The Nine Giants [Hardcover]

Edward Marston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991

"Brimming with life, colorful dialogue, and, of course, drama."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

The celebrated Elizabethan theatre company known as Lord Westfield's Men is being scared nearly to death. Then when stage manager Nichlas Bracewell pulls a naked, mutilated corpse from the icy depths of the river Thames, he perceives the hand of a deadly enemy, and the terrifying shape of the future. Unless he can outwit the villainous brewer of this bitter dose of trouble, Lord Westfield's Men will be no more--and Nicholas himself will be ushered to a most unwelcome death....

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Marston's fourth novel set in the world of Elizabethan theater will have its audience calling for encores. Brimming with life, colorful dialogue and, of course, drama, the story follows the tribulations of Nicholas Bracewell, stage manager of the acting troupe Lord Westerfield's Men. As he oversees rehearsals and performances, Bracewell must also salve the fragile egos of actor and ladies' man Lawrence Firethorn; lovelorn and talented playwright and actor Edmund Hoode; and even aspiring poet Abel Strudwick, a humble waterman who ferries passengers across the river Thames. On Strudwick's boat Bracewell and the waterman discover a corpse in the river that may be linked to misfortunes assailing the company and to a crime that is close to home for Bracewell. Young hatter apprentice Hans Kippel, who works for Bracewell's landlady and lover, Anne Hendrik, returns from an errand traumatized and with alarming loss of memory. Has he witnessed something terrible? Meanwhile, the landlord of the inn that is home to the players plans to sell his premises. At another inn, known as The Nine Giants, the actors try out a new venue and the drama comes to a stirring conclusion.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Stage manager Nicholas Bracewell strug gles against unknown murderers and those who would oust the theater company from its quarters.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 235 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; First Edition edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312064268
• ISBN-13: 978-0312064266
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,124,008 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars With constant action and entertaining insights, April 9, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nine Giants (Missing Mysteries) (Paperback)

...

Originally published in 1991, The Nine Giants is the fourth in a series published by Poisoned Pen Press of The Queen's Head, The Merry Devils, and The Trip To Jerusalem. Set in London during the period of romance and swashbuckling, The Nine Giants is a story of love, murder, the stage, and politics all rolled into one. Westfield's Menis a theater group sparked by the genius of the handsome and naughty Laurence Firethorn, whotranslates his enthusiastic performances to trysts with select female admirers, whether marriedor no. It is up to his book keeper, Nicholas Bracewell, to keep everything afloat. But whena body washes up on the Thames, and Nick's girlfriend Ann Hendrik's house and life is threatened, that Nick actually swings into high gear.. Not only does Nicholas minister to the needs of fickle actors around him, he also discoversthe rather elaborate plot hatched by a greedy politician, involving murder, intrigue, and conspiracy. The Nine Giants is a witty and ribald frolic, with the intensity of murderous greed at its core. Marston's characters are hilarious, the action is non-stop, and his use of language is pure bliss to the reader's inner eye. Elizabethan London resembles the political intrigues of today's world. This is a delightful read, with constant action and entertaining insights.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fourth Book in a Terrific Series, November 29, 2006

By 

J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nine Giants (Missing Mysteries) (Paperback)

Edward Marston is the pseudonym of Keith Miles, a fairly prolific and extremely good writer of mainly Elizabethan and medieval mysteries. He has also written mysteries under his own name with both sporting and golf backgrounds. However it is primarily the books that take place earlier in history that I am interested in. He read modern history at Oxford and has had many jobs, including university lecturer, but fortunately for all his readers, he turned to the writing profession.

The star actor of group of players called Lord Westfield's men, Laurence Firethorn is more than eager to seduce a lady. Unfortunately the lady in question is the wife of the Lord Mayor elect. A clandestine meeting between the two is arranged at London's Nine Giants inn. In the meantime the landlord of the actors' home base is troubled by a plot to take over the ownership of the inn. A young actor is subjected to a horrible assault and a waterman pulls a mangled corpse from the river Thames. The drama comes to head at the annual show, organised by the incoming Lord Mayor, as his barge moves slowly down the Thames.

Edward Marston bring to life the sights and sound of Elizabethan London so effectively that the reader almost feels transported back to the narrow stinking streets of old London town.