An Air of Treason by P F Chisholm (Robert Carey 6)

After a bit of a break I’ve returned to the joys of Sir Robert Carey and his dour henchman Henry Dodd. I loved this book. I’ve always enjoyed real life historical mysteries and the puzzle of what happened to Amy Robsart, the unfortunate wife of Robert Dudley is a good one.

Both Carey and Dodd are on good form in this novel even though they don’t spend much of the action together. Still marooned in the south, short of money and in trouble as usual, Carey and Dodd find themselves handicapped in unusual ways and it gives the author the opportunity to show both characters having to call on different resources to solve the mystery.

I like the solution, which I won’t share because it will spoil the plot. All I will say is that it managed to give some character to Amy Robsart who often appears as nothing more than a pawn in the tragedy. I enjoy seeing Dodd out of his comfort zone, bringing his distinctly border view to the south of England. And I love spending more time Elizabeth Tudor who is exactly the way I imagine she should be – a mad, bad old bat who can run rings round any man in her service.

There are one or two touching moments, especially between Carey and his father. There is the usual joyous comedy which is never overdone.

Robert Carey is back with a vengeance and I’ve already started on the next book.

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