Witch Hammer (Kit Marlowe)
Despite a complex and sometimes confusing plot, the fast pacing, fascinating historical characters (including an appearance by a very young William Shakespeare), and an intricately twisted story line make Trow’s latest entry in his Christopher “Kit” Marlowe series a winner. Marlowe is off to London to seek his fortune as a playwright. On the road, he meets a troupe of actors, one of whom steals Kit’s latest play. Furious, Kit is ready to pursue the thief, but when a local nobleman is poisoned, he feels he must stay behind to find who tried to kill the man. Then the stage manager of the acting troupe is murdered, and a coven of witches is seen practicing their dark arts near the murder scene. The whys and wherefores are so complex that even the wise Kit is baffled. He eventually figures out what happened and why, and can devote his full attention to recovering his lost play. Clever allusions to Shakespeare, intriguing historical references, graphic violence, and unholy witch-doings make for an entertaining, satisfying read, although not one for the faint of heart. --Emily Melton