Nicholas Bracewell, bookholder of the Westfield’s Men acting troupe, is in a quandary: his employer, actor/manager Lawrence Firethorn, has requested that he discover the identity of a young lady in the audience with whom Firethorn has fallen in love (well, lust really). But Nick knows that Firethorn’s wife will not put up with such behaviour, especially when it turns out that the lady in question is the young wife of London’s new Mayor-Elect. On top of that, the owner of the inn that serves as the troupe’s base is planning to sell and the new owner absolutely hates theater, putting the actors in danger of becoming homeless. And, Nick’s landlady’s apprentice has been viciously attacked by unknown men, and finally, he helps a waterman pull a corpse out of the River Thames. And that’s just the beginning of Nick’s troubles….”The Nine Giants” is the fourth in a series about this Elizabethan theatrical troupe, and like its predecessors, there are a number of inter-related stories being told at the same time. The setting is well-described - the reader can practically smell what 16th Century London would be like - and the characters are intriguing, especially Nicholas Bracewell. I’ve been reading these out of order, as I happen to find them, and I don’t think I’ve missed much by doing so. If you like your mystery reading with a dose of history, Mr. Marston’s work is well worth your time; recommended. ( )

I read and enjoyed one of these books, but for some reason have not gotten the series. The detective is stage manager to an Elizabethan acting company, Lord Westfield's Men. In tis stry he finds a naked corpse in the Thames. ( )