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Master Mercurius Mysteries #6
The Lying Dutchman
Master Mercurius returns to England in another humorous mystery! Perfect for fans of Andrew Taylor, C J Sansom, S J Parris and Ken Follett.
Will Mercurius make it out of the English court alive?
1685, The Netherlands
Master Mercurius has once again been summoned to The Hague by Stadhouder William of Orange. And a letter from William is never good news.
King Charles II of England has died and William, with his wife Mary, is now next in line to the throne once the current king, James II dies.
But Charles II’s illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth, has put a spanner in the works.
Monmouth is being encouraged to stage a rebellion and take the English throne. William needs to stop him so as not to jeopardise his own claim, but he also wants to keep Monmouth as an ally.
So, Mercurius is ordered to travel once again to England, and this time on an even more dangerous mission. He must plant a letter containing Monmouth’s invasion plans at court so that James summons an army in response and scares Monmouth off.
The only problem is that if Mercurius is caught and tried for espionage, the punishment is certain death…
The Lying Dutchman is the sixth historical murder investigation in the Master Mercurius Mystery series: atmospheric crime thrillers set in seventeenth-century Europe.
Will Mercurius make it out of the English court alive?
1685, The Netherlands
Master Mercurius has once again been summoned to The Hague by Stadhouder William of Orange. And a letter from William is never good news.
King Charles II of England has died and William, with his wife Mary, is now next in line to the throne once the current king, James II dies.
But Charles II’s illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth, has put a spanner in the works.
Monmouth is being encouraged to stage a rebellion and take the English throne. William needs to stop him so as not to jeopardise his own claim, but he also wants to keep Monmouth as an ally.
So, Mercurius is ordered to travel once again to England, and this time on an even more dangerous mission. He must plant a letter containing Monmouth’s invasion plans at court so that James summons an army in response and scares Monmouth off.
The only problem is that if Mercurius is caught and tried for espionage, the punishment is certain death…
The Lying Dutchman is the sixth historical murder investigation in the Master Mercurius Mystery series: atmospheric crime thrillers set in seventeenth-century Europe.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2022
181 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Graham Brack
28 books152 followersGraham Brack trained as a pharmacist but now writes crime fiction. He has been shortlisted three times for the Crime Writers Association's Debut Dagger (2011, 2014 and 2016) without ever winning it. Those three entries involved three different detectives.
The 2011 entry has been published as Lying and Dying by Sapere Books, and has been followed by seven more books about Josef Slonský, a Prague policeman, and his team.
The 2014 offering has been published as Death in Delft and features Master Mercurius, a seventeenth century university lecturer. The second Mercurius mystery, Untrue till Death followed in August 2020 and the third in the series Dishonour and Obey in October 2020. The fourth, The Noose's Shadow arrived in December 2020 and The Vanishing Children in 2021. The sixth book was The Lying Dutchman (2022) and the seventh was Murder in Maastricht (2023). The latest is The Moers Murders . The ninth in the series, Nun Shall Sleep, will be published in January 2026.
Graham is married to Gillian and has two adult children and three granddaughters. He lives in a small village in Northamptonshire.
The 2011 entry has been published as Lying and Dying by Sapere Books, and has been followed by seven more books about Josef Slonský, a Prague policeman, and his team.
The 2014 offering has been published as Death in Delft and features Master Mercurius, a seventeenth century university lecturer. The second Mercurius mystery, Untrue till Death followed in August 2020 and the third in the series Dishonour and Obey in October 2020. The fourth, The Noose's Shadow arrived in December 2020 and The Vanishing Children in 2021. The sixth book was The Lying Dutchman (2022) and the seventh was Murder in Maastricht (2023). The latest is The Moers Murders . The ninth in the series, Nun Shall Sleep, will be published in January 2026.
