The fifth entry in the Gabriel Taverner series does not disappoint. In February 1605, a series of killings disrupts the quiet life of Devon’s Tavy valley. Country doctor Gabriel Taverner is summoned by the coroner to examine the bodies. As he investigates, he discovers a connection between the murders and a mysterious woman found in shocking circumstances. This unexpected patient seems linked to the brutal killings, with a recurring theme involving nutmegs—a precious spice from distant islands rumored to be a cure for the plague.

As the cost of nutmegs skyrockets, Gabriel finds himself caught in a deadly rivalry involving ruthless players. He fights to protect his family and friends from dangerous involvement in this savage race. Will he emerge alive from this perilous web of intrigue?

“The Cargo From Neira” is a thrilling historical mystery that delves into secrets, betrayal, and the high stakes of a valuable spice trade.

A story of the first explorers and trade routes to the far side of the world. The extremely expensive and valuable spices first bought to England and the fights to control these trade routes.
A mystery that came to Dr Taverner’s doorstep and a suicide attempt that would lead to murder.
An exciting and mysterious time in history combines for a thrilling mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Cargo From Neira is the 5th Gabriel Taverner historical mystery by Alys Clare. Released 2nd May 2023 by Severn House, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. (Paperback format due out in 2nd quarter 2024 from the same publisher). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Set during the reign of James I, a spate of killings and a desperate woman fleeing for her life soon involve Dr. Gabriel Taverner and his household in skullduggery and larger machinations.

The plot is well paced and constructed and I was engaged from the beginning. The characterizations are top notch, the dialogue is accessible and the author manages to suffuse the speech with verisimilitude without sacrificing clarity for modern readers.

Since it's the 5th book in a continuing series, some of the interrelationships and character backgrounds will be spoiled by being read out of order, but the mystery and denouement are (mostly) self contained in this volume and could be read as a standalone.

With a well established series like this one, it would make a great choice for a binge/buddy read, or a mystery bookclub selection.

Four and a half stars. A very well crafted mystery. Fans of Andrea Penrose, Candace Robb, et. al. will be delighted with this author.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The bustling, cutthroat spice trade forms the enticing backdrop for the fifth volume in Clare’s mystery series featuring country doctor Gabriel Taverner in early 17th-century Devon. If you haven’t read the previous four books, no need to worry, since it stands alone well. Banda Neira, the place of the title, is a remote Indonesian island that was the world’s main source for nutmeg, a spice in high demand in Europe for its food preservation and reputed medicinal properties.

In February 1605, Gabriel gets drawn into a mystery when the coroner’s manservant fetches him to view a body on the banks of the river Tavy, with the hopes he’ll conceal it was a suicide since these victims would be damned for eternity and their family penalized. The poor soul is a woman, single and six months’ pregnant, which could explain her desperate circumstances. To Gabriel’s shock, the woman soon revives. Gabriel tends to her at Rosewyke, his home, but she’s petrified, unhappy to be alive, and unwilling to talk. Then a second body, a man’s, turns up in a cesspit in a seedy quayside alley of Plymouth with several costly nutmegs in his mouth. Gabriel feels the two incidents must be connected, especially after an attempted break-in at Rosewyke that terrifies his patient and gets him firmly into sleuthing mode.

The principal cast are a congenial bunch whose close-knit relationships contrast nicely with the danger stalking them. Gabriel’s sister, Celia, is a sharp-witted young widow, while housekeeper Sallie prepares comforting meals at a moment’s notice. Most intriguing are the changes within Gabriel as his investigation proceeds. A former ship’s surgeon now living shoreside after an injury, he starts feeling a strong pull to return. While abrupt, the viewpoint switches prove enlightening, and the mystery’s resolution, which offers surprises for Gabriel and the reader, is admirably well-plotted.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
This is the latest in the excellent Gabriel Taverner mystery series by Alys Clare.
As is usual for a series whose main character is tasked with helping the local coroner with unexplained deaths, there are a number of dead bodies that lead to a mystery that revolves around nutmegs (which were apparently worth at least their weight in gold in the early 1600s).
There is a damsel in distress, there's a mysterious ship, and a treasure map, all woven into the well-established world of Gabriel and his family and friends.
I'm sure that a lot of research goes into the background of these books - the characters, their lives, and all the details of the world are extremely immersive and realistic.
I do think a reader will get more out of the book if they have read one or two others in the series.
It seems like Gabriel may be thinking about a change in lifestyle - I look foward to future instalments.

