The Masque of a Murderer by Susanna Calkins

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Minotaur Books/St. Martins Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 323



Series: Book Three, Lucy Campion Mysteries

Genre: Historical Mystery







 



In Susanna Calkins’ next richly drawn mystery set in 17th century England, Lucy Campion, formerly a ladies’ maid in the local magistrate’s household, has now found gainful employment as a printer’s apprentice. On a freezing winter afternoon in 1667, she accompanies the magistrate’s daughter, Sarah, to the home of a severely injured Quaker man to record his dying words, a common practice of the time. The man, having been trampled by a horse and cart the night before, only has a few hours left to live. Lucy scribbles down the Quaker man’s last utterances, but she’s unprepared for what he reveals to her—that someone deliberately pushed him into the path of the horse, because of a secret he had recently uncovered.



Fearful that Sarah might be traveling in the company of a murderer, Lucy feels compelled to seek the truth, with the help of the magistrate's son, Adam, and the local constable. But delving into the dead man’s background might prove more dangerous than any of them had imagined.



In The Masque of a Murderer, Susanna Calkins has once again combined finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read.

My Review

Three Stars

Copy received from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review

"The Masque of a Murderer" by Susanna Calkins is the third in the "Lucy Campion Mysteries." I grew up reading Nancy Drew so I enjoyed reading this book because Lucy is a 1600's Nancy Drew.  I really enjoyed the mystery aspect that the author included. I also really liked reading about a printmaker. The printed word is everywhere no a days but it was interesting to read about it when it was fairly still a new concept. The heroine was interesting to read about and I liked how the story unfolded. Anyone that enjoys mysteries will enjoy this book.

Lucy Campion Mystery Series Titles

Book One: A Murder at Rosamund's Gate
Macavity Award Finalist Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award (2014)
Barnes & Noble Bookseller's Selection ("Mystery Pick" and "Featured New Arrival")
Chicago Book Review - Best Books of 2013

Book Two: From the Charred Remains (Paperback release on March 17, 2015)
Short-listed for the Bruce Alexander Historical Mystery Award (2015)

Book Three: The Masque of a Murderer (coming April 2015!)

Praise for the Lucy Campion Mystery Series

"...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." -Publisher's Weekly



"Calkins makes Lucy’s efforts to find the real killer entirely plausible, leading to a nail-biter climax with London in flames. This history-mystery delivers a strong heroine making her way through the social labyrinth of Restoration London." -Booklist



"Calkins' debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." -Kirkus



"A historical mystery with originality and great attention to detail. Readers are transported to 17th century England, a time when social classes were just beginning to change. The characters are multi-dimensional--including the smart, adventurous Lucy Campion--and the mystery will keep readers turning the pages, and they'll eagerly await the next book in the series." RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)



"...an intricate tale of fraud and blackmail, leavened by a touch of romance. Calkins, who holds a doctorate in British history, puts her knowledge to sparkling use in this intriguing mystery, which combines a gripping plot with rich historical detail and one of the most admirable protagonists in the genre." -The Richmond Times-Dispatch



"Calkins is able to seamlessly weave this romance into the story without making it the main plot line, and keeping the mystery the main focus of the story....The puzzles, anagrams, and many secrets combine to make intertwining plot twists that keep the pages turning. FROM THE CHARRED REMAINS is an exciting, secret filled, historical mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end." --Fresh Fiction (Reviewer's Pick)



“A good yarn and a fascinating look at life in England in a time when things began to change...social classes, positions, servants' rights...all because of plague and fire.” -Book Babe Blog



“For me, this book was more than a mystery. It was an eye-opening look at what London was like in the mid-1660s, including the plague and fire that ravaged London, class struggle, the plight of women, and the laws of the time. The author's engaging writing style made it easy to slip back into the past and experience these things with Lucy.” -Book of Secrets



“A Murder at Rosamund's Gate is Susanna Calkins' absorbing debut novel. Just a warning that time WILL easily slip away as you become engrossed in this historical fiction mystery.” -1776 Books: A Philadelphian's Literary Journey

Pre-Order the Book

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

iTunes

About the Author

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Susanna Calkins lives in Highland Park, Illinois with her husband and two sons, where she is an educator at Northwestern University. With a PhD in history, her historical mysteries feature Lucy Campion, a 17th century chambermaid-turned-printer’s apprentice. Her first novel, A Murder at Rosamund's Gate, was a finalist for the Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award (Macavity). The second in this series, From the Charred Remains, is currently a finalist for the Bruce Alexander Historical Mystery Award. Her third, The Masque of a Murderer, will be released in April 2015.



For more information and to subscribe to Susanna Calkins' newsletter please visit her website. You can also follow her blog, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Masque of a Murderer Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, March 16

Review at Bibliophilia, Please



Tuesday, March 17

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Guest Post at Bibliophilia, Please



Wednesday, March 18

Interview at Flashlight Commentary



Friday, March 20

Spotlight at Historical Readings & Reviews



Monday, March 23

Review & Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!



Wednesday, March 25

Review & Interview at The Emerald City Book Review



Tuesday, March 31

Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book



Wednesday, April 1

Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews



Thursday, April 2

Review at Just One More Chapter



Monday, April 6

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews



Tuesday, April 7

Spotlight at The Genre Queen



Thursday, April 9

Review at The Lit Bitch

Guest Post at A Literary Vacation



Friday, April 10

Review at Book Nerd



Monday, April 13

Review at CelticLady's Reviews



Tuesday, April 14

Review at Book Babe



Thursday, April 16

Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Spotlight at Layered Pages



Friday, April 17

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past