This is not my first book in this series and it was great to revisit Bruno and his work solving yet another mystery. The pace is good and the historical Babington plot is the backdrop for this particular tale. The descriptions of London is atmospheric and history and fiction are well blended. Although this is part of a series each book is complete in itself and can be read alone. A real pleasure to read. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Here we fall back into the world of Giordano Bruno and the all encompassing tentacles of Sir Frances Walsingham, the man who makes Dominic Cummings seem less like a control freak. S J Parris always cleverly paints with such a light brush yet creates a convincing world within which her characters sit. The tale this time revolves around the Babington Plot and weaves an interesting tale with her characters, the reader is always drawn into the narrative and this book is no exception. I await the next installment of this series and have no hesitation in recommending it to readers. #Execution #NetGalley

This is not my first book in this series and it was great to revisit Bruno and his work solving yet another mystery. The pace is good and the historical Babington plot is the backdrop for this particular tale. The descriptions of London is atmospheric and history and fiction are well blended. Although this is part of a series each book is complete in itself and can be read alone. A real pleasure to read. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

The title is a bit of a tease. Is Bruno finally executed for heresy? Is it Mary queen of Scots? Or could it possibly be another or others? Giordano Bruno returns to England anxious to ingratiate himself with the queen’s spymaster, Walsingham, and receive a haven for his work. He finds himself in an England suspicious, nay hostile, to foreigners, especially those arriving from Europe. A close friend of Walsingham’s daughter has been found murdered and Bruno soon finds himself investigating her death as well as infiltrating the group of Catholic ( and totally incompetent) conspirators she was involved with. In the course of his investigation Bruno has to deal with xenophobia, religious sectarianism, racism, bigotry, transgender and gay issues, feminism and women’s rights. He must reconcile himself that the cause he represents, the government of Elizabeth I, may be corrupt, cruel and ruthless, and that the Catholic enemy might actually be quite human, even decent. This all helps Bruno develop into a well-rounded and balanced individual. Initially the plot is quite slow going, especially when focused on the aimless ruminations of the gang of conspirators, but thereafter it does develop into quite a successful mystery, while spotting the elements of political correctness and contemporary referencing is always amusing.