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Matthew Corbett #6
Freedom of the Mask
"Fans of the series will race through this hefty page-turner to see where Matthew's latest adventure leads him." - Publishers Weekly The year is 1703, and Matthew Corbett, professional "problem solver," is missing. Following a hunch, his comrade-in-arms Hudson Greathouse retraces Matthew's steps only to find him first presumed dead, then accused of murdering a young woman and apparently en route to London with a devious Prussian count last encountered on Professor Fell's Pendulum Island.
Little does Greathouse know, but Matthew is locked up in the infamous Newgate prison and he has drawn the interest of a mysterious mask-wearing vigilante accused of several gruesome murders. Greathouse and the woman Matthew loves, Berry Grigsby, travel across the high seas to England to aid their friend, but it is impossible to know whether they will reach him in time to save his life.
Freedom of the Mask is the sixth installment in bestselling author Robert McCammon's acclaimed series of standalone historical thrillers featuring the exploits of a young hero the USA Network has called "the Early American James Bond." The most surprising and ambitious volume to date, this is a novel filled with unpredictable twists and a note-perfect depiction of early 1700s London. Fans will not want to miss Matthew Corbett's most dangerous adventure yet.
Little does Greathouse know, but Matthew is locked up in the infamous Newgate prison and he has drawn the interest of a mysterious mask-wearing vigilante accused of several gruesome murders. Greathouse and the woman Matthew loves, Berry Grigsby, travel across the high seas to England to aid their friend, but it is impossible to know whether they will reach him in time to save his life.
Freedom of the Mask is the sixth installment in bestselling author Robert McCammon's acclaimed series of standalone historical thrillers featuring the exploits of a young hero the USA Network has called "the Early American James Bond." The most surprising and ambitious volume to date, this is a novel filled with unpredictable twists and a note-perfect depiction of early 1700s London. Fans will not want to miss Matthew Corbett's most dangerous adventure yet.
442 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2016
About the author
Robert McCammon
162 books5,198 followersPseudonyms: Robert R. McCammon; Robert Rick McCammon
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Seven Shades of Evil, is the ninth book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats in October 2023.
Leviathan is the final novel in the Matthew Corbett series. It will be released in December 2024 by Lividian Publications.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Seven Shades of Evil, is the ninth book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats in October 2023.
Leviathan is the final novel in the Matthew Corbett series. It will be released in December 2024 by Lividian Publications.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
December 2, 2021
Another excellent addition to the Matthew Corbett series! ALL THE STARS!
So here’s the thing...
If you have never heard of this series or read it, what are you waiting on?!
The Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon is a favorite of mine!
It has a perfect balance of strong characters, atmosphere, historical fiction, and mystery in this series. The horror elements also work perfectly with the mystery and historical fiction.
You will come to love the main character of Matthew Corbett and cheer him on.
You’ll also run across some of the most hideous and evil characters in a series. McCammon is a master at writing horrid characters to hate and fear!
I’ve been reading this series for years now and have noticed the progression of the character of Matthew.
When you are first introduced to him in Speaks the Nightbird, he’s a young and idealistic man that thinks good will always overcome evil.
By the time we get to Freedom of the Mask, Matthew is more of a grey character and will do what needs to be done to conquer evil and Professor Fell.
Lots of great characters come back in this addition and having Freedom of the Mask set in London and especially Whitechapel was brilliant.
The description of this area and London in general during 1703 really makes you appreciate drinking water, sanitation systems, and taking a bath!
Also having Newgate Prison in this plot was fantastic.
With the fantastic descriptions, I was there with the rats, drinking the putrid water, eating the gruel, and hiding from the criminal elements and overall terror of a what a prison is like in the 1700s.
I’m so excited to get to the next book in the series, Cardinal Black!
Go check this series out if you love well developed characters and plots with fantastic writing!
So here’s the thing...
If you have never heard of this series or read it, what are you waiting on?!
The Matthew Corbett series by Robert McCammon is a favorite of mine!
It has a perfect balance of strong characters, atmosphere, historical fiction, and mystery in this series. The horror elements also work perfectly with the mystery and historical fiction.
You will come to love the main character of Matthew Corbett and cheer him on.
You’ll also run across some of the most hideous and evil characters in a series. McCammon is a master at writing horrid characters to hate and fear!
I’ve been reading this series for years now and have noticed the progression of the character of Matthew.
When you are first introduced to him in Speaks the Nightbird, he’s a young and idealistic man that thinks good will always overcome evil.
By the time we get to Freedom of the Mask, Matthew is more of a grey character and will do what needs to be done to conquer evil and Professor Fell.
Lots of great characters come back in this addition and having Freedom of the Mask set in London and especially Whitechapel was brilliant.
The description of this area and London in general during 1703 really makes you appreciate drinking water, sanitation systems, and taking a bath!
Also having Newgate Prison in this plot was fantastic.
With the fantastic descriptions, I was there with the rats, drinking the putrid water, eating the gruel, and hiding from the criminal elements and overall terror of a what a prison is like in the 1700s.
I’m so excited to get to the next book in the series, Cardinal Black!
Go check this series out if you love well developed characters and plots with fantastic writing!
June 4, 2021
"His face was a mask, showing no emotion. It was all locked within, and perhaps that was a freedom of the mask...the ability to show the world a false face, while holding all the torment deep inside, to show the world in essence a false person, a construct of circumstance."
Book five of Robert R McCammon's stunning Matthew Corbett series and quite possibly the best installment so far. I'm getting tired of saying it but this is without doubt the best kept secret in the world of fiction. You absolutely need to get on it. Everything about it is just superb. I love it and this book is the cherry on a magnificent cake of a series.
So what do you need to know before reading this one? First things first...this is not a standalone novel. You absolutely must read this series from the start to get anywhere near the best out of it. There's a number of plot lines where McCammon assumes the reader is up to date on past history and you'll be left scratching your head. So do the right thing and start from the beginning. If you have any doubts about what order to read them in, click the handy little link Goodreads set up and you're in business.
If you are already a reader of the Matthew Corbett books, give yourself a slap on the back for being an absolute legend and get ready for another fantastic tale where the stakes are even higher and the danger is ramped up to maximum output. The last installment (River of Souls) left us on a nail-biting cliffhanger and Freedom of the Mask picks up right where we left off. Corbett has been kidnapped and is getting himself some sea legs while being delivered to his arch nemesis Professor Fell. To top this off he's suffering from a slight case of temporary amnesia. In pursuit are his best friend Hudson Greathouse and sweetheart Berry Grigsby. But of course a series of unfortunate events mean finding him is going to be anything but easy.
"Oh listen...someone weeps! Someone calls out for god...but it is always the devil who answers."
As usual, McCammon does fantastic character work. He uses plot devices and narrative spins to consistently drop our hero, Corbett, in the meat grinder and there is significant change in store for him in this one. I'd even go so far as to say we see the most dramatic transformation we've seen to date, as his obsession to find the answer for every problem pushes him to his absolute limit. But apart from that, the author does a brilliant job on the supporting cast as he really fleshes them out and provides some absolutely chilling backstories.
And don't get me started on the writing. It's absolutely beautiful. Robert McCammon just keeps getting better and better, crafting sentences that draw you in and completely immerse you in his world. You're transported to 18th century London and it's so atmospheric and organic you'll feel like you're a part of the action. The action in this one being intense and toward the end relentless, as the various plots and sub plots are weaved together in fantastic fashion. The skill and craft on display is just on another level.
"Once a cat was out the bag, one could not get it back in without being clawed to pieces."
It's very much an emotional roller coaster for the characters and you. McCammon will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, while assaulting the pages like a wolverine to find out what happens next. I love it when an author can explore a full range of emotions and take you through that spectrum and this book certainly does that.
So I hope I've left you with the impression I enjoyed this book. Hopefully, I've went someway to convincing you to pick this series up and give it a try. Seriously, if I can get one person to give it a chance I'll be a happy man. Nothing but five stars! Matthew Corbett, a true leviathan in the world of historical fiction. Quite possibly the most entertaining experience you'll ever have.
Robert R McCammon, thank you!
May 28, 2016
Freedom of the Mask defies any pat descriptions. Yes, it's the 6th entry in Robert McCammon's historical fiction series, but it's also an action, adventure mystery as well.
