Murder in The Merchant's Hall : An Elizabethan Spy Thriller by Kathy Lynn Emerson: A Book Review

Murder in The Merchant’s Hall: An Elizabethan Spy Thriller
Author: Kathy Lynn Emerson
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Severn House
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 256
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: The intriguing new mystery featuring Tudor sleuth, Mistress Rosamond Jaffrey.

When Lina Walkenden is found clutching a bloody knife over the dead body of her brother-in-law and guardian, there’s only one person she can turn to for help: her childhood friend Rosamond Jaffrey. Rosamond vows to do all she can to prove Lina’s innocence, but when it transpires Lina was being forced into a marriage against her will and was instead besotted by her fiance’s charming yet unscrupulous nephew, her motives for murder seem overwhelming.

In desperation, Rosamond seeks out the help of the Queen’s spymaster himself, Sir Francis Walsingham – but when she overhears a conversation at the French Embassy, it seems Lina’s plight is irrelevant in the face of potential treason. Rosamond must do all she can to save her friend – and keep herself and her family safe from a desperate killer.

My Review: Lina seems to be guilty of murder when she is standing over her dead brother-in-law’s body clutching a bloody knife in her hand. Knowing that the punishment of the crime is to be burned at the stake, Lina has no one to turn to but her childhood friend, Rosamond Jaffrey. Rosamond vows to find out who the real killer is, yet as she investigates, the more guilty Lina seems to be. Can Rosamond determine if Lina is the true culprit of the crime?

Rosamond is a young married woman who was once a spy for Elizabeth. She is smart and resilient, and very strong-willed. She likes to do as she pleases. However, she is stubborn and does not give up and is very persistent, especially when Lina’s fate seems bleak. She also keeps secrets from her husband. I also like her relationship with her husband, Rob. While both of them have secrets, they help each other out. Rosamond depends on Rob for help, and Rob is always there for her. Therefore, their relationship is very sweet.

Overall, this story is about friendship, love, family, and trust. I did find the pacing of the novel to be very slow at times, and I thought that the mystery was predictable. However, I liked the characters, for they were fun, and I thought the novel was very well-written. I liked how the author described the setting of Elizabethan London. Like with most mystery series, this book can be read as a stand alone. I did not read the first book in the series, but I was not lost. The author gave me a lot of background into the characters. I recommend this book to anyone interested in historical mysteries set in the Tudor era.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

Daughter of Rome Author: Tessa Afshar Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers Release Date: 2020 Pages: 416 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history. When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, th...

Blog Tour: A Class Apart and A Class Entwined by Susie Murphy

A Class Apart (A Matter of Class #1) by Susie Murphy Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Susie Murphy Release Date: 2018 Pages: 285 Synopsis: It’s 1828, and Ireland is in turmoil as Irish tenants protest against their upper-class English landlords. Nineteen-year-old Bridget Muldowney is thrilled to return to the estate in Carlow she’ll inherit when she comes of age. But since she left for Dublin seven years earlier, the tomboy has become a refined young lady, engaged to be married to a dashing English gentleman. Cormac McGovern, now a stable hand on the estate, has missed his childhood friend. He and Bridget had once been thick as thieves, running wild around the countryside together. When Bridget and Cormac meet again their friendship begins to rekindle, but it’s different now that they are adults. Bridget’s overbearing mother, determined to enforce the employer-servant boundaries, conspires with Bridget’s fiancé t...

Interview with Kate Quinn

Today, I have the pleasure to interview bestselling author, Kate Quinn. She is best known for The Empress of Rome Saga and The Borgia Chronicles . Her latest novel, The Alice Network, focuses on a WWI spy network made up of women. In this interview we discuss these unsung heroines, who risked their lives in WWI. Mrs. Quinn also gives us a hint about what she is working on next. I hope this interview will give you some insight into the history of The Alice Network. I have given a very good review of this book, and I hope you will take the opportunity to read it. Thank you, Mrs. Quinn! What drew you to take a break from Ancient Rome and write about women in WWI? I love ancient Rome, and I'd love to write more books about it someday, but I've never been a one-era writer. I've always had ideas for books in a wide array of historical periods, from ancient Rome clear through to World War I. When I saw the huge recent boom in populari...

History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

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