Martyr

Starred review from March 16, 2009
William Shakespeare's older brother, John, plays sleuth in Clements's excellent debut, billed as an Elizabethan thriller. While Queen Elizabeth hesitates to sign the death warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots, her spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, fears the Spanish have sent an assassin to England to kill the country's greatest naval hero, Sir Francis Drake. John, Walsingham's “assistant secretary and chief intelligencer,” suspects the conspiracy against Drake may be connected with a murder John's investigating—the stabbing death of Lady Blanche Howard, whose mutilated corpse was found in a burning London building. His inquiries put him at odds with Richard Topcliffe, a fanatical servant of the queen known for his taste for torture and anti-Catholic zeal, who threatens to expose John's father's secret Catholic sympathies. The characters, action and period detail are all solid, though some may wish the end notes had provided information on the historical John Shakespeare.

May 15, 2009
John Shakespeare (elder brother of William) is an investigator for Secretary Walsingham in the service of Queen Elizabeth I, and his first case takes place in the months surrounding the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the threatened invasion of the Spanish Armada. As Jesuits sneak into England and Romish priests offer secret Catholic services, Shakespeare must find Lady Blanche Howard's killer and protect Sir Francis Drake from a clever and deadly Spanish assassin. This debut historical thriller, peopled equally with real and fictional characters, is longer than most historicals, and the number of details, characters, and events may turn off more traditional mystery readers. However, fans of historicals should be more than satisfied with the well-paced plot and complex story. Recommend for readers who liked Marie Brennan's recent historical fantasy, "Midnight Never Comes", also about Elizabethan politics and the court, or Karen Harper's Queen Elizabeth mystery series ("Poyson Garden"). [See Prepub Mystery, "LJ" 1/09.]Jessica Moyer, Coll. of Education & Human Development., Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2009
Adult/High School-This complicated, dark mystery reveals the Elizabethan world as a damp and smelly place, and the baser side of human life is shown throughout. The story concerns the brutal death of an aristocratic girl, the attempted assassination of Sir Francis Drake, and the search for two Jesuit priests on the loose from the Continent. The fear of impending attack from the Armada pervades the atmosphere, and there are horrific actions by both sides in the battles between British Catholics and Protestants. John Shakespeare, William's brother, is a Queen's deputy, pitted against his evil colleague, Richard Topcliffe, in the search for answers to the death of the girl, finding the priests, and thwarting any assassination attempt on the queen. Whores ply their trade, crusty sailors and ill-tempered gaolers leer in every corner, and Topcliffe tortures just about anyone he can. But Shakespeare has a strong sense of compassion, thoughtfulness, and loyalty to the queen. He's also portrayed as being more the norm for the time and place than the religious zealots, but could his nemesis be so consistently evil? While that polarity may be for the sake of a good tale, the heartbreaking circumstances of the lives at the lowest rungs of society seem historically accurate. The quality of the writing; complexity of the plot; and vivid descriptions of torture, lasciviousness, and everyday treacherousness make for a compelling tale."Connie Williams, Kenilworth Jr. High, Petaluma, CA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2009
John Shakespeare, assistant to Queen Elizabeths secretary, Walsingham, has his hands full in this impressive debut novel. The year is 1587. One of Queen Elizabeths cousins is found murdered, her body brutally defaced with profane symbols. In addition, a plot to assassinate Sir Francis Drake, Englands celebrated naval warrior, surfaces. Religious and political tensions are high, with the persecution of Catholics and Mary Queen of Scots in prison awaiting execution. Shakespeares rival, the queens chief torturer, Topcliffe, is eager to see him fail so that he can claim the glory. With a little help from his playwright brother, Will, and a motley crew of actors, John travels through Londons underworld of spies, prostitutes, and sorcerers to uncover a conspiracy with horrible implications. He must move quickly to avoid becoming a victim himself. Rory Clements brings sixteenth-century London to life in this well-plotted historical mystery. With Elizabeth I enjoying a twenty-first-century renaissance, this one could attract a large audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)