Gripping and atmospheric historical crime mystery
The books of S. W. Perry have fast become one of my favourite historical crime mystery series. I loved both The Angel’s Mark and The Serpent’s Mark so, as you can probably imagine, I was very much looking forward to reading The Saracen’s Mark. I’m pleased to report that I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I think it may be the best book in the series yet. The story gripped me from its enticing opening line – ‘In the moment before they caught him, Adolfo Sykes was dreaming of oranges‘ – to the poignant closing moments, and everything in between.
As before, the backdrop to the story is the turbulent period towards the end of Elizabeth I’s reign. The Spanish Armada may have been defeated but questions still remain about the succession, not everyone can practice their faith openly and the fear of Papist plots persists. No wonder then that the intelligence network of Lord Burghley and his son, Robert Cecil, seemingly has ears and eyes everywhere. And as Bianca observes, “A journey undertaken for Robert Cecil does not always end at the destination you are expecting.” Little does she know how right she will be. Great for us as readers, not so great for those persuaded to undertake such a journey. Add to this the threat of the plague and you have a situation of unexpected contemporary resonance in which the Lord Mayor has ordered the playhouses and the bear-pits closed in the fight against a disease described as ‘an exceptionally malign mystery’ that some see as a sign of God’s displeasure.
It was a delight to catch up with the two main characters: physician, Nicholas Shelby, and apothecary and owner of The Jackdaw tavern in Bankside, Bianca Merton. I love Bianca’s determination, independence and resourcefulness as well as her loyalty towards her employees Rose, Ned, Timothy and Farzad. However, in her eagerness to see the wicked brought to justice, she sometimes places herself in risky situations. Likewise, Nicholas’s sense of justice and unconventional views on medicine (no casting of horoscopes for him when diagnosing disease) have won him few allies. Only Robert Cecil values his ingenuity and plain speaking.
The author continues to tease the reader with the ‘will they/won’t they’ nature of the relationship between Nicholas and Bianca. Will it always be a partnership based merely on mutual respect and friendship or can Nicholas consign to the past his painful memories and feelings of guilt and let it grow into something more intimate? The staff and regulars at The Jackdaw would certainly like that to be the case. (This reader would too.)
One of the things I’ve loved about the previous books is the way the author conjures up the sights, sounds and smells of Elizabethan London. This time, he repeats that feat in transporting the reader to exotic Marrakech, as in this description of a public square thronged with people.
‘The sun beats down on merchants selling oils, honey, parsley and oregano; troupes of wrestlers; jugglers and snake-charmers; young boys with solemn faces and bells on their wrists, performing energetic dances to the applause of the crowd. There are men sitting on stools who turn spindles on foot-lathes, fortune-tellers, acrobats, professional storytellers, even a display of severed heads stinking and plum-dark on their poles, reminding Nicholas of the traitors’ heads that grace the top of the gatehouse on London Bridge. Were it not for the heat, it could be Bankside on any May Day.’
In addition, as part of Nicholas’ ‘cover story’, the reader is privy to some fascinating information about Arabic medical practices of the time which are much more advanced, enlightened and science based than those practised in England.
During the course of his secret mission for Robert Cecil, the true purpose of which he’s not even been able to share with Bianca, Nicholas strays into the path of some decidedly unsavoury characters, a few of whom definitely fall into the “boo hiss” villain category. And as Bianca tries to investigate back in London, she risks finding herself in a similarly perilous situation – as if the plague wasn’t enough of a threat. As she observes to Nicholas, reflecting on their past adventures, “When does it end, this dainty measure we dance with death?” For both of them, danger will bring clarity about what is really important to them.
Clever little touches by the author, such as shorter chapters and switching the action more frequently between Nicholas in Marrakech and Bianca back in London, help to accelerate the pace and build the tension in the final section of the book. And the author certainly knows how to craft a dramatic close to a chapter.
Although it’s the third in the series, The Saracen’s Mark can definitely be read as a standalone as the author includes brief details of events from the previous books for the benefit of new readers. If you’ve got the time or inclination though, I’d recommend reading the series from the beginning.
