The Three Deaths of Justice Godfrey (A John Grey Historical Mystery)
Fifth in the Lord John Grey series, this novel sees the Essex magistrate and sometime spy continue his adventures navigating the strains and struggles of solving a murder (or was it suicide?). The date is 1678, some eighteen years after the Restoration of King Charles the Second. Getting involved with the movers and shakers of this society is as fraught with danger as ever, as is getting to grips with a convoluted plot complicated by lying, double-dealing and self-preservation. Lord John is aided by his intelligent playwright wife, Aminta, in his attempts to solve the case of Sir Godfrey, which is actually a long-time and real-life cold case. The historical notes give the interested reader the full background of the real events as much as is known and has been interpreted by different historians. The historical personage of Titus Oates is another character, with his amazing discoveries of Catholic plots feeding the fears of those willing to suspend disbelief and rationality in order to nourish their own prejudices. Modern parallels do come to mind here. The usual Tyler-style dry humour is much in evidence as human foibles are exposed.
Admirers of the series and of Tyler`s Ethelred series will find much to enjoy here. New fans may wish to start with the first, A Cruel Necessity, but this can also be read as an enjoyable stand-alone.
