I must caution you, stepping outside the door of your home and taking a stroll down the streets in 1558 London, may be at your peril. At least it is for Jack! How he manages to survive through the whole story is anyone’s guess. I would like to step inside the book and shake some sense into Jack. Whichever way he seems to turn, he gets himself in a tight spot and also, he seems to have a knack at putting other lives in jeopardy.

I enjoyed reading Jack’s adventures and his troubles he finds himself in is hilariously comical, and it is highly entertaining how others perceive the kind of man they believe Jack to be and when we read what Jack is thinking in the moment, it’s not like how others perceive him or is it? More times than not, the reader must discern if this was an actual character flaw in Jack or some clever ruse.

Jack is questioned or interrogated so many times, I don’t know how he keeps a clear mind with all his excuses. I couldn’t stop chuckling. My goodness! He says anything to just stay alive which is understandable in his situation.

What a fun historical mystery!

‘I have been an expert in running for most of my life.’

If you enjoy light-hearted (mostly) historical mysteries, then allow me to introduce Jack Blackjack, opportunist and fixer who fancies himself as a ladies’ man. This is the ninth book in a series entitled ‘A Bloody Mary Mystery’. The series opens in 1554, with this novel set in 1558.
London, 1558. London is busy with growing trade, Jack Blackjack is prospering, and Queen Mary’s health is again a hot topic, as is the succession. Alas, when Jack’s new tenant, a Dutch merchant, goes missing and Jack’s current female companion is found murdered, he immediately falls under suspicion. And not only the authorities are after him!

The story shifts between different points of view, and it is interesting to understand how others view Jack. There is plenty of intrigue: concerns about the Queen’s health leads to concerns about her likely successor and there are those who seek to influence possible outcomes. Jack, despite constantly (or so it seems) focussing on possible bed partners, seems to simultaneously impress and confuse people in positions of power.

This is the third novel I have read in this series and while Jack Blackjack is really not my kind of hero, I like the way Mr Jecks captures the tension created by the religious differences between Queen Mary and the Lady Elizabeth and the intrigues of those who support them.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Tudor England was not an easy place and it's not easy at all for Jack Blackjack who has worked for the Queen. There's a murderer out there and he's working too close to Jack for comfort. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'd not read the earlier books in the series so this was a standalone that occasionally left me a bit at sea. That said, it's a fine historical mystery.

Great light hearted read.
Blackjack gets in a tangle in Tudor England.
He is being accussed of two murders to people he has recently been seen with and whilst trying to prove his innocence with his usual mix of bravado and luck he also stumbles on a plot to seize the throne.
Just how can he get out of this fix without loss of life.

3.75* for this one in overall. Enjoyable read for sure, fast one. I do like stories about Jack Blackjack, but this time poor man has less luck then before and is more confused then ever before. Will we see him in another book? I hope so :)

Britain in the late 1500s was not a pleasant place to live. Serfdom was just coming to an end and wages were pitifully low. Anyone with property was a target to all of the oppressed population. One needed bodyguards to go to the pubs or houses of ill repute and were always a target of the poor. Jack Blackjack was one of those targets.

Jack maintained a number of houses and had many enemies. He was a dandy who enjoyed the favors of many of the young ladies in the village. He had worked with both Lady Elisabeth and Queen Mary and had received a Royal pardon for his crimes which did not sit well with his enemies.

This novel reveals a time in history when individual life was not worth much. Being well armed with swords and knives as well as cudgels was essential. Living in this part of the past would not be a welcoming environment. Enjoy Jack’s escapades. 4.5 stars – CE Williams