The Doublet Affair

Rating:
Summary: Great historical fiction mystery series
Review: Ursula Blanchard/De la Roche longs to be with her husband Matthew in France. But her betrayl (stemming from the war on religion)keeps them seperate. Matthew is ready to forgive her and bring Ursula and her daughter Meg to France. But Elizabeth has another assignment where Ursula's spying skills are greatly needed. Ursula longs to be with Matthew, but her own curiosity and keen senses draw her to her job.

Cecil dispatches Ursula to the Mason household (where Ursula and her companions stayed in "To Shield the Queen"). The Mason's are Catholic, and Cecil is sure that Mary Stuart's plot to seize the English throne lies in Catholic influence. Ursula is instructed to pick the locks of Mason's strong boxes to search for any Stuart participation. But things are not always as they seem, and Ursula must divide suspicion and intent while trying to stay alive in the wake of attempts on her life. She also makes a difficult decision via and act of kindness that will plague her on into the third novel.

I enjoy Fiona Buckley's writing immensely. These 'mysteries' are many times based on actual events that took place, some of which were never solved. If you're into historical ficition, especially around the Elizabethian period, give Fiona Buckley's Ursula Blanchard series a try.