Member Review
Review by
Martin P, Reviewer
A new heroine for fans of historical fiction.
Still deep in my historical spy fiction craze, I was happily devouring the SW Perry series of Jackdaw mysteries when Netgalley offered up a book set in exactly the same period. The blurb grabbed my attention so I decided to jump right in.
And what a revelation it was.
"The Gentlewoman Spy" opens in Edinburgh, in 1584 where we find lady spy Kit Scarlett scaling the walls of Edinburgh Castle, in order to retrieve an important message from a prisoner. Her hasty exit from the castle results in a hell-for-leather chase through the streets of Auld Reekie to her boat in Leith docks. Her escape is almost thwarted by a determined soldier, who she only avoids after slashing him with her knife. Some days later she is reporting to Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the Tudor Queen, Elizabeth. Imagine her surprise when he teams her up with a fellow spy, none other than the soldier she so recently escaped from.
What follows is a non-stop race against time, as Kit and fellow spy and Scot Iomhar Blackwood seek to uncover the plot to murder Elizabeth and restore Mary, Queen of Scots, to the throne. It's a rollicking ride, with plotters, spies, traitors and heroes. The pace doesn't let up for a minute. Glorious chases through 16th century London, narrow escapes and dubious encounters all lead to an exciting finish.
The characters of Kit and Iomhar, and their fractious relationship are a joy. Both are used to working alone, and both have secrets in their past, not all of which are revealed. But as they grow to trust each other, the reader is truly invested in their fates. The sights and smells of Elizabethan London are nicely conveyed, and there's just enough history to add context to the story.
Readers of SW Perry, Andrew Taylor or CJ Sansom should find the lighter tone and less history-laded narrative a nice change. I certainly did, and I thoroughly recommend it to fans of historical detective fiction. I was glad to receive the Netgalley ARC, but I'll be keen to get my hands on a proper copy for another read.
Still deep in my historical spy fiction craze, I was happily devouring the SW Perry series of Jackdaw mysteries when Netgalley offered up a book set in exactly the same period. The blurb grabbed my attention so I decided to jump right in.
And what a revelation it was.
"The Gentlewoman Spy" opens in Edinburgh, in 1584 where we find lady spy Kit Scarlett scaling the walls of Edinburgh Castle, in order to retrieve an important message from a prisoner. Her hasty exit from the castle results in a hell-for-leather chase through the streets of Auld Reekie to her boat in Leith docks. Her escape is almost thwarted by a determined soldier, who she only avoids after slashing him with her knife. Some days later she is reporting to Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the Tudor Queen, Elizabeth. Imagine her surprise when he teams her up with a fellow spy, none other than the soldier she so recently escaped from.
What follows is a non-stop race against time, as Kit and fellow spy and Scot Iomhar Blackwood seek to uncover the plot to murder Elizabeth and restore Mary, Queen of Scots, to the throne. It's a rollicking ride, with plotters, spies, traitors and heroes. The pace doesn't let up for a minute. Glorious chases through 16th century London, narrow escapes and dubious encounters all lead to an exciting finish.
The characters of Kit and Iomhar, and their fractious relationship are a joy. Both are used to working alone, and both have secrets in their past, not all of which are revealed. But as they grow to trust each other, the reader is truly invested in their fates. The sights and smells of Elizabethan London are nicely conveyed, and there's just enough history to add context to the story.
Readers of SW Perry, Andrew Taylor or CJ Sansom should find the lighter tone and less history-laded narrative a nice change. I certainly did, and I thoroughly recommend it to fans of historical detective fiction. I was glad to receive the Netgalley ARC, but I'll be keen to get my hands on a proper copy for another read.
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