Reviewed by Francine:
With her inimitable writer voice and impeccable research, M. J. Logue’s setting for this novel is June 1666. As the author states in her Dear Reader letter: I’m not entirely sure why I fell quite so much in love with one young Parliamentarian lieutenant of horse as I did in my first series of books [end quote]. It is fair to say the once dashing blade has a fan here too, though never did he think that of himself. And now that Thankful Russell has acquired his own series of novels, his mettle long since tested in ways most men would flee from he is a modest hero at best. Truly, if this is your first introduction to Thankful Russell then the best recommendation a fan of Russell can convey, is to go back to the very beginning (The Uncivil Wars Series) and pick up from where it all began.
As for his adventures and pickles in this novel, he leads us forth from the quiet country lanes of the Chiltern Hills to the canals of Bruges, and there to uncover the mysterious disappearance of Aphra Behn’s betrothed. Suffice to say, the notorious Aphra is a bit of a mischief maker on the Russell home front almost as much as she is within her writings, thus doubts as to the underlying reason for dragging Thankful Russell to Bruges looks a little suspect and his wife, Thomazine, is having none of that! Of course, nothing is quite as it seems within Bruges, and soon husband and wife are in peril of dark places and would-be watery graves. Gripping stuff all told with 17th century history blended as tight as weave on a loom and rich with colour and authentic dialogue.
Reviewer asides: BEWARE missing the author’s “Dear Reader”
and her extensive well-researched “Historical Notes at end of this book. I
almost missed them due to “Publisher Intrusion and a sign-up link” which placed
directly at the end of the story implied at first glance that was the extent of
the book. Good job I flicked the page by accident. I always opt back to cover unless
the book is an Anthology. To be quite honest publisher info with regards to
other books and sign-ups ought morally to be on the final page of any book!
