State
of Treason
By
Paul Walker
London
1578
A
cauldron of conspiracy, intrigue and torture.
The might of Spain
and the growing influence of the Catholic League in France all threaten the
stability of Queen Elizabeth and her state.
William Constable,
a physician and astrologer, is summoned to the presence of the Queen’s
spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham. He is charged to assist a renowned Puritan,
John Foxe, in uncovering the secrets of a mysterious cabinet containing an
astrological chart and coded message. Together, these claim Elizabeth has a
hidden, illegitimate child (an “unknowing maid”) who will be declared to the
masses and serve as the focus for an invasion.
Constable must
uncover the identity of the plotters, unaware that he is also under suspicion.
A connection to his
estranged mentor, Doctor Dee, comes under scrutiny.
Pressured into
taking up a position as a court physician, Constable becomes a reluctant spy.
Do the stars and
cipher speak true, or is there some other malign intent in the complex web of
scheming?
Constable becomes
an unwitting pawn, in a complex game of thrones and power.
State of Treason is the first
in a series of Elizabethan thrillers featuring William Constable.
“The thought that our Queen may have
hidden a child is disturbing and I understand why enemies of our state would
wish to spread such ideas...”
A Virgin Queen? Rumour has it
that Elizabeth’s reputation is not so white as she would have her subjects
believe. Behind closed doors, there is talk of a bastard child — a maid. Such
talk is dangerous, but if it were to be proven true, then Elizabeth’s position
as Supreme Governor of the English Protestant Church would be undermined. But
worse than that, Elizabeth could lose her throne and all that she had worked so
hard to achieve.
Sir Francis Walsingham,
spymaster and the principle Secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, has been watching
the rise of the Catholic League in France and the growing influence of Spain
with trepidation. Walsingham had witnessed the atrocities against Protestants
during the Massacre de la Saint-Barthélemy in France. His greatest fear was
that the same would happen in England. Walsingham is single-minded in his determination that such a
calamity would never stain the soil of England red.
When the spymaster summons
you, it is in your best interest to answer his call. Physician and astrologer,
William Constable, finds himself in an unprecedented situation. Walsingham has
requested that William and the renowned Puritan, John Foxe, discover the
secrets of a mysterious cabinet. What they discover is shocking. Could the
whispered rumours of an illegitimate child be true? Walsingham suggests that it
is a plot to discredit the Queen and to divide the nation. He wants to know who
is behind this latest conspiracy so that he can stop them.
Drawn into a world of
espionage, treason and sedition, William must use his wits and skill if he is
to discover those responsible for the conspiracy before it is too late.
With an exceptional eye to
historical detail and a sweepingly impressive narrative, State of Treason by
Paul Walker is the powerfully compulsive story of William Constable as he tries
to unravel and thwart a plot against Elizabeth’s throne.
Between the pages of this
remarkable novel, is an exploration of the world of espionage and the dangers
that such a life brings. Walsingham was a man who sanctioned the torture of
Catholic priests and suspected conspirators. He is not a man that William would
have chosen to spend time with. William finds himself thrust into a world that
he does not want to be a part of, and he is very mindful of the responsibility
that has been placed upon his shoulders. He wants to serve his Queen, and he
will do everything within his power to help Walsingham do this, but at the same
time, he is always heedful of the treatment of those who Walsingham suspects of
wrongdoings. Walsingham is feared by many and for a good reason. He is
unmerciful. William wants to be absolutely sure that the information he gathers
and gives to Walsingham is correct. William is a man of deep integrity and has a
compassionate heart which made him, in one way, wholly unsuitable for
espionage. However, his hesitation and his determination to handle the
situation with incredible care and conscious thought made him precisely the
right man for this delicate and secretive task. Walker has presented his
readers with a character who is wonderfully human and extremely likeable.
This book is not all about
espionage and danger. There are some lighter, tender moments as well. William’s
relationship with his mother made him incredibly appealing. He is a gentle man
who loves deeply and shoulders a great responsibility for the people who depend
on him. That, notwithstanding, he is also prepared to fight, to the death if
necessary, to keep those he loves safe. Alongside this, there is also a
beautiful love story which made me hope for the best, but at the same time,
fearful for the worst. William is torn between his duty and keeping the woman
he loves safe. I simply adored William. Such a wonderfully rounded protagonist
that I could not help but want the best outcome for him.
Walker deserves the highest
of praise for not only does he write highly appealing characters, but he has
also brought back to life the danger and the intrigue of the glittering Tudor
court. Walker has a wonderful novelist eye for historical detail. Nothing is
beyond the telling. The streets of Tudor London came alive under Walker’s
masterful depiction. One could almost smell the stench coming from the animal
waste on the roads and the sickening smell of the blood of so-called papist as
they hang from the scaffold. Likewise, I fancied I could taste the sweetness of
the plums and the bitterness of cheap wine. Kudo’s, Mr Walker for breathing
life back into Tudor England.
The difference between the
richness of court life and the abject poverty of the Queen’s subjects was also
drawn with extraordinary care and skill. There is no doubt in my mind that
Walker has a visceral understanding of what makes history worth reading.
As the blurb suggests and as
I have stated, this story is about a plot to overthrow the Queen. There was a
hint of Arthur Conan Doyle’s, who is best known for his fabulous Sherlock Holmes
series, style of writing in this book. So many questions came to mind as I tried to, along with
William, put the pieces together. Walker kept me guessing right up until the
very end of the novel, which is what I would expect from an exceptionally well
written historical thriller. I thought it was absolutely brilliant and
skilfully executed.
State of Treason is a book
that has been penned with a great deal of energy and imagination, while at the
same time staying true to the historical era that it is set in. Fans of C. J.
Sansom’s The Shardlake Series will love this book. I look forward to reading
book 2 in what promises to be a fabulous series.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
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State
of Treason
Paul
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Congratulations on your award, your book sounds very interesting.
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