Martin introduces the reader to the Pratts; a family steeped in history who hold a deep secret that traces back to the time of George Washington. After being given aa Paul Revere silver tea set, Washington promises to keep it on display in the White House, much to the chagrin of one Horace Taylor Pratt, Massachusetts Founding Father. After the tea set is stolen from the Madison White House during the War of 1812, Pratt seeks to secure its ownership through a number of negotiations and keep the profits inside his family circle. However, an accident leaves the tea set hidden somewhere in the Back Bay part of Boston, and the mystery flows down for six Pratt generations. Modern historian Peter Fallon stumbles upon the Pratt secret when perusing some old family papers and begins to ask questions not only about the tea set, but the Pratts in general. Juxtaposing the historical development of the Pratts and their secret with Fallon's modern search for answers blends the two stories into a single plot line that could mean the end of Fallon. The tea set appears to be the thread that keeps the story moving, though Martin recounts many sub-plots in the Pratt family history that create a rich and captivating tale for the reader. Less a mystery or historical document chase than a snapshot of a family riddled with secrets of their own, Martin captivates and educates the reader continually. Well worth the time invested and sure to whet the reader's appetite for the rest of the Fallon series.I was not sure what to expect when I started the book, as it appeared to play out like a modern historian uncovering a secret item, lost in history, whose reappearance could answer many questions. Layer that with a family trying to preserve their own secrets and a few sinister villains, creating an all-around decent novel. However, Martin takes the reader through history to build on the mystery while addressing issues of the day and weaving threads between six generations, all culminating in the modern discovery of the secret. Martin uses the alternating chapters to keep the reader shifting their mind in order to better understand al the characters who appear throughout. Threads woven throughout the story come together nicely in the end and the reader will surely have at least a few forehead-slapping moments. I am eager to see what else Martin has in store in the series, set in and around Boston, an area that has always intrigued me.Kudos, Mr. Martin for such an interesting opening novel. I can see this is only the beginning of what could be a highly captivating set of novels.Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
I really enjoyed this book and would've given it five stars except for the fact that there were just a few too many holes in the plot to follow without being a little dubious as to how the end could have possibly unfolded the way that it did. I will chalk this up to it being William Martin's first book and I plan on reading his other books to see if he has improved that flaw. Overall a great read if you like historical fiction. The history of the Back Bay of Boston and the tie-in to our founding fathers was fascinating, well-researched and well written. The characters and their intertwining relationships were fully developed, three-dimensional whom you either loved or hated. It is rare that I finish the book completely dumbfounded by the ending, but this one I did. I think I actually might have gasped out loud - a twisting turn right to the very end.
What do You think about Back Bay (1992)?
This is not an in depth review. Overall, a good story with an unsatisfying ending. I believe this is the author's first book in the Peter Fallon series. It is a good alternate historical fiction/mystery yarn. It was also pretty long. It could have used some editing. The author leads you along, so there are really no jaw dropping reveals. I will read some more these books, as they are a fast fun read. If you need something light and fun (think Dan Brown meets National Treasure) this is good start.
—Pat
I can only give this 2*. The only thing more ridiculous than the plot is the climax & then the ending. Plus, the best character is a woman who is rightly called a meddling bitch by a very minor character. A sorry situation indeed. I guess it was a "best-seller" because people did as I did ... read it on the beach. I give it 1/2 * for being a good beach-book & another 1.5 * because I lived in Beantown, incl the Back Bay, for years. The history of the Back Bay / Beantown / Massachusetts was well-done.
—Gino
I had read three or four stand-alone books by William Martin and enjoyed them all so I thought it was high time I began reading his Peter Fallon series. Back Bay is actually the first novel he published, more than 30 years ago. And, as expected, I enjoyed it very much.This is a complex story that weaves historical events with a contemporary thriller/mystery-type plot. Peter Fallon is a present day student/historian working on his PhD and becomes entangled in a 200 year old mystery concerning a silver tea set crafted by Paul Revere. What follows is a multi-generational treasure hunt that drives the other aspects of the plot. I love the way the historical parts of the story are woven in among the contemporary scenes, allowing us to follow the history of the tea set and its impact on one very important and prominent New England family, the Pratts. Chapters are presented alternately, with a historical chapter taking place in, say 1789, followed by a contemporary one. I've read novels written this way before and sometimes they can be disruptive or downright confusing. But not so with this one. There are a lot of plot threads here that have to connect across time and Martin does a fantastic job of keeping them all straight and allowing us readers to follow along easily, building suspense and intrigue along the way.I also have to mention the setting. Boston, especially historical Boston has long been a favorite of mine, ever since I read Johnny Tremain back in the 7th grade. So along with the history of the Pratt family and the tea set, we get to witness the town of Boston grow through its history. I've found the biggest theme in all of Martin's books is that we are the products of history and of our own personal decisions; the seemingly insignificant choice of some ancestor who made one small decision and thereby changed the lives of generations yet unborn, and of course, of the grand movements of history that affect us all.I'm very much looking forward to reading the next books in this series.
—Benjamin Thomas