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Dr. Gabriel Taverner is intrigued by the origins of nutmeg, particularly as it turns out a secret Cargo from Neira. In his review of the deaths of a number of people he discovers plotting to bring more nutmeg to England but to protect the sources. Alys Clare deals with a murder and trade investigation At the same time Taverner is restless and pursuing going back to sea as ship's surgeon or practice elsewhere. Alys Clare presents a neat puzzle for the reader.

Called out on a cold February night, physician Gabriel Taverner is shocked when the supposed suicide turns out to be alive. The woman is terrified and in her possession is a bag full of nutmegs, a prized commodity in early 17th century. However when men start getting murdered Taverner realises there is a bigger plot here, one that involves rich merchants and the rival London and Dutch Companies keen to exploit the wealth in spices from far away.
I haven't read any of Clare's books before and approached this one thinking it was going to be a bit lightweight and probably mildly entertaining. I was completely wrong! This is a fast-paced story with huge political plots. Yes, the sense of time is weak but the sense of place is strong and the characters actually quite well-rounded. To say this is the 5th book in a series I didn't feel that I'd come late to a party, just that I really liked the book.

Another intriguing and well plotted mystery featuring Gabriel Taverner, a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and kept me guessing till the end.
Fleshed out and interesting characters, a vivid and well researched historical backgroun.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

1605 An attempted suicide is saved and taken to Doctor Gabriel Taverner's home. But Artemis Brownyng is pregnant and unmarried. But she can pay with nutmegs, a rare commodity. Is there a connection to the body of Malin Piltbone who's mouth was full of nutmegs. But this will not be the last of the killings. Can Taverner find the motives and solve the mysteries. But what is the real plan.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery. Another good addition to this enjoyable series with its likeable and varied characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Cargo from Neira.” All opinions and comments are my own.

The lengths that men will go for a spice touted as a cure against the plague and even as a “weapon of invincibility,” a lesson on what suicides could expect, and the lure of the sea form the backdrop for “The Cargo from Neira,” the fifth book in the Gabriel Taverner historical mystery series from Alys Clare. And “…there’s more to come,” as Gabe’s friend Theo the coroner tells us. How right he is.

The bodies pile up before Doctor Taverner figures out a complex puzzle involving the near priceless cargo, an unhappy woman used as a bargaining tool and national companies vying for international trade, stopping at nothing -- even murder. Taverner’s in the middle of it all, finishing everything off in what is really a rather abrupt ending; gee, maybe author Clare was late for a bus, I dunno, but everything was brought to a (rather) downbeat finish awfully quickly.

But we’re not quite done; ‘tis time for Gabe’s life to take on a different direction, which he shares with family and friends. All ends are tidied up, and he will soon be off to a new adventure. I’m sure that wherever Gabriel Taverner turns up, Alyse Clare has plans to make it a mystery, which the good doctor will be eager to solve.

Nutmeg. How does nutmeg unite an attempted suicide and several murders in what has otherwise been a quiet seaside town? It's 1605 and Gabriel Taverner, a ships surgeon now ashore, is called to attend to a woman who tried to commit suicide- a crime- and who, it turns out is pregnant - making it a potential double crime. She's got a story to tell but then the bodies start turning up and Taverner finds himself following a trail of competition between shipping companies and greed. Fans of the series will be pleased with this latest installment but new readers should know that this will be just fine on its own. I admit to spending a bit of time on additional research (I got interested in, well, nutmeg), which added to my enjoyment of the novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Alys Clare's Gabriel Taverner historical mystery series is one of my go-to choices when I'm wanting some light, entertaining reading. The series has been running long enough that all the characters have well developed back stories, and Clare generally provides context in non-heavy-handed ways, so those new to the series can begin with whatever volume they find first. At this point the stories are set in the Jacobean era, but at moments look back to the reign of Elizabeth I.

