The Hooded Hawke (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 9)
by Karen Harper
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Book Summary Information
Author: Karen HarperEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-02-20
ISBN: 0312338872
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Book Reviews of The Hooded Hawke (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 9)
Book Review: A bit lacking
Summary: 3 Stars
I have long been a fan of Harper's Queen Elizabeth I mystery series and have avidly read each book. They began so steeped in history and rich in character that the reader was transported back to another place and time. However, with her recent offerings something has been lacking. It seems as though the series is petering out and Harper seems to be giving it something of short shrift.
The strong point of the novel is in her strong, vibrant, and fascinating Elizabeth. Harper does an excellent job of portraying a complex woman of great intelligence and passion who also had a formidable temper. I especially like how Francis Drake was drawn into the picture and how his arrival led to Elizabeth's realization that she could have feelings for a man other than her dear Robin. The beginnings of this love triangle are interesting and help to illustrate what was perhaps Elizabeth's greatest tragedy--though a great and powerful leader, she could not succumb to those passions lest she lose said power and all for which she strives to accomplish.
Elizabeth's conflicted feelings about Mary, Queen of Scots are also nicely done and there is a palpable tension to the setting as England is on the even of the northern rebellion. The mystery is nicely interwoven in this and the perpetrator is quite surprising as he has managed to hide himself very effectively from some of Elizabeth's most astute advisers. The attempts on Elizabeth's life nicely portray just how perilous her position was, poised as she was between her adoring public and her scheming nobles.
What is disappointing about this novel and about the last couple of books in general is how little page time some of Harper's interesting tertiary characters get. Over the course of the series, I have grown to care about them as much as Elizabeth and the addition of their trials and tribulations are what has helped lend this series such richness. Meg Milligrew in particular is a character about whom I care a great deal and a great tragedy that she has suffered is given almost a passing mention in the story and is used more as a plot device than anything. Ned and Jenks have also been given precious little time in the last couple of books though both of them have experienced some major life changes about which I would like to know more.
All in all, while I do think that Harper is still as fascinated as ever with Elizabeth I, it seems to me that she is starting to tire of her series. This book and the last lent me the distinct impression that she is in a hurry to wrap the series up and move on and that is really too bad.
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