Jack Blackjack is ordered to eliminate a spy in Princess Elizabeth’s household in this engaging Tudor mystery.
June, 1554. Former cutpurse and now professional assassin Jack Blackjack has deep misgivings about his latest assignment. He has been despatched to the Palace of Woodstock, where Queen Mary’s half-sister Princess Elizabeth is being kept under close guard. Jack’s employer has reason to believe that a spy has been installed within the princess’s household, and Jack has been ordered to kill her.
Jack has no choice but to agree. But he arrives at Woodstock to discover that a murder has already been committed.
As he sets out to prove his innocence by uncovering the real killer, Jack finds the palace to be a place steeped in misery and deceit; a hotbed of illicit love affairs, seething resentments, clashing egos and bitter jealousies. But who among Woodstock’s residents is hiding a deadly secret – and will Jack survive long enough to find out?
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Sexual Content - 1/5
1/5
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Violence - 2/5
2/5
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Language - 2/5
2/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 2/5
2/5
Summary
Instructed to perform the distasteful task of assassinating a lady suspected of being a spy, Jack Blackjack is amazed when he stumbles over the said lady already dead. To keep suspicion off himself, Jack must be on his toes and untangle the multiple threads of deceit that surround him.
This being my first introduction to Jack Blackjack, I was immensely amused by him. I found him to be relatable in how he had second thoughts about his choices. He had doubts about his decision to work for his employer. As many things that went wrong with his life, he just keeps going.
As to the mystery, it had the twists and turns that I love. Jack, to be honest, seemed to stumble over what he needed to work things out in the end.
The plot is delightful. I would recommend this to historical readers who enjoy enjoy tales set before Elizabeth becomes queen.
I received a free ebook copy from the publisher for reviewing purposes.