London 1598. Two rival theatres. A young girl, murdered. Rivals and enemies. An ageing queen’s spymaster. A beautiful female spy. I slipped into the story of Traitor’s Legacy from the first page. If you loved the Giordano Bruno novels don’t miss this, the first of a new historical mystery series by SJ Parris set in Elizabethan London. Sophie de Wolfe, one-time beau of Giordano Bruno, is a wealthy widow and step-mother in London. A former spy for Sir Francis Walsingham she is a now a benefactor to The Lord Chamberlain’s Men whose cast includes actor Richard Burbage, writer Will Shakespeare and Tobie Strange, a young actor with a sweet singing voice. Various people have made guesses at why Sophia is so interested in this theatre group, none of them are correct. But she does have a secret.
When a young woman is found dead in a ditch near the site of rival theatre company The Admiral’s Men, Sophia is drawn into a dangerous murder mystery with connections reaching to Queen Elizabeth I’s right-hand man and royal spymaster Sir Robert Cecil. Powered by her emotions and a dab hand with a sword, Sophia will not stop until she uncovers the truth. Even if this puts her in mortal danger, denouncing royal favourites as villains and risking the displeasure of the Queen. With fencing breeches beneath her skirts, and a knife in a secret pocket, she will not take no for an answer. But is there danger closer to home, perhaps even in her household?
I started Traitor’s Legacy with high expectations and wasn’t disappointed. I raced through the book, resenting putting it down, taking every opportunity to pick it up again. Sophia is a gem of a heroine. Brave, loyal, outspoken, thoughtful but also remorseless. Often the first book of a new series gets a little bogged down by scene-setting, but Traitor’s Legacy hits the ground running and doesn’t stop. Every character is well-drawn and rounded, from Sophia and Cecil to Badger, a street child.
Excellent. Can’t wait for the next instalment of Sophia’s story, Rebel’s Gambit.

Read my reviews of the Giordano Bruno historical mystery series, also by SJ Parris:-
HERESY #1GIORDANOBRUNO
PROPHECY #2GIORDANOBRUNO
SACRILEGE #3GIORDANOBRUNO
TREACHERY #4GIORDANOBRUNO
CONSPIRACY #5GIORDANOBRUNO
EXECUTION #6GIORDANOBRUNO
ALCHEMY #7GIORDANOBRUNO

If you like this, try:-
‘The Whispering Muse’ by Laura Purcell
‘The Book of Secrets’ by Anna Mazzola
‘The King’s Mother’ by Annie Garthwaite

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview TRAITOR’S LEGACY by SJ Parris @thestephmerritt https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-aCT via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-