. Shortly after their arrival, the ambassador is murdered - and Barker is implicated in the crime.The strengths of the book is that it provides more of the backstory of Barker before he arrived in London and became a "private inquiry agent" and in the development of Llewelyn as a character. The interactions between Barker and Llewelyn (and Ho) keep the series moving along, and provide needed levity in what is otherwise a pretty grim mystery. The details of London (and the inclusion and descriptions of some of my favorite haunts) was a thrill to read as well. But the investigation and the resolution to the crime was a bit of a let-down: I have come to expect a little more depth and a few more red herrings from Thomas; the resolution was foreseeable although totally in line with the character.While_Old Scores_ is not my favorite, the author and the series remain a recommendation for fans of detective fiction in general, and for readers of Victorian fiction in particular.

As the title suggests, we do get more about Barker's mysterious past revealed, but it isn't pleasant. The Japanese, seeking to get out from under the American thumb, have come to London. They set up an embassy and one of the first stops is Barker's beautiful garden. There Llewelyn notices a strange reaction between his boss and one of the party. Later that day, the ambassador is dead, Barker is caught lingering with a fired weapon across the street and arrested. Shortly after his release, the new acting ambassador hires Barker to solve the crime. Llewelyn suspects that something deeper is going on and it has to do with personal history of Barker. Fun and very interesting personal insights about Barker and others. Mystery was also pretty good

I will not recap the plot, as that has been done other places. It is always good to see Barker and Llewelyn again and we are still learning about Barker's history, much of which is heart breaking. Llewelyn continues to mature as a person and a character and they are both quite admirable protagonists. Llewelyn's mouth is still getting him into trouble, but provides the needed light relief of humor in the middle of some dark passages. This plot felt a lot looser than some of the others, with too many pieces dangling that needed addressed in this book rather than the next one. There were one or two places where I went back to see if I had missed something, but no, I was left to muddle it out as best I could. I would still recommend this book to those who have been following the story. They will meet their old friends again and get a hefty dose of Barker's back story. I would not recommend beginning your acquaintance with these characters in this book. Start at the beginning and enjoy how they develop. It is an excellent series, and Thomas knows his Victorian London well. It comes to life.

I discovered this series a few months ago and have listened to everyone since then. The characters are great fun, the stories are interesting and unpredictable, and reveal aspects of life in 19th century London that aren't apparent in other detective books, even if you've read all of Sherlock Holmes and other favorites. But the unique characters and their personalities make the book an entertaining and captivating read, or "listen" if you prefer. Antony Ferguson does an outstanding performance. Without question, I'll grab the next one as soon as it becomes available as an Audible selection, because I love the narration.

I love the Barker & Llewelyn novels. A friend recommended them to me and I've read them all. Mystery, action and a bit of humour thrown together. Thomas researches well and when reading, you feel like you're in Victorian England.