1588. Giordano Bruno, based on the real-life 16th century Italian philosopher, finds himself in Prague at the behest of Sir Francis Walsingham. Fellow philosopher and informant John Dee has gone missing after sending a letter warning of great danger…

This is the seventh book in this series and has a slightly different feel to the earlier books in the series due to its new setting. Just as the real Giordano Bruno left England in 1585, so has our protagonist here. The supporting characters from earlier novels are therefore absent here – the real-life Philip Sydney died in 1586. We’re introduced instead to Bruno’s German student, Besler, who works well as a character.

All the ingredients which made the earlier books in the series so good are present here. Bruno remains a likable, well-nuanced character, and the story is well written, well-paced and well researched.

If you’re new to the work of S J Parris, there’s no need to read the previous novels in the series (although why wouldn’t you?) Perfect for fans of C J Sansom, Rory Clements and authoritatively written historical crime fiction in general. Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who wasn't familiar with the previous books in the series, I found that "Alchemy" could be enjoyed as a standalone novel. S.J. Paris skillfully depicts 16th-century Prague, immersing readers in the vibrant street life and capturing the essence of the era. Our protagonist, Giordano Bruno, becomes entangled in the complex web of court politics, and his pursuit to uncover the true identity of the alchemist's killer brings him face to face with an old adversary.

Throughout the book, a diverse cast of characters is introduced, each harboring their own secrets that could drive them to commit murder. The story is a well-researched historical and an entertaining thriller.
I would definitely recommend this one to all historical fiction readers.
Rating 4.5/5
My thanks to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy for my unbiased feedback.

The seventh book in this historical series, but this time, Bruno is away from London and Seething Lane, the home of Spy master, Sir Francis Walsingham, and it does make a difference.
Bruno is travelling to Prague, with a coded massage for Dr John Dee, but when he arrives, he finds out that the doctor has disappeared. A recent acquaintance of the doctor, Zikmund Bartos, an alchemist in the service of Emperor Rudolph, has been murdered, his face has been mutilated and Hebrew letters cut into his forehead, a clumsy attempt to blame the large Jewish population for this death.
Dr Dee and Bartos have been working together to create Aurum Potabite, liquid Gold, or the fabled Philosopher’s Stone, which supposedly will grant eternal life to whoever possesses it. The Emperor is unmarried, and is interested in other religions, which is of great concern to the Catholic Church, there are rumours of a plan to overthrow him and put his brother on the throne instead.
Bruno is to try to find John Dee, prevent the Catholic Church in their endeavours, and find out who is the murderer. This involves poison, crypts and secret passages, dangerous chemical experiments, and yet another attack upon Bruno and a subsequent head injury, he must have the hardest head, after so many books!!
Another detailed historical romp abroad, such informative descriptions and events, but, I do miss Bruno in London, his adopted home, if only for the reason, he seems to cause more trouble in England!,
I have all the Bruno books, and reread them frequently, they, like Bruno have become old friends. I eagerly await the next instalment.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Harper Collins UK,for my advanced digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest opinion. A five star rating. I will give a copy of this review to Goodreads and AmazonUK.

Dr Giordano Bruno has been living relatively quietly in Germany, teaching at the university of Wittenberg, since we last met him in Sacrilege. I was delighted to receive this fourth book in the Bruno series by S J Parris. The whole series has been very well researched and well written. It is useful but not essential to read them in order but I am sure if a reader came to this one first, they would want to read the previous three.
In Alchemy, Bruno (an actual historical Italian philosopher) has been tasked with going to Prague to assist his friend John Dee. When he arrives in Prague however, he discovers that John has gone missing, suspected of the murder of the alchemist Ziggi Bartos. Bruno and his student, Besler, set out to find the real murderer and to prove Dee's innocence.
Besler is a likeable and believable new character in the series, staunchly loyal to and protective of Bruno, but his naivety can often prove a hindrance
The action of the book takes place over only a few days but finds Bruno in many dangerous and difficult situations and not knowing who to trust. He is caught up in court politics, religious bigotry and superstition. The new female characters in this book are well crafted, strong women, particularly 11year old Sukie.
The tension is heightened in this fourth book of the series by Bruno re-encountering Montalcino, the Pope's emissary in Prague and erstwhile head of the Dominican order from which Bruno fled as a young man. The established Church does not come out well in this tale.
Once again I relished this story and look forward to the next episode. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the publisher via Net Galley for a complimentary ARC of this title in return for an honest review.

The latest novel following Giordano Bruno finds him in Prague with his young assistant Besler. Exiled from England and working in Germany, he has answered Walsingham's call to investigate a situation in Prague. He arrives to find a city reeling from the murder of an alchemist. Asked to investigate he gets drawn I to the machinations of the court of the Holy Roman Emperor with enemies on all sides.
An exciting well described addition to the series. I look forward to the next one.

