Starred review from March 21, 2011
Tudor England again proves to be fertile ground for an outstanding historical thriller, as shown by Parris's marvelous second novel featuring philosopher spy Giordano Bruno (after Heresy). In 1583, as a legion of enemies imperils the reign of Elizabeth I, Bruno is playing a dangerous double game as an aide to the French ambassador and as a trusted agent for the queen's spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. When someone strangles Cecily Ashe, one of Elizabeth's maids of honor, then carves the astrological sign of the planet Jupiter into her breast, Walsingham plucks Bruno from a wedding feast to add his insights into the highly sensitive murder inquiry. A doll in the victim's hand made up to resemble the monarch only intensifies the concern that the killing is linked to a plot against the queen. The suspenseful search for the murderer and the conspirators behind him makes the pages fly by. An admirable original sleuth and persuasive period detail bolster the taut plot.
March 15, 2011
This follow-up to Heresy (2010), where Parris first introduced readers to Italian Giordano Bruno, shadows the former 16th-century monk, philosopher and author as he involves himself with deadly intrigues inside the court of England's Queen Elizabeth.
It is the fall of 1583, and Bruno is celebrating his friend Sir Philip Sidney's marriage to the young daughter of the powerful Francis Walsingham, when Walsingham is called to the palace to deal with a crisis. He invites Bruno to accompany him and when the two men arrive, they find one of the Queen's young ladies in waiting has been murdered. Cecily Ashe has been found dead with an astrological sign carved into her breast and holding a small effigy that resembles the Queen. Walsingham and other members of the Queen's inner circle believe the murder is a direct threat to Her Majesty. They suspect a Catholic plot to assassinate Elizabeth, but Walsingham is ahead of the curve: Bruno, who is living in the French embassy, is acting as a double agent on his behalf, reporting the schemes and plans of the Catholic faithful against the head of England's government. Parris based both of her books on real-life historical figures, which include Bruno. She knows the period well, and her writing is reflective of that knowledge. Readers will hear the sounds of Elizabethan England, smell the Thames River, taste the food and feel the luxurious fabrics of the clothes worn by courtiers. Although she peppers the story with period details, the premise that both sides would willingly embrace a known heretic such as Bruno (especially the Catholics plotting the Queen's demise) rings false. The Catholic plotters seem not to trust him, but continue to include him in their plans. It's a flaw that good writing does not overcome. Additionally, Bruno is not that great as a double agent: Whenever he comes across crucial evidence, he withholds it, often with disastrous results.
Parris populates her tale with interesting characters and plenty of atmosphere but allows the story to ramble on until the reader grows weary of Bruno and his detective work.
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November 1, 2010
When one of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honor turns up dead, everyone starts whispering about the black arts--it is, after all, the time of the Great Conjunction, when Jupiter and Saturn are aligned, as occurs about once every 1000 years. An understandably alarmed queen calls in her personal astrologer, John Dee, and Dominican monk/philosopher Giordano Bruno, who shone in Parris's recent debut, Heresy. Parris looks to be an up-and-comer in the historical fiction/mystery arena; buy accordingly.
Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2011
This one is all about plots, spies, and counterspies, with repudiated monk Giordano Bruno (Heresy, 2009) smack-dab in the middle. Now in England, living with the French ambassador, Bruno is in a perfect position to again exercise his espionage skills. Recruited by Queen Elizabeths secretary of state, he is charged with relaying information about a plot to replace Elizabeth with her imprisoned Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart. With Catholic unrest in England and prophecies of the rise of a new world order causing fear even among the masses, Brunos role is vital to the safety of the Crown. Obtaining intelligence takes time, however, and while Bruno searches for it, he uncovers powerful individuals whose aims have little to do with the common good. Parris writing is crisp if not textured, and she gives an intriguing glimpse into the politics of the era. Whats missing are the thrill of the chase and a big-enough heroic personality to make the history really come alive. An entertaining historical mystery, but send seekers for punchier fare to the works of Clare Clark.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)