Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Book review - "A Spy in Chancery" by P. C. Doherty


When I started reading this series, I thought Doherty had discontinued his Hugh Corbett mysteries, but I found out he’s still going strong.  These books are great short reads, and they are exciting enough to keep the reader interested.  Hugh is also a character that the reader can sympathize with and cheer for.

A Spy in Chancery takes place some four years after the events in The Crown in Darkness.  Hugh is still mourning his late wife and daughter, and Alice, the conspirator who was burned as a traitor.  Edward I is also still faced with enemies all around, and has realized there is a spy in his chancery. 
Corbett’s boss Royal Chancellor Robert Burrell has passed away so Hugh is feeling a little lost.  Edward I sends Corbett to Wales, unfriendly territory, to find out what their plans are.  Are they plotting war?  Are they siding with the French? Do they know who the spy is in Edward’s chancery?

As with the previous two novels, Corbett’s life is in danger and it appears that everyone around him want him dead.  Fortunately, he escapes all the assassination attempts, even the ones in France, where Edward sends him next.


This book dragged a little because while Hugh is in Wales, he makes little progress so reading became slightly tedious.  Once he makes his escape from Wales, the novel picks back up.  It is a satisfying read and, of course, the surprise ending is worth the wait.

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