In
1588, under orders from Queen Mary, Lord Braceton has come
to Hatfield House to find treason and heretics. Princess Elizabeth,
under house arrest at Hatfield House, has gone through this
before with her half–sister Queen Mary. Elizabeth has
a very loyal and loving staff. This includes musicians Kate
Haywood and he father Matthew. Many times they have been called
upon to play soothing music that helps Elizabeth fall asleep.
Just as Lord Braceton is approaching the gates of Hatfield
House, a volley of arrows kills Lord Braceton's manservant
Wat. He blames Princess Elizabeth.
Lord
Braceton's turns the house and staff up-side-down. He is not
as sharp as he appears. He did not notice anyone using the
secret passages. Only one person did – Princess Elizabeth.
She has Kate go to the village to pick up some spices for
the mulled wine. She also hopes Kate will be able to pick
up some gossip about the murder. There is no one about to
gossip in the village, so Kate goes another route. She heads
into the woods to speak to former Protestant Minister, Master
Payne. He is not there but she finds books that could get
him arrested or worse if found. Could the books hold a clue
to the murder of the manservant?
Things
to ponder: Did the arrow find the right target? Who knew Lord
Braceton was making a surprise visit? Who was watching Kate
return to Hatfield House under the misconception that it was
really Princess Elizabeth?
Amanda
Carmack has woven a rich tapestry showing life in Tudor England.
She has woven her threads of secret passages, hidden agendas,
treason and heretics into this thrilling Elizabethan mystery.
This is a fast-paced read. All the twists and turns and red
herrings will keep you turning the pages. The plot is intriguing.
I love the mixing of real historical people with the fictional
characters. The second in this series – Murder at Westminster
Abby will be out in April 2014. I can’t wait to read
this next adventure. If that seems like a long time to wait
to read another book by Amanda Carmack, then you should try
reading the books this author writes under – Amanda
McCabe. So if you like your mystery with historical intrigue,
then you should be reading Murder at Hatfield House.
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