Friday, July 24, 2015

A Chorus of Innocents: A Sir Robert Carey Mystery - P.F. Chisholm

A Chorus of Innocents: A Sir Robert Carey Mystery
P.F. Chisholm
Poisoned Pen, Aug 4 2015, $26.95
ISBN 9781464204623

In the fall of 1592, Sir Robert Carey and his dedicated aide Land Sergeant Henry Dodd still recover from their ordeal of less than three weeks ago (see An Air of Treason); but no time for R&R.  They are in the dangerous borderlands between England and Scotland where feuds and changing allegiances are the norm.

At the same time in Wendron, two men invade a home and kill Minister James Burn before taking turns raping his eight-month pregnant wife Poppy.  After they leave her hysterical, crying all the way Poppy rides forty miles to Widdrington Castle seeking help from Lady Elizabeth Widdrington.  The two women travel together to Wendron where Elizabeth investigates the homicide-assault that has the border clans raging with accusations at each other with hostilities imminent.

The seventh Sir Robert Carey engrossing Elizabethan mystery (see A Famine of Horses and A Murder of Crows) is made fresh by placing Widdrington as the lead instead of the series star.  Her inquiry enables the audience to understand social strata from a female perspective with the rights of women and children in the ooze below the food chain; ironically in an era ruled by a powerful queen at the top of the pyramid.  Filled with action and an awesome climax, the intelligent heroine uses her brains to navigate in a male-only world.


Harriet Klausner

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