Having read the previous three novels, 'The Heretic's Mark' has been on my radar since it came out. Following Nicholas and Bianca Shelby as they navigate the mayhem of life in Elizabethan London.
'The Heretic's Mark' is a fast-paced, wonderfully written story following Shelby as he flees England with his wife, accused of plotting to poison the Queen. Perry weaves intrigue, mystery and madness all in to one as we follow our flawed-yet-intensely interesting protagonists to Padua and back.
The attention to detail is remarkable and at no point did I realise I wasn't actually in Elizabethan Times. Everything is so vivid and the action flows so magnificently over the cobbled streets and dirt tracks: the world is built and shown to us in ultimate technicolour and the sights and smells exude easily from the pages.
It wasn't as enjoyable as the first three novels, hence why only four stars, but the reasons why should not be strong enough to put anyone off. It is a great historical mystery and can be read without knowing any previous stories.
'The Heretic's Mark' is a fast-paced, wonderfully written story following Shelby as he flees England with his wife, accused of plotting to poison the Queen. Perry weaves intrigue, mystery and madness all in to one as we follow our flawed-yet-intensely interesting protagonists to Padua and back.
The attention to detail is remarkable and at no point did I realise I wasn't actually in Elizabethan Times. Everything is so vivid and the action flows so magnificently over the cobbled streets and dirt tracks: the world is built and shown to us in ultimate technicolour and the sights and smells exude easily from the pages.
It wasn't as enjoyable as the first three novels, hence why only four stars, but the reasons why should not be strong enough to put anyone off. It is a great historical mystery and can be read without knowing any previous stories.