Graham is married to Gillian and has two adult children and three granddaughters. He lives in a small village in Northamptonshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 20, 2022
It’s 1685 and once again William of Orange, Stadhouder of the Netherlands has cooked up a plan that requires him to send Master Mercurius to England once again. Charles II of England (a protestant) has died and his younger brother James (a catholic with French sympathies) is now on the throne, with his daughter Mary (William’s wife and a protestant) now next in line to succeed. However, Charles’ illegitimate son, James, Duke of Monmouth (also protestant) was in exile in the Netherlands and plotting to overthrow James II and return England to protestant rule. William did not want him to succeed, and therefore prevent Mary (and William himself) ascending to the throne, but he also didn’t want to upset the protestants by openly opposing him. Hence his plan to use Mercurius to scupper Monmouth’s plans by dropping them into the wrong hands.
Poor Mercurius hates sea travel, hates England, its language and its weather and would rather be left alone in peace at his University to teach, read books and drink ale in his favourite tavern. However, he has no choice but to go and do his ruler’s bidding. Needless to say, things don’t work out quite as planned and Mercurius finds himself in all sorts of trouble.
This is another very enjoyable historical tale, which Mercurius is relating in his dotage to his long suffering scribe. The plot is a lot of fun, filled with action and humour, with plenty of asides from Mercurius on the subject of ships, sailors, the English, their customs and their deplorable food. I can’t wait to see where William sends Mercurius next.
With thanks to Sapere books via Netgalley for a copy to read
Poor Mercurius hates sea travel, hates England, its language and its weather and would rather be left alone in peace at his University to teach, read books and drink ale in his favourite tavern. However, he has no choice but to go and do his ruler’s bidding. Needless to say, things don’t work out quite as planned and Mercurius finds himself in all sorts of trouble.
This is another very enjoyable historical tale, which Mercurius is relating in his dotage to his long suffering scribe. The plot is a lot of fun, filled with action and humour, with plenty of asides from Mercurius on the subject of ships, sailors, the English, their customs and their deplorable food. I can’t wait to see where William sends Mercurius next.
With thanks to Sapere books via Netgalley for a copy to read
June 13, 2022
4★
“What line of thought would make a ruler think ‘I need someone to undertake a perilous cloak and dagger mission in a strange land. I know, I’ll ask a university lecturer’”?
This is what readers wondered in the first adventure of Master Mercurius, but by now, we’re not only used to the idea, we look forward to where William will send him next. William? He’s William of Orange, the husband of Mary, yes THAT William and Mary, at this time in the Netherlands. As Mercurius explains to someone in England later:
“ ‘I’m here on business on behalf of my master the Stadhouder.’
‘The what?’
‘The Stadhouder. He’s rather like our King.’ William was not actually a King, but nobody had plucked up the courage to tell him that yet.”
Ah, but he’s hoping to be king. He and Mary are cousins. Her father (his uncle and father-in-law) is James the Second, King of England. He inherited the throne from his brother, Charles the Second, who had a heap of illegitimate children but no legitimate ones. So that puts Mary next in line for the throne when father James pops his clogs (sorry, James isn’t Dutch, so that’s not entirely appropriate).
But that’s forgetting about all those illegitimate children, the eldest of whom, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, was born in the Netherlands. He’s been making revolutionary noises which isn’t going down will with William, or with Mary, for that matter. She’s great friends with young James.
What is a Stadhouder to do? Mercurius is summoned.
“ ‘A pretty problem indeed,’ I agreed. ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see.’
‘Exactly, Mercurius. But then I had a brainwave.’
My stomach contracted violently at his words. I knew where his brainwaves led.”
Right – to England. He hates going there. He’s seasick going over, hates the food, struggles mightily with the language, and has to tread ever so carefully between the Protestants and Catholics. Unbeknownst to anyone, he is both a Protestant Minister AND A Catholic Priest. He just never gave up the one when he was ordained a second time.
“‘James is an anointed King, Mercurius, but holy oil doesn’t make your brain work better. My horse is a deeper thinker than my father-in-law.’
. . .
‘So what do you propose to do, Your Excellency?’
William smiled broadly. ‘It’s not about what I’m going to do, Mercurius. It’s about what you’re going to do.’
