A Chorus of Innocents

This superbly written historical novel set in the borderlands between Scotland and England during the year 1592 is so much more than just a mystery to be solved. The author’s words took me back in time, allowed me to experience with all of my senses what life might have been like in the late 1590’s and made me thankful that I live in the present.

In this book Lady Elizabeth Widdrington has more time on center stage than Robert Carey and in some ways it is more her story than his, although, it is really a story of the time and its people and as such even more intriguing as it is based on real characters mixed in with some fictional ones.

This may be a Robert Carey Mystery and the 7th in the series but it was the first book of the show more series that I have read. I am now eager to read the other six books even though they do not need to be read first to have this one make sense.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes well written fact-based historical fiction that provides a wonderful reading adventure.

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book and in so doing allow me to find an author I will gladly read the work of again. show less

The Scottish border 1592, and a Minister is murdered by two men. His pregnant wife rides off in a panic all the way to Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, who in spite of misgivings of what her husband will do when he finds out, rides back to help arrange the funeral and perhaps find out what's going on. There follows a tangled tale of border reivers and boy choirs and tooth drawers as Sergeant Dodd and Robert Carey are drawn into the mystery.

An absolutely splendid little yarn, full of domestic and social detail and twists and turns of the plot. Elizabeth, Dodd and Carey are great characters, and if I'm not mistaken there's the welcome appearance of Character From Another Series, too, which is nice.

One of a series of mysteries set in Scotland in the 1500's. This one's plot revolves around the murder of a minister whose pregnant wife is raped during the encounter. He is nearly decapitated and not only do we eventually find the culprits but we learn a lot about the language and culture of Scotland. in the period. The book takes a little work based on understanding the Scottish brogue used. There is a tiny unsatisfying historical note that the author relates that the characters and story are real based on memoirs with some artistic license but no details we given as to what was real and what came from the author's imagination.