London in 1703 is one filthy place. In addition to all of the nasty problems due to overcrowding, there are gangs competing against each other for territory, and a new type of addicting alcohol available that's turning many people into shadows of their former selves. Matthew Corbett finds himself there after an incident which occurred at sea, and then he finds himself locked up in the infamous Newgate Prison.
Berry Grigsby teams up with the indomitable Hudson Greathouse to find Matthew and bring him back home to the small city, (as compared to London), of New York. It is always great to "see" these two whenever they appear. Berry is the sweetest girl ever and Hudson is a formidable but great man, and a true friend.
That's all I can say about the plot other than that Freedom of the Mask took some very dark turns and there were a few scenes that were quite disturbing. When one has a mask on, they have the ability to do things in secret. Whether they be good or bad things the reader has to decide for themselves-but that's the freedom referred to in the title.
I'm always excited for a new McCammon book because they never let me down. This one was no exception: amnesia, battles at sea, swordfights, crazy carriage rides, and outrageously evil villains!. Freedom of the Mask is a lot of things, as I mentioned at the start of this review, but for me it was 100% pure FUN.
Highly recommended to fans of historical mysteries and action adventure tales!
You can buy your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Mask-Ro...
*I received a free e-ARC of this book via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. This is it. *
London in 1703 is one filthy place. In addition to all of the nasty problems due to overcrowding, there are gangs competing against each other for territory, and a new type of addicting alcohol available that's turning many people into shadows of their former selves. Matthew Corbett finds himself there after an incident which occurred at sea, and then he finds himself locked up in the infamous Newgate Prison.
Berry Grigsby teams up with the indomitable Hudson Greathouse to find Matthew and bring him back home to the small city, (as compared to London), of New York. It is always great to "see" these two whenever they appear. Berry is the sweetest girl ever and Hudson is a formidable but great man, and a true friend.
That's all I can say about the plot other than that Freedom of the Mask took some very dark turns and there were a few scenes that were quite disturbing. When one has a mask on, they have the ability to do things in secret. Whether they be good or bad things the reader has to decide for themselves-but that's the freedom referred to in the title.
I'm always excited for a new McCammon book because they never let me down. This one was no exception: amnesia, battles at sea, swordfights, crazy carriage rides, and outrageously evil villains!. Freedom of the Mask is a lot of things, as I mentioned at the start of this review, but for me it was 100% pure FUN.
Highly recommended to fans of historical mysteries and action adventure tales!
You can buy your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Mask-Ro...
*I received a free e-ARC of this book via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. This is it. *
December 8, 2021
[9/10]
The days were sufficiently horrible, but then came the nights! Oh, the joyous bliss of darkness! I can feel it even now! Listen! Hear them? Starting to stir? Starting to crawl from their mattresses and stalk the night fantastic? Hear them? The creak of a bedframe here – and one over there, as well! Oh, listen ... someone weeps! Someone calls out for God ... but it is always the Devil who answers.”
Robert McCammon launches another invitation to ‘stalk the night fantastic’ in the company of Matthew Corbett, his young detective / problem solver from the city of New York, around 1700. The novels in the series are written with the intention to be self-sufficient as stand-alone adventures combining intense action with historical detail and with horror overtones. I would still recommend reading them in order, better to enjoy the character arcs and the richness of the setting.
As an introduction to the move of the action from the New World to old and wicked Europe we follow two converging storylines: one in which a confused Matthew, suffering memory loss after being almost drowned in the previous episode, is taken by boat to England by one of his former adversaries.
His friends from the village of New York [pop. 5000 souls] grow worried by his unexplained absence. Hudson Greathouse and Berry Grigsby will start eventually in pursuit across the ocean, while in London the mysterious Professor Fell waits like a spider in the middle of his woven net for his prey to come into his house of terror.
“You have yet to realize where you are. London is not like New York. There we had a few robberies, a few altercations in taverns, a little strife between lovers or husband and wife, a murder now and again. Here, Matthew ... you have a merry town black as sin. If a gentleman can walk two blocks at night and not be robbed and killed, he might consider his life charmed.”
This might well be the final instalment in the series, since Matthew Corbett faces impossible odds in unfamiliar territory. He is crippled right from the moment he steps off the ship by literal shackles. He is arrested for murder at sea, something he can hardly deny as there were multiple witnesses present at his fight with Count Dhalgren [from book two].
“The time for witticisms is over and the time for wits beginning. If ever you used your good sense and careful thread, prepare to use them now.”
After talking his way out of a summary execution in port, Matthew is transported to London to be charged by a judge in Old Bailey and sent directly to Newgate, the most notorious prison in the city. Here, the horrors of the night begin in earnest, but they mark only the beginning of the times of trouble for our detective friend.
After a brief and intriguing celebrity cameo appearance by the writer Daniel Defoe, himself imprisoned in Newgate for political pamphlets, Matthew finds two directions for investigation, both related to the title of the novel and to the various masks people wear.
The first mystery is a news sheet that is read by everybody in London, including the prisoners inside Newgate, named ‘Lord Puffery’s Pin’, its cheap paper filled with libellous, scandalous stories that have little truth in them, but feed the public’s need for spicy, sensational gossip and for conspiracy theories. With titles like: “Great Ape Escapes From Zoo, Rampages Through House of Lords” the unknown authors abandon any claim to integrity and responsibility in order to increase circulation. The comparisons with our own yellow press and to the ‘post-truth’ political discourse are easy to make, but the relationship between the ‘Pin’ and Matthew’s plight are not so clear.
“A slippery slope, relinquishing the distinction between fact and fiction to a faceless Lord Puffery. Is there really such a person?”
“I have no idea. Does it matter?”
The second mask hides the identity of Albion, the cape-wearing masked avenger who puts his sword through the criminals who somehow tricked the British justice system. This Albion is an early incarnation of the comic-book superheroes that we are all know today, and he seems to have taken a special interest in Matthew Corbett.
A third reference to masks that comes into play later in the novel comes courtesy of Professor Fell and the inevitable confrontation between him and Matthew. Fell was already wearing a disguise in book four, but here he tries to create an alternative reality with some help from mind-altering chemicals.
Of course it was an illusion. This entire village was Professor’s Fell mask. It presented him as a kindly ruler interested in the well-being of his subjects, who had all done something to either perturb him or draw his curiosity. This neat and clean prison might be Fell’s idea of mercy, or his laboratory for further experiments on behalf of his enterprises.
>>><<<>>><<<
With the unsolicited help of Albion, Matthew escapes from Newgate only to find himself in the infamous neighbourhood of Whitechapel. Talk about jumping from the pot into the frying pan, or whatever the old saying is.
It seemed that the Whitechapel area was as full of taverns as a porcupine was full of quills, and the majority of them just as painfully nasty.
Whitechapel is the former playground of Professor Fell, where he controlled the local gangs through terror and through providing alcohol and other contraband. Matthew would like to fly under the radar of his old arch-enemy, but he gets caught in the never-ending battles for domination between rival gangs. He gets adopted by the Black-Eyed Broodies, more or less against his will, while his mind continues to be occupied by questions about Lord Puffery’s allegations and by the plans of Albion and Professor Fell.
“Tangled bag a’ snakes, huh?”
“All knotted up,” Matthew said.
I don’t want to spoil too many of these secrets that fester in the London underground, so I will just stop here with my synopsis, mentioning only that the episode is one of the better ones in the series, after one that was mostly a side-quest in a Louisiana swamp. There are dramatic and surprising developments in the main storyline involving professor Fell, most of them only partially resolved by the end of the present novel, making the reading of the next one a priority.
“Unfortunately, sometimes my sense and my curiosity go to war. Often my curiosity wins.”
One of the reasons I enjoy the lead character so much is the fact that he does not have an invulnerability armour, like so many action heroes: Matthew makes mistakes, he gets hurt quite often, and his solutions rely of wits more often than they do on luck or on violence. Violence does tend to follow Matthew around, threatening him and his friends with extraordinary circumstances that might stretch the fabric of belief from time to time, but make for a very engaging adventure-mystery.
“I am used to finding a way to solve problems. In the past I’ve been in complications in which I racked my brain almost to pieces, but I always did devise a solution. This time, I can’t find one.”
So colour me intrigued about how Matthew et Co. will manage to get out of deadly peril in the sequel!