‘Me?’ I squeaked. I repeated the ejaculation in a lower, more manly register and tried to pretend I had a cough.”
Refusing isn’t really an option, so our gentle cleric has to carry a couple of letters to England regarding the Duke of Monmouth’s possible plans. He becomes increasingly nervous about finding himself on the wrong end of a knife, as did one of the men he’s sailed with.
“I just don’t like rough stuff; and if a man with a sword can finish up like poor [XX], I hesitated to think what might happen to a philosophy lecturer armed only with a small bible and a pair of velvet gloves.”
I always enjoy how the author shows this period of English and Dutch history from a completely different angle. I don’t see how anyone keeps all of the royal intrigue straight, but it does make for entertaining reading.
As ever, I look forward to his next adventure. Thanks to the author and NetGalley and Sapere Books for the copy for review from which I’ve quoted.
P.S. These are more interesting read in order, I think, although it’s not strictly necessary.
My review of Death in Delft
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Untrue till Death
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Dishonour and Obey
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Noose's Shadow
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Vanishing Children
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of In Dulci Jubilo (a short Christmas story)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am also waiting for the next instalment of Brack's contemporary Josef Slonsky Investigations series based in Prague. It begins with Lying and Dying - love it!
“What line of thought would make a ruler think ‘I need someone to undertake a perilous cloak and dagger mission in a strange land. I know, I’ll ask a university lecturer’”?
This is what readers wondered in the first adventure of Master Mercurius, but by now, we’re not only used to the idea, we look forward to where William will send him next. William? He’s William of Orange, the husband of Mary, yes THAT William and Mary, at this time in the Netherlands. As Mercurius explains to someone in England later:
“ ‘I’m here on business on behalf of my master the Stadhouder.’
‘The what?’
‘The Stadhouder. He’s rather like our King.’ William was not actually a King, but nobody had plucked up the courage to tell him that yet.”
Ah, but he’s hoping to be king. He and Mary are cousins. Her father (his uncle and father-in-law) is James the Second, King of England. He inherited the throne from his brother, Charles the Second, who had a heap of illegitimate children but no legitimate ones. So that puts Mary next in line for the throne when father James pops his clogs (sorry, James isn’t Dutch, so that’s not entirely appropriate).
But that’s forgetting about all those illegitimate children, the eldest of whom, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, was born in the Netherlands. He’s been making revolutionary noises which isn’t going down will with William, or with Mary, for that matter. She’s great friends with young James.
What is a Stadhouder to do? Mercurius is summoned.
“ ‘A pretty problem indeed,’ I agreed. ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see.’
‘Exactly, Mercurius. But then I had a brainwave.’
My stomach contracted violently at his words. I knew where his brainwaves led.”
Right – to England. He hates going there. He’s seasick going over, hates the food, struggles mightily with the language, and has to tread ever so carefully between the Protestants and Catholics. Unbeknownst to anyone, he is both a Protestant Minister AND A Catholic Priest. He just never gave up the one when he was ordained a second time.
“‘James is an anointed King, Mercurius, but holy oil doesn’t make your brain work better. My horse is a deeper thinker than my father-in-law.’
. . .
‘So what do you propose to do, Your Excellency?’
William smiled broadly. ‘It’s not about what I’m going to do, Mercurius. It’s about what you’re going to do.’
‘Me?’ I squeaked. I repeated the ejaculation in a lower, more manly register and tried to pretend I had a cough.”
Refusing isn’t really an option, so our gentle cleric has to carry a couple of letters to England regarding the Duke of Monmouth’s possible plans. He becomes increasingly nervous about finding himself on the wrong end of a knife, as did one of the men he’s sailed with.
“I just don’t like rough stuff; and if a man with a sword can finish up like poor [XX], I hesitated to think what might happen to a philosophy lecturer armed only with a small bible and a pair of velvet gloves.”
I always enjoy how the author shows this period of English and Dutch history from a completely different angle. I don’t see how anyone keeps all of the royal intrigue straight, but it does make for entertaining reading.
