Book review : A Murder By Any Name by Suzanne M. Wolfe

A Murder By Any Name
An Elizabethan Spy Mystery Book #1
by Suzanne M. Wolfe
GENRE : #Historical-mystery

My rating: ★★★★★
Actual rating : 4.7 rounded up to 5

A good start to a historical mystery series.
Well thought out mix of fictional and historical characters, where it was impossible for me to find out the culprit of the murders, which was surprising although logical.

___ Here THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ___ England, under the reign of Elizabeth I.

As it has been since the beginning of time, the court of a kingdom is a place full of intrigue (political and amorous), populated by people in power and people in submission, shrewd spies, some of whom are unsuspected, and naive and innocent people who are transformed into in victims.

When the lifeless body of a Lady in Waiting for the Queen is found on an altar, it is immediately clear that it is a murder, aimed at undermining the authority of the "virgin queen".
It will be up to the young and handsome Nicholas Holt, the queen's unsuspected secret agent, to discover the killer before he strikes again.
His faithful dog Hector, his two Jewish doctor friends and his sensual friend who is the director of a brothel will be ready to help him.

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Reading this book was like reading two books.
Let me explain: there are only 336 pages ( Kindle Edition ) in which the author tells us in the 3rd person a murder mystery and during the story, she presents not only the main character, but also a series of characters who are his best friends and other characters who they are his acquaintances.

--> Why do I say that I feel like I've read 2 books?
Because unlike other books I have read, the author not only describes the appearance and soul of the character, but also takes the reader into scenes of life spent in the past and which then led to the deep bond that Nick has with them.
Mrs. Wolfe tells about characters past events in a way full of details and sensations, making it so engaging that instead of being perceived by the reader as a digression, it helps him to empathize with all the characters who participate in the story, without exception.

I felt like I was reading the story in the current book and simultaneously other stories in a prequel book.


___CHARACTERS__
The author's cunning was also this:
if for each character introduced, the writer had immediately told me about his/her past, I admit that it would have bored me a little, because each story lasts many pages.

Instead the author gives a first look at the character through quick scenes with witty and lively dialogue between Nick and the others, then continues with the mystery and investigation.

Initially the reader knows the character's name, his role and through dialogues can decide whether he/she is good, villain, with a nice way of being or not.

Later in the story, at the second appearance of the character of the moment (who is no longer a total stranger to the reader, indeed the reader at this point is curious to know more), through Nicholas' memories, we discover his/her origins, as he/her entered into Nick's life, their past connection and how it all connects to the present.

Through the past of Nick's friends and enemies, we get to know Nick even better, his feelings, his fears and hopes, the motivations of his actions and his "non-actions".

All this allowed me to become attached to the characters and to fully enter their world as if I had been reading this series for some time and which leads me to already be certain that I want to read other adventures in the books to follow (for now there is only one book # 2, but I think the writer is writing book #3).

In any case it should be underlined that the book is READABLE AS A STANDALONE.
Nothing remains pending, although more romantic readers will perhaps want to read issue 2 to see if Nick's love life will take a more stable turn (I certainly want to know!)

As I have already said, in addition to the imaginary characters, real historical figures appear and participate in the story to a minimal extent such as:
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Cecil Walsingham spy (politician and diplomat and espionage master)
- Kit Marlowe (playwright and spy)
- Geoffrey Chaucer (writer, poet, bureaucrat and diplomat)
- a young actor named William Shakespeare

As in every fiction, the author took some liberties, including the invention of a court jester that Elizabeth never had, but who here in the book was a character that I liked and hope to find again in the book # 2.

---> In the final author's historical notes you will find what was true and what was invented.

__ SETTING OF THE STORY__ again Mrs. Suzanne M. Wolfe did a good job.
The descriptions of the streets, the taverns, the rooms and the atmosphere are vivid and very detailed, so much so that it is easy to see in the mind the images of the scenes that are taking place and it is easy to breathe the smells and live as if it were live, the sensations that the descriptions inspire in us.

