Set in sixteenth century London, with all its squalor, superstition and rigid class structure, this is part historical fiction, part detective story. The characters and their various points of connection are described richly and I became really engrossed in the narrative. I also became frustrated and later cautiously hopeful on behalf of the main character, who I took a great liking to. This is a book which paints a portrait of everyday people and their lives, and also fills the reader with suspense, due to the underhanded and deceitful plotting of some of the people involved. The language and vocabulary used by the author also helps to set the scene and the historical period, and I felt it added greatly to the book. I really enjoyed this and would like to read more by this writer.