Another brilliant volume in this excellent series. Bruno is now in Prague and investigating a gruesome murder. The historical details are fascinating. I love it when I learn about a period while reading a novel. The sights, sounds, smells, houses, clothes, are all described so well you feel as if you are in the same place. The plot becomes more complex as the book goes on but is never incomprehensible. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the next one!

S J Parris is an excellent writer, but I'm afraid this book didn't really do it for me. I couldn't get interested in the plot, and I found it all rather confusing. I'll still look out for the next book by this author though.

I enjoyed this book although at times I found it hard to follow. Just when you think that mystery is solved you are back to square one. The Holy Roman Empire has a lot to answer for.

Another great read from SJ Parris. Bruno is on another adventure and, as usual, there are many twists and turns in a well paced plot. He meets old enemies and old friends - it is hard to know who to trust is the turmoil of the city and the court of Rudolf II. Bruno finds himself in a number of challenging scenarios.

Meticulously researched we get to live and breathe his experiences in Prague with Bruno and Besler. His young apprentice surprises both him and the reader. There is murder, love, jealousy and alchelmy. Parris creates atmosphere and her characters are always three dimensional and well drawn. The author goes from strength to strength in this series.
I would thoroughly recommend this book.

I love a new Giordano Bruno book. You just know you’re entering a world of twists and intrigue steeped in rich historical description. And with the charismatic and likeable Bruno at the helm there's nothing here that I don’t love.

In Alchemy, Bruno has been sent to Prague to deliver a message to his friend John Dee. However when he gets there Dee is missing and Bruno, now with his assistant Besler at his side, is immediately plunged into solving the mystery.

As with all the others this is an incredibly well researched novel while never getting bogged down in detail.

Great characterisation too with a wide cast of characters from across the spectrum of society brought to life. I liked the introduction of Heironymus Besler and I’m looking forward to watching his character develop in future books.

Alchemy is an engrossing read that kept me turning the pages long into the night.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Net galley for the chance to read an early copy

Once I established it was Bruno soeaking, I tried settling in (I've only heard about the series.. but always wanted to try it out). For me, the anachronistic voice of a character I know well from my academic researches just doesnt wash, adept and professional as the dialogue is. I'm also aware how he is later executed etc so his breezy, down-to-earth and confident style is also hard to accept .. also it's all too 21st century. The story opens right from start from with letter summoning him to rescue an important character of the time, john dee and we follow up with Bruno holding this secret knowledge of betrayal close to him. There are terrific samples of contemporary characters throughout. But the narrative drive was undermined for me with all the digressions to fill us in, and the anachronism.

I wasn’t aware when I was reading this that this was the latest in a series about Giordano Bruno. Clearly reads well as a standalone. Set in 1588 in Prague we follow Giordano Bruno who leaves Wittenberg University to meet with alchemist John Dee in Prague at the behest of Sir Francis Walsingham. I have visited Prague and I could envisage the places the author was describing in his wonderfully detailed prose, it’s a beautifully historic city and a great place to set the novel. The author has clearly done extensive research and it showed.

Briefly, Bruno and his assistant Hieronymus Besler arrive in Prague to find Dee is missing and another alchemist brutally murdered and mutilated. As arranged they stay with Dr Hayek who is physician to the Emperor Rudolf II and shortly after are introduced to the emperor who tasks Bruno with finding out who killed the Alchemist.

The historical content is excellent, and clearly well researched. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, however, I did find it a bit slow in parts and felt it could’ve benefited from a bit of a word cull. That said it was a immersive read and very enjoyable trying to work out, alongside Bruno, who the killer was. The pace did really ramp up in the second half and I was completely engrossed- couldn’t put it down. A good historical detective fiction with a great character in Bruno and a fabulous story.

Alchemy S J Parris

5 stars
Another chapter in the life of Giordano Bruno

I have read every one of this series of books and love Giordano Bruno.

This time he is sent to the court of Rudolph the Second, the Holy Roman Emperor, in Prague, by Francis Walsingham, a spymaster for Elizabeth the First. His job is to pass a message to John Dee who is in favour with the Emperor because of his interest in alchemy. However when Bruno and his young protégé, Besler, arrive it is to find that Dee has disappeared and another alchemist Ziggi Bartos has been brutally murdered.

Bruno, throws himself into the mystery and becomes immersed in the various protagonists all trying to ensure that their religion takes precedence.. The Emperor, although ostensibly a Catholic, is showing much interest in anything supernatural much to the dismay of the Spanish ambassador and the Pope’s envoy who are trying to get him to make a Catholic marriage to strengthen their hold in Prague.

Bruno also becomes involved with the large Jewish community who have been blamed for the murder of Bartos, and when a young Jewish man, David, is also murdered it is assumed that this is a revenge killing.

