Series
Publication
Allison & Busby (2012), 301 pages
Original publication date
1988
Collections
Subjects
Description
The first book in a thrilling series featuring Nicholas Bracewell and the colourful world of the Elizabethan Theatre - set in 1588 against the background of the Spanish Armada.
User reviews
LibraryThing member ffortsa
A quick read, and a detailed (sometimes too detailed) portrait of the theater in Elizabethan times. The writing is a little lumpy - I think the author was more interested in showing off his knowledge than in good fiction style, but it smooths out as the mystery picks up. First in a series.
LibraryThing member AnnieMod
Starting a new series set in Elizabethan times, The Queen's Head is not exactly an ordinary mystery.
Meet Nicholas Bracewell - the bookholder of the Lord Westfield's Men and an occasional detective (he just happens to be at the proper place at the proper time...). And if he is not illustrious
The style takes a while to get used to - especially the conversations. But once you get into the book, even those exaggerated dialogs work and add to the tapestry of the novel. Being the first book in a series makes the Queen's Head a bit slow to start with - even for the style and the period. It picks up as the books progresses but the feeling that you are transported in another era where the Industrial Revolution is yet to happen remains - not only with the actions of the characters but with the storytelling itself.
Marston (one of the pseudonyms of Keith Miles) knows a lot about the Elizabethan times. And about the Elizabethan theater. And he is not afraid to use all that knowledge to set the scene for the novel or to show in excruciating detail the way the theater works. I am not convinced that the actors' weird behaviors were not exaggerated, but on the other hand - considering the times and the customs of the time - most of it can be believable. All the boasting and misadventures of all the main actors and the almost never ending complains of the rest of the group are moving the book closer to the comical genre than to the mystery one. But it does not get there.
Add to all that the three Queens' heads - the one that falls, the one that stays and the one that cannot be removed - and the book actually works. It might not be the best mystery ever written but it is a good period mystery -- with more emphasis on the times and the theater than on the mystery side.
Meet Nicholas Bracewell - the bookholder of the Lord Westfield's Men and an occasional detective (he just happens to be at the proper place at the proper time...). And if he is not illustrious
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enough, we have a whole set of actors - each of them almost comically and unbelievably weird. The style takes a while to get used to - especially the conversations. But once you get into the book, even those exaggerated dialogs work and add to the tapestry of the novel. Being the first book in a series makes the Queen's Head a bit slow to start with - even for the style and the period. It picks up as the books progresses but the feeling that you are transported in another era where the Industrial Revolution is yet to happen remains - not only with the actions of the characters but with the storytelling itself.
Marston (one of the pseudonyms of Keith Miles) knows a lot about the Elizabethan times. And about the Elizabethan theater. And he is not afraid to use all that knowledge to set the scene for the novel or to show in excruciating detail the way the theater works. I am not convinced that the actors' weird behaviors were not exaggerated, but on the other hand - considering the times and the customs of the time - most of it can be believable. All the boasting and misadventures of all the main actors and the almost never ending complains of the rest of the group are moving the book closer to the comical genre than to the mystery one. But it does not get there.
Add to all that the three Queens' heads - the one that falls, the one that stays and the one that cannot be removed - and the book actually works. It might not be the best mystery ever written but it is a good period mystery -- with more emphasis on the times and the theater than on the mystery side.
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LibraryThing member JulesJones
First of the Nicholas Bracewell mystery series, set in a theatrical company in Elizabethan London. Bracewell is the bookholder for Lord Westfield's Men, a responsible position in its own right even without the additional tasks taken on by Bracewell. Bracewell finds himself with an unexpected task
It's an entertaining romp, but unusually for Marston, there were a couple of elements that could be problematic for many readers. They're historically accurate, but nevertheless they need flagging up. One is the portrayal of one of the senior actors as having a taste for pretty boys, and this being tolerated as long as he leaves the company's apprentices alone - which he doesn't. Given other things he's written I don't think Marston intended this, but it does come over as equating "homosexual" with "pedarest". The other is that the book does get into the head of characters with the strong anti-Catholic prejudices one might expect in this time period.
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of the worst kind when his friend and colleague, actor Will Fowler, is called in a tavern brawl. Bracewell is determined to find the killer, but has other equally urgent matters to deal with, not least of which is ensuring nothing goes wrong with the performance of a new play before the Queen herself. Jealous rivalries both within the company and with another company aren't helping matters...It's an entertaining romp, but unusually for Marston, there were a couple of elements that could be problematic for many readers. They're historically accurate, but nevertheless they need flagging up. One is the portrayal of one of the senior actors as having a taste for pretty boys, and this being tolerated as long as he leaves the company's apprentices alone - which he doesn't. Given other things he's written I don't think Marston intended this, but it does come over as equating "homosexual" with "pedarest". The other is that the book does get into the head of characters with the strong anti-Catholic prejudices one might expect in this time period.
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LibraryThing member sageness
Absolutely terrible.
Glbt-interest tag: the sole queer character is a pedophile and child predator. Gender politics tag: female characters are whore (and thus abused or killed), widows (and thus noble), or married (and thus harridans).
Glbt-interest tag: the sole queer character is a pedophile and child predator. Gender politics tag: female characters are whore (and thus abused or killed), widows (and thus noble), or married (and thus harridans).
LibraryThing member kevn57
Very enjoyable reread of a favorite series, fans of Shakespeare will enjoy the setting.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780749010133
Physical description
301 p.; 5.08 inches
Pages
301