Canaletto and the Case of the Westminster Bridge Book Summary and Study Guide

Near the edge of the water he is attacked from behind. The assailant pushes him into the water and steals the satchel. A woman named Fanny Rooker rescues him and chases the robber down. It is Jack Scallion. She gets the bag, but Jack escapes. She offers to take him to a lodging house on Fleet Street. They travel by boat up the Thames and Canaletto marvels at Westminster Bridge even though it is still under construction.

At Fleet Street, they enter Edward (Ned) Rooker's engraving shop where a customer is arguing with Ned about shoddy work. Ned leaves in disgust, and Canaletto is left to poke around the upstairs bedroom. He meets Ned's wife, Lucy, who is pregnant and unhappy in her marriage. Fanny runs off to find a drunken Ned in a tavern. She tells him she invited Canaletto so that he could help Ned's career. Fanny instead demands that Canaletto teach her how to be an apprentice as payment for saving his life, but she cannot afford the premiums. Canaletto leaves the house determined to find his own lodgings. He gets into a nearby carriage but finds out too late it is a set up. He is attacked in a dark alley and left for dead.

Richard, Viscount Purbeck, is set to wed Charlotte More under the orders of his father, Marquess of Brecon. James Bennett, the family tutor and secretary, feels obligated to look out for Richard ever since a disastrous trip to Venice in his youth. The marquess is dallying with Anne Montesqui and intends to marry her after Richard marries Charlotte. James is secretly in love with Anne, and he thought she loved him. James and Richard meet Balthasar More and the Marquess of Brecon for the official betrothal signing. Charlotte and her mother arrive, but Mrs More is ill and Balthasar runs to her aid and forgets the document.

Fanny finds Canaletto in the alley and gets assistance from her friend, Sam, and his apprentice. Canaletto has been stabbed with a small knife. They take him back to the shop, and when Fanny looks for the wound she finds out the knife stabbed into the money belt. Canaletto only has a small gash on his ribs, although his head is very bloody. His satchel has been stolen. Ned reluctantly tells Fanny she must leave with Canaletto as soon as possible because Lucy does not like her. Ned is indebted to Lucy's brother, John Fowler, for a home loan.

The marquess tells James to visit the More household to be on good terms. James first stops in to see Anne Montesqui and discovers she never loved him after all. After he leaves, Patrick Granville, Anne's half brother arrives, and they discuss the importance of marrying into money. James travels to the More household and talks to Charlotte. He tries to tell her great things of Richard, but he admires her courage and realizes how sweet she is. As he leaves he bribes the maid into telling him when Charlotte will be at the food market. He notices John Fowler and Jack Scallion waiting for Balthasar.

Canaletto stays in his sickbed and remembers his past life in Venice. An art dealer, Joseph Smith, once asked Canaletto to assist with a missing aristocrat. While reminiscing, Fanny rushes in and tells him to leave since Jack Scallion is watching the house. Fanny creates a diversion for Canaletto to escape, but she ends up being arrested for a false crime and thrown in jail.

William Pitt works for the government and is aware of suspicious delays in construction for Westminster Bridge. He asks his assistant, Erasmus Fortune, to find out where Canaletto resides, since he heard about his Venice success.

Canaletto travels to Slaughter's Coffee House, finds Owen McSwiney at the bar and asks if Owen has any commissions for him. People are hesitant now since they think Canaletto has turned to quick money producing potboiler pieces. Owen says he will try to find patrons, but he cannot guarantee success.

Lucy visits John and finds out he ordered Fanny to jail by claiming she stole Lucy's petticoat. Lucy wanted Fanny gone, but she did not want her in jail. Jack Scallion arrives and wants his take of the money for killing Canaletto. John throws him out and refuses to pay since Canaletto is alive.

