This Historical thriller from Douglas Skelton is a fine addition to the genre as Jonas Flint and his Company of Rogues spin a rip roaring tale through 1700 England and Scotland.

Quick pacing, likeable characters and dastardly enemies all make for a great read which is highly researched and clearly from a highly knowledgeable author.

Violent battles and cutthroat mischief galore, the story really motors through to an extremely well done finale that packs a great and unexpected twist.

The start I hope of a new series!

As a big fan of the Rebecca Connolly series, I was thrilled to hear that Douglas Skelton was going to start writing historical fiction and even happier when I got the chance to be a part of the blog tour for the book.
The book is set in 1715 just after the death of Queen Anne. With rumours rife that she had left a will that stipulated her half-brother James Stuart should succeed her, there is a lot of interest on both sides to find out if the document truly does exist and either destroy it or use it to gain power, depending on which camp you were in. Jonas Flynt is employed to find out if the document is real and if so secure it at all costs. Unfortunately for him his quest sees him return to Edinburgh and confront his family and his past, both of which he has been avoiding for fifteen years.
The opening chapter of the book sets the scene for the action that is to follow and don’t let the pace of it fool you as you will soon find yourself swept along with the action as it moves from London to Edinburgh. Jonas is such a fabulously flawed character but despite how he earns his living you can’t help but like him. He has a moral compass that sees him defend women who society naturally looked down on and a sense of duty to his friends and family that will see him put himself in danger in order to protect them even when the odds are stacked against him. He has a quick wit and often uses humour to disguise his true feelings even down to referring to his pistols as “tact and diplomacy”
There is enough historical facts in the book to give the reader an insight to a period of history that they may not be familiar with, myself included but it is not overloaded that it detracts from the story itself. The interactions between Jonas and his first and probably only love Cassie show how sometimes the past has to stay where it is and you can’t always go back no matter what you really want.
I can’t wait to see what is in store next for Jonas Flynt and if he will once again cross paths with Madame de Fontaine who is more than a match for him as I am sure he won’t allow her to best him again should they meet

Queen Anne has just died and the question of her succession is in doubt due to the fact that maybe she has left a will naming her half brother as the next monarch but he’s a catholic. So the German George of Hanover is named but the rumour of the will persists. Enter Jonas Flynt, a man with a dubious deserved reputation who is also a member of the Company of Rogues overseen by a government spymaster. He is tasked with the recovery of the document and what follows is a rollicking tale that moves from London to Edinburgh full of believable characters. There are gruesome execution scenes, murders, savage beatings and even some tender moments which all combine to a smashing tale. Recommended.

1715, Queen Anne is dead and, allegedly a document she wrote of national importance is missing. Whether a Jacobite or a Hanoverian the document, if it exists, is crucial to the future of a still troubled Union. Jonas Flynt, ex soldier, Scot by birth, now a member of the Company of Rogues is tasked with acquiring this letter. Others are in the chase too and the story races from London to Edinburgh at as fast a pace as horseback and carriages allow. Once in Edinburgh, Jonas is also faced with his family whom he abandoned years before. There is enough politics to keep one engaged and there are side stories pertinent to both that period and the present. The context feels very real with the smells and sights of dangerous times, the characters are believable and the story runs smoothly even though there is a lot of historical detail. Hope Jonas retunrs. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

It’s 1715 and Queen Anne has just died, leaving behind rumours that she had written a will naming her half brother, James Stuart as her successor, rather than George I. But Col Charters, in charge of intelligence at the palace has not found it. Enter Jonas Flynt, ex-soldier, spy, master thief and member of the Charter’s Company of Rogues. He is charged with doing whatever it takes to retrieve the will. However, he is not the only one looking for it and when it slips through his fingers he must follow it to Edinburgh, the town he left behind as a boy fifteen years ago, when he ran away to become a soldier.

This novel is a lot of fun as Jonas take us on a rollicking chase through Jacobite England and Scotland in search of Queen Anne’s will. Jonas is as swashbuckling a thief as you could want, with a sense of honour and integrity and his own exceptional weapons to make sure no one takes advantage of him. In Edinburgh he is forced to confront the past he left behind, including his family, friends and Cassie, the girl he loved, who believe his lack of contact must mean he is died in battle. Fast paced, with interesting characters and lots of atmospheric settings, this will appeal to those who enjoy engaging historical fiction and don't mind if it's a little gritty. I'd love to see more of Jonas so am hoping this is the first of a new series.

Whoa! I need a rest after reading this one! There’s so much swash and buckle in this fast-paced historic thriller, I’m tired out.

Place yourself in 1715. Jonas Flynt, ex-soldier and reluctant member of the Company of Rogues, a shady intelligence group run by ruthless spymaster Nathaniel Charters, is ordered to recover a missing will.

