Interesting historical fiction, Set in 1555 its a twisty tale with a somewhat unappealing protagonist, it's a good read even as a standalone.

You know with a Michael Jecks book you are going to get quality writing and a well written story. This one is no exception. Jecks is a master wordsmith and uses every word to good effect to bring mystery and intrigue washing about in liberal dollops of humour. The humour is well placed and although slightly over the top, enhances the story rather than overwhelms. I like this in a mystery.

The characters are well rounded and quirky, especially Jack Blackjack himself. He has a retinue of servants but never takes himself to seriously.

The historical context is well researched and well written, giving a real insight into Tudor times. I could feel myself being transported back in time and living in the story. This is the sign of a superb storyteller.

I can highly recommend.

My thanks to Severn House Crème de la Crime for an eARC via NetGalley of Michael Jecks’ ‘The Dead Don’t Wait’ in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher: “April, 1555. A priest has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside – and Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder.”

This is Book 4 in Jecks’ Bloody Mary Mystery series featuring the roguish Jack Blackjack, a former pickpocket who now works as a professional contractor of assassinations (rather than doing the deeds himself) for two powerful men associated with the household of Princess Elizabeth.

While I have read some short stories by Jecks in the Medieval Murderers collections, this was my first time reading one of his novels.

This was a quite satisfying historical mystery with a strong sense of the period setting, plenty of twists, and moments of dark humour.

However, I had difficulties relating to Jack’s personality. He seemed so self-serving and capricious. Perhaps if I had read the other books in the series I might have more of a feeling for Jack as presented here. As my local library has the series in stock, I plan to read them over the winter.

So giving it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Nope. Not a fan of Jack. I struggled with this book for weeks. So sad, too bad! Not my shtick. I often have a difficult time with this age. When it works for me it rocks! This didn't.

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This book should have been very high on my favourites list. It has everything that I enjoy in a story – a historical fiction set during a Tudor monarch’s reign, a tough-to-unravel murder mystery, hidden treasure and lots of colourful characters.

But one thing kept me from enjoying this story to its fullest – I really didn’t care much for the main character, Jack Blackjack. While I understand that he’s written as “not your typical protagonist”, he just rubs me the wrong way. I don’t know if it’s because he spends too much time trying to talk some wench into bed (one who’s already tried to rob him once already), or because he can’t seem to get rid of some stupid and annoying moneylenders (they just popped up a few too many times for my liking) or because he needs to hire an assassin to watch his back (considering he’s supposed to be an assassin himself). Jack just seems to lurch from one bad situation to the next, and gets out of scraps by sheer luck or fast talking.

As for the murder victim, he didn’t seem like a very nice man, so it was hard to feel any sympathy for him or to work up much interest in seeing his murder solved.

That being said, there are lots of great things that this book has going for it. For starters, the writing is incredibly solid – the town, characters and dialogue are all well done and very descriptive. We get some great insight into how difficult life was during this period, when people were being told to change their religion on the whims of the ruling monarch. It was a time of survival and it wasn’t easy to make a living – you could feel how tough life was for these people.

I also appreciated that I could pick up this book (the fourth in the series) and didn’t feel like I was missing anything. This book works perfectly well as a standalone.

While I can understand how some people have described Jack Blackjack as a “charming rogue”, I just found him an annoying idiot. Maybe this will end up one of those “Great book, but just not for me” titles. However, I did enjoy the writing and story enough that I will give this series another chance. I plan on picking up the first book in the series and starting from the beginning. Perhaps if I get to know Jack from the first book, I’ll be more charmed than annoyed with him!

* Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Jack Blackjack, vanity may sometime be his downfall but not just yet!

It's 1555 and Jack our bumbling non assassin is back. A fellow who has ideas above himself, who's only interested in swiving, the cut of his coat, drinking wine' keeping his head on his shoulders, and who more often that not gets taken in by a soft word from the ladies. I am constantly exasperated by Jack but can't seem to stop turning the pages to see what situation he falls into next. He seems to always go from the frying pan into the fire and just as he's about to be burnt alive, he miraculously lands on his feet. More by luck than intent.
A priest has been killed at St Botolph just outside of London. Jack has been accused of the murder and is called on by the coroner Sir Richard of Bath to accompany him to the crime scene, to be present at the inquest. Even the getting to St Botolph's is so essentially Jackish that one can't help to be both amused and appalled.
This is a time when Queen Mary is on the throne and all must once again follow Catholicism. But the problem is that the married Priests must repudiate their families to retain their living. Many of them did, and this priest is one such person. Jecks builds the story around these events with a few extras thrown in. It seems Kings and Queens are constantly throwing their people into array, and this result of religious fervor is just another in a long list of problems that those in power inflict on their people.
The village is a hotch potch of suspects. There's the Priest's abandoned wife, her children, the inn keeper, the incestuous Miller, the missing Miler's daughter, and a few others.
Add to this Jack has his own problems with a couple of vicious shake down artists who keep pressing Jack for more money or they will geld him, and things become complicated on all fronts.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

16th-century historical fiction

Apparently, this is the 4th in the Bloody Mary series. Jack Blackjack is accused of a murder and ends up as part of the investigating team. The context of the time is, to the story as Queen Mary had recently ascended the throne and had halted the Protestant reformation. During the time of Henry VIII many of the priesthood had taken wives and had children. Those who had were now forced to give up their families and revert to a celibate life. The penalties for those who would not do so were severe. Those who fell into line and reverted to Catholicism, many miles away from the area in which they had established themselves.