Canaletto stays with Owen while searching for good lodgings and a commission. He sends a boy to speak to Fanny about sending his luggage. Erasmus Fortune arrives and demands Canaletto come with him to see William Pitt. Canaletto thinks it is a commission but finds out he is to investigate the Westminster Bridge quarry delay. He refuses to help. At Owen's house again, the boy cannot find Fanny. Canaletto goes off to draw on the river. Under the bridge several drops of blood fall on his paper from an overhead bucket. He heads up to the bridge and asks Sam Wood to help lift the bucket. Inside is Jack Scallion's severed head. Sam tells him Fanny has been arrested and is to be transported overseas.

In jail Fanny is approached by several men looking for a good time. Scarface Nell comes to her rescue. Another young woman, Amelia, befriends her but only did so to steal Fanny's locket. Scarface Nell tells her how John Fowler and Jack Scallion are up to no good. Canaletto visits Fanny and vows to get her out. He gives her a few coins to bribe the jailers and other prisoners for the locket.

Canaletto demands Ned help Fanny. Ned is too weak willed, so Canaletto talks to Lucy. He finds out Lucy wrecked her own petticoat and is too scared to admit she threw it out. He visits William Pitt and says he will assist if he authorizes Fanny's release from jail. Canaletto shows Fanny his new lodgings and offers her a space if she will become his apprentice. He has learned he needs her help.

Canaletto visits John Fowler and weasels information out of him about merchants and money. Patrick Granville and Owen stop by and find out Canaletto is attending Lord Martock's party at Wedmore Park.

At the party James and Charlotte have become close. James sees Canaletto and tries to keep him away from Richard. Anne Montesqui tries to befriend Charlotte to ensure her place marrying the marquess.

Fanny and Ned go to the Dog and Pullet lodging inn to see if they can find Canaletto's satchel in Jack's room. They only find a token for the quarry.

Canaletto arrives at the party and sees his paintings on the walls. He remembers his investigation in Venice where he had to rescue a young man from a dark seedy place during carnival time. Many people were drunk or drugged and involved in illicit liaisons.

Returning to the present he meets up with the marquess who is the commissioner of the project. He suggests some intentions of delaying the construction. Anne arrives and Canaletto recognizes her from the woman he loved in Venice. He goes outside for air and is almost killed from a falling statue off the roof. Canaletto races to the roof and finds many people up there being given a tour. He can't find the suspect. Anne, Charlotte and Richard arrive. Richard breaks down when he sees Canaletto, since he was the rescued aristocrat in Venice. His father, the marquess, wants him to marry Charlotte in the hopes it will turn him from gay to straight. There is much chaos and the party disperses.

Canaletto and Fanny find out James and Charlotte are secretly eloping the next day. They go to the church and are discovered by Balthasar and the marquess. They attempt to stop the marriage, but they are too late.

Balthasar and the marquess have ties to the construction of Westminster Bridge and both were using Jack Scallion to steal from and murder people. John Fowler was involved in investments on rental properties near the bridge and bribes Balthasar about scams in Venice. Patrick Granville tried to kill Canaletto to get his money and prevent revealing he kidnapped Richard in Venice. The marquess and Patrick duel, and Patrick is killed. The constables arrest the perpetrators. The marquess escapes to France, and Canaletto receives his first commission.

Best part of story, including ending: The story was highly unusual and involved a great deal of twists and unexpected situations. Attention to detail is incredible, although this can make it hard to keep up with the events. Canaletto is first and foremost a painter, so it was nice to see that he wasn't thrown into an official and completely unbelievable private investigator role.

Best scene in story: A favorite scene is when Canaletto is sketching in the ferry boat and suddenly finds his paper and skirt ruined by blood droplets from the hanging bucket. After he races up to the bridge to pull up the bucket, Sam discovers the nightwatchman has been murdered as well. They run around in a panic before alerting the constables. Canaletto also discovers Fanny has been sent to jail. There is a great deal of focus on the view from the bridge and the water lifestyle.

Opinion about the main character: Canaletto realizes by the end how foolish he was to agree to paint scenes he had no passion for. It is a great epiphany for him to overcome his failures to re-assert self worth and his love of capturing surrounding landscapes.