Death of an Alchemist
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15
Ratings1
Average rating4
In the mid sixteenth century, Henry VIII sits on the throne, and Bianca Goddard tends to the sick and suffering in London's slums, where disease can take a life as quickly as murder. . . For years, alchemist Ferris Stannum has devoted himself to developing the Elixir of Life, the reputed serum of immortality. Having tested his remedy successfully on an animal, Stannum intends to send his alchemy journal to a colleague in Cairo for confirmation. Instead he is strangled in his bed and his journal is stolen. As the daughter of an alchemist herself, Bianca is well acquainted with the mystical healing arts. As her husband, John, falls ill with the sweating sickness, she dares to hope Stannum's journal could contain the secret to his recovery. But first she must solve the alchemist's murder. As she ventures into a world of treachery and deceit, Stannum's death proves to be only the first in a series of murders--and Bianca's quest becomes a matter of life and death, not only for her husband, but for herself. . .
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I received this book for free through Net Galley.
Mary Lawrence is an excellent writer. That's what I expect to remember most about the book. Her writing fits with the period incredibly well, and her skill in detail brings the setting and characters to vivid life.
As a mystery, I was never fully invested in the outcome. I wasn't bored, the story and characters were perfectly engaging, but it wasn't the most successful mystery in the sense that I had no real need to figure out the culprit. If you don't go in expecting an edge-of-your-seat mystery, you'll be pleasantly surprised with a smart and well-written novel.
The atmosphere and writing is a success, and I was mostly satisfied with the book altogether. Definitely worth a read, hopefully the next book is even better.
