British author Pilkington's second Elizabethan mystery (after 2002's The Ruffler's Child
) nicely blends historical events with engaging characters and a suspenseful plot but, alas, falls short as a whodunit. In 1588, Thomas Finbow, in charge of Sir Robert Vicary's hunting birds, accompanies his master to the Earl of Reigate's estate for festivities celebrating the lifting of the Spanish Armada threat. When the sudden daylight murder of an arrogant knight is passed off as a riding accident, despite a note in Latin found pinned to the body, the falconer realizes that his misgivings about the dubious character of many of those attending were all too prescient. His commitment to truth and justice brings him into conflict with the powers-that-be, and he's forced to conduct a clandestine inquiry. More baffling murders follow that suggest that a cunning and ruthless killer is targeting both gentry involved in financial speculation and members of the Dutch community. Thomas proves a dogged, creative and insightful sleuth, but the author curiously lets another character spring the surprise solution on the detective rather than allowing him to deduce it from the story's numerous clues. In addition, the culprit doesn't figure prominently enough to make the resolution truly fair play. Given Pilkington's evident writing skill, there's every reason to hope that this will become a lengthy series and that future entries will abide more by the rules of the genre. (Feb.)
