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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The return of the thespian-sleuths!, December 30, 2001
Second in the series, this novel picks up right where A MYSTERY OF ERRORS left off. Symington "Tuck" Smythe is unsure of his role in the company of players that he and Will Shakespeare have joined, and he is doubly vexed by the state of his romance that occupies nearly all his waking thoughts. When the players are contracted to provide theatrical entertainment as part of a large wedding pageant, Tuck "volunteers" Will into becoming the writer of their production, a role that may "make or break" him as a major talent. The only problem is that a series of murders turns the event of the year from a marriage celebration into a funeral. I found this tale far more satisfying that the first in the series, particularly as the language used by characters is, for the most part, far more convincing. The Elizabethan-period politics, familial chicanery and villainy all make for a delightful mix of historical fact and fiction. Light-hearted, humorous and convincing in plot-I can highly recommend this for your shelf of historical mysteries.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun look at Shakespeare getting his ideas and solving crimes, January 23, 2002
Tuck Smythe and his friend Will Shakespeare along with the Queen's Men, their theater company, are heading out of London to avoid the plague, and find a commission to play at a wedding. It should be a wonderful opportunity. Shakespeare has a chance to show his first play, and Tuck can visit with Elizabeth who serves as maid of honor to the bride. What could possibly go wrong? When the bride arrives, apparently murdered what can go wrong is frightfully apparent. Worse, the death of the shrewish older sister frees all the suitors to pursue the lustful Blanche--including the least scrupulous. Author Simon Hawke writes with a light comic touch, yet with an insight into young love and accurate although not overdone historical insights. Fans of William Shakespeare will get a laugh out of Hawke's ideas of where some of his ideas, and many of his well-known lines emerged. Protagonist Tuck is an interesting and likable hero with an ambition to be an actor almost as strong as his stage fright. The twists and turns of this mystery combine Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew with Romeo and Juliet and a bit of dozens of other plays. Although it is a short novel, Hawke did spend a fair number of pages repeating what he'd already told the reader--clearly something to be avoided although, in the case of THE SLAYING OF THE SHREW, a fault that can easily be overlooked in the high quality and smooth writing.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
an engrossing and brilliant read, December 13, 2001
One would think that having succeeded in his quest to come to London and to actually finding work with the Queen's Men (a couple of walk on roles so far), and having met the love of his life, Elizabeth Darcie, Symington Smythe, affectionately known as 'Tuck,' would be over the moon. You'd be quite wrong. To begin with his lady love is the only daughter and heiress to her father's considerable wealth, and much as Henry Darcie is grateful to Tuck for all that he's done for both him and Elizabeth (faithfully chronicled in "A Mystery of Errors"), he's not likely to allow Tuck to court Elizabeth, especially given that Tuck is a struggling actor. And here we come to the crux of Tuck's real woes: after having gone through so much in order to realise his dreams of becoming an actor, Tuck discover to his chagrin that he lacks the necessary talent to become a truly valuable player of any company! As the plot of "The Slaying of the Shrew" opens, the plague has hit London, and most companies are taking to the road because the playhouses are being closed. This is not a usually profitable season for the players, but fortunately for the Queen's Men they have asked to perform at the country house of a rich merchant, Godfrey Middleton, at his eldest daughter's wedding celebrations. And Tuck is relieved to discover that he has been included group of players that will be going to Middleton's estate, even if it is not as a player. However his relief is tempered because of a falling out he has with Elizabeth over the role of women and the unhappy situations that many of them find themselves in. Dejected with the manner in which they last parted, Tuck keeps an eye out for Elizabeth when he arrives at Middleton's estate (she is to part of the bride party), and when he spies her in the garden, he follows her and overhears two men planning to con Middleton's younger daughter, Blanche, into marriage. Tuck is all for blowing the whistle, but his friend, William Shakespeare, cautions him against it, pointing out that Tuck actually knows very little of the actual plot at all. And then tragedy strikes when the bride suddenly dies before she can take her vows. Did she die because of some malady, or was she poisoned as Shakespeare believes? Were the two men that Tuck overheard responsible for the unfortunate girl's death? And why is Elizabeth behaving so very, very cagily? Tuck is determined to find the answers to all these questions. "The Slaying of the Shrew" is a tremendously fun read. From the title, and because we're all familiar with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," I'll not be revealing any plot spoilers by stating that the Middleton bride gets murdered. After that point in the mystery however, Simon Hawke does a wonderful job of keeping the reader's attention with plot twists, tight pacing and a brilliantly executed story. I enjoyed "The Slaying of the Shrew" a lot better than I did "A Mystery of Errors," and if this mystery novel is anything to go by, future Tuck and Shakespeare mysteries should make this a series to read and collect! I especially like the manner in which Hawke has incorporated bits form Shakespeare's plays into these mysteries; and I like the bits that deal with the history of the Elizabethan theatre and the personages involved at the time. Definitely one of the better mystery novels of the year.
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