Well, I liked this so very much better than the first book in the series. I still do not like the boss of the Bow Street Runners, he's crass, lazy, crude, & stupid... but I think I might be able to overlook him.

Parliament has levied the Stamp Act (tax) to put an end to Leonidas Paige's political satire newspaper. Leonidas has continued his work by introducing art prints and selling them with the help of Mrs. Granville in her shop, which has made many an enemy of those politicians he lampoons.

Leonidas was once a very astute foot soldier and knows he is being followed, so he turns to his old friend Gully Ackford, who runs a self-defense & protection agency, asking for protection. Unfortunately there were two men following Leonidas, one was able to take the newly hired bodyguard out of commission while the other garroted the satirist and set afire to his work.

The Chief Magistrate loathes Leonidas and his work, but the Chief Magistrate's job is to bring the murderer's to justice and therefore calls in the Bow Street Runners to catch the murderers and the one who hired them.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Granville's shop window is smashed by a brick, a threat which she does not take lightly and she joins in the investigation.

As the Runners bungle along; Peter & Paul Skillen (twin brothers) take on the case and the rivalry is on.

It was very interesting to read about the government's silencing of the press, as these days it is so very close to home. ( )