The days were sufficiently horrible, but then came the nights! Oh, the joyous bliss of darkness! I can feel it even now! Listen! Hear them? Starting to stir? Starting to crawl from their mattresses and stalk the night fantastic? Hear them? The creak of a bedframe here – and one over there, as well! Oh, listen ... someone weeps! Someone calls out for God ... but it is always the Devil who answers.”
Robert McCammon launches another invitation to ‘stalk the night fantastic’ in the company of Matthew Corbett, his young detective / problem solver from the city of New York, around 1700. The novels in the series are written with the intention to be self-sufficient as stand-alone adventures combining intense action with historical detail and with horror overtones. I would still recommend reading them in order, better to enjoy the character arcs and the richness of the setting.
As an introduction to the move of the action from the New World to old and wicked Europe we follow two converging storylines: one in which a confused Matthew, suffering memory loss after being almost drowned in the previous episode, is taken by boat to England by one of his former adversaries.
His friends from the village of New York [pop. 5000 souls] grow worried by his unexplained absence. Hudson Greathouse and Berry Grigsby will start eventually in pursuit across the ocean, while in London the mysterious Professor Fell waits like a spider in the middle of his woven net for his prey to come into his house of terror.
“You have yet to realize where you are. London is not like New York. There we had a few robberies, a few altercations in taverns, a little strife between lovers or husband and wife, a murder now and again. Here, Matthew ... you have a merry town black as sin. If a gentleman can walk two blocks at night and not be robbed and killed, he might consider his life charmed.”
This might well be the final instalment in the series, since Matthew Corbett faces impossible odds in unfamiliar territory. He is crippled right from the moment he steps off the ship by literal shackles. He is arrested for murder at sea, something he can hardly deny as there were multiple witnesses present at his fight with Count Dhalgren [from book two].
“The time for witticisms is over and the time for wits beginning. If ever you used your good sense and careful thread, prepare to use them now.”
After talking his way out of a summary execution in port, Matthew is transported to London to be charged by a judge in Old Bailey and sent directly to Newgate, the most notorious prison in the city. Here, the horrors of the night begin in earnest, but they mark only the beginning of the times of trouble for our detective friend.
After a brief and intriguing celebrity cameo appearance by the writer Daniel Defoe, himself imprisoned in Newgate for political pamphlets, Matthew finds two directions for investigation, both related to the title of the novel and to the various masks people wear.
The first mystery is a news sheet that is read by everybody in London, including the prisoners inside Newgate, named ‘Lord Puffery’s Pin’, its cheap paper filled with libellous, scandalous stories that have little truth in them, but feed the public’s need for spicy, sensational gossip and for conspiracy theories. With titles like: “Great Ape Escapes From Zoo, Rampages Through House of Lords” the unknown authors abandon any claim to integrity and responsibility in order to increase circulation. The comparisons with our own yellow press and to the ‘post-truth’ political discourse are easy to make, but the relationship between the ‘Pin’ and Matthew’s plight are not so clear.
“A slippery slope, relinquishing the distinction between fact and fiction to a faceless Lord Puffery. Is there really such a person?”
“I have no idea. Does it matter?”
The second mask hides the identity of Albion, the cape-wearing masked avenger who puts his sword through the criminals who somehow tricked the British justice system. This Albion is an early incarnation of the comic-book superheroes that we are all know today, and he seems to have taken a special interest in Matthew Corbett.
A third reference to masks that comes into play later in the novel comes courtesy of Professor Fell and the inevitable confrontation between him and Matthew. Fell was already wearing a disguise in book four, but here he tries to create an alternative reality with some help from mind-altering chemicals.
Of course it was an illusion. This entire village was Professor’s Fell mask. It presented him as a kindly ruler interested in the well-being of his subjects, who had all done something to either perturb him or draw his curiosity. This neat and clean prison might be Fell’s idea of mercy, or his laboratory for further experiments on behalf of his enterprises.
>>><<<>>><<<
With the unsolicited help of Albion, Matthew escapes from Newgate only to find himself in the infamous neighbourhood of Whitechapel. Talk about jumping from the pot into the frying pan, or whatever the old saying is.
It seemed that the Whitechapel area was as full of taverns as a porcupine was full of quills, and the majority of them just as painfully nasty.
Whitechapel is the former playground of Professor Fell, where he controlled the local gangs through terror and through providing alcohol and other contraband. Matthew would like to fly under the radar of his old arch-enemy, but he gets caught in the never-ending battles for domination between rival gangs. He gets adopted by the Black-Eyed Broodies, more or less against his will, while his mind continues to be occupied by questions about Lord Puffery’s allegations and by the plans of Albion and Professor Fell.
“Tangled bag a’ snakes, huh?”
“All knotted up,” Matthew said.
I don’t want to spoil too many of these secrets that fester in the London underground, so I will just stop here with my synopsis, mentioning only that the episode is one of the better ones in the series, after one that was mostly a side-quest in a Louisiana swamp. There are dramatic and surprising developments in the main storyline involving professor Fell, most of them only partially resolved by the end of the present novel, making the reading of the next one a priority.
“Unfortunately, sometimes my sense and my curiosity go to war. Often my curiosity wins.”
One of the reasons I enjoy the lead character so much is the fact that he does not have an invulnerability armour, like so many action heroes: Matthew makes mistakes, he gets hurt quite often, and his solutions rely of wits more often than they do on luck or on violence. Violence does tend to follow Matthew around, threatening him and his friends with extraordinary circumstances that might stretch the fabric of belief from time to time, but make for a very engaging adventure-mystery.
“I am used to finding a way to solve problems. In the past I’ve been in complications in which I racked my brain almost to pieces, but I always did devise a solution. This time, I can’t find one.”
So colour me intrigued about how Matthew et Co. will manage to get out of deadly peril in the sequel!
September 7, 2016
If you like Assassin's Creed and Alexandre Dumas, you will probably like this book.
First off, don't write it off due the "#6" up there in the title! I have not read any of the other books in the series, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the story in any way. There was no tedious infodump concerning past events, the characters were all introduced smoothly, and backstory came in at just the right rate. This actually really impressed me: it's something that many authors of long series are really bad at. They should look to McCammon for tips on how it's done!
The story? Is action-packed historical adventure. Honestly, it's far-fetched and totally absurd. Calling it clichéd would admittedly be a criticism with some merit to it. Fans would probably be more likely to say that it packs in the elements that they're looking for.
Set in the early 18th century, Matthew Corbett is a young and handsome investigator. Unfortunately, at this juncture in time, he has lost his memory - and disappeared. His friend, Hudson Greathouse, becomes concerned, and goes abroad in search of him, accompanied by his love interest, the feisty Berry.
The reader is soon aware that Matthew has fallen afoul of the Bond-villain-esque mad scientist Professor Fell. Will Berry and Greathouse be able to track him down and rescue him in time? Both of the parties end up sucked into the criminal morass of London's underworld, a milieu full of drugs, gangs, conspiracies, and brutal murders. Matthew may not be the only one who needs rescuing! Eventually everything will culminate in a showdown at a creepy village reminiscent of 'The Prisoner.'
Good fun.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
First off, don't write it off due the "#6" up there in the title! I have not read any of the other books in the series, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the story in any way. There was no tedious infodump concerning past events, the characters were all introduced smoothly, and backstory came in at just the right rate. This actually really impressed me: it's something that many authors of long series are really bad at. They should look to McCammon for tips on how it's done!
The story? Is action-packed historical adventure. Honestly, it's far-fetched and totally absurd. Calling it clichéd would admittedly be a criticism with some merit to it. Fans would probably be more likely to say that it packs in the elements that they're looking for.
Set in the early 18th century, Matthew Corbett is a young and handsome investigator. Unfortunately, at this juncture in time, he has lost his memory - and disappeared. His friend, Hudson Greathouse, becomes concerned, and goes abroad in search of him, accompanied by his love interest, the feisty Berry.
The reader is soon aware that Matthew has fallen afoul of the Bond-villain-esque mad scientist Professor Fell. Will Berry and Greathouse be able to track him down and rescue him in time? Both of the parties end up sucked into the criminal morass of London's underworld, a milieu full of drugs, gangs, conspiracies, and brutal murders. Matthew may not be the only one who needs rescuing! Eventually everything will culminate in a showdown at a creepy village reminiscent of 'The Prisoner.'
