A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

There’s a lot going on here: lots of characters, lots of action, lots of plotting. All a bit too much for me. Credibility stretched beyond breaking point. This is obviously the start of a new series, but not one I shall be following, nonetheless I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read a pre-release review copy, even if my review comes down on the negative end in this instance. .

A slight moment of worry at the start of the book, when the beautiful heroine is interrupted in her fencing practice to see a visitor. Oh no, not a bodice ripper. Not to worry, after she dressed and became the lady of the house, it became clear that she was so much more! A book of thrills, spies, spills and secrets surrounding the Queen and her court. By the end of the book, not all secrets are revealed - promising the prospect of a sequel.

Set in 1598, this is a murder mystery / espionage thriller set in Elizabethan London, with cameo appearances from well-known historical figures. I'd never read S J Parris before, but she's well known for her historical fiction and I've been seeing the cover of her previous book, Alchemy (2023), everywhere. It was actually one of the covers I looked at closely when pondering how to design the cover for Type Thief.

Traitor's Legacy is the start of a new series with a new protagonist, Sophia de Wolfe, who is a former spy now living as a wealthy and slightly bored widow. Robert Cecil, the aging (and heirless) Elizabeth I's spymaster, calls on Sophia when a young girl (about to come into an inheritance) is found murdered at the site of a theatre with a cryptic note on her body. The note is written in a cipher connected to Sophia's former life as a household spy (during which she was mainly in the business of unmasking Catholic sympathisers).

Sophia's investigations take her (and friends) all over London, from mansions to brothels, and beneath all the historical trappings beats the heart of a contemporary police procedural. For me, the murder investigation seemed designed to set us up for a series of books and was less interesting than the future possibilities suggested by the setting and characters. As often happens, my mind was snagged on details that don't matter but always seem to be a part of such narratives: a protagonist who appears barely to eat or sleep. I don't know why it's a thing, but it is a thing. Anyway, this book is an interesting beginning, and perhaps the future series might include régime change and gunpowder plots.

There are moments here (which I don't want to spoil) which are a little too on the nose in terms of cameo moments, but as they tended to make me smile as well as roll my eyes, I forgive them.

This was a review of an ARC from Netgalley and UK Publisher HarperCollins.

I am a big fan of the Giordano Bruno series so absolutely wanted to read this. Traitor's legacy is set in the twilight years of Elizabeth the 1st reign. The Spymaster Walsingham is dead and the spy network is greatly weakened following the struggle of Cecil and Essex to replace him.
When the body of a young heiress is found at the site of a former theatre, Cecil calls in Sophia De Wolfe from the cold. Fans of the Bruno series will recognise some familiar faces from the series. The mix of real life characters central to the story is excellent and Sophia is a fantastic protagonist and it is wonderful to see her character being developed. S.J. Parris paints the Elizabethan period so evocatively and highlights the status and constraints on women in this time against the background of the Elizabethan court.
Historical fiction fans will love this.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the female main character, she is a force to be reckoned with. I did find the story slowed down towards the middle but picked up again in the final quarter. Intrigue round every corner.

Having read and loved all the Giordano Bruno series, I was a little apprehensive about a book without him. However, Sophia De Wolfe is a truly epic character & stands so well as the heroine of this brilliant novel. A cracking good read from start to finish so no spoilers here - read it, you will not be disappointed! Looking forward to more of Sophia's adventures. S J Parris is a creative genius.

Parris delivers a gripping, atmospheric tale where every shadow hides a danger, and every whispered conversation could change the fate of a nation. The writing is richly detailed, steeped in the tension of a country on the brink, capturing the danger and deception of Elizabethan England with an effortless grip. Sophia de Wolfe is a compelling lead; intelligent, haunted, and navigating a world where power is a deadly game. The murder mystery is layered with political intrigue, keeping you second-guessing every revelation. For those who love historical fiction with the pulse of a thriller and the depth of a spy novel, this is an irresistible start to what promises to be an incredible series.

I have read all of the Giordano Bruno series, and if you have not read them please do. They are a real treat. Particularly as the novels combine real world people and fictional characters which help add to a sense of reality.

