Adele Jordan

The Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries are a new series for me. I so enjoyed this title that I went on to read volumes 4 and 5, then backtracked to read volumes 1 and 2. One can definitely read this series out of order. There's sufficient backstory—non-irritating backstory—to keep things clear, and the characters are presented with a blend of clarity and amity that allows readers to easily feel connected to them.

I did find volumes 3, 4, and 5 the best among the lot. I enjoyed volumes 1 and 2 because I'd already read the others. If I'd begun with volume 1 itself, I might have been less excited about moving on to volume 2.

Kit Scarlett, the book's central character, began as an orphan taken in by Elizabeth I's spymaster Franscis Walsingham. She's not really raised as a daughter, but rather as a protege. She's been taught combat, cryptography, and a host of espionage skills. As one of Walsingham's operatives, she prefers to dress in male attire, a choice that many coworkers and others find inappropriate, but the cross-dressing serves Kit well. The plots each focus in their own way on the Elizabeth I/Mary Queen of Scots conflict and the endless, and often religious, plotting that goes on among their supporters.

Like many series mysteries, the volumes have short-term and long-term story arcs. In terms of short-term arcs, the mysteries are all solid—though definitely stronger as the series moves along. The long-term arcs include the mystery of Kit's origins and an ongoing attraction between Kit and the spy she's paired with in these titles. The series does have an end: readers aren't left hanging.

If you're looking to spend a bit of time in Tudor England with smart, engaging characters engaged in interesting work, you'll definitely enjoy the Kit Scarlett series.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.… (mere)