Good fun.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own.
July 11, 2020
It was so good to get back to the Matthew Corbett series, one of my all-time favorites and this book was another really good one.
Matthew’s friends go look for him after his last adventure in Charleston, it seems he is taken overseas, to England. London in 1703 is a dark and dangerous place with all manner of criminal activities going on. This story will take you to some very dark places, and they are described so well it may scare the hell out of you.
Matthew Corbett really does have a knack for getting himself into really sticky situations where he needs both his wits and his bravery to get himself out. He is like a cat with nine lives, "watch them close shaves Matthew, sooner or later you get cut".
There is so much happening in this one, Matthew goes from one hairy situation to the next, and the plot is so well crafted. Nefarious plans are laid bare, evil must be resisted, what will become of Matthew and his friends and who could be this mysterious character called Albion?
McCammon has a beautiful writing style, the supporting characters are great as always and there are many sharp conversations, about the nature of evil among other things. This series always keeps you guessing what comes next.
For those who have not yet tried the Matthew Corbett series, it is a mix of historical fiction, adventure, mystery and even a bit of horror, if you like any of that I highly recommend that you give this series a shot, starting with part 1, “Speaks the Nightbird”.
I can’t wait to start reading part 7 in the series "Cardinal Black", there are questions that need answering, and there are new adventures to be had, this series is so good!
Matthew’s friends go look for him after his last adventure in Charleston, it seems he is taken overseas, to England. London in 1703 is a dark and dangerous place with all manner of criminal activities going on. This story will take you to some very dark places, and they are described so well it may scare the hell out of you.
Matthew Corbett really does have a knack for getting himself into really sticky situations where he needs both his wits and his bravery to get himself out. He is like a cat with nine lives, "watch them close shaves Matthew, sooner or later you get cut".
There is so much happening in this one, Matthew goes from one hairy situation to the next, and the plot is so well crafted. Nefarious plans are laid bare, evil must be resisted, what will become of Matthew and his friends and who could be this mysterious character called Albion?
McCammon has a beautiful writing style, the supporting characters are great as always and there are many sharp conversations, about the nature of evil among other things. This series always keeps you guessing what comes next.
For those who have not yet tried the Matthew Corbett series, it is a mix of historical fiction, adventure, mystery and even a bit of horror, if you like any of that I highly recommend that you give this series a shot, starting with part 1, “Speaks the Nightbird”.
I can’t wait to start reading part 7 in the series "Cardinal Black", there are questions that need answering, and there are new adventures to be had, this series is so good!
November 30, 2019
I enjoyed this even more on a reread and upped the stars from 4 to 5. I loved reading about Matthew in London and all the trouble he gets into (the man is a complete chaos magnet!)
September 25, 2018
Freedom of the Mask is the sixth book in the Matthew Corbett series. It’s a historical fiction series with a serious flair for intrigue and adventure. Since book two the long arc of the story has involved Professor Fell, a godfather of extreme notoriety in the criminal underworld whose many-armed reach stretches into all sorts of criminal activity. If there is a vice in existence somewhere, Professor Fell probably has a hand in it somehow. Each book has grown Professor Fell’s influence over Matthew’s life. For his part, Matthew has been well aware of this tightening noose and the realization of this danger to him and anyone around him is what led him to intentionally burn his bridge to romantic happiness with Berry Grigsby in book four. That, in turn, led him straight into his misadventure in the swamps of North Carolina in the last book which, of course, landed Matthew aboard a ship on its way to London (and potentially Professor Fell’s lap) … which is exactly where we find him at the start of this installment.
Whereas the last book felt like a segue, not touching at all on the long arc until the cliffhanger-ish ending, this book drops Matthew straight into the thick of things. I have to say, and this may sound a bit mean, but I rather like Matthew a lot better now that life has beat up on him a little. His traumas have tempered him, made him wiser and more mature than his 24 years, and far less self-righteous. London will present its own challenges for Matthew and he doesn’t have an easy time of it but he encounters some interesting people along the way. It’s a frustrating time for Matthew because at no time is he ever really in control of his own fate. Other forces and circumstances keep propelling him in directions he doesn’t want to go so, like a leaf in a river, he drifts in a current not of his own making.
In the meantime, we have Hudson Greathouse and Berry Grigsby who have realized that Matthew is MIA – never having returned to New York after what should have been an easy, one-night’s worth of work in North Carolina – and have set out in search of him. I was pleased to get some POV time with both Greathouse and Berry and wish that we could get more of the both of them in these books as I feel that they both round out Matthew’s character nicely.
The latter third of the book really ups the stakes for our characters and sets a deadline past which salvation for one will become impossible. Professor Fell has once again shown the evil and ruthlessness of which he’s capable but, with the fate of one he loves hanging in the balance, Matthew may find that a deal with the devil may be the only way out. This still isn’t a perfect series. This book once again had a couple of the villainous characters spill personal information to Matthew for no believable reason. But at least Matthew didn’t find himself being the victim of drugged or otherwise non-consensual sex in this one so that’s a plus! Hopefully there won't be any more of that nonsense moving forward.
This book was published back in 2016 so there’s been quite a gap between it and the seventh book which, according to the author’s recent announcement, is due to be published in early 2019 by Cemetary Dance Books. I’m glad I’m just now reading this book so my wait won’t be too long. I’ve been listening to the audiobooks for this series so I’ll be waiting for #7 on that format. The narrator does an excellent job differentiating all the voices and manages not to make the female voices sound silly.
Whereas the last book felt like a segue, not touching at all on the long arc until the cliffhanger-ish ending, this book drops Matthew straight into the thick of things. I have to say, and this may sound a bit mean, but I rather like Matthew a lot better now that life has beat up on him a little. His traumas have tempered him, made him wiser and more mature than his 24 years, and far less self-righteous. London will present its own challenges for Matthew and he doesn’t have an easy time of it but he encounters some interesting people along the way. It’s a frustrating time for Matthew because at no time is he ever really in control of his own fate. Other forces and circumstances keep propelling him in directions he doesn’t want to go so, like a leaf in a river, he drifts in a current not of his own making.
In the meantime, we have Hudson Greathouse and Berry Grigsby who have realized that Matthew is MIA – never having returned to New York after what should have been an easy, one-night’s worth of work in North Carolina – and have set out in search of him. I was pleased to get some POV time with both Greathouse and Berry and wish that we could get more of the both of them in these books as I feel that they both round out Matthew’s character nicely.
The latter third of the book really ups the stakes for our characters and sets a deadline past which salvation for one will become impossible. Professor Fell has once again shown the evil and ruthlessness of which he’s capable but, with the fate of one he loves hanging in the balance, Matthew may find that a deal with the devil may be the only way out. This still isn’t a perfect series. This book once again had a couple of the villainous characters spill personal information to Matthew for no believable reason. But at least Matthew didn’t find himself being the victim of drugged or otherwise non-consensual sex in this one so that’s a plus! Hopefully there won't be any more of that nonsense moving forward.
This book was published back in 2016 so there’s been quite a gap between it and the seventh book which, according to the author’s recent announcement, is due to be published in early 2019 by Cemetary Dance Books. I’m glad I’m just now reading this book so my wait won’t be too long. I’ve been listening to the audiobooks for this series so I’ll be waiting for #7 on that format. The narrator does an excellent job differentiating all the voices and manages not to make the female voices sound silly.
May 28, 2023
Sehr düster und brutal erleben wir das historische London inmitten von Bandenkriegen und einem maskierten Rächer - wieder ein sehr spannender Band aus der Reihe um Matthew Corbett!
Ich bin wieder absolut begeistert von diesem neuen Band! Die Reihe um Matthew Corbett ist wirklich was ganz außergewöhnliches, weil jeder Teil vom Stil her zwar gleich ist, aber dennoch eine besondere Eigenart hat. Wenn man dem Protagonisten von Anfang an begleitet, dann erlebt man einen spannenden Weg voller Abenteuer, interessanten Fällen, für die Matthew als Problemlöser zur Aufklärung führen soll, aber auch grausame Machenschaften von Menschen, die nach Macht und Geld streben.
Oder ihre verrückten Visionen ausleben wollen.
In diesem Band verschlägt es uns nach London im Jahr 1703.
London ist zu dieser Zeit schon eine große Metropole mit 600.000 Einwohnern. Im Gegensatz zu New York in den Kolonien, das gerade mal um die 6000 Einwohner zählt. Kann mich sich heute gar nicht mehr vorstellen!
Jedenfalls zeigt uns der Autor hier die grausame Seite im Viertel Whitechapel. Sicher vielen bekannt durch die bestialischen Morde von Jack the Ripper aus dem Jahr 1888.
Nach einer sehr aufwühlenden Seereise verschlägt es Matthew an die Küste von England und findet sich bald im schlimmsten Gefängnis wider, dass es zu dieser Zeit gibt.
Wir lernen hier wirklich die schlimmsten Erfahrungen, Konsequenzen und Auswirkungen kennen, die der "Bodensatz der Londoner" Gesellschaft hervorgebracht hat! Ein grausames Leben, das die Kinder hier durchmachen mussten, ohne Chance irgendwie aus diesem Milieu ausbrechen zu können.
Wenn man zu lange an ein und demselben Ort bleibt, denkt man, das ist die Welt. Dann vergisst man, dass es da draußen noch viel mehr gibt.
Zitat Seite 490
Diese durchgedrehten Gestalten lernt Matthew unfreiwillig kennen - und doch sind immer wieder welche dabei, die sich in all dem Dreck und der Gewalt ein gutes Herz bewahrt haben.
Hier fiel mir wieder eine Bemerkung von Hudson Greathouse auf, der sich auf die Suche nach Matthew begeben hat: alles zu hinterfragen! Denn so oft ist nichts so, wie es scheint und jeder Mensch hat eine Maske auf, hinter der er sein wahres Ich verbirgt.
Jede angebliche Wahrheit kann ganz anders aussehen, wenn man sie von zwei Seiten hört und viele der Figuren in diesem Band überleben nur mit dieser Illusion und Täuschung, weil sie ihr Leben anders gar nicht aushalten würden.
Ein sehr trauriges und erschreckendes Bild und die Verbindung mit den Masken fand ich total klasse und originell umgesetzt. Leider wirkt es durch den deutschen Titel etwas "falsch", da sagt der englische Originaltitel schon viel besser aus, um was es hier geht: Freedom of the Mask
Wir haben auch einen maskierten Rächer, dessen Hintergründe nur langsam ans Licht kommen.
Auch Professor Fell ist wieder mit von der Partie, und wir stoßen auf alte Bekannte aus den Vorbänden und Zusammenhänge, die sich nur erschließen, wenn man die ganze Reihe kennt.
Ich hab ja leider mal wieder viel zu viel vergessen. Den ersten Band hab ich vor 5 Jahren gelesen und den Vorband hier vor knapp 2 Jahren. Echt schade, wenn ich da manche Details gar nicht erkenne oder nicht weiß, wie die Verbindungen sind zu den Hinweisen, die hier immer wieder auftauchen. Ich denke, wenn die Reihe mal komplett ist, lese ich sie nochmal von vorne :)
Man darf sich jedenfalls auf einige überraschende Wendungen gefasst machen, einem sehr einnehmenden Schreibstil mit viel Liebe fürs Detail und einer intensiven Atmosphäre, die einen von Anfang bis Ende packt! Es wird sehr gewalttätig dieses Mal und manches Schicksal ist wirklich erschütternd.
Interessant fand ich auch die "Droge", die hier in Umlauf kommt und die als "Weißer Samt" gehandelt wird. Eigentlich nur ein alkoholisches Getränk, das aber noch viel verheerendere Auswirkungen hat! Vor allem spannend in Zusammenhang mit dem Zitat
"Manipulation. Eines Tages wird es Wirtschaftszweige geben - und sogar Regierungen -, die den Wert davon begreifen."
Seite 636
Suchtpotenzial steckt ja mittlerweile in so vielen Dingen - nicht mehr nur in Alkohol und Zigaretten. Jeglicher Konsum grade was auch das Kaufverhalten betrifft, die Spiele oder der Handygebraucht ... das ist schon sehr bezeichnend.
Matthews Lage wird jedenfalls immer schlimmer und auswegloser, so dass an eine Lösung all der Probleme kaum noch zu denken ist. Aber die Hoffnung wird nicht aufgegeben und ich fiebere jetzt sehr dem nächsten Band entgegen, dessen Weichen auf ein nächstes gefährliches Abenteuer gestellt ist!
Weltenwanderer
Ich bin wieder absolut begeistert von diesem neuen Band! Die Reihe um Matthew Corbett ist wirklich was ganz außergewöhnliches, weil jeder Teil vom Stil her zwar gleich ist, aber dennoch eine besondere Eigenart hat. Wenn man dem Protagonisten von Anfang an begleitet, dann erlebt man einen spannenden Weg voller Abenteuer, interessanten Fällen, für die Matthew als Problemlöser zur Aufklärung führen soll, aber auch grausame Machenschaften von Menschen, die nach Macht und Geld streben.
Oder ihre verrückten Visionen ausleben wollen.
In diesem Band verschlägt es uns nach London im Jahr 1703.
London ist zu dieser Zeit schon eine große Metropole mit 600.000 Einwohnern. Im Gegensatz zu New York in den Kolonien, das gerade mal um die 6000 Einwohner zählt. Kann mich sich heute gar nicht mehr vorstellen!
Jedenfalls zeigt uns der Autor hier die grausame Seite im Viertel Whitechapel. Sicher vielen bekannt durch die bestialischen Morde von Jack the Ripper aus dem Jahr 1888.
Nach einer sehr aufwühlenden Seereise verschlägt es Matthew an die Küste von England und findet sich bald im schlimmsten Gefängnis wider, dass es zu dieser Zeit gibt.
Wir lernen hier wirklich die schlimmsten Erfahrungen, Konsequenzen und Auswirkungen kennen, die der "Bodensatz der Londoner" Gesellschaft hervorgebracht hat! Ein grausames Leben, das die Kinder hier durchmachen mussten, ohne Chance irgendwie aus diesem Milieu ausbrechen zu können.
Wenn man zu lange an ein und demselben Ort bleibt, denkt man, das ist die Welt. Dann vergisst man, dass es da draußen noch viel mehr gibt.
Zitat Seite 490
Diese durchgedrehten Gestalten lernt Matthew unfreiwillig kennen - und doch sind immer wieder welche dabei, die sich in all dem Dreck und der Gewalt ein gutes Herz bewahrt haben.
Hier fiel mir wieder eine Bemerkung von Hudson Greathouse auf, der sich auf die Suche nach Matthew begeben hat: alles zu hinterfragen! Denn so oft ist nichts so, wie es scheint und jeder Mensch hat eine Maske auf, hinter der er sein wahres Ich verbirgt.
Jede angebliche Wahrheit kann ganz anders aussehen, wenn man sie von zwei Seiten hört und viele der Figuren in diesem Band überleben nur mit dieser Illusion und Täuschung, weil sie ihr Leben anders gar nicht aushalten würden.
Ein sehr trauriges und erschreckendes Bild und die Verbindung mit den Masken fand ich total klasse und originell umgesetzt. Leider wirkt es durch den deutschen Titel etwas "falsch", da sagt der englische Originaltitel schon viel besser aus, um was es hier geht: Freedom of the Mask
Wir haben auch einen maskierten Rächer, dessen Hintergründe nur langsam ans Licht kommen.
Auch Professor Fell ist wieder mit von der Partie, und wir stoßen auf alte Bekannte aus den Vorbänden und Zusammenhänge, die sich nur erschließen, wenn man die ganze Reihe kennt.
Ich hab ja leider mal wieder viel zu viel vergessen. Den ersten Band hab ich vor 5 Jahren gelesen und den Vorband hier vor knapp 2 Jahren. Echt schade, wenn ich da manche Details gar nicht erkenne oder nicht weiß, wie die Verbindungen sind zu den Hinweisen, die hier immer wieder auftauchen. Ich denke, wenn die Reihe mal komplett ist, lese ich sie nochmal von vorne :)
Man darf sich jedenfalls auf einige überraschende Wendungen gefasst machen, einem sehr einnehmenden Schreibstil mit viel Liebe fürs Detail und einer intensiven Atmosphäre, die einen von Anfang bis Ende packt! Es wird sehr gewalttätig dieses Mal und manches Schicksal ist wirklich erschütternd.
