The Ladder Dancer

A chance encounter in the streets of Newcastle-upon-Tyne sets musician Charles Patterson in pursuit of the horseman who cost an infant its life in Southey's evocative fifth 18th-century historical (after 2010's Chords and Discords). The newlywed Charles juggles his amateur sleuthing with his responsibilities as a musician%E2%80%94including concert ticket sales and teaching%E2%80%94while striving to reconcile his newfound status as a gentleman with his devotion to his trade. Disruptive new arrivals from London, notably Richard Nightingale, the eponymous "ladder dancer," and unpleasant, disreputable law student Cuthbert Ridley, cause a stir among Newcastle's musical patrons. Matters are further complicated when a 12-year-old street girl attaches herself to Charles, determined to become his apprentice. Paranormal elements such as departed spirits and a secret parallel world accessible only by Charles and a few others provide for some unusual detecting methods. Charles's engaging emotional struggles help compensate for the sometimes deliberate pace. (Aug.)