S. W. Perry

It is two years since the events of the previous book and Nicholas Shelby, physician and reluctant part-time spy for Robert Cecil, minister to Queen Elizabeth I, hasn't quite got his act together vis a vis his smouldering relationship with Bianca, tavern keeper and apothecary. Then a rift opens when he accepts a commission to go to Marrakesh and investigate the lack of dispatches from a spy of Cecil's who works there as an official for a merchant company. Cecil threatens to have Bianca's show more licence to practice revoked and Nicholas doesn't tell her this so his cover story of studying Moorish medical practices doesn't convince.

Meanwhile the two had made a start on investigating a murder close to home of a harmless old man who was tortured before being killed. It transpires that he had connections to Marrakesh and as Bianca continues to investigate on her own, murky links begin to emerge with slavery and a very nasty Captain Connell, plus an official of the college of heralds.

I wasn't totally convinced by the motivation of the man eventually revealed as the chief plotter, and also of the way Bianca puts herself at risk. There were a few typographical errors which were jarring such as transposing letters so that except/expect were substituted. On the whole I liked the story, but enjoyed the previous volume more, so am rating it as a 3 star read. show less

Set in Elizabethan London, we follow Nicholas Shelby, a doctor at odds with the medical establishment, as he investigates a strange Swiss doctor engaged to treat an epileptic young boy. It soon becomes clear that there is more to this treatment and relationship than at first suspected, potentially leading to a devastating civil war in England as adherents of the recently outlawed Catholic faith attempt to regain control of the country. Shelby is supported in his adventures by Bianca Merton, show more half-Italian and half-English, owner of the Jackdaw Tavern and an expert in plant-based medicines.

This is a very clever story with plenty of twists and reversals to keep the reader guessing about motives and which side the various characters are on. Perry is good at revealing insights into people in layers so our sympathies change as we become closer to them. The evocation and descriptions of Elizabethan England, and especially the Bankside area south of the Thames, are very good with just enough detail to make them real without intruding too much into the story.

I was pleased to see Bianca Merton take a more prominent role in this story. Her knowledge, courage, heart and vivacity make her the most attractive character, especially when placed alongside Shelby, who does sometimes come across as a rather insipid beige young man.

Definitely recommended, especially as we see the various characters develop, both in themselves and in their relationships, across the series. show less

I enjoyed this second volume in the series much more than book 1. It has a slow build up and deals with the politics and religious antagonism of the late Elizabethan age, being slow to get going, but Dr Nicholas Selby has at least managed to stay sober and during the course of the novel comes to terms with the loss of his wife and sees a possibility of future happiness. As before, he is a reluctant spy for the Queen's Spymaster, Robert Cecil, and gets in over his head. Meanwhile Bianca, show more Italian tavern keeper and now licenced apothecary, does some investigation of her own into what her visiting cousin might be up to and also becomes embroiled in serious matters.

I liked the way Bianca was a competent and courageous joint protagonist and how, unlike in book 1 where she needed rescuing, here the boot is on the other foot. Also, the way the two investigations became interwoven is neat.

I should warn other readers that there is a sad animal death in the book and a grisly medical procedure which amounts to torture.

The only thing that held it back from a five star rating for me was a slight unbelievability in how a certain character was in the right place to meet a particular person at the end, plus it wasn't clear if Nicholas had managed to get the news to him about his son. That was a loose end not quite tied up. But an enjoyable 4 stars. show less

Maverick physician Nicholas Shelby is content working amounts the poor of Bankside, recovering from the loss of his wife and child, falling in love with apothecary and tavern-owner Bianca Merton and avoiding Robert Cecil. However Cecil has other ideas and wants Shelby to travel to Marrakech where one of his informers has gone silent. As plague threatens to engulf London, Shelby finds himself blackmailed by Cecil and travelling to Morocco living his loved ones in danger at home.
I really liked show more the setting of this story. The trade links that England forged with North Africa during the 16th century are a not particularly well-known part of history but are hugely important. Here the relative sophistication of life in Marrakech is contrasted with the dirty and squalid life in London and the advances in medicine that were known to the Arab world are compared with Western ideas. The plot bounces along at a good pace and satisfies in terms of twists and turns but it is the time and place that really wins out here. show less