Magic in the Weave (A Gabriel Tavener Mystery, 4)
It’s October 1604 when Dr. Gabriel Taverner and his sister Celia attend a new play in Plymouth, England. The Company is a skilled group of actors driven from London’s plague-closed theaters, and their portrayal of Othello throbs with sexuality. Afterward, they share a drink with the Company’s flamboyant actor-manager, and Celia impulsively offers to embroider a silken handkerchief fit for Othello’s gift to Desdemona: reputed by Shakespeare’s characters to be witch-made, with magic in the weave. The young woman rides home with her brother, rosy-cheeked with excitement. Fearing she may run off with the troupe, Gabriel stays close to Celia. Then, an overheard argument hints at a more sinister reason for the Company to flee London than plague. Secrets are carried within the Company; the sort which might lead to murder to keep them hid.
Alys Clare’s latest in her Dr. Gabriel Taverner series is an intricate puzzle worthy of Shakespeare himself. Ms. Clare does a terrific job placing readers in a time when science and sorcery are practically one, presents us with increasingly bizarre clues for her methodical Dr. Taverner to untangle, then reweaves them at the end. I particularly enjoyed the theatrical setting, with players changing personalities as easily as their costumes.
A man is found dead, but his corpse disappears before turning up miles away. A player collapses with the plague—or is it poison? What is in the mysterious coded book he carries, and who are the Scholars of the Numinous the dying man mentions? Are members of the Company behind the escalating body count, and why? Read Magic in the Weave, find out for yourself, and enjoy!