___ MYSTERY ___ at the end of the book perhaps you will realize that the mystery was not that complicated and that the explanation is logical and perhaps could have been predictable, but the clues and the behavior of the suspects mislead the investigations and the reader's suspicions, so the revealing the culprit was something I didn't expect.

__ SUITABLE FOR :
There aren't bloody scenes or any description of a sex scene, therefore suitable reading for everyone aged 14 and over.

I sincerely hope that the writer can publish many more books in this series, I will definitely read them!

Thank you for reading my opinion, I hope I was able to explain myself as best as possible even though English is not my native language.

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Honest Book review : Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell | A Disappointing Shakespearean Mystery

Fools and Mortals
by Bernard Cornwell

GENRE : #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalMystery

My rating: ★★☆☆☆

2.5 stars, rounded down to 2, because I would expect such a dull story from a novice author on his first book, but not from a renowned author like Bernard Cornwell (and only one with a renowned and famous name can get away with it and still be able to sell the book).

I'm sorry to say that reading this book is a waste of time and money.

If you are really curious to read it (like I was and I chose it with great enthusiasm), then don't waste your money. If you're curious, get it from the library or borrow it from a friend. (if you like it you can do it later)

The plot, reading the back cover, was interesting and the story could have been captivating and engaging, if only it had been developed with unexpected events and twists that had managed to keep the reader in suspense.

What was also needed was a main character with an incisive character and great willpower, perhaps also endowed with a big heart and great intelligence, a character that the reader could respect and become fond of.

The world of Shakespearean theater is certainly fascinating and this is what led me to choose this novel: I love theater and I appreciated both the historical notions on the birth of "playhouses" and on the life of actors during the Elizabethan era and on the difficulties and terror sown by the Puritans.

What distinguishes a good writer from a normal historical scholar, however, is precisely knowing how to enchant the public through a compelling plot, with which to surprise the reader with each chapter and push him to turn page after page with pressing curiosity.

___PLOT___ We are in London, during the reign of Elizabeth I Tudor.
William Shakespeare is not only an actor, but has his own company of actors and writes comic and tragic plays to be performed both on public stages and in the private mansions of the nobility.
The main character of the book is his young brother Richard, also an actor, who constantly lives in the shadow of his older brother, already well known and appreciated and completely devoid of affection towards Richard.
At that time female actresses were not accepted, so female characters were played by very young boys, still without beards and with voices that hadn't broken yet.
This is Richard's biggest worry, besides poverty and hunger. He wants to play male roles and of course earn more money, but William is difficult to convince and the disagreements between them are getting deeper, which leads Richard to think about leaving his brother's company.
When the manuscript on the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet disappears, William and the other actors immediately think that Richard is the culprit, but he is not the only one who is dissatisfied and angry with William. To save his honor and his job, there's only one option: he must find the real traitor.

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MY OPINION

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It doesn't matter that there are no murders or gruesome battle scenes.
Theft and betrayal + brotherly love + the birth of a love story + the enchantment of Shakespeare's works, are all elements from which a wonderful and captivating story could emerge from the first to the last page! __ But this is not the case !!!!__

1) This STORY is FLAT, devoid of emotional elements

capable of arousing in the reader surprise, hope, fright, relief and the whole range of emotion that a fiction enthusiast expects.

👉👉👉Almost three quarters of the book (yes, you read that right, THREE QUARTERS – meaning nothing interesting happens until nearly the end!) is just the daily grind of Richard and the other actors: rehearsing on stage, tossing around vulgar jokes to tease each other or take offense, Richard returning to his cold attic, or heading to the pub.
I might have chuckled at the first crude joke (not because of the swearing itself, but the situation – grown men bickering like schoolboys), but after a while it just gets tiresome.

I'm not offended by the swearing – given the historical setting, I expected that – but a skilled writer makes people laugh through genuinely funny situations.
If an author thinks they can get laughs just by throwing in vulgar jokes, they're not worth much in my book.