These mysteries are more about the people engaged in solving them, rather than the complexity of the mystery itself. Clare doesn't include a lot of red herrings. Instead she leaves us to walk along her characters as they sort the puzzle out.

The Cargo from Neira opens with the discovery of the body of a woman, a suicide, along a riverbank in deep, snowy winter. The sheriff's assistant arrives shortly before dawn at Taverner's home, asking the physician to accompany him back to the body. Something odd is going on—and it turns out that he has decided to hide the evidence of the attempted suicide, given the harsh penalties, both economic and religious, for suicides and those they leave behind. Hiding the suicide attempt means that both men put themselves at risk of criminal persecution.

Unexpectedly, the supposedly dead woman is revived and taken to Taverner's home for care, where she is revealed to be pregnant. On the one hand, this may dispel some of the risk involved in concealing the suicide, since it was an attempted, but not successful, act. On the other hand, the woman's pregnancy means that she could be considered guilty of attempted murder, since her unborn child would surely have died if she had succeeded. This dilemma gives the book some interesting weight and ethical questions.

The woman is terrified. Unusual murders begin to occur in the area. And the mystery is somehow connected to nutmeg, a spice being newly imported into England. The price of nutmeg was already high because of its rarity. Now unscrupulous quacks are claiming nutmeg will cure the plague, so the price skyrockets even higher. Of course, nutmeg reaches England via ship, and that leads Taverner to wax nostalgic over his years spent as a ship's surgeon...

That's the set-up. As I've indicated, the plot works more because of the developing relationships among the book's characters than because of a complex whodunnit—but it works. My selfish worry as this novel ended was whether Taverner would return to work as a ship's doctor. For whatever reason, I find shipboard mysteries much less compelling than land-based ones, so I'm worried that upcoming volumes may engage me less, but I trust Clare to keep delivering well developed characters and solid plotting.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the published via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

All that glitters!______4 1/2 stars

Gabriel Tavernier, ex-ship’s surgeon turned country doctor who also conducts autopsies for the local Coroner, Theo Davey is called out by Jarman Hodge. The coroner’s assistant, wants Gabe to aid him with a drowned woman, a suicide. He hasn’t notified the coroner but instead comes to Gabe. Why? A moment of compassion? The treatment of suicides and their families subsequently is barbaric at this time. For some reason, and we never quite know why, Hodge wants to avoid this. Disquieted, Gabe agrees, although against his better judgement. He’s troubled at the thought of not fully revealing the situation to the coroner. He’s uncomfortable that this might strain their relationship. Only as they are moving the woman she coughs up water! She’s alive! Now it’s a race to save a woman who wishes to die.
When Gabe takes the woman into his home for care, he unknowingly brings danger and intrigue into the household. A break-in that night is narrowly thwarted. He worries for his sister Celia and the midwife Judyth whom he’s become fond of.
Another two men are murdered in the next few days. One man has had objects forced down his throat. It turns out to be nutmeg! At this time nutmeg is worth more than gold. A missing map is found. Everything’s pointing to the murders somehow being involved with riches beyond dreams.
Gabe follows leads and finds murmurs of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the London Company supported by powerful merchants. Both ruthless in their pursuit of the treasure the spice market is. It’s 1605. The international politics of the time are fascinating, as are the church and its doctrines.
The ending is surprising, and yet not so much. What the future holds for Gabe left me on edge.
Nicely paced, a gripping tale that has it all—danger, intrigue, seemingly mystical / magical influences, indeed the stuff of dreams, both good and bad!