I had very high expectations for this novel. It is excellent, .And, the even better news it is that this is the first of a new series. Sophia de Wolfe has amazing agency as she is a widow and rich. Plus of course the skills she developed when she worked for Walsingham.

There is a great plot line and when you read this you are aware of Tudor England and what it might have felt like to be there. At the same time the author is so skilful you do not realise the massive amount of research that must have taken place to make everything feel so real.

Sophia is a good character to hang things off and I look forward to many more hours of reading about her adventures. It is always salutary to hav pointed out to you how marginalised women ere at that time and the power men had over their bodies and their money.

I found this a complex historical thriller. The first few chapters were difficult to get into but I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book.
An unusual heroine with a history of spying for the country moved into a personal conflict that is intensely important. She is unswerving in her efforts to resolve the problem in spite of many enemies working in the opposite direction.
Recommended

Like other readers I have always enjoyed what I'd thought of as spy Bruno books, but glad to say Sophia picks up the mantle magnificently. Lots of intrigues in 70 year old Elizabeth's court with Walsingham dead and Essex and Ceil at each other's throats. Plenty of unexpected twists and turns in the murder mystery. Nice to meet up with an insightful William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage too. Suspect when the old Queen dies tables will turn for those who persecuted Catholics but that's all ahead. Excellent read for those who enjoy emerging themselves in the murky world of Tudor spies.

Lady Sophia de Wolfe, one time spy, ex on/off lover of Giordano Bruno (the hero of Parris' previous series of historical crime fiction) and recent widow, is plunged back into the world of murder, intrigue and spycraft when the body of a young girl is found with a note written in Sophia's cipher from her past life working for Sir Francis Walsingham.

While it is not necessary to have read any of the Bruno novels to enjoy this one, there are some nice call backs and I was thrilled to see the return of Sophia. Parris blends the real people of Elizabthan England and her own creations with aplomb. The writing of setting is equally deft - it is a novel you don't want to put down until you are done.

I'm already looking forward to book two

I loved SJParris' earlier series about spies in Tudor times and was delighted to see that there is to be a new series with Sophia de Wolfe as the protagonist. It is winter 1598, an exceptionally cold time when the Thames is starting to freeze. The queen is getting older and there are tensions round who is to be her heir. A young girl's body is found and Sophia appears to be connected as there is a note in her cipher (from when she was a spy working with Bruno) attached to the body.

Like her previous books, this one is immersed in detail from this period. I love the fact that real people are featured in the cast of characters. This adds authencity to the mix. It is small wonder that the Tudor period provides so much material for writers but Parris's take with her emphasis on more ordinary people makes a refreshing change from all the stories about Henry VIII's wives and successors (although I love these as well).. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. .

Elizabethan London 1598. Queen Elizabeth’s successor remains unnamed. The country teeters on a knife edge.

It’s against this backdrop that a young heiress is found murdered. The Queen’s spymaster Robert Cecil calls upon former agent Sophia de Wolfe to investigate.

The girl was found in the remains of a theatre, with a cryptic note which appears to refer to Sophia’s former life as a spy. Sophia is shocked that someone would have this information. Finding out who wrote the note will be high on her list of priorities, as is her quest to find the murderer. Her investigations will set her against some of the most powerful men in London, including the Queen’s favourite courtier, the Earl of Essex. This man is ruthless in his ambitions, and no one will stand in his way.

However, Sophia is also harbouring another secret that could be used against her, that is unless she can unearth the killer before her past comes back to destroy her.

This is the first in a new historical crime thriller series set in the time of Elizabeth I, and what a great start it is. Sophia makes for an interesting protagonist, one with many secrets, but she’s highly intelligent, and can certainly look after herself. Expect secrets, lies and conspiracies, not to mention twists and turns. It also gives lots of insight into the workings of society in this turbulent period in history, and though fictional, there are real people included too. A compelling read.

A fantastic, dark historical crime thriller! I was absorbed into the world that S J Parris created, and although it scared me in some places I didn't want to leave.
Set at the end of Elizabeth 1st rein, the grabbing for power within her court was a great background for the murder of the heiress! I didn't know who to trust or who to believe the whole way along. Brilliantly written and I need more

Set at the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, with plenty of intrigue surrounding the Tudor court, this new series from S.J. Parris is perfect for fans of well written historical murder/mysteries. At it's centre is Sophia de Wolfe who is a fascinating character who has been a spy but married a wealthy man who has left her a wealthy widow. She now finds herself being summoned by the Queen's spymaster Robert Cecil to investigate the murder of a young heiress who has Sophia's cypher upon her.

