Conspiracy

Giordano Bruno has returned to Paris hoping to get the papal nuncio to work towards having his excommunication lifted. He no longer has grieving England, so he is hoping that King Henri will support him once again. 

Not long after his arrival, a priest, who was a friend of Bruno’s is attacked and left for dead.  Just before he dies, he whispers one word to Bruno “Circe”.  What is it a hint of?

When he goes to his friend’s home in hopes of finding something, he only finds charred papers.  One small piece has Circe written on it.  However, before he can search further her is interrupted by two men.  He manages to escape only to be accosted by two others outside his own lodging.  They take him to meet King Henri.

The king tells him that the Duke of Guise is calling him a heretic because he allows heretics to live.  Therefore the king himself is a heretic.  The king asks Bruno to find the killer of the priest.

Bruno is on the verge of capturing the killer when things are turned asunder and he finds himself imprisoned.  Fortunately, it isn’t long before he is bailed.  However, when Bruno asks the identity of the man who has bailed him out, he is shocked to find the man is a man known to work for Mary Queen of Scots, Charles Paget!

Paget takes him to the English ambassador who tells him that Walshingham has suggested that Bruno can be of service to him.  Was the man who had bailed him to be trusted despite the ambassador’s assurance?  A coded letter from Walshingham tells Bruno otherwise and to be wary.

Paget later comes upon Bruno just after he has discovered his prime suspect dead.  Paget takes Bruno to the adult of Guise, who threatens him with torture if he doesn’t tell everything he knows.  At the end of their conversation, Guise tells Bruno to find the killer.

Author S. J. Parris has many trials and tribulations ahead for Bruno, several of which come from those tasking him with finding the killer.  In his quest he will find many conspiracies, but such seems to be the life in Paris.  This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and the reader is left wondering what Bruno’s next adventure will be.