An Elizabethan Spy Mystery Book #1
by Suzanne M. Wolfe
GENRE : #Historical-mystery
My rating: ★★★★★
Actual rating : 4.7 rounded up to 5
A good start to a historical mystery series.
Well thought out mix of fictional and historical characters, where it was impossible for me to find out the culprit of the murders, which was surprising although logical.
___ Here THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ___ England, under the reign of Elizabeth I.
As it has been since the beginning of time, the court of a kingdom is a place full of intrigue (political and amorous), populated by people in power and people in submission, shrewd spies, some of whom are unsuspected, and naive and innocent people who are transformed into in victims.
When the lifeless body of a Lady in Waiting for the Queen is found on an altar, it is immediately clear that it is a murder, aimed at undermining the authority of the "virgin queen".
It will be up to the young and handsome Nicholas Holt, the queen's unsuspected secret agent, to discover the killer before he strikes again.
His faithful dog Hector, his two Jewish doctor friends and his sensual friend who is the director of a brothel will be ready to help him.
________****__________
Reading this book was like reading two books.
Let me explain: there are only 336 pages ( Kindle Edition ) in which the author tells us in the 3rd person a murder mystery and during the story, she presents not only the main character, but also a series of characters who are his best friends and other characters who they are his acquaintances.
--> Why do I say that I feel like I've read 2 books?
Because unlike other books I have read, the author not only describes the appearance and soul of the character, but also takes the reader into scenes of life spent in the past and which then led to the deep bond that Nick has with them.
Mrs. Wolfe tells about characters past events in a way full of details and sensations, making it so engaging that instead of being perceived by the reader as a digression, it helps him to empathize with all the characters who participate in the story, without exception.
I felt like I was reading the story in the current book and simultaneously other stories in a prequel book.
___CHARACTERS__
The author's cunning was also this:
if for each character introduced, the writer had immediately told me about his/her past, I admit that it would have bored me a little, because each story lasts many pages.
Instead the author gives a first look at the character through quick scenes with witty and lively dialogue between Nick and the others, then continues with the mystery and investigation.
Initially the reader knows the character's name, his role and through dialogues can decide whether he/she is good, villain, with a nice way of being or not.
Later in the story, at the second appearance of the character of the moment (who is no longer a total stranger to the reader, indeed the reader at this point is curious to know more), through Nicholas' memories, we discover his/her origins, as he/her entered into Nick's life, their past connection and how it all connects to the present.
Through the past of Nick's friends and enemies, we get to know Nick even better, his feelings, his fears and hopes, the motivations of his actions and his "non-actions".
All this allowed me to become attached to the characters and to fully enter their world as if I had been reading this series for some time and which leads me to already be certain that I want to read other adventures in the books to follow (for now there is only one book # 2, but I think the writer is writing book #3).
In any case it should be underlined that the book is READABLE AS A STANDALONE.
Nothing remains pending, although more romantic readers will perhaps want to read issue 2 to see if Nick's love life will take a more stable turn (I certainly want to know!)
As I have already said, in addition to the imaginary characters, real historical figures appear and participate in the story to a minimal extent such as:
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Cecil Walsingham spy (politician and diplomat and espionage master)
- Kit Marlowe (playwright and spy)
- Geoffrey Chaucer (writer, poet, bureaucrat and diplomat)
- a young actor named William Shakespeare
As in every fiction, the author took some liberties, including the invention of a court jester that Elizabeth never had, but who here in the book was a character that I liked and hope to find again in the book # 2.
---> In the final author's historical notes you will find what was true and what was invented.
__ SETTING OF THE STORY__ again Mrs. Suzanne M. Wolfe did a good job.
The descriptions of the streets, the taverns, the rooms and the atmosphere are vivid and very detailed, so much so that it is easy to see in the mind the images of the scenes that are taking place and it is easy to breathe the smells and live as if it were live, the sensations that the descriptions inspire in us.
___ MYSTERY ___ at the end of the book perhaps you will realize that the mystery was not that complicated and that the explanation is logical and perhaps could have been predictable, but the clues and the behavior of the suspects mislead the investigations and the reader's suspicions, so the revealing the culprit was something I didn't expect.
__ SUITABLE FOR :
There aren't bloody scenes or any description of a sex scene, therefore suitable reading for everyone aged 14 and over.
I sincerely hope that the writer can publish many more books in this series, I will definitely read them!
Thank you for reading my opinion, I hope I was able to explain myself as best as possible even though English is not my native language.
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