With plenty of drama, action, historical detail and a dark and dangerous plot this will certainly be worth reading if you love Sansom and Andrew Taylor.

A new SJ Parris novel is always an event to celebrate, particularly for someone like me, with an incurable weakness for historical crime. I’ve read and loved all of Parris’ Giordano Bruno novels, set mainly in Elizabethan England, with the occasional foray into Europe. Parris has established Bruno as an attractive and sympathetic hero. An ex catholic monk, philosopher, and possible heretic, he ticks all the boxes: Good looking, intelligent, brave and a respecter of strong women. So it was with some trepidation that I began her latest novel, when I found out that Parris had ditched Bruno for a new protagonist, Lady Sophia de Wolfe. It's a bold move, when the Bruno novels have been so successful.
By and large, it works, with some caveats. The depiction of Elizabethan London is convincing. The plot is handled with Parris’ usual aplomb, requiring the merest hint of goodwill on the part of the reader (usually in connection with De Wolfe’s protection of her child - there's no way this would pass with so little comment, but I’m just splitting hairs here) There’s a delightful rendering of the transportation of The Curtain Theatre to The Globe, Bankside in the opening chapter and a knowing, touching scene focusing on a conversation between Shakespeare and the protagonist, about love and the loss of a child, towards the end. De Wolfe, a character who has already appeared in several of the Bruno novels, partly as a love interest, finds herself recently widowed (and therefore available for all kinds of adventures). By the end, her daring romps across London convince Robert Cecil to reemploy her as a spy working for Elizabeth's government, thus setting us up for a new series. Good. I for one look forward to seeing her in more. But please, Stephanie, don't completely abandon Bruno. There’s life in the old dog yet.

If a new series of De Wolfe adventures emerges, I would just make these pleas to S J Parris, as a huge fan.

Do something about Anthony Munday, a playwright attached to the same company as De Wolf’s son Toby, and a second division rival to Shakespeare. He’s potentially an excellent character but his devoted lapdog impersonation in this novel began to grate after a while. GIven De Wolfe’s lack of romantic interest in him, this relationship promises more irritation than interest.
Please abandon the use of the present tense. I know it’s what younger audiences are meant to like and it's what Creative writing tutors and Boutique consultancies tell writers to adopt for more “Immediacy”, but really that’s nonsense. (See Jonathan Coe on this in his latest, “The Proof of My Innocence.”). To me it feels affected and inauthentic. You didn't need it in the Bruno novels and you don't need it here.

But they are just nitpicks in the grand scheme of things. What a potential reader needs to know is this: S J Parris/Stephanie Merritt has come up with another winner. Fans of historical crime should settle in and enjoy the ride.

I have read most of the author’s historical novels and greatly enjoyed them and in this book set in Elizabethan London we have Sophia de Wolfe moving from a minor character in previous books to be the main character. It would probably be Ok to read this a stand alone book but I think will be more enjoyable if the other books have been read first. Again we have murder, intrigue and spies but also the theatre is prominent now.
Sophia is a mysterious person with a past that she would prefer to remain secret , but this is threatened and she is determined to defend herself and close friends in her usual no-holds-barred fashion. A great read and I look forward to reading more of this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC

Sophia de Wolfe is a wealthy widow in Kate Elizabethan England and a former spy for Francis Walsingham.

Sophia is summoned by Sir Robert Cecil, Walsingham's successor, to investigate the murder of a young heiress who has been found in a ditch with a note written in Sophia's personal cipher.

Her investigation brings her up against some powerful people whereupon she needs all her skills to survive and prevale.

A new series by S J Parris which shows great potential


I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the chance to read and review this book

Loved it. Seeing Sophia again as a main character after the all too brief glimpses of her in the Giordano Bruno books was a delight. I hope this series continues as it's very well written and researched and I hope the Italian philosopher also returns also.