The Road to Murder (Tom Walsingham Mysteries)
This is the first book in a new series, The Tom Walsingham Mysteries, taking place in 1581 England. Tom is a courier for his cousin Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster for the court of Elizabeth I. Tom carries messages to the English ambassador in Paris, traveling regularly from London to Paris and back again. His work is halted, though, when an English glovemaker traveling with Tom is killed. To make matters worse, Tom’s passport and a secret message he is carrying disappear. Are the two incidents connected?
What follows is an intricate plot with many interesting suspects, a lot of clues, and some political intrigue. This is a fantastic time, based on some real historical people, which helps to overlook some of the slow parts of the plotline. The vast number of characters and suspects, including French, English, and Italians, makes it a little hard to follow at times. Tom is both very green and naive while at the same time observant and adept at following clues. He does make several bungles and mistakes, which beginner spies often do. But by the end of the story, Tom has learned some valuable lessons and earned his sleuthing hat.
