Manager's Mystery Picks : an Occasional Entry
The wealth of Fantasy and Science Fiction titles in the last decades made us adept at suspending disbelief in our reading. We happily accept the unbelievable. Apply this skill to Karen Harper’s Historical Mysteries with Queen Elizabeth I as the lead detective! Be the fly on the wall as Elizabeth and her Privy Plot Council evaluate the clues to solve the crimes. Council members include historical figures William Cecil and Robert “Robin” Dudley and the fictional Meg Milligrew, herbalist and - a dead ringer for Elizabeth.
Begin with The Poyson Garden, in which then Princess Elizabeth is banished to a country estate by her half-sister, Queen Mary. The Princess masquerades as a young man to untangle the mystery when her Boleyn relatives are poisoned and the murderer may have been sent by the Queen. Woven into the intrigue of The Fatal Fashione are new trends in London, including the arrival of tobacco from the New World and chocolate smuggled from Spain. Integral to the plot is, believe it or not, starch, used to stiffen the huge ruffs the Queen popularized. As the plot progresses, the reader learns a great deal about the Guild system in London and the gruesome murders are solved by the Queen and her Privy Plot Council. Work your way through this intriguing series for a summer of Elizabethan enjoyment.
Ms. Harper’s extensive research shows us life in 16th century England, particularly London, as she develops her plots and characters. As with any series, you’ll develop a fondness for some of the characters and be aggravated by others. All in all, this mystery lover has thoroughly enjoyed the Elizabeth I mysteries and hopes you will, too.