Interessant fand ich auch die "Droge", die hier in Umlauf kommt und die als "Weißer Samt" gehandelt wird. Eigentlich nur ein alkoholisches Getränk, das aber noch viel verheerendere Auswirkungen hat! Vor allem spannend in Zusammenhang mit dem Zitat
"Manipulation. Eines Tages wird es Wirtschaftszweige geben - und sogar Regierungen -, die den Wert davon begreifen."
Seite 636
Suchtpotenzial steckt ja mittlerweile in so vielen Dingen - nicht mehr nur in Alkohol und Zigaretten. Jeglicher Konsum grade was auch das Kaufverhalten betrifft, die Spiele oder der Handygebraucht ... das ist schon sehr bezeichnend.
Matthews Lage wird jedenfalls immer schlimmer und auswegloser, so dass an eine Lösung all der Probleme kaum noch zu denken ist. Aber die Hoffnung wird nicht aufgegeben und ich fiebere jetzt sehr dem nächsten Band entgegen, dessen Weichen auf ein nächstes gefährliches Abenteuer gestellt ist!
Weltenwanderer
February 1, 2019
Well, that's a wrap! Another great episode of Matthew Corbett and his odyssey with the Herrald Agency. Next up Cardinal Black, which will came out soon!
May 4, 2024
“Freedom of the Mask” is best book in the series.
Corbett finds himself in the worst parts of London and gets captured or imprisoned at least five times.
This is by far the most brutal of the Corbett novels. We’ve seen terrible things before involving cannibalism, murder, and Mister Slaughter in general, but the action here eclipses everything so far.
I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this series at first. I wasn’t completely in love with the second book and I didn’t even like Matthew Corbett at that point. He grew on me, his character grew, the series took off after book three, and with “Freedom of the Mask” it’s turned into a modern masterpiece.
Corbett finds himself in the worst parts of London and gets captured or imprisoned at least five times.
This is by far the most brutal of the Corbett novels. We’ve seen terrible things before involving cannibalism, murder, and Mister Slaughter in general, but the action here eclipses everything so far.
I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this series at first. I wasn’t completely in love with the second book and I didn’t even like Matthew Corbett at that point. He grew on me, his character grew, the series took off after book three, and with “Freedom of the Mask” it’s turned into a modern masterpiece.
December 19, 2021
Can I give a book 6 stars?
Freedom of the Mask is amazing. Brutal, tragic, exciting, and unrelenting. Matthew Corbett attracts problems and in Freedom of The Mask, he has to deal with more than ever. With his formidable adversary Professor Fell who's angry at Matthew for destroying his island. With a stay in a hellish jail. With a new and terrifying adversary.
I'm starting the seventh book right now and I'm not sure what am I supposed to do with myself once I finish it? Sit, wait, and hope the eighth one comes as soon as possible.
Freedom of the Mask is amazing. Brutal, tragic, exciting, and unrelenting. Matthew Corbett attracts problems and in Freedom of The Mask, he has to deal with more than ever. With his formidable adversary Professor Fell who's angry at Matthew for destroying his island. With a stay in a hellish jail. With a new and terrifying adversary.
I'm starting the seventh book right now and I'm not sure what am I supposed to do with myself once I finish it? Sit, wait, and hope the eighth one comes as soon as possible.
March 20, 2017
4.5 stars - great story, but unfinished... I thought this was the last one, not just the last one he's written. My own damn fault for not looking into that. Oh well, I count myself lucky to know more Matthew Corbett will be on its way...
Series Highly recommended.
Series Highly recommended.
February 18, 2023
4.5/5 stars
June 29, 2016
This is such an enjoyable series. Please, please start at the beginning, you will not be disappointed.
As I've observed in other comments, I'm not a good judge as to how accurate the history is in these stories, but they certainly create the atmosphere of a pre digital, agrarian society. New York has about 5,000 population and is the largest city on the continent. But London, oh my what a contrast at this stage in history. London is the stuff of nightmares if you are poor and without resources (which is most of the population).
The characters continue to engage and delight as they mature through multi novel plots. While the last one was a big cliffhanger this one also, but not as big. It definitely leaves us us hoping for the next story very soon.
Professor Fell is back and just as evil as ever.
Matthew, loves justice and has an insatiable coriosity.
Greathouse a true friend and mentor.
Berry, strong and as beautiful as ever.
They are all back and continuing to live life to the fullest in 1703 New York City (with a trip to London).
As I've observed in other comments, I'm not a good judge as to how accurate the history is in these stories, but they certainly create the atmosphere of a pre digital, agrarian society. New York has about 5,000 population and is the largest city on the continent. But London, oh my what a contrast at this stage in history. London is the stuff of nightmares if you are poor and without resources (which is most of the population).
The characters continue to engage and delight as they mature through multi novel plots. While the last one was a big cliffhanger this one also, but not as big. It definitely leaves us us hoping for the next story very soon.
Professor Fell is back and just as evil as ever.
Matthew, loves justice and has an insatiable coriosity.
Greathouse a true friend and mentor.
Berry, strong and as beautiful as ever.
They are all back and continuing to live life to the fullest in 1703 New York City (with a trip to London).
November 29, 2019
This was fantastic. The last two books were not quite as good for me but this was a return to the level of the first 3. This series is just so good and I can’t wait to see how Matthew gets on in Cardinal Black.
June 11, 2016
I love this series, and this one may be the best of all. Highly recommended.
October 26, 2022
Another rousing adventure in 1700s London. McCammon truly brings the time period to life. Matthew Corbett is an old school James Bond.
August 29, 2024
88/100
Bobby Mac does it again. This book bangs from start to finish. Tim Powers needs to take some notes--THIS is how you do 1700s/1800s London, not whatever the hell he was doing in Anubis Gates. I can't say much because spoilers, but I will say the end was absolute heat and perfectly sets up the next book, and also introduces perhaps some occult elements (or at least, our characters think it's supernatural) in the exploration of some Satanic stuff, which should be really cool in the subsequent books.
Bobby Mac does it again. This book bangs from start to finish. Tim Powers needs to take some notes--THIS is how you do 1700s/1800s London, not whatever the hell he was doing in Anubis Gates. I can't say much because spoilers, but I will say the end was absolute heat and perfectly sets up the next book, and also introduces perhaps some occult elements (or at least, our characters think it's supernatural) in the exploration of some Satanic stuff, which should be really cool in the subsequent books.
April 15, 2016
Robert McCammon's Matthew Corbett series has had an interesting progression thus far. What started as a historical mystery series as developed in an adventurer/swashbuckling direction that I have really enjoyed. Freedom of the Mask continues on this path, introducing some outlandish and cliche elements that easily could have failed, but are handled in such a way that they are charming. The biggest example of this is Matthew's amnesia at the beginning of the novel (this isn't much of a spoiler, it is revealed in the first couple of chapters). Someone getting knocked on the head and forgetting their identity puts one in mind of bad 1970s television, but in this case I really enjoyed the "throwback" aspect of it, and none of these tricks get in the way of the characters that we have grown to love over the previous five volumes. Matthew's adventures go in unexpected directions in Freedom of the Mask and I don't want to spoil any of them; suffice it to say that those who have enjoyed Mister Slaughter and The Providence Rider will not be disappointed with the latest installment.
I would have rated this a full five stars, but I cannot forgive the ending. While I expect there to be some loose threads that will be picked up again in the future, I don't like being left on a cliffhanger and waiting years to see what happens next. Another few chapters could have ended the book on a more satisfying note while still leaving room for the rest of the story to continue. Instead, the reader is left hanging.
Despite the bad taste at the end, I highly recommend this book (and this series) to any fans of historical novels, mysteries, and/or high adventure. 4 stars (should have been 5).
I would have rated this a full five stars, but I cannot forgive the ending. While I expect there to be some loose threads that will be picked up again in the future, I don't like being left on a cliffhanger and waiting years to see what happens next. Another few chapters could have ended the book on a more satisfying note while still leaving room for the rest of the story to continue. Instead, the reader is left hanging.
Despite the bad taste at the end, I highly recommend this book (and this series) to any fans of historical novels, mysteries, and/or high adventure. 4 stars (should have been 5).
