The Angel in the Glass

Starred review from November 1, 2016
After the success of her Aelf Fen and Hawkenlye books, Clare turns her talents to a new historical mystery series, this one set in rural Devon, England, in the early seventeenth century. Former ship's doctor turned country physician Gabriel Taverner is called to investigate a brutal death, which at first looks like suicide. There are few clues to the dead man's identity, and it's only coincidence that leads Gabriel to the first loose thread that will eventually unravel the twisted truth. As he and local coroner Theophilus Davey work together to try to solve the case, they find what at first seem to be tenuous links to the area's silk trade. As those links become ever stronger, Gabriel and Theo eventually begin to suspect the tragic, which will have frightening implications for Gabriel and his family. But what is most shocking is that even those closest to him have been hiding dark and dangerous secrets. As always, Clare has carefully researched the period she is writing about and offers authentic, engaging historical detail, but her real gift is as a superb storyteller whose clever, twisty plots; believable characters; and skillful writing will engross the reader from first page to last.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

Starred review from August 1, 2018
Clare's books are captivating, unusual, and magical, and her latest, set in seventeenth-century England and featuring physician Gabriel Taverner, is no exception. When Gabe is called to a remote hut where a dead body has been found, he can barely tell the sex of the victim because the corpse is so badly emaciated and ravaged. He declares death by natural causes, but he's worried by the odd swellings on the victim's face, hoping they don't indicate leprosy. He's then temporarily distracted when the local minister, Jonathan Carew, begins acting oddly. Gabe eventually discovers that Jonathan has unearthed some beautiful glass panels that were taken from his church and buried during the reign of Henry VIII. One panel, intricate and utterly entrancing, stands out from the rest. It's only by chance that Gabe discovers a link between the dead body in the hut and the glass panels, and once he does, he wishes he hadn't, because the story that links the two is so brutally tragic that even Gabe, a doctor who's seen just about everything, is devastated. Wonderfully authentic period details, larger-than-life characters, a thought-provoking plot, and an affecting and powerful conclusion make this one of Clare's best.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)