Beautifully written, this historical novel reveals the powerful rein of Queen Elizabeth I – creating great fear in the late 1500s toward traitors who were trying to overthrow her government.

The amount of research done to write this book is impressive. This story with historical realism gave me shivers with the dangers some of the villagers faced. There was a lot of suspense of what would happen to the main character, Mallory, when she found herself in perilous places. Although she was an accomplished locksmith, some places were nearly impossible to escape.

History is written so we can gain an understanding from it. And yet, one may ask: how much have we learned when wars have continued to be centered around political and religious beliefs? Will there ever come a time when religion will be an individual’s choice and not used for political outcomes?

This book is thought provoking and good for discussions. The Author Notes are worth reading.

The Locksmith’s Daughter wasn’t something I would normally choose. I enjoy historical fiction but don’t usually go back this far in history. But this book drew me in right away and I ended up really enjoying it!

Unfortunately, The Locksmith's Daughter wasn't the book for me. The overwritten descriptions of everything bogged me down so far in historical world building that I couldn't get into the story or care about any of the characters. In a book this long, something has to give and nothing ever gave here. I'm sure there's an audience for this book and it's clear a great deal of time and energy went into the researching and writing of this book, but some of that energy might have been better spent editing and cutting out some of the unnecessary details. The book would have been better for it.

The author’s historical detail was very impressive (that is probably part of why this book was so long too). I loved the characters, the story, and the writing. I found the Elizabethan England period fascinating with the world of locks, spies, and booby traps.

I’m going back and forth between 2 and 3 stars - I would give 2.5 if I could. This moved so slowly for the first half but then turned in to a weird sappy love story for the second half. It felt like two different authors wrote this. I like the premise of the overall book but wished it had moved faster and that he love story was left out.

I found this book boring. I am not a fan of this time period. Thought it may be a great way to find out about historical facts, but I have no interest in this.

This book could have been a thriller, but it was actually too long to be one, although perhaps fitting for its Elizabethan setting. However, the story is well written and did eventually hook me. There is certainly a lot to think about throughout this story, not only feminism and women's roles, but also religion and acceptance of different beliefs, historical references, etc. True to historical fiction form, the author did a great job of giving the reader context to set the stage for those times.

The Locksmith's Daughter tells the tale of Mallory Bright, who is struggling to restore her reputation after she was fooled by a man she thought loved her. Set in Elizabethan England, during a time when Catholics are being rooted out in a return to a Protestant England, Mallory is given the opportunity to use her skill's to contribute to the cause. As time goes on, she begins to doubt the work she is doing, and at the same time is distracted by the rather unconventional Lord Nathaniel and his sister Beatrice.

A well researched book of historical fiction that doesn't shy away from the difficulties of the time, especially for women.

I really liked this book! The first 100 pages or so were a little slow to get into, but it really picked up after that I really like historical fiction like this that shows strong women who are trying to rise about what they are expected of. There was a lot of detail about what London would have been like in the 1500s which was very interesting. I would recommend this book for historical fiction lovers. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. Set in the Elizabethan period, it tells the story of Mallory Bright, a girl raised by a Locksmith father and a Catholic mother. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. I stayed up past my "bedtime" to finish it.

I really enjoyed this book taking place during the reign of Elizabeth I. The main character, Mallory, is the daughter of a locksmith who has, due to unwise choices on her part, returned to her parents’ home facing difficult challenges. Her relationship with her mother has always been strained and even her closeness to her father is not the same as before. In order to help her find a respectable place in society, her father appeals to an old friend, the Queen’s spymaster. Given Mallory’s training in her father’s skills and unusual ability to open any lock, no matter how challenging, she is hired directly by the spymaster and quickly becomes his protégée, unheard of for a woman in those times.
The story was full of historical detail and included many true-life characters, including the spymaster. I felt that the storyline really picked up about halfway through when focusing on Mallory’s precarious circumstances and mixed loyalties, as well as the discovery of secrets that directly impacted her past and future. And of course, there is a romantic connection as well. Some parts of the book were difficult to read including the torture of those deemed traitors to the Crown for their religious beliefs, but that was consistent with actual practices in those times. Although the book was quite long, I found it hard to put down after the halfway point.