Bruno in his inimitable way manages to unravel all the difficult threads and narrowly avoids getting killed on the way. The truth is not what it had seemed and the story was very enjoyable to read.

This author has a remarkable gift for bringing history to life and incorporates the normal people of the time seamlessly into the story. I just wish Bruno could find some happiness, he never seems to find anywhere where he can settle down and earn a good living and yet again he is disappointed in love. However this probably ensures that further adventures can be written about and I will certainly look forward to the next chapter in his extraordinary life!



Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

As always a really good read though maybe not his best Bruno book. After a slow start, the book got better and better. I felt more could have been made of Bruno's assistant , Besler but this could be planned for future stories. Parris's description of Prague was very good and it was easy to imagine being there in the 16th century.

I’m a fan of this set of books, and if you’ve enjoyed the other ones then you will also love this one. I would also say that this does stand up by itself - you’ll obviously not get all the background, but other than that, I think you would be ok picking up as is. However, I do recommend reading them all!

The plot as ever, in short, Bruno is summoned to Prague this time, the Emperor Rudolph is causing issues for the Catholic Church, and when Bruno arrives there has been a murder by a Golum rumour has it….

Can Bruno solve all the problems! As usual, action packed, and great fun to read! Stormed through it!

My thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book, the next in this series, has ex-priest Giordano Bruno sent to the court of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor to pass a message to his friend, John Dee, from spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. Unfortunately when Bruno gets to Prague, there’s been a murder and Dee is missing, a suspect in the murder. As usual with Bruno, things get much more complicated, but he’s tenacious and will do everything he can to clear his friends name.

The books by this author are always meticulously researched, well written and go at a cracking pace. It’s the sort of book I wish I could have read when learning history at school, as it brings history to life. It’s not easy to write a good book based on a real person, but SJ Parris always seems to manage it. The plot was well plotted, twists and turns devious enough to keep the reader hooked. I enjoyed the characterisations, particularly Bruno’s protégé, the hapless Besler, and the young Danish girl, Sukie , who was old beyond her years. Excellent read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In 'Alchemy' by S. J. Parris, Giordano Bruno arrives in Prague with his assistant Besler, to find that an alchemist called Ziggi Bartos has been brutally murdered, and that his friend John Dee is missing. Bartos had been highly favoured by The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, who despite his position is very interested in alchemy and beliefs other than Catholicism. Ordered by the emperor to find the killer, Bruno's life becomes at risk and he is uncertain who he can trust.

This is the first of S. J. Parris's Giordano Bruno books that I have read (this is the 7th). Parris is skilled in characterisation, and I was drawn to some of the more irascible characters who not only served the plot, but also offered comedy. Bruno is an interesting and engaging protagonist, and I could easily picture him. I could also easily picture the settings described, which came alive as I read. The plot is well developed, with twists and turns along the way, and I felt the ending was satisfying and not thrown away as it can be with some books. I would therefore recommend this novel and would happily read previous books in the series.

Parris is just the cutting edge in historical mystery. This was another brilliant Giordano Bruno thriller - this time he finds himself in Prague because alchemist John Dee has gone missing. That's the tip of the iceberg however as political and religious factions draw in, dragging they're friction with them. Giordano is not a popular man! And then another body turns up (of course) and things really go wrong. I love this series, both for its rich historical detail and excellent characters. Parris is a sublime storyteller.

Giordano Bruno is sent to Prague as the alchemist John Dee is missing. Bruno is immediately drawn into a gruesome murder which the locals believe was committed by the Golem but others fear John Dee is guilty. The plot thickens as another body appears, and Bruno is unsure whether his Jewish or Czech friends are playing him false. Mixed into this are some Spaniards employed by his former adversary from Rome, who would like to see him at an Inquisition and burned at the stake. And the Holy Roman Emperor, a pretty unstable character at best, is determined his alchemists should find the Philosopher's Stone - the key to eternal good health.

Bruno makes some lovely friends, not least the young girl Sukie, neglected by her drunkard father but full of determination, and the glorious Esther. He and his naive assistant Besler will have their hands full staying alive and keeping all the different parties satisfied as they follow their quests.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Walsingham’s spy in Prague has reported that there is a dangerous plot afoot that is too risky to give details and asks for back up and so Bruno is dispatched to his aid. When he arrives nothing is what he expects. John Dee the agent has disappeared accused of the murder of a rival alchemist found hanging in display with his face mutilated, So Bruno is charged with finding the murderers by the emperor in order to prove Dee’s innocence. He finds numerous vested interests and conflicting plots to gain political favour. Either to gain favour or to dispose of him to be replaced with a successor more amenable to Rome which gives rise to attempts to silence Bruno. How it all pans out with Bruno being offered what could be a poisoned chalice with Bruno wondering what to do.