2) "Copy-Paste" Shakespeare:

Between one rehearsal and another, Cornwell inserts pieces of some of Shakespeare's works... Yes, of course, it's interesting, but copying out verses and inserting them into every chapter isn't exactly hard work

3) CONFUSING WRITING STYLE.

The story is told in the first person by Richard, but the author constantly interrupts the scenes with long flashbacks. By the time we return to the present, I had already forgotten what was happening! Furthermore, Cornwell inserts background chatter during key dialogues without clear distinction.
In a movie, you can hear background noise; in a book, it just feels like a muddled mess.

4) 60% into the book and I was still waiting for the plot to start!!!!

I usually DNF (Do Not Finish) books that don't engage me by the 30% mark, but because this was Cornwell, I kept hoping... and hoping. I felt mocked as a reader.
I only finished it so I could write this honest review.

5) Too little and too late.

The action finally kicks in around 65%, but it's simplistic and rushed.
Chapters 8 and 9 of the fourth part of the book are finally a little more interesting (but never really compelling, I repeat that this seems like a book written by a novice).
Don't have too many illusions though, After a tiny pinch of suspense, the author, so presumptuously taken with himself and his knowledge of Shakespeare, goes right back to tedious descriptions of rehearsals and costumes.
It felt more like a history lecture than a novel.

6) ___ MAIN CHARACTER, 👉RICHARD SHAKESPEARE: A FORGETTABLE PROTAGONIST.

I don’t dislike Richard, but I can’t say he has any charm or personality. He is a "good guy" and good-looking, but he lacks the spark needed to make a character memorable.
Most of the time, he is just under his brother’s thumb, unable to assert himself.
The only time he finally finds the strength to act, he disappointed me even more. Although he is supposed to be "good," he reacts with unnecessary violence against the traitor, leaving him a cripple.
I could have accepted the first blow, but the subsequent beating felt cruel and out of character. In that scene, I lost all sympathy for him.

7) ___ SIDE CHARACTERS___

👉👉 The character of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE:A TOTAL JERK
I don't know his real biography, but if I disliked him in the movie 'All Is True', in this book he is even worse. He is portrayed as a presumptuous, arrogant, and cold-hearted brother—the only reason we even care about the protagonist is that we feel sorry for how William treats him!
He was likely a real asshole in real life too (hardly a good husband or father), and while his genius is undeniable, the portrait Cornwell paints is just that of an opportunist and a domestic tyrant. He might be a great playwright, but as a human being? Meh. Since this is fiction, I expected a more likable, or at least more interesting, version of the Great Bard.

👉👉 ABOUT THE OTHER CHARACTERS: the writer inserts so many people and so many names (many of which actually existed), that initially it is really difficult to remember who is who.
None are particularly memorable, let's say that, taken as a whole, they contribute to giving an idea of the atmosphere of the time.

8) I didn't expect a love story, but the romantic element included in the book could have been developed a little more and better.
It could have been a strong point of the plot together with the theft and recovery of the script.
Instead, neither theft, nor betrayal, nor the sentimental story manage to act as catalysts, everything revolves around Shakespeare's verses which are scattered throughout the book.
Perhaps Cornwell wanted to write a book that was both educational and interesting, but the result is that this book is neither...

I also think that the publisher was only able to publish such an insignificant novel because of the author's renowned name.

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I finished this novel with a serious case of **bad book fatigue**. It wasn't just disappointing; it was exhausting to read. ---> I can understand that every reader has personal tastes and that each of us perceives things differently, so I understand that for some this book is worth 2.5 stars while for others 3.5 or perhaps almost 4 stars...
But the reviewers, who rated it 5 stars, also wrote that this book is superlative.... the top of the quality... SORRY, BUT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
It's still a mystery to me.

