Rating: 
Summary: Ursula shines again!
Review: When I first became enamored of the entire historical mystery genre almost three years ago, Fiona Buckley's first Ursula Blanchard mystery (To Shield the Queen) was one of the books that helped make me into a hopelessly devoted mystery fan. Since then, I've kept an eye out for, and read, all of the Ursula Blanchard novels; they have been consistently excellent in period detail and in their development of the delightful sleuth, the clever and indomitable Ursula. This latest entry in the series is, like the others, a pleasant and fulfilling mystery. I appreciated Buckley's returning Ursula to England, and the Welsh twist added some interesting new flavor. Once again, Ursula sets out to solve a "cozy" mystery that, upon closer scrutiny, turns out to have potentially thunderous ramifications for Queen and country. The whodunit aspect of the novel is tightly constructed, with some shocking twists and bits of pure cleverness. I was a bit disappointed with the fact that I was able to identify the killer long before the denouement, but that only detracted slightly from the mystery. Most of all, I appreciate Buckley's fine flair for characterization. Ursula and all her facets are unfolding and developing beautifully; she seems more and more of a real person with each successive book. Her husband, Matthew, has deepened significantly beyond the suave courtier he was in the first book; Brockley is also becoming an intriguing character! There are some wonderfully poignant moments to be found in this book, which elevate it far above the conventional mystery. All in all, an enjoyable read, with depth of character compensating for a slightly predictable air.
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