A Murder of Crows is, amongst fans of the genre, one of the most eagerly anticipated historical mysteries in a long while. I run a site dedicated to the genre and am active in a discussion group focused on it where plaintive pleas for a new Sir Robert Carey mystery have been a standard since the print dried a decade ago on the last one. It’s here now, and well worth the wait, although this is really more Sergeant Dodd’s story than Carey’s. This is a great read in one of the more unique, well-written and well-researched series out there.

Sir Robert Carey was a real life historical figure, grandson of Henry VIII and "the other Boleyn girl," his mistress Mary Boleyn (history is a bit less definite about Henry being his biological grandfather than here). Most of this series is set on the Scots borders where he was Warden of the Marches, but this book and the prior one—A Plague of Angels (also reviewed on Myshelf)—take place in London. Events in this book are largely an extension of those from the prior one, making it that rare case where I’d strongly recommend reading the prior book first. It’s not an absolute necessity, and it certainly doesn’t have to be the whole series, but the plot here revolves around Dodd seeking revenge for his mistreatment in Angels and I was much happier after I set aside Crows long enough to go back and re-read Angels first.

Which is not to say that’s all there is to the story. Not even close. Marlowe and Shakespeare make appearances as both poets and intriguers. Carey’s father may not think much of his son’s ability to handle finances, but when he needs help with a murdered corpse in his jurisdiction, he immediately turns to Sir Robert. There’s a whole range of twisting, turning "change lobsters and dance" subplots around who is loyal to whom—no, who are they really loyal to—for how long, and who they’ve been betraying and why in between. Not to mention the chance to meet the one person who really scares Sir Robert, and all the questions involving the lawyer who eagerly takes Dodd’s case when the threat of retribution from on high has driven everyone else away.

The London setting is colorful, vividly real and overflowing with life. It also makes this an easier read than some of the earlier books, to my mind, because it means use of Scots dialect is limited to Dodd, while the other characters don’t all have  similar sounding names differentiated mainly by nicknames. Because the dialect is unique to Dodd, it’s also much more effective as an aid to characterization, making it clear just how far from home he is in ways that only begin with geography—a key element of his story here.

Highly recommended for a rollicking read that never stops and holds you rapt through every page.