Against this background, a priest has been murdered and his body left in the road. Jack has been accused of the murder by a former servant of his and is visited by the larger than life figure of the Crowner or Coroner. Think of him as a Brian Blessed type of character. The challenge for both Jack and the Coroner is to unravel the mystery to determine who should be tried for the priest’s murder. An added complication is that the priest’s former wife and family have traced him to his new parish and the wife has taken up with the local tavern landlord. Wheels within wheels.

The characters are all well portrayed and, in many instances, well developed. Jack Blackjack is a Blackadder clone with all his attendant servant issues. The writing style is a mixture of ancient and modern and there is a welcome injection of humour throughout the plot. It’s therefore very readable but where it falls is in the dearth of clues to assist the reader in working out who did the dirty deed. I did, however, learn a good deal about the period and the whole book has a very authentic feel to it. If you enjoy historical fiction, then you’ll relish this novel.

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to read.

I have been a fan of Michael Jecks‘ books ever since the first, The Last Templar, came out many, many years ago. And The Dead Don’t Wait clearly reminds me why I am such a fan of his writing. It is a wonderful murder mystery set in the time of Queen Mary I and a fine example of why Michael Jecks is considered one of the foremost authors of historical crime fiction.

The Dead Don’t Wait is the 4th title in Jecks’ Bloody Mary Mystery series.

The characters are wonderfully colourful and the various suspects suitably despicable or sympathetic, depending on their possible motives. The victim himself is not exactly the most innocent of men. And without the modern benefits of fingerprinting and DNA analysis, the book’s dubious hero, Jack Blackjack, must use his best detective skills to solve the crime. This fabulous combination serves to create a murder mystery that will have the reader gripped from the first page to the last.

What makes this book so perfect is its ‘hero’ – and I use the term as loosely as possible. Jack Blackjack is the most unremarkable hero you have probably come across. His drinking and womanising gets him into no end of trouble, and the fact he is officially an assassin – who has an aversion to blood – makes him the most unlikely of heroes and should make him an unsympathetic protagonist. However, it’s impossible not to like him!

It is not only by the intricacies of the murder plot and the unravelling of the mystery, that the reader is entertained, but also by Jack’s own ability to get himself into the deepest water with the seediest members of the Tudor underworld.

The Dead Don’t Wait is a fast paced, enjoyable murder mystery with a balanced combination of diligent detective work and frenetic action. The characters drive this story, from Jack and his co-detective, Sir Richard, to Arch and Hamon, the London low-lifes who see Jack as an easy mark, to the various suspects who all have their own stories to unravel.

Michael Jecks weaves the various strands of the story together to create an engaging story that is impossible to put down and keeps the reader enthralled until long past their bedtime! It is thoroughly enjoyable!

For any fan of the detective novel, and any lover of Tudor history, this is a must read, and Jack Blackjack is a protagonist everyone should meet!

Michael Jecks immerses Jack Blackjack in the murder of a priest in a village east of London in 1555. Jack is accused of the murder by a rival, Atwood, and the coroner Sir Richard makes Jack accompany him in his investigation. Quickly the priest's abandoned wife, other villagers and assorted others become suspects. Murky testimony, too many suspects and testimony filled with inconsistencies and lies. No one emerges looking good in this seedy story of crime and money grubbing.

This book is set in April, 1555. It is the fourth in the author’s series, I hadn’t read the first books but it didn’t seem to matter.
In the village of St Botolph, a priest has been murdered and The main character Jack has been accused of the crime. The story takes you through Bloody Marys London, dealing with loan sharks and priests along the way.
I found this book to be engaging and entertaining but I’m not sure I really liked Jack, who seemed always to miss a chance to redeem himself. I’d like to read the other books but won’t be rushing out to buy them.

April, 1555. In a village to the east of London, St Botolph, a priest has been discovered killed. His sexton Dick Atwood has accused Blackjack of the deed. Coroner Sir Richard of Bath finds Blackjack and takes him back to the village.
Unfortunately I just cannot take to the main character in this series which makes it difficult for me to enjoy the story.

This is the fourth in Michael Jeck’s Bloody Mary Tudor Mystery series featuring reluctant assassin Jack Blackjack, and I think by far the best .

Jack's day goes from bad to worse ….. the pretty wench he is trying to bed turns out to be a con artist , he has two very nasty moneylenders after him (why?) and has now been accused of murdering a priest .
The story revolves around Jack's entertaining attempts to get himself out of trouble , which seems to find him at every turn , self preservation being first and foremost in his mind .
It brings the times and troubles , especially the return to Catholicism , to life ………… peoples' lives were turned upside down .

