The Wanton Angel

Nicholas Bracewell #10

by Edward Marston

Westfield's Men are flying high after a performance of The Insatiate Duke. However, victory is bittersweet as they are soon faced with dissolution; were it not for one of the company's rising stars they have acquired a new benefactor. However, before they have the chance to unmask this guardian angel, one of the group is found brutally murdered.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Crime, Adult

279 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston

Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.


Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we are again in Elizabethan England with the theater company Westfield’s Men, who are in danger of losing their livelihood. Marwood, their surly landlord, wants them gone because his daughter has become pregnant and he is sure some member of the company is responsible. In addition, the Privy Council has ordered all inn yard theaters closed, and will allow only two playhouses to remain in London, one on each side of the river. A new member of the troupe, Sylvester Pryde, finds a generous benefactress who agrees to pay for the construction of a playhouse for Westfield’s Men. She wishes to remain anonymous; only Pryde and Nicholas Bracewell know her identity. Vandals destroy the work done on the new playhouse twice, and the body of Sylvester is found under the fallen timbers. Although Sylvester’s murderer is identified and caught, the plot of this novel revolves much more about the choice of which theater companies can survive. There is much intrigue and some underhanded wooing of players to transfer their allegiance to another troupe, but all ends well for everyone, including Marwood’s daughter.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potential law to limit the theaters in London to two. Good stuff in the plays and the action.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really enjoyable read. It was full of intrigue and back-stabbing.
Westfield's Men are a troupe of actors, stagehands, etc. who have their home at the Queen's Head, much to the disgust of the landlord, Alexander Marwood. Marwood doesn't like the players' presence in his tavern, and is also loath to admit to anyone, even his wife Sybil and daughter Rose, that the revenue Westfield's Men generate is more than welcome.
The Privy Council are going to announce the demise of several companies of actors, particularly those that ply their trade in the yards of taverns. Companies that have their own theatreto be called The Angel.s appear to be safe. Only two companies will survive, one north of the Thames and one to the south.
Sebastian Pryde, a junior shareholder with Westfield's Men, secures a £300 loan to fund the building of a new theatre to house the company. It is to be called The Angel.
Sebastian dies and the identity of their benefact, or remains a secret. Nicholas Bracewell, bookkeeper and so much more for the actors, manages to discover this person's identity and arranges a meeting.
Lord Westfield discovers that his troupe of actors, along with two others, will perform at Court and the Privy Council will decide their fate.
An enjoyable read, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested until the end. All the characters are unforgettable and they help the story flow well.

[Paul Allard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery novel in Elizabethan times.

This story deals with the rivalry between 3 theatrical troupes in Elizabethan London, leading to murder, arson and other crimes. Nicholas Bracewell gets embroiled and plays investigator. There’s a lot of interesting characters and the story moves along quickly and easily. It’s a good yarn, worth a look for a quick and easy read.

[Soozee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series - well written, historically accurate, bring you into the period and a cracking mystery to solve with characters both endearing and amusing. The dialogue occasionally is a little stilted, but otherwise its a great book and I enjoyed it very much.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and clever tie with both history and theater of the Elizabethan era. While I did guess who was responsible for Rose's predicament, how the Westfield company pulled off the competition was clever and well-played, in both senses.

[Annette O'grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very interesting read loved the story line it is so well written that has i red the books i try and imagine that i am in that time watching from a distance

[Marina.Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read as always from Edward Marston

[Matthew Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gripping and entertaining historical mystery series. The story is unique and there are plenty of twists and turns and action sequences that keep the reader engaged.

[Cat. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the series about the Elizabethan theatre group, this one finds Westfield's Men almost moving to their own theatre (instead of playing in the forecourt of an inn) and almost being sold to another patron. Interesting in the sense that it shows that there were many other troupes of actors around London, not just a couple.

[Vicky Thomasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although these books are very samey (a new member of the company gets murdered, they have to leave the Queens Head for one reason or another), I thoroughly enjoy them and love revisiting Westfields Men. This one was just as good as the other 9.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

[Charlie Clark]

good book

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Cece · Rating 3 out of 5]

This just sort of ...ended. However, I am enjoying the series as summer light fare.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review - I really enjoyed this one - I think that the series had a weak point around book number 5 but seems to have picked up again now. I love the competition between the rival theatre groups, which is probably how it would have been at the time, with them trying to poach members from other companies. The threat of dissolution was probably also ever-present, and these strands come together here in a well-written and engaging tale.

Genre? - Historical / Crime / Mystery

Characters? - Nicholas Bracewell / Anne Hendrik / Lord Westfield / Lawrence Firethorn / Owen Elias / Barnaby Gill / Sylvester Pryde / Rose Marwood / Sybil Marwood / Alexander Marwood / Edmund Hoode

Setting? - London (England)

Series? - Nicholas Bracewell #10

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 18/20

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1999, The Wanton Angel is the 10th novel in a series of Elizabethan mysteries, with several more published since. Consequently, the stories feature a regular cast of characters, all connected with a London based acting group known as Westfield's Men after their sponsor. THis means that mystery plot is of secondary importance, with the bulk of the navel taken up by the interaction between the main characters. In fact, the murder that is a basis for this particular mystery happens more than half way through the book, and as other reviews have remarked, there is a certain 'sameyness' in this and other instalments in having a new, rising cast member murdered - a bit like redshirts in Star Trek. None of this works against it, it is a very enjoyable and extremely quick read.