CONCLUSION: Do I recommend it?
Honestly, no. Unless you want to read a textbook on Elizabethan theater disguised as a novel, skip it. I still don't understand how some reviewers gave this 5 stars. It remains a mystery to me.

Please excuse my "angry" text, when a book disappoints me this much, I just need to vent! and be lenient with my English, it isn't my native language.

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If you love the Elizabethan period and if you want a historical mystery that actually keeps you awake, check out my other reviews:

A MURDER BY ANY NAME by Suzanne M. Wolfe book review

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Il LIBRO è disponibile anche in EDIZIONE ITALIANA, leggi la mia recensione !

Recensione : La Congiura dei fratelli Shakespeare
di Bernard Cornwell

GENERE : #FictionStorica #GialloStorico

Il mio punteggio: ★★☆☆☆

2.5 arrotondato per difetto a 2. Mi aspetterei un romanzo così piatto da un esordiente, non da un autore del calibro di Bernard Cornwell!

( ...E solo un nome famoso può permettersi di vendere un libro simile e farla franca. )

___ Comincio col dire che IL TITOLO ITALIANO è TOTALMENTE INADEGUATO, non ha nulla a che vedere con la storia raccontata nel libro. Ancora una volta è scandalosamente evidente che GLI EDITORI NON LEGGONO I LIBRI CHE PUBBLICANO __ ( TANTO CHE IMPORTA? SCRITTORE FAMOSO, VENDITA SICURA...🤬 !! ). Neppure la copertina è attinente alla storia. Copertine e titoli a caso = zero professionalità!

Mi dispiace dirlo, ma la lettura di questo libro è uno spreco di tempo e denaro.
Se proprio siete curiosi di leggerlo ( come lo ero io e lo scelsi con grande entusiasmo ), allora PRENDETELO IN PRESTITO IN BIBLIOTECA O DA UN AMICO, ma non compratelo, NON SPENDETE SOLDI INUTILMENTE ( se vi piacerà potrete farlo in un secondo momento )

La trama, leggendo la quarta di copertina, era interessante e la storia sarebbe potuta essere accattivante e coinvolgente, se solo fosse stata sviluppata con eventi e colpi di scena imprevisti che fossero riusciti a tenere il lettore in tensione.
Serviva, inoltre, un protagonista dal carattere incisivo e dalla grande forza di volontà, magari anche dotato di un grande cuore e un grande ingegno, un personaggio che il lettore potesse stimare a a cui si potesse affezionare.
Il mondo del teatro shakespeariano è sicuramente affascinante ed è questo che mi ha spinto a scegliere questo romanzo: adoro il teatro e ho apprezzato sia le nozioni storiche sulla nascita delle "playhouse" ( i teatri ), sulla vita degli attori durante l'era elisabettiana e sulle difficoltà e sul terrore seminati dai puritani.

...MA ciò che distingue un bravo scrittore da un normale studioso storico però, è proprio saper incantare il pubblico attraverso una trama avvincente, con la quale sorprendere il lettore  ad ogni capitolo e spingerlo a girare pagina dopo pagina con incalzante curiosità.

___TRAMA___ Ci troviamo a Londra, durante il regno di Elisabetta I Tudor. William Shakespeare, non solo è attore, ma ha una propria compagnia di attori e scrive opere comiche e tragiche da rappresentare sia sui palchi pubblici che nelle case private della nobiltà. Il protagonista del libro è il suo giovane fratello Richard, anche lui attore, che vive costantemente all'ombra del fratello maggiore, già ben conosciuto ed apprezzato e del tutto privo di affetto nei confronti di Richard. A quel tempo non erano accettate le attrici donne, per cui i personaggi femminili venivano interpretati da ragazzi molto giovani, ancora privi di barba e con la voce non ancora impostata da adulti. Questo è il più grande cruccio di Richard, oltre alla povertà e alla fame. Lui desidera interpretare ruoli da vero uomo e naturalmente guadagnare anche di più, ma William è difficile da convincere e gli screzi tra loro sono sempre più profondi, il che porta Richard a pensare di lasciare la compagnia del fratello. Quando il manoscritto sulla tragedia di Romeo e Giulietta sparisce, William e gli altri attori , pensano immediatamente che il colpevole sia Richard, ma egli non è l'unico ad essere scontento. Per salvare il proprio onore e il proprio lavoro Richard avrà come unica opzione quella di scovare il vero traditore.