As ever, I look forward to his next adventure. Thanks to the author and NetGalley and Sapere Books for the copy for review from which I’ve quoted.
P.S. These are more interesting read in order, I think, although it’s not strictly necessary.
My review of Death in Delft
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Untrue till Death
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Dishonour and Obey
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Noose's Shadow
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of The Vanishing Children
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of In Dulci Jubilo (a short Christmas story)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am also waiting for the next instalment of Brack's contemporary Josef Slonsky Investigations series based in Prague. It begins with Lying and Dying - love it!
May 16, 2022
Poor Master Mercurius. Just as he feels comfortably settled again, studying, teaching when he has to, and enjoying some personal attention (food only of course) in the university kitchens, he receives another missive from William of Orange demanding his immediate attention. Even worse he discovers he is required to sail immediately to England.
The purpose of said visit is to surreptitiously plant fake papers which will further William's political plans, and of course events do not work out quite as they should. There are other spies and political agents involved, papers go missing, there is an attempted murder and worst of all Mercurius finds himself in gaol.
It is all very uncomfortable for him but we always know he will make it home again because he is telling this tale as an old man recording his memoirs,with frequent entertaining asides about the quality of his scribe.
Another excellent book in this delightful series and I am dreading the day Master Mercurius runs out of tales to tell.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The purpose of said visit is to surreptitiously plant fake papers which will further William's political plans, and of course events do not work out quite as they should. There are other spies and political agents involved, papers go missing, there is an attempted murder and worst of all Mercurius finds himself in gaol.
It is all very uncomfortable for him but we always know he will make it home again because he is telling this tale as an old man recording his memoirs,with frequent entertaining asides about the quality of his scribe.
Another excellent book in this delightful series and I am dreading the day Master Mercurius runs out of tales to tell.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 4, 2022
As always I enjoyed Master Mercurius' adventure. He was commissioned by William of Orange to go to England. His simple looking assignment turned into a hazardous adventure.
May 17, 2022
When a new volume in Graham Brack's Master Mercurius series, I know I'm in for an all-nighter. Once I start reading, everything else is on hold until I finish the last sentence.
The Master Mercuius mysteries are set in late 17th Century Netherlands. Mercurius himself is an academic, who would be more than content to spend his life exploring religious philosophy, even if that means putting up with bothersome undergraduates. He has no interest whatsoever in politics or crime, but repeatedly finds himself called upon by Stadhouder William of Orange to solve crimes and engage in espionage.
European politics during Mercurius' life is centered around the struggle between Protestant and Catholic versions of Christianity. Netherlands is a Protestant state, and Mercurius is an ordained Protestant minister. But there's the small matter of his later secret conversion to Catholicism and ordination in that faith as well. So when the Stadhouder calls upon him, Mercurius is often in the awkward position of balancing his personal convictions with the necessity of pursuing a Protestant agenda.
The books are written in first-person, with an elderly Mercurius dictating his memoirs to a not-always-enthusiastic amanuensis. Occasionally, their verbal scuffles during dictation leak into the tales of times long past. These leaks are part of a brilliantly comic tone that all the Mercurius volumes share. Mercurius has a gift for seeing the worst in everything and expressing it in brilliant and and sardonic language. (Warning: if you live with people who don't like having hilarious bits of books they're completely unfamiliar with being read aloud to them every ten minutes or so, barricade yourself in your room before you begin reading any Mercurius title.)
The Lying Dutchman takes Mercurius back to England, a place he visited once before on business for the Stadhouder and had hoped never to see again. Nonetheless, he's in the land of drizzle, unpalatable social norms, and even more unpalatable food, where taunting and harassing the Dutch is considered a lively and wholesome pastime. His job is to "lose" a crucial document pertaining to the struggle between King James II and Charles II's illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth in hopes that the document will be discovered by someone appropriate in England who will share the document with James II to prevent Monmouth's success in the struggle. James II is Catholic; Monmouth is Protestant; the Stadhouder, who is married to James II's daughter Mary, needs to appear to be supporting the Protestant Monmouth, while undercutting him so as not to weaken Mary's claim to the English throne upon James II's death. (Yes, it's a bit complicated.)
