The Quality of Mercy

This is not your standard Faye Kellerman mystery. This is set in Elizabethan England and is more historical romance than mystery. But that's OK. Kellerman handles the story well.

Kellerman starts with the fact that Elizabeth I had a "converso" doctor - Rodrigo Lopez, a Jew who converted to Church of England while still practicing the religion of his ancestors in secret. Much of the book details the lives of conversos and the danger they faced daily. Lopez's daughter Rebecca chafes under the restrictions, both of her religion and her sex. She sometimes dresses as a man and wanders London looking for adventure. On one of her forays, she meets - and duels with - William Shakespeare (yes, THAT Shakespeare). She and Will become friends and show more lovers.

The mystery comes in when Shakespeare's mentor is killed by what appears to be a highwayman. The murdered man's widow asks Shakespeare to find the killer.

The mystery in this book truly is not the focus. Most of the story deals with Rebecca and Will and the fate of the conversos - specifically Lopez - in London. It is, however, an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Elizabethan England. show less

I loved this book. I first found it in England, and I found that I couldn't put it down. It is not really a mystery, but the story of Elizabethan England, Shakespeare, and a young converso is terrific. I actually allowed students in a course I taught to use this book as one of several that they could write reports on, tying it to the rest of the course. Students loved the book. Fascinating. Kellerman really allows you to get a clear feeling of what living at that time would be like.

I couldn't get past the gross forced lesbian encounter with the queen. Too icky and not the escapism I was hoping for.