A well-written and detailed historical novel
This is a really solid historical book. Set during the Elizabeth period this book contains the darkness, intrigue and betrayal you would expect for the period. The male protagonist Nicholas Shelby lives in Bankside, a place full of squalor and poverty, and the descriptions of this area build such a clear picture of this part of London in the 16th Century, contrasted to the house of Robert Cecil, one of Elizabeth’s spy masters, and later through the book the grandeur of the Moroccan palaces.
The other main character is Bianca Merton, landlady of the Jackdaw Tavern in Bankside, who Nicholas is in love with. She is a strong character who is not afraid to argue with Shelby, or to help with his investigations. I really liked her character, as well as the supporting characters who work with/for her.
I enjoyed the mystery as Nicholas travels to Marrakech, on Robert Cecil's orders. The description of the sea voyage and of Marrakech itself are incredibly detailed and easy to visualise. I was kept guessing as to what had happened to Sykes and by who, and there are some good surprises in the story. There is an element of danger to the job he has been given by Robert Cecil which is well written throughout.
Whilst Nicholas is hunting for clues in Morocco, Bianca is hunting for clues in London, all whilst the threat of the plague lingers. As a woman she is limited in what she is able to do and how she is viewed - but she is clever and is able to play the games of intrigue just as well as the men in this story.
This book is the third in the Jackdaw Mysteries, and I would recommend reading the first two novels first. The leading characters often reference things from the other books, and I think it would help to know their relationships better and understand the characters a little better, but it is possible to start this without having read Angels Mark and The Serpents Mark, because that’s exactly what I did. Now I have finished The Saracen’s Mark I may go back to read the others; I liked the characters, the story was interesting and the book well-written
The other main character is Bianca Merton, landlady of the Jackdaw Tavern in Bankside, who Nicholas is in love with. She is a strong character who is not afraid to argue with Shelby, or to help with his investigations. I really liked her character, as well as the supporting characters who work with/for her.
I enjoyed the mystery as Nicholas travels to Marrakech, on Robert Cecil's orders. The description of the sea voyage and of Marrakech itself are incredibly detailed and easy to visualise. I was kept guessing as to what had happened to Sykes and by who, and there are some good surprises in the story. There is an element of danger to the job he has been given by Robert Cecil which is well written throughout.
Whilst Nicholas is hunting for clues in Morocco, Bianca is hunting for clues in London, all whilst the threat of the plague lingers. As a woman she is limited in what she is able to do and how she is viewed - but she is clever and is able to play the games of intrigue just as well as the men in this story.
This book is the third in the Jackdaw Mysteries, and I would recommend reading the first two novels first. The leading characters often reference things from the other books, and I think it would help to know their relationships better and understand the characters a little better, but it is possible to start this without having read Angels Mark and The Serpents Mark, because that’s exactly what I did. Now I have finished The Saracen’s Mark I may go back to read the others; I liked the characters, the story was interesting and the book well-written