Consistently hailed as "wonderful" (The New York Times Book Review), the Fielding mysteries are a magical combination of period ambiance, vivid characterization, and intriguing plotlines. In An Experiment in Treason, a packet of incendiary letters is stolen from the London residence of a prominent official, and turns up in the colony of Massachusetts. Why are the contents so controversial? Why has a suspect in the theft turned up dead? And what should Sir John do about his feeling that Benjamin Franklin himself is somehow complicit? While the political tensions rise, Sir John searches for answers and finds that justice isn't always served by the letter of the law.

 Now in trade paperback, the very first John Fielding historical mystery. Falsely charged of theft in 1768 London, thirteen-year-old orphaned printer?s apprentice Jeremy Proctor finds his only hope in the legendary Sir John Fielding. Fielding, founder of the Bow Street Runners police force, then recruits young Jeremy in his mission to fight London?s most wicked crimes.**

"Alexander is wonderful at catching the pungent flavor of this grandly messy emerging world capitol." (Washington Post) "Historical fiction done this entertainingly is as close to time travel as we're likely to get." (Newsday) A gang of vicious criminals-rumored to be all black men-has London in an uproar. But the blind Sir John Fielding is on the case to ensure that no hasty conclusions are made. And when the pieces come together, he and his young protégé, Jeremy Proctor, learn that black and white are never as simple as they seem.**

Legendary 18th-century London judge Sir John Fielding was famous for co-founding London's first police force -- the Bow Street Runners -- and for his keen intellect, fairness, and uncommon detecting ability, despite the fact that he was blind! Now the magistrate and his young ward, Jeremy Proctor, face a baffling pair of deaths and will soon learn more than they ever wanted to know about family, greed, deception and murder.

John Fielding was famous not only as cofounder of London's first police force, the Bow Street Runners, but also as a magistrate of keen intellect, fairness and uncommon detective ability. When a crime was committed, he often took it upon himself to solve it. What made this all the more remarkable was that he was blind. Now the blind magistrate and his young assistant and ward, Jeremy Proctor, face a series of crimes that hit shockingly close to home. Prostitutes are being murdered around Covent Garden, and there are troubling implications about the identity of the killer. Baffled and frustrated, Fielding devises a daring and desperate plan, but the consequences are unexpected - and more terrible even than he could imagine.**