Witch Hammer

August 27, 2012
Dreaming of one day securing his fortune in London, 21-year-old Christopher âKitâ Marlowe leaves his studies at Cambridge in July, 1585, to pursue an acting career with Lord Strangeâs Men, a theatrical touring company, in Trowâs chilling third mystery featuring the playwright and spy (after Silent Court). En route to Oxford, taking care to avoid plague-ravaged London, the company encounters an assortment of apparent witches and demons. Midway through the journey, tireless actor and manager Ned Sledd turns up with a silver-handled bodkin buried in his throat beneath the King Stone, a revered site guarded by anointed keepers. Marlowe must use his crime-solving expertise to find Nedâs slayer among a myriad of potential suspects, both human and spectral. Readers will have fun recognizing the many quotations from William Shakespeare, Marloweâs idol and later his rival, in this complex yet engrossing tale of superstition and murder.

September 15, 2012
Christopher Marlowe, scholar, spy and aspiring playwright, adds sleuthing to his resume. Kit Marlowe, who accidentally destroyed his first draft of Dido, Queen of Carthage, is chagrined to learn that Ned Alleyn, a thespian performing as part of Lord Strange's traveling players, has not only absconded with the only other version of this drama, but is claiming to have written it. Hoping to track down Alleyn, Kit tags along with the troupe, but his plan hits a few roadblocks. First, Joyce Clopton, accompanying the troupe for safety after her father has been ruined and his assets confiscated by Sir Edward Greville, asks him to assassinate Greville. Next, Ned Sledd, the troupe's manager, is found dead with a dagger in his throat. Then, Cawdray, a widower, and Hayward, a well-to-do theater junkie, decide to ride along with the troupe as it heads for Stratford, where Shaxsper, a young glove maker with writing aspirations, becomes an apprentice. Meanwhile, Greville's men are dogging the troupe. A rampage ensues, and there's quite a hullabaloo at a field of magical stones where witches cavort during their Lammastide celebration. Undaunted, Kit not only perseveres in his quest to find Alleyn but succeeds in deducing who murdered Stedd. All will be revealed as the troupe heads for its upcoming debut at Oxford. Marlowe (Silent Court, 2012, etc.) makes an agreeable guide to Elizabethan life, and it's fun reading quips between him and Shaxsper that will later appear in plays.

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October 1, 2012

After a recent traumatic experience, Christopher (Kit) Marlowe has vowed to hang up his spy shoes and concentrate on being a playwright, but events just keep intervening. He has joined up with a traveling acting troupe and is staying in Stratford when violence erupts. The death of a local nobleman puts the man's daughter at risk; Kit and his allies endeavor to save her and, consequently, themselves. Mix in a local guy named Shakespeare, a witch coven, and sneaky bad guys, and expect a chaotic episode or two. It's never a straight highway for Kit, so readers know the ride will be fast and furious. VERDICT Trow's sparklingly fresh Elizabethan-era series consistently measures up, and his third case (after Silent Court) for the enigmatic Marlowe is a winner. Authentic prose, plentiful intrigue, and a cast of real-life and imaginary characters make for captivating reading. For fullest appreciation, reading the series in order is advisable.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Despite a complex and sometimes confusing plot, the fast pacing, fascinating historical characters (including an appearance by a very young William Shakespeare), and an intricately twisted story line make Trow's latest entry in his Christopher Kit Marlowe series a winner. Marlowe is off to London to seek his fortune as a playwright. On the road, he meets a troupe of actors, one of whom steals Kit's latest play. Furious, Kit is ready to pursue the thief, but when a local nobleman is poisoned, he feels he must stay behind to find who tried to kill the man. Then the stage manager of the acting troupe is murdered, and a coven of witches is seen practicing their dark arts near the murder scene. The whys and wherefores are so complex that even the wise Kit is baffled. He eventually figures out what happened and why, and can devote his full attention to recovering his lost play. Clever allusions to Shakespeare, intriguing historical references, graphic violence, and unholy witch-doings make for an entertaining, satisfying read, although not one for the faint of heart.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)