Magic in the Weave

As soon as I saw the front cover and title of this book I knew I had to read it. It was gripping right from the start with a tense and gothic atmosphere. It was creepy, intense and suspenseful. I was kept guessing all the way through and I couldnt put it down.
I loved the storyline, the characters and the setting. I really enjoyed it

Magic in the Weave by Alys Clare


A theatre company bring secrets, magic and murder along with them on their ‘Plague Tour’, in this bewitching historical mystery starring physician-sleuth Dr Gabriel Taverner.

October, 1604. Plague has hit London, and the theatres are closed. But the capital’s loss is Plymouth’s gain, when a London theatre troupe, the Company, arrive on their ‘Plague Tour’.
A very clever storyline , which had it all , mystery , suspense , intrigue , along with twists and turns to keep you interested .
Brilliant.

A worthy new addition to a well established and beloved series set in Plymouth at the start of the Stuart period of British history.

Weird and violent murderous shenanigans happening among a talented travelling company of Shakespearean thespians hailing from London and presumably fleeing the deadly fingers of the plague lurking around the country. But it's the omnipresent feelings of doom, fear, conspiracy and treason that makes this compelling story a marvellous piece of historical fiction.
Taking place before the Gunpowder Plot against James I, the author is able to brilliantly render all the uncertainties so prevalent in England between the death of Queen Elizabeth and the first years of the new reign.

A marvellously dark tapestry of magical shenanigans full of twists and turns, unforgettable characters, violent deaths and an atmosphere of permanent dread that will linger with some readers well after the last page.

An engrossing and well crafted novel that deserves to be really enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Canongate/Severn House for this terrific ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for an e-galley of this novel.

Alys Clare is one of my favorite historical mystery writers and the Gabriel Taverner series can be counted on to add stories to the series which allow the characters to continue in development as well as present an intriguing mystery novel. Gabriel is a physician in 1604 in a small town outside Plymouth in England and he is presented in such a way that I can easily believe he has medical knowledge that is useful and helpful to his patients but makes me aware of how small that sphere of working knowledge actually is. He doesn't have all the answers and he doesn't cure every ailment he comes across. That is especially true in this story which is steeped in dark magic. Maybe even a ghost or two?

A group of players has arrived in Plymouth during their self-proclaimed Plague Tour to get away from the plague in London. Yes, in 2022 we are reading about another plague right when we are all so involved in our own plague/virus. Unfortunately, a story set in this time period in English history is often using the backdrop of plague to add drama and unrest to a plot. This isn't essentially a plague plot, but the subject does come up often. Instead, this plot revolves around a group of men who have dark secrets and an aura of invulnerability for any murder and mayhem they indulge in. Combining a dark secret and a public house going back hundreds of years add up to a real feeling of menace which is wonderfully portrayed by this author. This is a good book to read when you have all (or almost all) the lights on in your favorite reading room. The group of players perform several plays by one of their members, Will Shakespeare, who wasn't able to be on this Plague Tour with them. I really loved all the dissecting of the meanings behind those plays. So, Shakespeare plays and woo-woo shivers too? Yep, some fine reading!

I loved this book!! I have never read anything like this before, and I enjoyed it all!
I went into this book cold - I hadn't read any of the Gabriel Taverner books before. So this book, no.4 in the series was my first. I obviously cannot say how much previous books plot points appeared in this book, but I can say that you can enjoy this book without having read the others.
Alys Clare was amazing at building an atmosphere and mood - with their writing, I was immediately and vividly transformed back into the medieval times. I think the whole atmospheric writing was my favourite part about this book. The plot was OK, and the 'mystery' element did keep me reading, but that wasn't Clare's strongest point.
The reason I couldn't give this book the full 5* was because of the ending. It all got a bit racing and ended very quickly. It also went a bit hectic and unbelievable towards the end too.

Overall I loved this, and will be reading Alys Clare again!

A gothic story and an excellent historical mystery with a paranormal aspect and plenty of twists.
Alys Clare can surely write a story that will keep you hooked and this one is no exception.
Excellent storytelling and plot development, great characters, and a solid mystery.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Good to have a new Gabriel Tavener book, and this one was a taught, well constructed historical mystery thriller, with a vein of Gothic Horror running throughout. All our favourite characters were back and the story forged ahead at a steady pace. A few verbal anachronisms did jar - 'no great shakes' is hardly a phrase of the times, and referring to any drug as 'illegal' (or indeed, even as a drug) would have been a unknown concept in the reign of James I - but these did not mar the general quality of the rest of the writing. The words 'sex' or 'sexual' were used often enough to strike a discordant note, since this constant reference was decidedly anachronistic, and the author's seeming obsession with seeking sexual references and subtexts in Shakespeare's plays was rather disconcerting. One thing that stood out as ridiculously unbelievable was the apparent time taken for Celia to make an embroidered handkerchief and a velvet cloak. Any experienced needleworker would know that the time claimed by the plotline for these items to be completed by one woman - especially to the standard and quality described - is completely impossible in a pre-sewing machine age. Nevertheless, the book was a thoroughly enjoyable read and can be heartily recommended.

I loved reading this book! I found the writing to be very insightful and interesting. I was intrigued by the premise and I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

Alys Clare involves Dr. Gabriel Taverner in intrigue and murders in the players come to his town in Magic in the Weave. As the bodies start dropping, his sister becomes involved in the players activities as she makes some clothing props for them. The tale is early in the reign of King James after the death of Elizabeth. Plots may be active among the players. Dr. Taverner has to find out what is really going on before worse happens.

The review of Magic in the Weave by Alys Clare is in the May 2022 issue of Gumshoe Review and is exclusive to them until June 2022. You may read the review on their website at:
<http://www.gumshoereview.com/php/Review-id.php?id=6851>

Magic in the Weave is the 4th Gabriel Taverner historical mystery by Alys Clare. Released 1st Feb 2022 by Severn House, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. (Paperback format due out in 1st quarter 2023). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Set during the reign of James I, a band of performers has fled London ostensibly to escape the plague. Dr. Gabriel Taverner and his household and friends become involved with the players, whose performances are compelling and Gabe is worried that his sister Celia has become uncomfortably close to some of them who had other reasons for escaping London.

The plot is well paced and constructed and I was engaged from the beginning. There is a significant supernatural element which I admittedly found somewhat surplus to requirements in a murder mystery, especially a historical mystery without the access to forensic tests which modern settings possess. That being said, the characterizations are top notch, and the supernatural aspects weren't *too* overpowering. The dialogue is accessible and the author manages to suffuse the speech with verisimilitude without sacrificing clarity. 

Since it's the 4th 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. 

Four stars. A well crafted mystery.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.