Book Review: THE ENGLISH AGENT by Phillip DePoy

Playwright and secret agent to Queen Elizabeth I, Christopher Marlowe is back for another adventure. This time, his commission is to travel to Holland and prevent an assassination attempt upon William the Silent, an important ally to England against Spain, and one with insider knowledge of the Spanish court. Having just witnessed the tragic demise of his latest play in a seedy Cambridge pub, Marlowe is up for the job. But there’s more to this assignment, as he will soon discover. William is not the main target of the conspirators. Indeed, the very throne of England is in danger, and Marlowe may be the only thing between Good Queen Bess and the business end of a blade. If only he can figure out who, when, and how in time.

Disclaimer: My review is based on an Advance Uncorrected Proof of the novel sent to me by Phillip’s agent. It was sent for my enjoyment, and I was not placed under any obligation to review the book in return.

This is the second installment of Phillip DePoy’s new series of novels featuring Christopher Marlowe. In real life, Marlowe was a playwright and later friend of William Shakespeare. In this series, Phillip imagines Marlowe in the role of a secret agent, working On Her Majesty’s Secret Service–“Her Majesty” here being the first Queen Elizabeth. He brings an interesting skill set to the job: master swordsman, a quick mind, and an eye for plot. These combine to help him navigate the various obstacles he meets both in England and Holland, and try to figure out the main players in the plot, and the best way to outsmart them.

In my review of the first novel, A PRISONER IN MALTA, I noted the ease at which Phillip immerses the reader in the historical context of the book without turning the novel into a textbook on life in Elizabethan times. The same holds true here, where we get a glimpse of what the first performance of a play would have been like back then (a far cry from The Old Vic), and the theater culture of the day. Phillip also introduces us to some of the delightful cuisine of the period, including goose blood pudding, for which he even provides the recipe: goose blood, oats, warm milk, pepper, nutmeg, sugar, salt, rosewater, and coriander seeds. This was supposed to be a breakfast meal! (Urggh!)

I was pleasantly surprised to see John Bull, then organist of Hereford Cathedral, make a cameo appearance. Hereford is my home town, and I am a former student of Hereford Cathedral School. Needless to say, I’m quite familiar with the Cathedral, and have heard some virtuoso performances on the organ in my time.

As with the first novel, Phillip’s story is well plotted, and he keeps you guessing right up to the end. Phillip surrounds Marlowe with a wonderful cast of characters, including Leonora Beak, whose friendship, strength, and thoughtfulness is a great asset to Marlowe, and Ned Blank, a boy actor whose skill at playing female roles is threatened by the onset of puberty.

If you enjoyed A PRISONER IN MALTA, you will like THE ENGLISH AGENT. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, and especially historical mysteries, you should definitely read this series. Also, anyone with an interest in Elizabethan England will get a lot of pleasure from the way Phillip brings it to life with these stories. I give it an easy five Goodreads stars.

Now that some experts are giving Marlowe co-author credits on three Shakespeare plays, how about indulging in some speculation on what he might have got up to in his spare time…? 🙂

THE ENGLISH AGENT comes out on February 21st. You can pre-order it HERE.