As Brack himself acknowledges in an afterward, The Lying Dutchman is more adventure story than full-on mystery, but this does nothing to lesson its pleasures. The plot twists, the humor, the varied characters, and the complaints about English weather carry this novel brilliantly. You can read the Master Mercurius series in any order—and will no doubt find yourself hunting down every title in the series once you have had a taste of one of them.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
The Master Mercuius mysteries are set in late 17th Century Netherlands. Mercurius himself is an academic, who would be more than content to spend his life exploring religious philosophy, even if that means putting up with bothersome undergraduates. He has no interest whatsoever in politics or crime, but repeatedly finds himself called upon by Stadhouder William of Orange to solve crimes and engage in espionage.
European politics during Mercurius' life is centered around the struggle between Protestant and Catholic versions of Christianity. Netherlands is a Protestant state, and Mercurius is an ordained Protestant minister. But there's the small matter of his later secret conversion to Catholicism and ordination in that faith as well. So when the Stadhouder calls upon him, Mercurius is often in the awkward position of balancing his personal convictions with the necessity of pursuing a Protestant agenda.
The books are written in first-person, with an elderly Mercurius dictating his memoirs to a not-always-enthusiastic amanuensis. Occasionally, their verbal scuffles during dictation leak into the tales of times long past. These leaks are part of a brilliantly comic tone that all the Mercurius volumes share. Mercurius has a gift for seeing the worst in everything and expressing it in brilliant and and sardonic language. (Warning: if you live with people who don't like having hilarious bits of books they're completely unfamiliar with being read aloud to them every ten minutes or so, barricade yourself in your room before you begin reading any Mercurius title.)
The Lying Dutchman takes Mercurius back to England, a place he visited once before on business for the Stadhouder and had hoped never to see again. Nonetheless, he's in the land of drizzle, unpalatable social norms, and even more unpalatable food, where taunting and harassing the Dutch is considered a lively and wholesome pastime. His job is to "lose" a crucial document pertaining to the struggle between King James II and Charles II's illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth in hopes that the document will be discovered by someone appropriate in England who will share the document with James II to prevent Monmouth's success in the struggle. James II is Catholic; Monmouth is Protestant; the Stadhouder, who is married to James II's daughter Mary, needs to appear to be supporting the Protestant Monmouth, while undercutting him so as not to weaken Mary's claim to the English throne upon James II's death. (Yes, it's a bit complicated.)
As Brack himself acknowledges in an afterward, The Lying Dutchman is more adventure story than full-on mystery, but this does nothing to lesson its pleasures. The plot twists, the humor, the varied characters, and the complaints about English weather carry this novel brilliantly. You can read the Master Mercurius series in any order—and will no doubt find yourself hunting down every title in the series once you have had a taste of one of them.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
July 11, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for this opportunity to review The Lying Dutchman. All opinions and comments are my own.
The sovereign Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of Holland is at it again, in The Lying Dutchman, Book 6 in this entertaining series by Graham Brack. In this one his favorite investigator is sent to England to do his worst, err, his best, and as Master Mercurius himself will tell you, they are probably one and the same.
The humor in these books is perhaps its greatest appeal. How often, at least in a mystery, does one get to read the lines “I need someone to undertake a perilous cloak and dagger mission in a strange land. I know, I’ll ask a university lecturer?” But the laughs only underscore the fact that the plotting is exemplary, using real historical references to entertain and enlighten.