Jack is a charming rogue which makes this book a very entertaining , witty and lively read .
I look forward to more books in this series .

I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jack Blackjack is either the most lucky man in London or the unluckiest. The time is 1555 and he is first taken to the village of St Botolph by the coroner charged with murder. He has to investigate the local Priest’s death to keep himself away from loan sharks in London. There is plenty of twists even finding the coroner is the victim’s brother. More death occurs and Jack cannot shake the loan sharks. He will be lucky to come out of this investigation with his own life. This is a very absorbing story taking you into this changing time in the church where Priests were now not allowed to be married and have their families with them. You will be kept on you toes till the end to follow Jack in solving these murders.
I was given an Arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead Don't Wait (A Bloody Mary Mystery #4) by Michael Jecks is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This is a historical fiction with a murder mystery along with many other issues all centered around out hero, Jack. 😁 Jack is an assassin but I found that odd when it came to fight scenes he couldn't fight at all!
There is plenty of action, ale, and bits of history lifestyle to see, along with the poor, the greedy, the conmen, and more. Great clues, great characters, world building, and ending. I have never read this author's books before but certainly plan to look for them now! I really enjoyed this book!

April 1555, and Jack Blackjack has managed to find a way to make his career as assassin to Sir John Blount work – namely by subcontracting any work sent his way. All he currently wants to do is bed a young woman who is looking for some guidance as a confidence trickster, while avoiding her rather aggressive gentleman friend. That would normally be enough to cause trouble for Jack, but things are going to get much worse for him. Two rather aggressive money lenders have him in their sights (despite him not actually borrowing money from them) and he’s been accused of the murder of a vicar.

Dragged to the village of St Botolph, Jack finds himself roped into a treasure hunt by an old friend/enemy but before he can do that, he might just have to find the real murderer. But with his enemies closing in, and his own personal fortune at stake, playing detective might be the last thing he wants to do…

The fourth title in Michael Jecks’ highly enjoyable Bloody Mary Tudor series – although it’s worth pointing out that Mary Tudor is barely mentioned in this one. Whatever causes the casual browser to take a look at the book, I guess, but how about an intelligent, informed, unbiased review instead?

Well… that might be a bit difficult. Michael is a friend-of-the-blog, and lovely bloke that he is, has dedicated this book to me. I’ve been reviewing Mike’s work for ages, often chat to him via the Interweb and stole a lot of his free time at last year’s Alibis In The Archive, and it’s fair to say that I love his work. In general, his books contained a complex mystery that twists all over the place while painting a stunning picture of time and place. This one is, of course, no different.

Treat this review as biased if you like, but this is a great book. The Jack Blackjack series is more light-hearted in its voice than the Templar series, but that doesn’t stop it from addressing some very serious topics. Mike will usually pick one aspect of history to tie the story around – in this case, the fact that when Mary took the throne and re-catholicised England, married priests were given the choice to abandon their family or abandon the church, a choice that would tear either a community or a family apart. The murder victim in this case chose the church, but his abandoned family chose to remain close by, a situation that beautifully sets up a variety of motives for murder.

The events surrounding the murder are nicely complex, with some real echoes of the classic mystery – the body was seeming stabbed while naked, redressed and then stabbed eight more times, before being moved at least once – and the narrative doesn’t shy away from the actions that people were forced to take to survive, even at times giving a grudging sense of acceptance in Jack’s narrative to actions that we would consider unacceptable today. Modernising a past character’s attitudes is all too common in historical fiction and while Jack is still, basically, a good… well, not bad person, he does seem to come from that period of time, with the attitudes to match.

The murder tale is split around Jack’s attempts to help a pair of young con artists (for purely personal reasons) and the money-lenders attempts to either get their ever-increasing debt or to cut of Jack’s balcocks with an eye-wateringly sharp set of shears – but these events are interwoven to make a complete tale. Every mystery writer is allowed one massive coincidence to drive the plot forward (and there is a massive one here), but it serves the plot well, adding a cohesion to the tale.

In summary, this is a great example of the historical mystery. Let me add in my normal plea at this point – if you are one of those people who tried a Cadfael and got put off the historical mystery for life, please think again. There are a wealth of books out there, great mysteries and great reads that you are missing out on. This is one of those books.

The Dead Don't Wait is a fabulous historical mystery. I could not put it down. A must read. Great characters and storyline.

I've read and reviewed lots of your titles and am glad to have access to and to be able to support such top-notch historical mysteries. That said, I'm not going to be able to review The Dead Don't Wait. I have a very difficult time with fiction that uses cruelty to animals as a plot device—and just stop reading when I hit a moment like that. The cat being killed by the dog on a bet was the spot where I stopped. The main character's voice is lively and quirky. I think readers who like historical mysteries and don't have my particular sensitivities would find it highly engaging. I look forward to reviewing more of your titles in the future—I just can't do it with this one. Apologies.

Engaging,atmospheric and entertaining another excellent mystery from Michael Jecks!
I could see this series on television !
Review is scheduled for publication date .