With its well-crafted plot, lashings of period detail and colourful cast of characters, The Saracen’s Mark – along with its predecessors – will appeal to fans of historical crime mysteries, such as C J Sansom’s Shardlake series or Rory Clements’ John Shakespeare series. And for those who have already discovered The Jackdaw Mysteries series, there’s good news as the author is working on a fourth book.
As before, the backdrop to the story is the turbulent period towards the end of Elizabeth I’s reign. The Spanish Armada may have been defeated but questions still remain about the succession, not everyone can practice their faith openly and the fear of Papist plots persists. No wonder then that the intelligence network of Lord Burghley and his son, Robert Cecil, seemingly has ears and eyes everywhere. And as Bianca observes, “A journey undertaken for Robert Cecil does not always end at the destination you are expecting.” Little does she know how right she will be. Great for us as readers, not so great for those persuaded to undertake such a journey. Add to this the threat of the plague and you have a situation of unexpected contemporary resonance in which the Lord Mayor has ordered the playhouses and the bear-pits closed in the fight against a disease described as ‘an exceptionally malign mystery’ that some see as a sign of God’s displeasure.
It was a delight to catch up with the two main characters: physician, Nicholas Shelby, and apothecary and owner of The Jackdaw tavern in Bankside, Bianca Merton. I love Bianca’s determination, independence and resourcefulness as well as her loyalty towards her employees Rose, Ned, Timothy and Farzad. However, in her eagerness to see the wicked brought to justice, she sometimes places herself in risky situations. Likewise, Nicholas’s sense of justice and unconventional views on medicine (no casting of horoscopes for him when diagnosing disease) have won him few allies. Only Robert Cecil values his ingenuity and plain speaking.
The author continues to tease the reader with the ‘will they/won’t they’ nature of the relationship between Nicholas and Bianca. Will it always be a partnership based merely on mutual respect and friendship or can Nicholas consign to the past his painful memories and feelings of guilt and let it grow into something more intimate? The staff and regulars at The Jackdaw would certainly like that to be the case. (This reader would too.)
One of the things I’ve loved about the previous books is the way the author conjures up the sights, sounds and smells of Elizabethan London. This time, he repeats that feat in transporting the reader to exotic Marrakech, as in this description of a public square thronged with people.
‘The sun beats down on merchants selling oils, honey, parsley and oregano; troupes of wrestlers; jugglers and snake-charmers; young boys with solemn faces and bells on their wrists, performing energetic dances to the applause of the crowd. There are men sitting on stools who turn spindles on foot-lathes, fortune-tellers, acrobats, professional storytellers, even a display of severed heads stinking and plum-dark on their poles, reminding Nicholas of the traitors’ heads that grace the top of the gatehouse on London Bridge. Were it not for the heat, it could be Bankside on any May Day.’
In addition, as part of Nicholas’ ‘cover story’, the reader is privy to some fascinating information about Arabic medical practices of the time which are much more advanced, enlightened and science based than those practised in England.
During the course of his secret mission for Robert Cecil, the true purpose of which he’s not even been able to share with Bianca, Nicholas strays into the path of some decidedly unsavoury characters, a few of whom definitely fall into the “boo hiss” villain category. And as Bianca tries to investigate back in London, she risks finding herself in a similarly perilous situation – as if the plague wasn’t enough of a threat. As she observes to Nicholas, reflecting on their past adventures, “When does it end, this dainty measure we dance with death?” For both of them, danger will bring clarity about what is really important to them.
Clever little touches by the author, such as shorter chapters and switching the action more frequently between Nicholas in Marrakech and Bianca back in London, help to accelerate the pace and build the tension in the final section of the book. And the author certainly knows how to craft a dramatic close to a chapter.
Although it’s the third in the series, The Saracen’s Mark can definitely be read as a standalone as the author includes brief details of events from the previous books for the benefit of new readers. If you’ve got the time or inclination though, I’d recommend reading the series from the beginning.
With its well-crafted plot, lashings of period detail and colourful cast of characters, The Saracen’s Mark – along with its predecessors – will appeal to fans of historical crime mysteries, such as C J Sansom’s Shardlake series or Rory Clements’ John Shakespeare series. And for those who have already discovered The Jackdaw Mysteries series, there’s good news as the author is working on a fourth book.