As the book opens, we learn that Charles II has died. James II has ascended to the throne, and he’s an avowed Catholic. A lot of people are not happy about this, among them the Duke of Monmouth, the late king’s oldest illegitimate son, who entertains thoughts of taking the crown by force. To do this, he needs to invade England. Stadtholder William tasks Mercurius with taking a letter to England which details all of Monmouth’s invasion plans. He tells Mercurius they’re not the real plans. But he’s to lose the letter along the way, James will get hold of it and assume the worst, Monmouth will think twice about his plotting, yadda yadda yadda. As William says, when everything comes together, “we’ll all live happily ever after.” William doesn’t want Monmouth on the throne; he wants his wife Mary (the legitimate heiress) to attain it peacefully, because James has no children and is likely never to have any. All of this sounds rather simple, but is anything ever simple when Master Mercurius must work in the spy business? Not really. And would us readers have it any other way? No. Of course not.
There’s all kinds of problems. As Mercurius is narrating these books to his long-suffering scribe, we do know that he survives this encounter. Suffice it to say the mission is accomplished, and back to Holland he goes, to realize that William was thinking ahead of everyone, as usual. Unfortunately for Monmouth, he did invade, and as history records, lost his head for it. Too bad he didn’t have Brack’s Stadtholder advising him.
William tells him that he is not going to be welcome in England for a while, which does not make Mercurius unhappy at all. What he does hope is that the Stadtholder will forget where he lives. Hopefully for our purposes that won’t happen for a very long time.
The sovereign Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of Holland is at it again, in The Lying Dutchman, Book 6 in this entertaining series by Graham Brack. In this one his favorite investigator is sent to England to do his worst, err, his best, and as Master Mercurius himself will tell you, they are probably one and the same.
The humor in these books is perhaps its greatest appeal. How often, at least in a mystery, does one get to read the lines “I need someone to undertake a perilous cloak and dagger mission in a strange land. I know, I’ll ask a university lecturer?” But the laughs only underscore the fact that the plotting is exemplary, using real historical references to entertain and enlighten.
As the book opens, we learn that Charles II has died. James II has ascended to the throne, and he’s an avowed Catholic. A lot of people are not happy about this, among them the Duke of Monmouth, the late king’s oldest illegitimate son, who entertains thoughts of taking the crown by force. To do this, he needs to invade England. Stadtholder William tasks Mercurius with taking a letter to England which details all of Monmouth’s invasion plans. He tells Mercurius they’re not the real plans. But he’s to lose the letter along the way, James will get hold of it and assume the worst, Monmouth will think twice about his plotting, yadda yadda yadda. As William says, when everything comes together, “we’ll all live happily ever after.” William doesn’t want Monmouth on the throne; he wants his wife Mary (the legitimate heiress) to attain it peacefully, because James has no children and is likely never to have any. All of this sounds rather simple, but is anything ever simple when Master Mercurius must work in the spy business? Not really. And would us readers have it any other way? No. Of course not.
There’s all kinds of problems. As Mercurius is narrating these books to his long-suffering scribe, we do know that he survives this encounter. Suffice it to say the mission is accomplished, and back to Holland he goes, to realize that William was thinking ahead of everyone, as usual. Unfortunately for Monmouth, he did invade, and as history records, lost his head for it. Too bad he didn’t have Brack’s Stadtholder advising him.
William tells him that he is not going to be welcome in England for a while, which does not make Mercurius unhappy at all. What he does hope is that the Stadtholder will forget where he lives. Hopefully for our purposes that won’t happen for a very long time.
May 17, 2022
The Lying Dutchman is the sixth book in the Master Mercurius Mysteries series by British author, Graham Brack. “We find that we have need of your inestimable services once more. It would be appreciated if you would come to The Hague at your earliest convenience to attend to a matter of the greatest national importance. His Excellency William of Orange, Stadhouder.”
Exactly the summons that our protagonist, a middle-aged philosophy lecturer, doesn’t want. Master Mercurius has just learned that James II has ascended to the British throne following the death of Charles II, and fears that the Stadhouder will send him to England again: “I hate sailing, it rains all the time there, and I can’t understand some of the things they say. It’s hard enough having to be polite and courtly, but being polite and courtly in English is exhausting.”
