"Fine Elizabethan historical fiction"

The strewing herb mistress of the privy chamber of Queen Elizabeth I, Meg Milligrew gathered two sacks filled with poisonous cuckoo-pint roots that she believes will make her a nice profit if she can get royal starcher, Hannah von Hoven to cooperate. Many of the aristocracy love wearing the starched ruffs. However, instead the duo argue over costs in front of many witnesses.

Meg follows up only to find Hannah lying dead in a tub. Elizabeth I is stunned when she is informed that her royal starcher has been starched. At the same time, royal finance manager Sir Thomas Gresham tries to ignore the Queen's command to gain acceptance of the fashione from the royal starchers. His concern turns to terror when his daughter vanishes for awhile; she reappears near where Hannah conducted business, but she recalls nothing. The Queen convenes her Privy Plot Council to uncover the identity of the killer, save the starch industry, and assist the beleaguered Gresham family.

Though the who-done-it is cleverly written to provide several suspects but the obvious one with a public motive remains Meg, the story line feels more like an Elizabethan historical fiction. Readers receive a deep look at life in the court to include those who are employed by the Queen and her retinue. As to be expected by a series in which Queen Elizabeth I is the star heroine (see THE FYRE MIRROR) Karen Harper provides a deep look at life in her court with a very sympathetic eye towards Her Royal Highness.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 10, 2005

Summary

In the eighth installment of Karen Harper's highly respected Elizabeth I mystery series, the lucrative invention of starch takes the English fashion world by storm. This commodity, vital to making the enormous and very stiff ruffs worn around the necks of Elizabethan elite, triggers the murder of the royal starcher. When a second woman is drowned, and then a third, the queen fears she too might lose her life-for intrigue at Elizabeth's court always remains the fatal fashion.