Fiona Buckley

Readable but, as the kids say, "mid." I did like that the main character, Ursula, is a bit reckless and cavalier about what she does without suffering too much of a case of the stupids. But while this is marketed as a mystery, there's not really much of a mystery here—if I had to come up with a category for it, I'd say Queen's Ransom belongs to something like "cosy thriller." It was fine, but the constant undercurrent of "rational English Protestants who understand that God is love" versus "the swarthy French Catholic zealots who want to burn all heretics at the stake" got old quick.… (meer)

This is the twenty-second book in the Ursula Stannard series of Elizabethan mysteries. As I was reading this, I got the feeling that the author might be about to finish this series. Partly this was because of her age (she is 86 this year), but also the feel of the narrative itself - a very dramatic plot, a deeply personal revenge attack on Ursula's extended family and household, conveying a real feeling of dread and terror ("I feel as though there is a net of steel all round us, all round me, and it is closing in on me." This plot was wrapped up with still 50 pages to go, and after the trial and execution of the revengers, there was a further feel of finality with a nicely romantic end where Ursula's son Harry gets married and she bequeaths Hawkswood to him, retiring to her recently inherited estate of Faldene, which is now hers following the deaths of the uncle and aunt who brought her up. Yet at the end, waking up in her new house, she is still privately prepared in case she is once again called upon to do her duty.… (meer)

This is the twenty-first book in the Ursula Stannard series of Elizabethan mysteries. The Spanish Armada has been defeated, and subsequent events feel like an anti climax - in the first half of the book, the most drama seems to come from a young lady, Arabella Mercer, being brutally forced by her widowed mother to marry a local landowner Sylvester Waters. Distasteful for sure, but not a national threat. However, it soon turns out that the families concerned are mixed up in much more serious events involving a range of crimes including piracy, theft and murder. Arabella has been in love with and, though ignorant of the fact, pregnant by a local carpenter Gilbert Gale. During her sufferings she is exposed to some of her family members' horrific secrets and is clearly mentally damaged by the end of the book, and unable to find happiness with Gilbert as planned. I thought this human dimension was well handled, and the plot a bit more original than they sometimes have been.… (meer)

This is the twentieth book in the Ursula Stannard series of Elizabethan mysteries. It is 1588 and time for the Spanish Armada. Ursula's former ward, Mildred Atbrigge, who falls in love very easily, does so this time and elopes with with Berend Gomez, a half English, half-Spanish double agent who has committed to stealing the Duke of Parma's battle plans for the Armada from the Netherlands and passing them to Elizabeth's government. However, in doing so, he exploits the affections of Mildred and Ursula comes haring in pursuit of the eloping couple. I did wonder initially why Ursula was spending her time pursuing Mildred who is, albeit naive, an adult who should be responsible for her own decisions. But in the end it all turns out well and Mildred and Ursula play a role in ensuring that Parma's fleet does not intervene on behalf of Philip of Spain's fleet. The finale sees Ursula witnessing Queen Elizabeth's historic rallying speech at Tilbury. Good stuff as always, though I was a little irritated by Mildred's naivety and Ursula's initial determination to save her from herself and a little disappointed that Roger Brockley was almost entirely absent from this story.… (meer)