Book Log 2014 #39: The Day of Atonement by David Liss

London thief-taker Benjamin Weaver is back, but briefly. Set 20 years after his last appearance, Weaver is the guardian of a young Portuguese boy snuck out of Lisbon after his parents were arrested by the Inquisition. The boy, now going by the Anglicized name Sebastian Foxx, follows in Weaver's footsteps, becoming a thief-taker in his own right.

And once he develops the skills -and the bankroll - that will allow him to return home to avenge the death of his parents and discover the fate of the love of his life, he does so. Young and fueled by a mix of anger and lack of concern for his own well-being, Foxx's plan is to kill the priest who had his parents arrested. But then the plan continues to grow new goals, as Foxx finds new people he needs to help and a few more than he needs to kill. His plan also grows more convoluted as it utilizes English traders working within an organization called The Factory, as well as the priest Foxx intends to kill (Foxx is posing as an English Catholic).

Of course, nothing goes to plan, in large part because Foxx, as sure as he is in his physical abilities and the righteousness of his cause, proves to be a lousy judge of character. The combination of hate and youthful inexperience combine to lead Foxx down the wrong path more than once, adding more immediate needs for atonement to those that were part of the original plan. Things culminate on All Souls Day in 1755, perhaps the most notable date in Lisbon's history.

It's another stupendous outing, with excellent use of the time period and setting, and the development of a character who is worthy of replacing Weaver if we are not to see him as the lead anymore. My only problem is that I read this too soon after release, meaning too long of a wait for the next book with Weaver, or Foxx, or both. Highly recommended unless you've not read the earlier books, in which case you should read those as well.