Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: Poison, Your Grace - 2nd in the Simon & Elizabeth series
Author: Peg Herring
Publisher: Gale/Cengage
ISBN-13: 978-1-4328-2536-2
Release Date: Noveember 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical Mystery
Year/Setting: 1552/London
Overall Rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: None/Subtle
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Peg's Website: www.pegherring.com
Dear Readers:
For anyone who has already read the first Simon & Elizabeth mystery, you already know how truly funny and heartwarming these characters are. So, fans will absolutely love the fact that they are getting another one.
Simon is an apprentice/intern at the apothecary working for his well-known boss, Mr. Carthburt. Simon has a ‘inferior’ arm but he is a good man, and great at his job. Simon’s father is a doctor, who wanted him to follow in his footsteps - not live his life treating rotted teeth and soothing ‘high-class, snobby’ nerves. But Simon felt with his arm being the way it was that the apothecary route was best for him.
One day, he is outside and a carriage goes by holding the young Elizabeth Tudor. Now, she and Simon know each other from the first mystery, but on this day she snubs him, without even granting him a wave.
Later, Simon’s boss receives an urgent summons to get to the palace as soon as possible. Edward VI is a sickly, fifteen-year-old boy, so they believe that something has happened to the King. What they find when they arrive is something completely different. A man who had dined with the King the previous evening has been found dead - death by poison. Offering advice, reassurance, and a little magic in order to calm the King down, Simon and his boss leave Whitehall and head back to the shop.
However, the next day, a young woman is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Seemingly she tripped and ended up breaking her neck, but poison is still a factor. With his boss getting so much older, Simon is put in charge of this particular case. The Princess Elizabeth calls back her ‘helper’ from the first mystery because she needs an honest man - and Simon is that man!
From the characters of Robert Dudley to the evil, jealous realm of the Tudors - characters come out of the stonework for the reader to really ‘sink their teeth into.’ Watching Elizabeth and Simon re-team up, using Simon’s beloved future bride, Hannah, as the go-between, the story is a fast-paced ride wrapped in money, power, poison, revenge - just about everything that you could possibly find in the Tudor world.
A truly entertaining book that is just as much fun as the first one!
Until next time,
Amy
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Amy know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews