The Fair Maid of Bohemia
By Edward Marston 

     Sophia Magdalena, the "Fair Maid of Bohemia," has seen Lord Westfield's Men perform on a trip to London, and wishes them to perform for her again - only this time in her native Prague. Laurence Firethorn thinks that she is in love with him, but this notwithstanding, all members of the troupe who have been selected to go are glad to be getting away from yet another outbreak of the plague. En route to Prague they will have many adventures and have to solve not only a murder and deal with a kidnapping, but also figure out exactly why they have been selected to perform other duties.

     This is a reprint of the ninth novel in Edward Marston's perennially popular series about the adventures of Lord Westfield's Men, a troupe of actors from Shakespeare's time. I also felt that it was one of the best in the series, with a good strong plot and an unusual format, in that instead of the predictable background of London at the time of Marlowe's murder and Cecil's scheming, the reader is treated to a tale of the perils of trans-Continental travel. Marston is adept at sketching in descriptions of the various places visited, and there is plenty of humor to balance out the skulduggery. My own personal favorite of an enjoyable series.