May 28, 2024
"I hardly ever believe anything I'm told until I see it with my own eyes."
"His face was a mask, showing no emotion. It was all locked within, and perhaps that was a freedom of the mask... the ability to show the world a false face, while holding all the torment deep inside, to show the world in essence a false person, a construct of circumstance."
"But I think... if a man can be known for a little while... if he can be recognized for having given to his earthly kin something that provided joy, or thought, or comfort when it was needed... then his life was worthwhile."
"Too much thinkin'... it kills life."
-Robert R. McCammon
"His face was a mask, showing no emotion. It was all locked within, and perhaps that was a freedom of the mask... the ability to show the world a false face, while holding all the torment deep inside, to show the world in essence a false person, a construct of circumstance."
"But I think... if a man can be known for a little while... if he can be recognized for having given to his earthly kin something that provided joy, or thought, or comfort when it was needed... then his life was worthwhile."
"Too much thinkin'... it kills life."
-Robert R. McCammon
September 14, 2022
This author makes you feel like you are right there, in that time
and place. His writing is almost poetic, even when describing the horrific events. You start the book and boy, you just can't put it down. McCammon is a master wordsmith!
and place. His writing is almost poetic, even when describing the horrific events. You start the book and boy, you just can't put it down. McCammon is a master wordsmith!
March 2, 2018
Finally, Matthew Corbett is back!
After the last two good but not great entries in the series, Matthew is back in business. Per the Corbett usual, he finds himself in all kinds of trouble and his friends in grave peril. Yep. Matthew’s back.
Can’t wait for the next installment.
After the last two good but not great entries in the series, Matthew is back in business. Per the Corbett usual, he finds himself in all kinds of trouble and his friends in grave peril. Yep. Matthew’s back.
Can’t wait for the next installment.
February 10, 2016
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
The Freedom of the Mask is the sixth in Robert McCammon’s “Matthew Corbett” series; the series follows an eighteenth century law-clerk-turned-private-investigator, as he attempts to solve various unpalatable ‘problems’ as part of a nascent investigative agency. Along the way he runs into hypnotists, witches, alligators, and the occasional criminal mastermind.
By this sixth book, Matthew Corbett has had a tough run of luck. Barely surviving a battle in a swamp, and suffering a traumatic head injury, he begins the text being transported, all unknowing, to Professor Fell – a transcontinental underworld kingpin, who would no doubt like to cause Corbett a degree of agony. At the same time, his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, and his on-again-off-again love interest, Berry Grigsby, set out in search of the missing investigator. Given that this is McCammon, it’s probably no surprise that things do not go entirely to plan, for any party.
This is the first book of the series to take place outside of the United States – indeed, the larger portion of the text occurs in London and surrounding environs. McCammon pulls out all the stops here; his London is a grotesquery, an urban hellscape, populated with gin-soaked gangsters and child-madams, murderers, thieves, and uncaring gentry, all appearing and disappearing in a thick blanket of yellow fog. It’s a den of vice and iniquity, and McCammon manages to paint it as such, unapologetically, but lyrically, and with an eye to reinforcing a growing sense of unease, repulsion and simmering horror in the reader. His London is unpleasantly, oozingly alive, coming off the page and into the mind like a brooding stain.
There’s other environs of course. At one point we visit a charming little village in Wales, which gets the full treatment of bucolic splendour. It’s also got a wonderful atmosphere of insidious awfulness, which McCammon evokes masterfully. His world building is vivid and deeply disturbing stuff, and a pleasure to read – albeit a worrying one.
From a character standpoint, we spend most of our time riding along with Matthew again. There are some chapters with Hudson Greathouse as the point-of-view, which act as a nice contrast. McCammon shows that he can spin out a very different voice to that of Matthew Corbett, when given the chance – Greathouse is stubborn, cautious, pragmatic and in some instances highly dangerous. His approach to obstacles, which may or may not involve throwing a table at them, is a joy. Greathouse, the older of the investigators, has a stability of character which it’s great to see more of – and acts as a foil to the rather more mercurial Corbett. Corbett, though, continues to be hardened by his experiences. He’s grown something of a thicker skin, and whilst there’s still an iron core of morality floating at his centre, he’s also prepared to be a little more flexible in his company. Imagining the young law clerk of five books previously associating with gangster and killers is unthinkable – but Corbett slips into London’s underworld, and if he doesn’t cause a ripple, he’s certainly not being used as bait. This slow move of Matthew into a greyer moral existence is intriguing to watch, and credit to the author for making it seem eminently plausible. Matthew’s head is always great fun to inhabit, even when he’s being insufferable – and he’s less so than usual here, feeling more the focused man of action than the fop.
There’s also time spent on Matthew’s relationship with Berry, and we get further insight into the character of that arch-rogue, Professor Fell; in both cases, I won’t approach closely, but will say that their decisions are intriguing, and the depths of character revealed by those actions are equally fascinating.
Plot-wise – well, again, I’ll avoid spoilers. But there’s a lot going on here. By the end of the book, I was turning pages what felt like three at a time to find out what would happen next, and what was happening felt like a solid punch in the gut. There’s a slow burn at the start of the narrative, but McCammon builds the tension out expertly, and each moment of revelation or catharsis is made all the more explosive thereby. There’s more gothic horror and dread crawling around on these pages with each instalment, and this is no exception – it’s terrifying, horrifying, and a great read.
The Freedom of the Mask is the sixth in Robert McCammon’s “Matthew Corbett” series; the series follows an eighteenth century law-clerk-turned-private-investigator, as he attempts to solve various unpalatable ‘problems’ as part of a nascent investigative agency. Along the way he runs into hypnotists, witches, alligators, and the occasional criminal mastermind.
By this sixth book, Matthew Corbett has had a tough run of luck. Barely surviving a battle in a swamp, and suffering a traumatic head injury, he begins the text being transported, all unknowing, to Professor Fell – a transcontinental underworld kingpin, who would no doubt like to cause Corbett a degree of agony. At the same time, his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, and his on-again-off-again love interest, Berry Grigsby, set out in search of the missing investigator. Given that this is McCammon, it’s probably no surprise that things do not go entirely to plan, for any party.
This is the first book of the series to take place outside of the United States – indeed, the larger portion of the text occurs in London and surrounding environs. McCammon pulls out all the stops here; his London is a grotesquery, an urban hellscape, populated with gin-soaked gangsters and child-madams, murderers, thieves, and uncaring gentry, all appearing and disappearing in a thick blanket of yellow fog. It’s a den of vice and iniquity, and McCammon manages to paint it as such, unapologetically, but lyrically, and with an eye to reinforcing a growing sense of unease, repulsion and simmering horror in the reader. His London is unpleasantly, oozingly alive, coming off the page and into the mind like a brooding stain.
There’s other environs of course. At one point we visit a charming little village in Wales, which gets the full treatment of bucolic splendour. It’s also got a wonderful atmosphere of insidious awfulness, which McCammon evokes masterfully. His world building is vivid and deeply disturbing stuff, and a pleasure to read – albeit a worrying one.
From a character standpoint, we spend most of our time riding along with Matthew again. There are some chapters with Hudson Greathouse as the point-of-view, which act as a nice contrast. McCammon shows that he can spin out a very different voice to that of Matthew Corbett, when given the chance – Greathouse is stubborn, cautious, pragmatic and in some instances highly dangerous. His approach to obstacles, which may or may not involve throwing a table at them, is a joy. Greathouse, the older of the investigators, has a stability of character which it’s great to see more of – and acts as a foil to the rather more mercurial Corbett. Corbett, though, continues to be hardened by his experiences. He’s grown something of a thicker skin, and whilst there’s still an iron core of morality floating at his centre, he’s also prepared to be a little more flexible in his company. Imagining the young law clerk of five books previously associating with gangster and killers is unthinkable – but Corbett slips into London’s underworld, and if he doesn’t cause a ripple, he’s certainly not being used as bait. This slow move of Matthew into a greyer moral existence is intriguing to watch, and credit to the author for making it seem eminently plausible. Matthew’s head is always great fun to inhabit, even when he’s being insufferable – and he’s less so than usual here, feeling more the focused man of action than the fop.