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LA MIA OPINIONE

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Non importa che non ci siano omicidi o truculente scene di battaglia. Furto e tradimento + amore fraterno + nascita di una storia d'amore + l'incanto delle opere di Shakespeare, sono tutti elementi da cui poteva venire fuori una storia meravigliosa e accattivante dalla prima all'ultima pagina ! MA NON è COSì !!!!

1) Questa STORIA è PIATTA, priva di elementi emozionali che sappiano suscitare nel lettore  sorpresa, speranza,  spavento, sollievo e tutta la gamma di emozione che un appassionato di fiction si aspettebbe.

---> Quasi tre quarti del libro ( esatto avete capito bene, tre quarti, cioè non suiccede nulla di interessante fino quasi alla fine !  ) ci raccontano solamente della vita giornaliera di Richard e degli altri attori, quando sul palco fanno le prove, rivolgendosi di tanto in tanto, battute volgari, per scherzare o anche per offendersi ), quando Richard torna nella sua fredda soffitta o va al pub.
Se alla prima battuta volgare potevo ridere ( non perchè facesse ridere la parolaccia, ma per la situazione : uomini adulti si punzecchiano come farebbero degli scolaretti ), dopo un po' la cosa diventa stancante. Non sono offesa dalle parolacce, dato il periodo in cui si svolge la storia era un elemento che mi aspettavo, ma un bravo scrittore sa far ridere creando situazioni buffe.
Se l'unico modo in cui un autore sa far ridere è la battuta ricca di parole volgari, allora mi dispiace, ma come autore per me non è un gran che.

2) Tra una prova e l'altra, Cornwell inserisce pezzi di varie opere di Shakespeare... Si certo, è interessante, ma ricopiare pezzi di versi e inserirli in ogni capitolo non è poi così difficile.

3) TRAMA CONFUSIONARIA. La narrazione, fatta in prima persona da Richard, è frammentata: mentre racconta interrompe ogni scena con flashback così lunghi da far perdere il filo del presente. C'è una grande confusione. 
Inoltre, durante i dialoghi importanti per la storia, l'autore inserisce frasi di altre persone che non partecipano affatto alla scena, ma sono semplicemente lì nello stesso luogo, magari mentre litigano o lanciano battute sul palco, creando un caos che in un film funzionerebbe, ma in un libro, sulla carta, diventa solo caos narrativo.
4) Al 60 % del libro stavo ancora aspettando che succedesse qualcosa !!!
Non sto esagerando, è davvero così !
Solitamente abbandono i libri che non mi convincono dopo il 30%, ma trattandosi di Cornwell, un autore di fama internazionale, ho continuato a sperare. Mi sono sentita presa in giro: i libri costano e il tempo del lettore è prezioso.
Comunque ho continuato a leggerlo fino alla fine per guadagnarmi il diritto di scrivere una recensione onesta ( brutralmente onesta !😤 )

5) Troppo poco e troppo tardi : brevi cenni di supense in mezzo ad una trama insipida e noiosa:
Dal 65% in poi la storia sembra finalmente partire, ma non fatevi illusioni. È un risveglio breve, un pizzico di azione descritta in modo semplicistico e poi si torna alle solite tediose descrizioni delle prove teatrali.
👉👉👉Sembra un libro scritto da un esordiente, non da un maestro.



Dopo ciò, l'autore, così presuntuosamente preso da se stesso e dalla propria conoscenza di Shakespeare, torna per l'ennesima volta a raccontarci le prove, i costumi che indossavano, chi sapeva le battute e chi no, riporta alcune delle battute più incisive e ci ri-racconta tutta la storia di "Midsummer Night's Dream" (Sogno di una notte di mezza estate ).

