A Rustle of Silk

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. There aren't many historical mystery series set earlier than the Regency period so I was very excited when I read the description and noted it takes place at the beginning on King James I's reign. The main character is Gabriel Tavarner who had spent his early adult years as a doctor aboard a ship and was forced to give up his life at sea after a blow to the head caused constant sea sickness. Gabriel is working to establish a medical practice near his family but experiences some resistance. Several unpleasant "gifts" have been left on his property with an apparent goal of forcing him to abandon his plans. Before Gabriel has much time to figure out the culprit, he finds himself consulted by Theo, the local coroner who asks for Gabriel's help with a dead body. Gabriel is shocked to realize that he recognizes the victim, his brother-in-law Jeromy. The mystery of who killed Jeromy and several other related stories kept me guessing throughout the book. Gabriel's sister Celia was an interesting character that I look forward to seeing more of as well as the minister of the local church Jonathan Carew. Clare does a wonderful job of providing historical details that help the reader understand the world Gabriel lives in without distracting the reader from the story. I can't wait for additional titles in this new series. Fans of C.S. Harris will be thrilled with this series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for a review copy of A Rustle Of Silk, a murder investigation set in 1603 Devon.

After an accident gives him vertigo Gabriel Taverner is forced to retire from his career as a naval surgeon. He goes to London to study to become a physician and once qualified sets up a practice in rural Devon close to his family. He has an uneventful life filled with his job, further study and his family when an old acquaintance, Theophilus Davey, now the local coroner, asks him to look at a body. They are both in agreement that it was suicide until the body's identity forces them to take a closer look and they realise the man was murdered. When more deaths occur the hunt for the killer becomes more urgent.

The Rustle Of Silk is a good mystery. I had no idea of the perpetrator until the reveal so it kept me glued to the pages. The twists are good and unexpected and the red herrings had me fooled so all in all a good page turner. It is told mostly in the first person by Gabriel Taverner which helps obfuscate the plot as it is his thought processes and ideas we follow, rather than hard logic and calculation (always easier in a third person narrative).

The historical detail is interesting but not overwhelming as I was aware of much of it. The only thing missing is a definition of the difference between a surgeon and a doctor (apart from qualifications).

I enjoyed A Rustle Of Silk. It is a fairly light read but an engrossing mystery so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Historical whodunit with lots of twists and turns

Gabriel Taverner has retired as a ship’s surgeon and has taken up residence in the country in an attempt to build up his practice. Set in the 15th century, Alys Clare weaves a twisted tale of murder and intrigue with her main character turned amateur sleuth when his brother-in-law turns up murdered.

The plot slowly reveals that his beloved sister is somehow involved in the mystery surrounding her husband’s death and he leaves no stone unturned in order to protect her from being a suspect. Female murderers faced the hideous penalty of being burned at the stake as punishment, so he is desperate to save her from this vile fate.

I loved the detailed description of what life was like for the various characters in the book, which surprised me, as I do not usually enjoy historical novels. The way to plot cleverly reveals the truth whilst painting a vivid picture of life in the 15th century intrigued me and I read each page avidly.

Alys Clare touches on several social issues that faced, in particular, women at that time. Once married, all wealth and property belonged to her husband but she in turn inherited all his debt once he died, a no win situation. She also touches on how the midwives were treated with suspicion and the very whisper of the word “witch” was enough to have the midwife thrown into prison with the threat of hanging or worse, their fate.

Medical treatment was barbaric at times and it is a wonder anyone survived some of the procedures. Once again, Alys Clare has included fascinating facts that kept me glued to the pages. Her research into the reality of living in those times is painstaking.

All in all, a thoroughly entertaining read and I look forward to reading more of Alys Clare’s books.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

When I first started reading this book, I thought I had started on a very dark, gruesome medical mystery. Imagine my relief when the book did a 180 turn a few chapters in and became an incredibly engrossing character-driven mystery.

Gabriel Taverner has just established a medical practice in small town England after an unfortunate accident put an end to his days as a ships physician. However, somebody in the area has decided that they don’t need the competition of a second medical practitioner. This storyline did become the secondary story (although it did provide some key clues toward the primary mystery) but it really set the scene well for future books in this series. You see how Dr. Taverner interacts with the locals as a doctor, a friend, and a co-physician.

As one of his duties as a local physician, Dr. Taverner is interrupted by the local coroner, who needed a doctor with him to examine a partially decomposed body. The mystery kicks into high gear when Theophilus Davey, the coroner, determines that the missing man is the husband of Dr. Taverner’s sister. The plot slowly builds to its conclusion and the detective work done by both Dr. Taverner and Theopilus is interesting to follow. As the death count mounts and secrets are revealed, the mystery deepens. The ending was unexpected and extremely well-written.

Even the secondary characters are well-written and fully developed in this book. The author has planted the seeds for what will hopefully be a long series as I cannot wait to read more about all of the characters, particularly Celia and Jonathan Carew.

This is a wonderful historical mystery that is truly a blending of the two genres. It’s a brilliant mix of medicine, mystery, and just a touch of the macabre. I will be eagerly awaiting all further installments in this series.