I was allowed a free read of this book. I liked the mild twists and the facades of the characters which were the key to the story. Although I don't think the story is very realistic, it's a great "what if" historical fiction book.

I’m not a big fan of Medieval literature, but this proved to be a wonderful book, much better than I would have imagined. It covers so many things, and so well. There’s espionage, family intrigue, betrayal, cruelty, romance, and, of course, locksmithing.

The star of the book is Mallory Bright, the daughter of a brilliant and inventive locksmith. Mallory has grown up in his workshop and has developed remarkable skill as a lock pick. Her mother, originally from Italy, still worships the forbidden Catholic faith. With Elizabeth I as Queen, that is not a good thing. It could wind up with all of them either imprisoned or put to death in the most horrible manner. Worse, Mallory has done somethings that if found out would tarnish her reputation. Her father has a friend who can help, and he does, offering Mallory a job. It’s not the position her father imagines, and it puts her well-being in jeopardy on more than one occasion.

Her friend, Caleb, is a playwright and actor. He edges the dangerous more than once with the controversial themes in his plays. Mallory worries that he’ll go overboard and get in trouble with the Queen.

Enter Lord Nathanial, a man ahead of his time. He and his young sister welcome Mallory into their acquaintance. Can they overcome their differences? Will he become more than Mallory’s friend and employer?

I adored this book. The story-lines were original and intriguing. I thought the writing was spectacular in how it intricately wove together all those different story-lines. The characters were believable and, for the most part, lovable. I learned quite a bit about England under Elizabeth I and locksmithing. I’ll be on the lookout for other books by this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. Also, while I originally received the book from Netgalley, I was not able to finish it before the allotted time. I then requested and received the book through my local library. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

Mallory Bright has apprenticed as a locksmith with her father since childhood. After a scandal, Mallory returns to her father’s house in disgrace. Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, finds that she can crack locks and break codes. After Mallory witnesses the brutal and bloody execution of three Jesuit priests, she soon has to choose between her country and her heart.

This is a fast-paced historical fiction novel, set during the time of Queen Elizabeth. Mallory is a locksmith's daughter and is drawn into the world of spying and espionage.

Part romance, part spy novel, The Locksmith's daughter is taut and well-executed.

A delightful historical fiction read, although a bit on the long side. I found the beginning a little drawn out but the second half was engaging and moved quickly. I always enjoy a book that can teach me about history and entertain at the same time and this does just that. It was interesting to learn about the Elizabethan era from an unconventional female character who was ahead of her times. Although the persecution of Catholics that takes place in the book seems barbaric (the torture methods certainly were) and primitive, it's easy to draw parallels to today's society and see where we still need to evolve as a society and be more accepting of "other". I found this quote especially poignant:

"It was easy to be ruthless when you ceased to think of those convicted as human, and saw them as enemies. In that way, anything- any kind of action- could be justified."

Mallory Bright has returned to her parents after making a poor choice with an abusive man. Her father introduces her to his old friend who trains her as a spy for Queen Elizabeth. Mallory sees what the cost of finding spies is and also learns some truths about love and family.

Thanks to Book Club Girls & HarperCollins Publishers via NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings for sexual assault, physical abuse, and torture. If I'd have known about the violence and torture, described so vividly and extensively, I would never have read the book. I skipped over those parts while I was reading but I really can't recommend this book. I know not everyone feels the same about these topics, since many other reviewers gave it 4 and 5 stars and didn't even mention the violence.

Now you know the bad, so let me also share the good: A well-researched historical novel about spies in Elizabethan England. A strong female heroine, intriguing plot, great descriptions of clothes, architecture, the social order, word usage and morals of the time, realistic interspersing of fictional characters with actual people.

I also think this novel should be classified as a romance in the same category as a "bodice ripper." Another genre I don't usually read and wasn't expecting.

This book just wasn't for me, but for its over-the-top violence I'm rating it only 1 star.

The first half of the book was very slow and I found myself skimming at times. However, once the action got started it became a page turner with all sorts of twists and turns.