Review: Solid mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 6, 2013
I have really enjoyed the Peter Ainsley mysteries, but..I was disappointed with this one as far as the historical aspects were concerned. In fact, I very nearly did not finish it. Ward needs to do a bit more research about legitimacy and inheritance. In England during the period when this novel takes place, as long as the parents are married at least a minute before the child is born, the child is legitimate. It doesn't matter if the father is the biological father or not. And if the child is legitimate, then if a title is involved and the child meets the criteria for the title (e.g. first-born, surviving male child or whatever) then that child can legitimately apply to the crown for the title when the time comes to assume it. That is, incidentally, why many felt it was so important that brides be virgins--so that the father could ensure any offspring and subsequent inheritor of any titles was his blood. And if the bride was not virginal, then at least had lost her virginity to the man who was to be her husband.I won't go into how this is important or why I took the time to talk about it because I don't want to spoil anything for other readers. Except to say that I found it difficult to finish the book because of some of the details related to this. And I don't think I will read the next one because I believe this will be even more in evidence in the future given the development of the series. It's a shame, too, because other than that, I really enjoyed the characters and smooth writing.You could really feel Peter's struggles both professionally and privately, as he tries to find his own way despite the expectations of his father and society. The plot was deftly done with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages. In fact, despite my issues, I couldn't give up until I had finished the book, which tells you something about how well done it was. In fact, I doubt most modern readers would have any quibbles with it and will be able to accept many of the premises since they mirror today's thinking.On the whole, I recommend the book. It will definitely keep you guessing and involved with the characters.