The Thieftaker's Trek

I do love a book of historical fiction and when I was reading this I realised it's the first set during the industrial revolution. Certainly one of the most evocative. The main character was exciting too - a thief taker orbounty hunter - again not read about these in an UK set novel at least! So I was intrigued from the get go.

I wasn't disappointed. There's a lot to like about this book. A great sense of time and place, evocative writing and a sense that the author must have a time machine or something. You can even smell London and the stench of the Industrial revolution whilst reading. The characters are nicely drawn and the plot pulls you along through the soot and dirt on the cobbles as you scrabble for clues like the peasants do for food.

It was particularly nice to see this story move from London out into the countryside as that brought a new dynamic to the story and the characters themselves. Frobisher is not going to let anything get in his way in his search for the truth is he? Not even the winding canals of Derbyshire and the potential slavery of children is going to stop him doing the right thing. London at the time of the Industrial revolution is a great period to experience in this way. There's the hope the city and the country is changing but the realisation that the dark side to history and the gap between rich and poor can still cause the largest and darkest shadows of all

This book was amazing!. It is the heartbreaking story of how children were used as slaves. Normally people would take street children, but little Harry has become a tool. When he is kidnaped from his home, a rich friend of his mother's pays a Theiftaker to find him. Through plot twists and turns, you learn about the horrors that Harry and his friend are going through. It is told from a few different points of view so you get the whole story as it is happening.

Being a big fan of history and historical fiction I was thrilled to be able to read The Thieftaker’s Trek.
Peter Frobisher has been hired to find a child called Henry who has disappeared from his home. This case is slightly different from the ones he normally takes on, his time is usually spent chasing criminals but there is something about this case that makes him agree to investigate.
Harry is quite an intelligent child for his age so for him to go off without telling anyone is quite out of character. While he is held captive with a group of children he tells them stories of his life and his father. He seems to understand the importance of being seen but not heard in order to stay safe.
Throughout the book you get to learn about Peters past and what motivated him to become a thieftaker in the first place. Originally a child of the streets he was taken in by a kindly soul who encouraged him, and he has remained close to him. After his wife died he had to bring up his some Michael alone and you can see how close they are. Peter is very proud of his son and the possibility of him going to university and doesn’t really want him to follow in his footsteps, yet Michael has other ideas. He really enjoys working with his father and would much rather be doing that.
About halfway through the book I had an aha moment when I thought I knew who was behind Harry’s kidnapping and why they did it only to have my theory proved to be completely wrong by the end of it.
The Thieftaker’s Trek gave me an insight to a part of history I never knew about before, from introducing me to the historical equivalent to a bounty hunter/private investigator to the conditions of mill workers – especially the children. It was also interesting to read about the start of the canal systems that are still in evidence today, albeit they are now used for pleasure more than industry.
Although I am not always a fan of a detailed back story, in this instance I felt it enhanced the story that the author was trying to tell and would happily read further adventures of Peter and his son Michael.
This is the first book by Joan Sumner and I think she has managed to get the right blend of historical fact and storytelling that makes this book a really great read for fans of history and mystery.

The Thieftaker's Trek set in 1810 England in the midst of the industrial revolution brings to light many of the inequalities of that time where it concerns women and children, but also some of the positive facts, as well. I think you will love the boys this story revolves around, Harry and Tom. Also ernest and entertaining are Peter and Michael. The travels heading up to northern English cotton mills and trekking back with the aid of the Royal Mail were eye opening. Jenny and her two daughters and Phillida and her Aunt, Mrs. Finch have only brief rolls in this novel, but I found them to be of interesting and well rounded personalities.

Ms. Sumner has a fine way of telling a tale. There is obviously a great deal of research in the background of these times, these places, and the attention to detail in the town and the country ring solid and true. Joan S. Sumner is an author I will follow.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Joan S. Sumner, and Bastei Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.