It’s not any old piece of paper. As she lay dying the late Queen Anne may have written a promise of the the nation to her half-brother James, the Old Pretender, rather than the new king, George I.

No one knows for sure. The lost will may decide the fate of the nation. The crown must recover it at all costs.

Jonas travels from the dark and dangerous streets of London, back home to a chaotic Edinburgh. There are others on the hunt, and he becomes mixed up in an overdue family reunion, a prison break, and a fatal street riot.

This is a cracking tale that moves along at speed, but never drops the narrative. It’s a well structured page-turner that keeps you reading well after you intended to.

The themes of friendship and family are investigated with the help of a cast of characters you care about. It raises many questions on politics, conscience and nationality.

A well-researched, atmospheric, exciting and compelling romp through the period which will appeal to crime, history and thriller fans alike.

Thanks to NetGalley, Canelo, and Douglas Skelton for the chance to review this book in my own words.

An Honourable Thief, by Douglas Skelton
Published: 22nd September 2022
Rating: 5/5
This novel is literary historical fiction at its finest. Skelton paints a compelling and vivid picture of Jacobite England and Scotland, and his pros is simply stunning. I loved Flynt. He is the sort of main character that a reader would follow to the ends of the earth – roguish, flawed, but empathetic. I also loved Madame de Fontaine, and Cassie, but in truth, Skelton’s characters are all vibrant and entirely believable. I especially enjoyed Flynt’s fight scenes, and every use of Tact and Diplomacy (read the book and you’ll understand!) I really struggled to put this book down. The hunt for the elusive will is gripping, but I also loved the racial undertones. Skelton deals with moral issues beautifully, and there were moments when I felt quite emotional. It is an excellent book, and I cannot wait to see what Skelton does next.

Jonas Flynt is a man with a dark past, which has forced him to become a member of a shady intelligence group run by Colonel Chambers.
Chambers has heard a rumour that, when Queen Anne died, she may have left a will naming her half brother (The Young Pretender) as king. But the will has been stolen, and Chambers wants Flynt to get it back... by any means. But it's not long before Flynt finds out, that he's not the only one searching for it.
This is an atmospheric, fast paced read, set in London and Edinburgh in the early 1700s. It's gritty and at times violent.
I really enjoyed this, even though it felt predictable in places, I'll definitely read the next one.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Jonas Flynt. Gambler. Thief. Killer. Man of honour. A reluctant member of the Company of Rogues.

Good story. Moving from Endland to Scotland kept the action and adventure of the story moving. Jonas is a flawed man and wants to do what's right and make a little money on the side.

4☆

A great read about a man whose aim really is to be honourable even though he is a rogue, employed by the government..... A loner, sent on a mission to Scotland he had left 15 years ago, Jonas will also face the people he had left behind. Is he going to discover that feelings can't be discarded as easily as one might want to? Is his mission going to be successful? A lot of action, much violence and atmospheric descriptions of a dark Edinburgh. I got a clear insight into Scotland politics at the beginning of the 18th century particularly as to its relationship with England. This was very interesting. I really enjoyed this read!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

A rollicking good ride through 18th Century Britain.

Douglas Skelton is best known for his gritty crime thrillers set in modern-day Scotland, so I was curious to see how he approached 18th Century Britain. I wasn't disappointed.

"An Honourable Thief" opens in 1714, with the death of Queen Anne. Spymaster Colonel Charters is informed that she may have left a will, promising the nation to her half-brother the Pretender James, rather than the new king, George I. But no-one knows where it might be so Charters calls upon a member of his Company of Rogues, Jonas Flynt, to track it down.

And so we launch into non-stop, action-packed adventure through the dirt and mire of 18th Century Britain. It takes us from London to Edinburgh, and introduces us to a colourful collection of rogues, heroes, friends and foes. Jonas Flynt is a former soldier and reluctant member of the Company of Rogues, and has a dark history, most of which he isn't proud of. And as the story progresses, we learn that he has a lot to atone for. He also soon realises others are hunting for the will and he succumbs to his fair share of beatings and hardships.

Returning to his home city of Edinburgh he does "enjoy" a long overdue family reunion, while enduring a brutal street riot, a hanging and a plot to supplant the new king. There are some truly moving scenes with those who thought him dead. As you'd expect, the sights and smells of London and Edinburgh are nicely drawn and it's easy to submerge yourself in the ride.

The books echoes James McGee's Hawkwood and SG McLean's Seeker books, and that's not a criticism. The flawed hero is always ripe for a new telling, and no more so than here. I'm hoping we see a lot more of Flynt.

I was glad to receive a Netgalley ARC of the book, but look forward to getting my hand on a proper copy when it's released. I can thoroughly recommend it to fans of historical spy fiction, both old and new.