The Scarlet Code is the second book in C.S. Quinn's Revolutionary Spy series featuring female spy and trained assassin, Attica Morgan. Although I wish I'd had time to read the first book in the series, The Bastille Spy, I'm pleased to say The Scarlet Code works perfectly well as a standalone read.
Attica Morgan makes a feisty and engaging heroine. She's brave, smart, resourceful and is handy in a tight spot; not surprising when you've been trained as an assassin. And believe me, Attica gets herself into plenty of tight spots. Given her African heritage and keen sense of justice, Attica is passionately opposed to the slave trade and committed to doing whatever she can to end it. This includes rescuing abolitionists from the clutches of those whose wealth and power are threatened by the idea of equality for all.
I really liked Attica's friendship with dashing pirate Jemmy Avery, himself the product of "dockyard alliances and foreign flings". It's a partnership of equals, fuelled by light-hearted banter with just a hint that something more than friendship could lie beneath the surface. Equally intriguing is Attica's relationship with mentor and spy-master, Atherton. He's a key figure in an organisation known as the Sealed Knot, "a partially legal hinterland of spies, crooks and thieves" which secretly pursues the interests of the British government at home and abroad. Atherton is an inventor of all sorts of gadgets useful for espionage; an 18th century version of 'Q' from Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, if you like.
Set against the backdrop of revolutionary France, Attica finds herself beset by enemies on every side. Not just ruthless killers on the streets of Paris and those opposed to the abolition of slavery but an old adversary, none other than Robespierre himself. The contrast between the wealth and excesses of the nobility and the poverty of the citizens of Paris is stark, making for exciting scenes as the populace rise in protest. Add to the mix an evil villain described as "A hunter... a man who stalks by night", plenty of narrow escapes and some fantastic set pieces in locations such as the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles and you have all the ingredients for an exciting page-turner.
Can Attica turn the tables on those out to thwart her? She'd not be worth her salt if she can't. Perhaps, though, there is one enemy who knows her weaknesses better than she does herself. The trap is set, will she swallow the bait? It's going to be a battle of wits.
From its dramatic opening chapter, The Scarlet Code moves along at a terrific pace. A glorious mixture of intrigue and swashbuckling action worthy of a golden age Hollywood movie starring Errol Flynn, it will delight readers who like their historical fiction to come with a generous helping of adventure. As for me... I may just have found a new series to fall in love with.
Attica Morgan makes a feisty and engaging heroine. She's brave, smart, resourceful and is handy in a tight spot; not surprising when you've been trained as an assassin. And believe me, Attica gets herself into plenty of tight spots. Given her African heritage and keen sense of justice, Attica is passionately opposed to the slave trade and committed to doing whatever she can to end it. This includes rescuing abolitionists from the clutches of those whose wealth and power are threatened by the idea of equality for all.
I really liked Attica's friendship with dashing pirate Jemmy Avery, himself the product of "dockyard alliances and foreign flings". It's a partnership of equals, fuelled by light-hearted banter with just a hint that something more than friendship could lie beneath the surface. Equally intriguing is Attica's relationship with mentor and spy-master, Atherton. He's a key figure in an organisation known as the Sealed Knot, "a partially legal hinterland of spies, crooks and thieves" which secretly pursues the interests of the British government at home and abroad. Atherton is an inventor of all sorts of gadgets useful for espionage; an 18th century version of 'Q' from Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, if you like.
Set against the backdrop of revolutionary France, Attica finds herself beset by enemies on every side. Not just ruthless killers on the streets of Paris and those opposed to the abolition of slavery but an old adversary, none other than Robespierre himself. The contrast between the wealth and excesses of the nobility and the poverty of the citizens of Paris is stark, making for exciting scenes as the populace rise in protest. Add to the mix an evil villain described as "A hunter... a man who stalks by night", plenty of narrow escapes and some fantastic set pieces in locations such as the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles and you have all the ingredients for an exciting page-turner.
Can Attica turn the tables on those out to thwart her? She'd not be worth her salt if she can't. Perhaps, though, there is one enemy who knows her weaknesses better than she does herself. The trap is set, will she swallow the bait? It's going to be a battle of wits.
From its dramatic opening chapter, The Scarlet Code moves along at a terrific pace. A glorious mixture of intrigue and swashbuckling action worthy of a golden age Hollywood movie starring Errol Flynn, it will delight readers who like their historical fiction to come with a generous helping of adventure. As for me... I may just have found a new series to fall in love with.