Sir Francis Bacon sits on a
commission charged with uprooting seditious Catholics from Elizabethan England.
Meanwhile, one of Bacon's young assistants, Tom Clarady, is implicated in the
murder of elderly nobleman and recusant Catholic, Viscount Surdeval, due to
Tom's entanglement with the Viscount's young new bride turned widow, Lady Alice
(Trumpet). Soon it becomes clear that Viscount Surdeval is not the only prominent
recusant to have recently fallen to murder shortly after being questioned by
the commission. So begins Bacon's quest to solve the killings, notably at the
behest of his overbearing mother and aunt, key members of The Widow's Guild, an
organization intent on its own interests.
The Widow's Guild has a
strong, intricate plot (with interesting subplots) buttressed by solid
historical research. The characters are well-developed and engaging. The
dialogue is natural and easy to follow despite holding to Elizabethan
conventions. At times there is a slightly frustrating tendency to gloss over in
description, dialogue and events that the reader should be shown. For example,
in their initial conference with Bacon, Tom and Trumpet are described as
contradicting each other to the point that Bacon tunes them out. It would have
provided greater depth to the plot and these characters to see them actually
start hanging themselves by their own words rather than just be told that they
had.
Likewise, there is a slight
tendency to provide extensive detail on items that are incidental to the plot (e.g.
backstory, settings, clothing, personal preferences). For example, Bacon's
carriage ride conversation with the Earl of Essex provides important
information that almost gets lost in the additional details provided. Such overt
demonstration of historical research might work better in the background, being
brought out when directly related to the conversation or action.
That said, there are a
delightful number of red herrings to keep the reader guessing and the end
reveal still managed to shock. It was an enjoyable and entertaining read. I am
curious as to what happens to the characters next.
4 out of 5 stars
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