6) ___ PERSONAGGIO PRINCIPALE, RICHARD SHAKESPEARE: UN PROTAGONISTA ANONIMO. Non provo antipatia per Richard, ma non posso certo dire che abbia una personalità affascinante. È un "bravo ragazzo", d'aspetto gradevole, ma gli manca quella scintilla che rende un personaggio memorabile.
Passa quasi tutto il tempo succube del fratello maggiore, incapace di farsi valere.
L'unica volta in cui trova finalmente la forza di agire, mi ha delusa ancora di più. Nonostante sia dipinto come un buono, reagisce con una violenza gratuita contro il traditore, riducendolo a uno storpio. Avrei potuto accettare il primo colpo, ma i pestaggi successivi sono stati eccessivi e fuori luogo.
In quella scena, il personaggio ha perso ogni punto ai miei occhi.

7) ___ PERSONAGGI DI CONTORNO___

👉👉👉 Il personaggio di WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: UN VERO STRONZO Non conosco la sua vera biografia, ma se già non mi era piaciuto nel film 'All Is True'( con Kenneth Branagh e Judi Dench), in questo libro è persino peggio. Viene descritto come un uomo presuntuoso, arrogante e totalmente privo di affetto verso il fratello l'unico motivo per cui proviamo simpatia per il protagonista è la pena che ci fa per come viene trattato!
Probabilmente era un vero stronzo anche nella realtà (non certo un buon marito o padre), e sebbene il suo genio resti eterno, il ritratto di Cornwell è quello di un opportunista e di un tiranno domestico.
Sarà anche un grande drammaturgo, ma come uomo? Mmm... Essendo un’opera di finzione, mi sarei aspettata una versione più apprezzabile, o almeno più affascinante, del Grande Bardo.

---> RIGUARDO AGLI ALTRI PERSONAGGI : lo scrittore inserisce talmente tanta gente che inizialmente è davvero difficile ricordarsi chi è chi.
Nessuno è particolarmente memorabile, diciamo che presi nell'insieme contribuiscono a dare un'idea dell'atmosfera del tempo. 
8) Non mi aspettavo una storia d'amore, ma anche l'elemento romantico inserito nel libro poteva essere sviluppato un po' di più e meglio. Poteva  essere punto di forza della trama insieme al furto e al recupero del copione.
Invece né il furto, né il tradimento, né la storia sentimentale riescono a fungere da catalizzatori, tutto ruota intorno ai versi di Shakespeare che sono disseminati in tutto il libro.
Forse Cornwell voleva scrivere un libro che fosse sia didattico che interessante, ma il risultato è che questo libro non è ne l'uno ne l'altro... e penso che l'editore abbia potuto pubblicare una storia così insignificante solo grazie al nome rinomato dell'autore.

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CONCLUSIONE: Lo consiglio?
Assolutamente no !!!!!!!!!!
Posso capire che ogni lettore abbia gusti personali e che ognuno di noi percepisca le cose in maniera diversa , quindi comprendo che per qualcuno questo libro valga 2,5 stelle mentre per altri 3,5 o forse quasi 4 stelle...MA CHE LE RECENSIONI A 5 STELLE IN INGLESE SCRIVANO CHE QUESTO LIBRO è SUPERLATIVO .... SCUSATE, MA NON RIESCO A COMPRENDERLO. 
Mi chiedo se abbiano davvero letto tutto il libro per intero e mi chiedo se siano davvero stati sinceri sui propri sentimenti al riguardo...chi lo sa, per me rimane un mistero.

Forse solo un nome famoso può permettersi di pubblicare una storia così insignificante.

Scusate lo sfogo, ma quando un libro mi delude così tanto sento il bisogno di essere sincera fino in fondo. Grazie per aver letto la mia opinione!

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