C. P. Giuliani

C.P. Giuliani's Tom Walsingham mystery series is both entertaining and well researched. Tom is a first cousin once-removed to Elizabeth I's spymaster Francis Walsingham as well as a protege. Tom is young and has a great deal to learn, but he also pays careful attention to Francis' instruction and works hard to apply it to the many difficult situations in which he finds himself.

In this volume, Tom has been sent to Rheims (as it was spelled at the time) on a two-part mission: first, to explore the possible murder of Francis' most reliable man in the city, and second, to investigate the situation at the Catholic College in Rheims—the main training ground for Catholic rescuants who hope to become priests an contribute to the battle to return England to "the old faith."

The possible murder appears to not be murder at all. However, young men are dying at the College, and Kit Marley (better known as playwright Christopher Marlowe), an English agent is sure their deaths are the work of a serial murderer. Marley is intelligent, but appears to lack judgement, and Tom isn't sure how seriously to take Marley's accusations.

This is the moment when I want to explain the quality of Giuliani's research. The deaths at the Catholic College did occur and occurred at during the time period in which Death in Rheims takes place, Marlowe was working as an English agent at the college at that time, and many of the novel's characters are based on historical figures. In her researches, Giuliani stumbled across this series of deaths and realized their potential as material for a Tom Walsingham mystery. She gives specifics about this in her afterword—and I always appreciate a good afterword to a historical mystery that honestly discusses accuracy and any liberties taken.

The Catholics are despised as foreigners in Rheims, despite sharing the same faith as most of the French, the faculty and students at the college are engaging in struggles for power and to direct the actions of newly minted priests sent to England, a former English agent once associated with the college has gone mad and Marley has heard him threatening to "kill everyone." In other words, suspects abound—and Tom considers it possible that Marley himself may be behind the murders.

So Tom poses as a naive, English almost-Catholic, disowned by his father because of his recusancy, and enters the college to investigate from the inside. He has many threads to follow as he works to maintain his cover, trying to his his level of education and to exaggerate his knowledge of and commitment to Catholicism.

All three volumes in this series are worth reading (and can be comfortably read in any order). Giuliani does a good job of exploring the motivations and options for Tom, who sees the issue of recusancy as treason and a potential threat to Elizabeth I's life.

One additional note is that Tom is accompanied in the volume, as in the others, by Nick Skeres, who is once again playing the role of Tom's servant and doing so quite ineffectively, loudly, and protestingly. Those familiar with the history of Elizabeth I's reign may recognize that name. Skeres was one of the individuals present at the murder of Christopher Marlowe, during that "great reckoning in a small room." Who knows if or when Giuliani's novels will reach this moment, but I am waiting to see what she'll do with that material when the moment arrives.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.… (más)

Sent to Rheims to investigate the suspicious death of one of his cousin's spies, Thomas Walsingham discovers a city in turmoil. A truce between the warring French king and the powerful Guise family is holding but the locals are not friendly to any English. Thomas finds himself drawn to the English College, a hotbed of Catholic indoctrination, and where there have been several mysterious deaths. Although not part of his remit, Thomas finds himself drawn to investigate further.
This series of novels is progressing nicely as both the author and the character find their stride. Here the focus is on the English College of Rheims, a successor to the Douai Martyrs and a place where catholic priests were trained to return to England. This makes for a really interesting background to set a convoluted plot but which really allows Giuliani's lead to be placed front and centre.… (más)

There's a continuum of historical mysteries that ranges from probably-should-just-categorize-this-as-fantasy to so-carefully-researched-that-it-reads-like-nonfiction. C.P. Giuliana's A Treasonous Path leans toward the second of those two, but never loses the kind of engagement fiction can elicit. For me, that's a sweet spot on the continuum.

In the afterword, Guiliani takes the time to discuss which characters are and aren't based on historical figures and where he has and hasn't played with the historical narrative as it's currently understood. This is Guiliani's second Tom Walsingham novel, and the central character is becoming more astute and experienced. Giuliani allows us many glimpses into Tom's thought process as he tries to work through the puzzle presented in A Treasonous Path, which is a complex one.

Young Tom Walsingham—a historical figure, but one whom little is known about—works for his second cousin, Francis Walsingham, a much better-known historical figure who created and ran an international espionage service for Elizabeth I. Mary Queen of Scots is being held in England. Her son, James, is a child king struggling to break free of the powerful man attempting to control James' actions. English is Protestant and deeply concerned about incursions and treasons from Catholic France and Spain. France and Spain are colluding with and also spying on one another. Scots who travel into England are unknown entities: do the embrace Protestantism like King James or are they secret Catholics hoping to give his mother the throne of England—or at least to return her to the throne of Scotland.

The novel opens with two very different murders (later followed by a third) that may or may not be related. An anonymous informant in the French embassy is offering information to Francis Walsingham, but is this offer genuine or a double cross? And who is this informant? The French Ambassador' Secretary? His Scribe? His Catholic chaplain? His widowed cousin-in-law? Someone trying to stop smugglers of Catholic texts or one of those smugglers who has decided he'd like to profit by betraying those working with him? The Scotsman who's become friendly with the Ambassador?

Solving this puzzle leads Tom down many paths, none of them certain and all of the dangerous. The author doesn't play coyly, letting Tom know things the reader doesn't. Instead, he allows readers a window into Tom's calculations—and even with this window, the puzzle remains knotted until the book's end.

If you like historical mysteries that provide an adventurous read and also some examination of historical and religious minutiae, you'll be delighted by the Tom Walsingham series and its second volume.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Net Galley; the opinions are my own.… (más)

Thomas Walsingham is charged with investigating the author of letters sent from the French Ambassador's residence in London. Given the state of relations between the two countries and the interference of various Scottish ex-pats, this is not an easy task but Tom is keen to impress his cousin, the Master Secretary himself.
This is a much better novel than the first in the series and the author shows real promise in a very packed field. The character of Tom Walsingham is developing nicely, there is sensitivity to the fact that he is young and naive to an extent and very aware of his reduced social status. The plot is very twisty and all the more impressive that it is based on the true story of an unknown letter-writer.… (más)