Books 52 & 53: The Tudor Secret and Sleep of Death
Book 52: The Tudor Secret .
Author: Christopher Gortner, 2011
Genre: Historical Thriller. 16th century England.
Other Details: Hardback. 327 pages.
This novel opens with a prologue dated 1602 with its narrator sitting with a woman who urges him to "write it all down, every last word." The identity of this woman is left to the reader's imagination though it may well be Elizabeth I given that the overall title of this projected series is Elizabeth's Spymaster. We then move back in time to the turbulent summer of 1533 as King Edward VI lies dying and John Dudley, the powerful Duke of Northumberland, seeks to place his new daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne of England.
The narrator is Brendan Prescott, a foundling, raised in the Northumberland household. He has been sent to London to undertake duties as squire to Robert Dudley, the Duke's son. Yet he soon finds himself as a pawn in this historical game of thrones as he seeks to unravel the secret of his own mysterious past.
This was a quick and engaging read though at times its setting and some characterisations did not really convince. Brendan though was a charmer and I'd certainly like to read more of his adventures. So I'll look out further novels in the series when they appear.
Book 53: Sleep of Death: A Shakespearean Murder Mystery.
Author: Philip Gooden, 2000.
Genre: Historical Murder Mystery. 16th century England.
Other Details: Paperback. 310 pages.
The main character of this first in a series of historical murder mysteries is Nick Revill, a young aspiring actor who has come to London and secured a temporary position with the Chamberlain's Men at the Globe Theatre. He soon makes the acquaintance of a rich young man with a melancholy temperament. The youth is deeply troubled by the recent sudden death of his father and the fact that his mother quite hastily has married his father's brother. Sound familiar?
It does to Nick as well who cannot help make comparisons to the plot of their Company's most recent play. Coincidence or is life mirroring art (or vice versa)? The young man invites Nick to become a temporary lodger at his luxurious home in order to investigate the death. Before long Nick uncovers evidence of foul play. There are plenty of suspects and soon more bodies are piling up.
This was great fun from start to finish with an extremely likeable main character and plenty of humour alongside the suspense. I had first met Nick Revill in a The Medieval Murderers' collection and was intrigued by the premise of a murder mystery series with themes of Shakespearean plays. Gooden certainly ticked all my boxes for a successful work of historical fiction in terms of setting as well as writing an intriguing and lively mystery that kept me guessing as to whodunit until the final denouncement.