Seadogs and Criminals-A J Fisher

Book: Seadogs and Criminals
Author: A J Fisher
Publisher: Grosvenor House Publishing

What if you could go on a treasure hunt?

Victorian London. Joseph Winter is a master of the criminal underworld, known around the backstreets as Trace - because he never leaves one . . . or so he thought. After a tip-off about a fabled treasure map leading to the infamous Lost Loot turns sour, Joseph is forced to consider his options and, along with a group of interesting strangers, takes a leap into the unknown. Through storms, seas, hardships and riddles, they sail, hunting for missing clues whilst learning about each other’s hidden secrets – secrets Joseph is keen to unravel if they are to reach the treasure alive.

Seadogs and Criminals by A J Fisher is an interestingly plotted story that puts a set of people, who would have not come together, in a situation where they undertake a journey across the seas in search of a mythical treasure, following a series of clues. The story is told in an interesting manner where we start with the story of Joseph, but slowly the story of the others becomes a part of the narrative. The clues used in the story are cleverly written and keeping the tone of the Victorian England intact, the authenticity of the plot increases. The one thing that did not work for me was a lot of emphasis on sailing and the language used with reference to it. While I agree that it added a layer to the plot, it did overpower the storyline at times. The book ends at an interesting juncture that surely interests me into the second part of the book.

The characters of the book are its soul and Alex creates a host of individuals that keep you hooked onto the book. Joseph Winter as a smooth criminal as a protagonist is an interesting study, specially as his lineage comes to light. Another interesting person in the story is that of the captain of the ship and his motivations would be something interesting to look out for. The primary factor that stands out for his characters is that of independence and the will to do what it takes to succeed.

Overall, this is an interesting series that I would recommend to anyone who loves a good treasure hunt. The book scores a 4.25/5 for me. 

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