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

A very enjoyable book. This is the first I have read in the series and I wish I had read the previous ones. I will certainly read any future books. Gabriel Taverner, the local doctor gets caught up saving a potential suicide.. Then the body count starts rising. Alys really evokes the period so that you can almost smell the stench of cesspits and corpses.

This is the next book in the brilliant Gabriel Taverner series and it does not disappoint. One is always guaranteed an interesting and tangled mystery with this author, in each of these books, I learn something new and here Gabe becomes immersed in murder which he unravels with the usual list of characters we have come to love. In this book we discover the rare and precious commodity that is the nutmeg , the animosity between the countries trying to gain footholds in far flung lands and further the wealth of the merchants.. This is a series which gives a bit more insight into the push for Empire against the Spanish, Portugese and Dutch. Brilliant writing and I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review The Cargo from Neira. Highly recommended

historical-fiction, historical-research, history-and-culture, physician, Devonshire, series, amateur-sleuth, multiple-murder, greed, mysteries, family, family-dynamics*****

1605 near Portsmouth, England.
It began with a woman's failed attempt at suicide and progressed through all the issues of the catholic church, the intense rivalry of the shipping industries, and the horrors that greed and the spice trade could do.
I learned a lot about the time period as well as the personal history of the doctor himself.
As a historical cozy mystery, I thought it was a real winner! All the important elements plus lessons in a time of history I am only minimally acquainted with, and realistic characters with interesting backgrounds and presence.
This is the first I've read in series but that did not decrease my enjoyment at all!
I requested and received an EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thank you!

A dark and violent tale of greed and murder centered around the ruthless commercial competitions between Dutch and an English East Asian trading companies set in and around Plymouth at the beginning of the 17th century.

But who could have imagined that nutmegs could have been responsible for so much bloodshed??

An adrenaline-fueled fictional journey full of unexpected twists and turns, captivating historical details and an exquisitely drawn cast of characters, The Cargo from Neira should keep many readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. A riveting new addition to a series that keeps getting better and better!

Highly recommended and to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this terrific ARC!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of The Cargo from Neira, the fifth novel to feature Dr. Gabriel Taverner, set in the Plymouth area in 1605.

Gabriel wonders if the recent murders he and coroner, Theo Davy, are investigating are linked to the young woman he found in distressing circumstances. He soon finds links to the lucrative trade in nutmeg and the deadly hunt among various factions for a missing cargo.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Cargo from Neira, which has an exciting plot and a wealth of detail on trade in 17th century. The thought of trade detail may put some readers off, but it’s integral to the plot and very informative. I was aware of how valuable nutmeg was at the time and the hazards of procuring it, but this puts flesh on the bones and offers relevancy. I was impressed by how the author builds a good plot around it.

The plot offers all sorts of excitement including, but not restricted to, murder, skulking strangers and mystery. In fact, the final few chapters are the tensest of all, but I won’t say why. It is told most from Gabriel’s first person point of view, which allows the reader a more intimate look at events and gets them more immersed in the story. And what a story it is, so I was engrossed, wondering what would come next and crossing my fingers for a good outcome.

I like Gabriel Taverner, who is a man of science in a superstitious and religious age. He doesn’t have much to work with in terms of medical tools, but he’s smart enough to use traditional medicine to bolster what he does have. He’s dedicated to healing his patients but also determined to solve the murders that come his way as the coroner’s medical consultant.

The Cargo from Neira is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

The latest in the Gabe Taverner series is as well written and the mystery as neat as you would expect from Alys Clare, who has multiple strong series set in a wide array of time periods. Travel, trade, and an attempted suicide form the basis of this entry, which ends in a very dramatic change for Gabe and his friends and family. It will be fascinating to see what happens from here—and where and when whatever it is happens. I like that this series is set in the early 1600s, which I think is a period rather underrepresented in the historical mystery genre. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.