James McGee (author)

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For other persons named James McGee, see James McGee (disambiguation).
James McGee

Born 11 August 1950 (1950-08-11) (age 57)
Chatham, Kent England
Occupation Writer
Nationality British
Genres Historical fiction
Official website

James McGee (born 11 August 1950) is an English novelist, known for his historical novels about a fictional Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood. The books are set in Regency London.

James McGee was born in Kent in 1950, but, as an army child, spent his childhood in Gibraltar, Germany and Northern Ireland. He has worked in various trades and professions including banking, newspapers and bookselling. He currently lives in Rye, East Sussex.[1]

Contents

[edit] Matthew Hawkwood novels

McGee's novels are set during the Regency period, when Britain was at war with Napoleon. His hero, Matthew Hawkwood, is working as a Bow Street Runner, an early invesitagative officer working out of London's Bow Street Magistrates' Court. He is called upon to solve a number of civil crimes, including murder, body-snatching and highway robbery, but his previous military experience makes him ably suited to investigate issues of national security.

Hawkwood has a complicated back-story, which is touched upon at various stages of the novels. He once served as an officer in the 95th Rifles, but was cashiered after he killed a fellow officer in a duel. With Wellington's intervention he was spared a court-martial, and instead joined the Spanish Guerrilleros, liaising with the British intelligence officer Colquhoun Grant. It is Grant's influence that enables Hawkwood to get a job at Bow Street on his return to England.

McGee's creation of Hawkwood's past was deliberate, as he wanted a hero who was "at home in both the military and criminal worlds".[2] Many reviewers and readers have drawn similarities between Hawkwood and fellow author Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe, particularly as they both served in the rifles. McGee admits this similarity was a concern for him, but giving Hawkwood rifle experience was important to the plot.[2]

Much of the action within the novels is inspired by historical events. The plot of Ratcatcher centres around the secret development of the first submarines by American Robert Fulton, then working for the French. Resurrectionist is darker, reflecting the underworld of "resurrectionists" who stole bodies to supply the anatomy schools of London, and the experimentation of early (and illegal) organ transplant and resuscitation. The as-yet unpublished Rapscallion is to focus on French prisoners-of-war upon the prison hulks.[3]

[edit] List of titles

[edit] Critical reception

McGee's novels have been generally well-received by the critics. The period detail, likeable hero and fast paced-action have commended the books to many reviewers.[4][5] Fellow authors Reginald Hill and Andrew Taylor have also praised the novels.[6]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Waterstone's Booksellers profile
  2. ^ a b Interview with author, Publisher's website
  3. ^ a b Publisher's website
  4. ^ The Times, March 25, 2006
  5. ^ ABC, 30 March 2006
  6. ^ Publisher's website: reviews

[edit] External links