Jon Morgan is a retired police Superintendent and francophile who, it is said, has consequently seen almost everything awful that people can do to each other. He relishes quality writing in all genres but advises particularly on police procedure for authors including John Harvey and Jon McGregor. Haunts bookshops both new and secondhand and stands with Erasmus: “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I may buy food and clothes.”
Do
you know the meanings of ‘halberd,’ ‘costrel,’ or ‘cozened?’ No, I didn’t
either, but this mildly bawdy and fast-paced historical novel, set in the very
early stages of Queen Mary’s reign and after the death of Edward VI, is
peppered with such terms now fallen into disuse, but it was fun looking them
up. Now to re-introduce them to everyday use!
We
are in London, a stinking wen, in 1554 and Jack BlackJack, something of an
ingénue from Whitstable from whence he has fled to avoid taking up his father’s
trade of tanner, is now a skilled cutpurse, living in a Fagin type
establishment with a group of ne’er do wells preying on the well-off in Tudor
society.
Mary’s
throne is threatened by the reversion to the old faith and her intent to take
the son of the Spanish King as consort. Lady Jane Grey, still alive after her
‘attempted coup’ although imprisoned in the Tower, is a rallying point for rebellion.
Against
this background, and shot through with intrigue and counter intrigue, secret
messages and plots abounding, the ever-unlucky Jack is accused of murder and
becomes the plaything of forces greater than him. That he survives is due to a
fast developing and possibly native wit and sharp intelligence. It doesn’t stop
him rolling in the mud and filth of the city streets or getting hit over the
head numerous times, wounded in the defence of London against the rebels and
meeting Queen Mary herself, before working out who amongst the myriad suspects,
actually ‘dunnit’.
The
plot has more twists and turns than the late medieval London streets and
alleyways and the short sentence style moves the action along at a fast pace to
see the hero emerging into a very different estate than the one into which he
was born.
This
is a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging romp through mid 16th century
London, at a time when life was very cheap indeed and could be cut short by
pox, plague, ague and miasma or by the swords, daggers, dirks and bludgeons
which were routinely carried and wielded.
This
is the first of four in the ‘Bloody Mary Mystery’ series from the prolific historical
novel writer Michael Jecks, and featuring Jack Blackjack,. Although not my
favourite period in history, it was vividly and simply brought to life. And I
shall be looking out for the others, if for no other reason than I want to see
what other scrapes Jack gets into (and hopefully, out of.)