There’s also time spent on Matthew’s relationship with Berry, and we get further insight into the character of that arch-rogue, Professor Fell; in both cases, I won’t approach closely, but will say that their decisions are intriguing, and the depths of character revealed by those actions are equally fascinating.
Plot-wise – well, again, I’ll avoid spoilers. But there’s a lot going on here. By the end of the book, I was turning pages what felt like three at a time to find out what would happen next, and what was happening felt like a solid punch in the gut. There’s a slow burn at the start of the narrative, but McCammon builds the tension out expertly, and each moment of revelation or catharsis is made all the more explosive thereby. There’s more gothic horror and dread crawling around on these pages with each instalment, and this is no exception – it’s terrifying, horrifying, and a great read.
May 25, 2016
I received an advance review copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I am very grateful.
Robert McCammon’s Matthew Corbett historical thriller series is a total immersion experience. A trip down a long, dark rabbit hole into the vibrant and violent world of the early 18th century. The 6th in the series, Freedom of the Mask seems to me to be more of a 6a with a 6b to follow. The action, while complete and in no way an annoying cliff-hanger, more or less takes a breather at the end of this volume as it sets up the second half of the story.
I have to take a moment to give a word of advice about this series. Buy this new volume, by all means, but also get the other novels in the series and read them in order. It will immeasurably increase the pleasure as there are countless references back and forth and characters and circumstances reappear. I know that they are described as “stand alone” but I don’t recommend skipping installments and would strongly argue against reading them out of order because spoilers abound.
Once again in this novel, the historical elements are seamlessly woven in to the fabric of the tale. Almost as fun as the story itself is learning about life in the early 18th Century. We see what it was like to live in the outlying colonial villages which seem to be barely above living in raw nature, the mysterious swamps and open indian country, and in Mathew’s home base in the small but growing town of New York. The technology of the time is fascinating, whether we are learning precisely how to load, prime, and fire a musket, or the various ingenious and sometimes dangerous and cruel inventions of the time. And the stories are marvelous. I enjoy these swashbuckling adventures as much as those of Raphael Sabatini (Captain Blood or Scaramouche) or the Captain Alatriste series by Arturo Perez-Reverte.
Part 6 continues a recent trend in the series to take the show on the road, that of visiting far away locations, including peculiar village owned by the nefarious Professor Fell—whose story over-arches the plots of all of the books starting with the second in the series, The Queen of Bedlam. In this installment we are taken to a true city, the largest city in the world at the time I believe—London, which had to be just about the most awful place on the planet. The poverty, crime and filth are overwhelming. Matthew travels to the infamous Whitechapel district, the Old Bailey, and (what time travel trip would be complete without at a visit to) Newgate Prison—literally hell on earth at that time.
Matthew’s situation goes from bad to worse in Freedom of the Mask and there are times when he is pushed beyond his limit. He not only fears for himself, but for his friend Hudson Greathouse who makes a grand and welcome reappearance in this novel after being largely absent in River of Souls, and his long suffering love Berry Grigsby. And he has reason to fear, for in the hands of Professor Fell, a very angry Professor Fell (which you need to read The Providence Rider to fully understand why he is so angry), they are in grave danger. If you have come the whole road with these characters, you will see that the gloves are off now, Fell is in full villain mode, and wonder as I did if there is any hope for Berry or Hudson “The Great One.”
Just as you are immersing yourself in this plot and wonder if Matthew can prevail against Fell, a chilling pronouncement is made by Fell himself, when he explains to Matthew that there are villains worse than him. And off we go to the next adventure. This series is amazing and never gets old.
5 stars. The type of book that is the reason we love stories. Imagination too large for a movie can only exist in books like this. Adventure just doesn’t get any better.
Robert McCammon’s Matthew Corbett historical thriller series is a total immersion experience. A trip down a long, dark rabbit hole into the vibrant and violent world of the early 18th century. The 6th in the series, Freedom of the Mask seems to me to be more of a 6a with a 6b to follow. The action, while complete and in no way an annoying cliff-hanger, more or less takes a breather at the end of this volume as it sets up the second half of the story.
I have to take a moment to give a word of advice about this series. Buy this new volume, by all means, but also get the other novels in the series and read them in order. It will immeasurably increase the pleasure as there are countless references back and forth and characters and circumstances reappear. I know that they are described as “stand alone” but I don’t recommend skipping installments and would strongly argue against reading them out of order because spoilers abound.
Once again in this novel, the historical elements are seamlessly woven in to the fabric of the tale. Almost as fun as the story itself is learning about life in the early 18th Century. We see what it was like to live in the outlying colonial villages which seem to be barely above living in raw nature, the mysterious swamps and open indian country, and in Mathew’s home base in the small but growing town of New York. The technology of the time is fascinating, whether we are learning precisely how to load, prime, and fire a musket, or the various ingenious and sometimes dangerous and cruel inventions of the time. And the stories are marvelous. I enjoy these swashbuckling adventures as much as those of Raphael Sabatini (Captain Blood or Scaramouche) or the Captain Alatriste series by Arturo Perez-Reverte.
Part 6 continues a recent trend in the series to take the show on the road, that of visiting far away locations, including peculiar village owned by the nefarious Professor Fell—whose story over-arches the plots of all of the books starting with the second in the series, The Queen of Bedlam. In this installment we are taken to a true city, the largest city in the world at the time I believe—London, which had to be just about the most awful place on the planet. The poverty, crime and filth are overwhelming. Matthew travels to the infamous Whitechapel district, the Old Bailey, and (what time travel trip would be complete without at a visit to) Newgate Prison—literally hell on earth at that time.
Matthew’s situation goes from bad to worse in Freedom of the Mask and there are times when he is pushed beyond his limit. He not only fears for himself, but for his friend Hudson Greathouse who makes a grand and welcome reappearance in this novel after being largely absent in River of Souls, and his long suffering love Berry Grigsby. And he has reason to fear, for in the hands of Professor Fell, a very angry Professor Fell (which you need to read The Providence Rider to fully understand why he is so angry), they are in grave danger. If you have come the whole road with these characters, you will see that the gloves are off now, Fell is in full villain mode, and wonder as I did if there is any hope for Berry or Hudson “The Great One.”
Just as you are immersing yourself in this plot and wonder if Matthew can prevail against Fell, a chilling pronouncement is made by Fell himself, when he explains to Matthew that there are villains worse than him. And off we go to the next adventure. This series is amazing and never gets old.
5 stars. The type of book that is the reason we love stories. Imagination too large for a movie can only exist in books like this. Adventure just doesn’t get any better.
May 3, 2016
Freedom of The Mask by Robert McCammon- The sixth volume in the Mathew Corbett series by Robert McCammon begins with his colleague, Hudson Greathouse, searching through 1703 Charles Town, looking for any signs of his young friend's whereabouts. Corbett, a professional "Problem Solver" is missing while on assignment for the Herald Agency. Meanwhile Corbett, himself, is arriving at the docks of Londontown, England in chains, and accused of murder, and finally sent to Newgate prison, where he sparks the fancy of a mask-wearing killer. Hudson and Corbett's true love, Berry Grigsby follow him across the Atlantic, hoping to save him from cruel fate. This is actually my first Mathew Corbett book, but if the rest are as well done as this, I have no reservations for recommending the lot! The story moves briskly enough to keep your interest and the historical details make it an atmospheric delight. I've read some of McCammon's earlier horror novels( The Wolf's Hour, The Night Boat, Boy's Life) and always found them very intense. He maintains that intensity still with this series and colors it with the historical trappings, making for an enjoyable read. If you can, I recommend getting the Subterranean Press issue just for the great job they do with all their releases.
January 4, 2017
Another excellent book in an underrated series by a surprisingly underrated author! Honestly, the series felt on the verge of growing tired in the previous book The River of Souls, but McCammon definitely brought the intensity of this series back with a vengeance. The book is longer and has much more action and terror since probably the third book. The story will absolutely have to continue after the cliffhanger at the end. 4.5 stars and so hard to decide whether to round up or down, but it's very good!
August 21, 2020
I’ve just plowed through the last hundred pages of this book since this morning. It would not let me put it down....wow. This is up there with not only the best Corbett books, but the best McCammon books. Holy moly.
February 5, 2017
Argh! I have to wait for the next one now!
July 17, 2017
I can't wait for the next book in this series. wow!
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