And he’s right: William wants him to visit the Bishop of London, then see the Bishop of Exeter, then “lose” an envelope that holds the Duke of Monmouth’s true invasion plans. If these fall into the right hands, James II is forewarned and hopefully Monmouth will lose heart when he realises the mass of the opposing forces. William wants to prevent unnecessary bloodshed, and keep the path for Princess Mary’s (and his) succession to the throne open. What could go wrong?
Plenty, it soon turns out. On the ship, one of his two important envelopes is stolen, causing him much consternation regards the completion of his mission, and in trying to deduce the thief’s likely motive. In London, his meetings go much as planned until someone rather vital to his return to Leiden is found near death in an alley following a brutal attack.
In Exeter, his meeting again goes as expected, but then things rapidly go from bad to worse and he finds himself in a cell, contemplating a truly undesirable fate. Much later, he is told “I don’t think you’ll be welcome in London again for a while, Master” something about which he is not at all heartbroken.
In this instalment, Mercurius gets to enjoy the generous hospitality of the Dutch Ambassador, endures a drunken coach ride, is shown a primitive condom, offers to keep watch on the ship, has his fortune told, and has a price put on his head.
His account always contains terse asides about his long-suffering scribe, Van der Meer. This time, he casts aspersions on the Frisians and, following certain events, Mercurius candidly shares his lack of enthusiasm for either of the religions into which he is ordained.
He offers insightful comments: “That is one of the glories of the Church of England; it is so keen to be a national church encompassing as many people as possible that it tries very hard not to have any definite opinions on anything unless it positively must” and he never pretends to be brave: “I am not cut from the cloth of martyrs. I always hoped to die in a comfortable bed, not in an alleyway in a foreign land, especially not this one, where I was an unwilling visitor in the first place.”
The dialogue is often a source of humour:
“‘So is that the English or French coast I can see?’ I asked.
‘The English,’ Hendriks announced confidently.
‘And you have established that using your instruments?’
‘No. The locals on the cliff-top are abusing us in English. If we were on the other side of the water we would be abused in French.’”
And Mercurius (or Brack) has quite a way with description: “Biscuit is what sailors eat when they cannot have fresh bread, and having tasted it I now know why there are so many mutinies at sea. It sits in your mouth rather like a piece of roof tile, but if you worry away at it with your tongue and roll it around in your saliva eventually a little liquid will begin to soften the broken edge and, by degrees, it becomes more like a piece of poorly-tanned leather.”
In the Master Mercurius Mysteries, Brack manages to make seventeenth Century history quite palatable: each one is a delight to read, and more will be most welcome!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sapere Books (but I also purchased a copy!)
Exactly the summons that our protagonist, a middle-aged philosophy lecturer, doesn’t want. Master Mercurius has just learned that James II has ascended to the British throne following the death of Charles II, and fears that the Stadhouder will send him to England again: “I hate sailing, it rains all the time there, and I can’t understand some of the things they say. It’s hard enough having to be polite and courtly, but being polite and courtly in English is exhausting.”
And he’s right: William wants him to visit the Bishop of London, then see the Bishop of Exeter, then “lose” an envelope that holds the Duke of Monmouth’s true invasion plans. If these fall into the right hands, James II is forewarned and hopefully Monmouth will lose heart when he realises the mass of the opposing forces. William wants to prevent unnecessary bloodshed, and keep the path for Princess Mary’s (and his) succession to the throne open. What could go wrong?
Plenty, it soon turns out. On the ship, one of his two important envelopes is stolen, causing him much consternation regards the completion of his mission, and in trying to deduce the thief’s likely motive. In London, his meetings go much as planned until someone rather vital to his return to Leiden is found near death in an alley following a brutal attack.
In Exeter, his meeting again goes as expected, but then things rapidly go from bad to worse and he finds himself in a cell, contemplating a truly undesirable fate. Much later, he is told “I don’t think you’ll be welcome in London again for a while, Master” something about which he is not at all heartbroken.
In this instalment, Mercurius gets to enjoy the generous hospitality of the Dutch Ambassador, endures a drunken coach ride, is shown a primitive condom, offers to keep watch on the ship, has his fortune told, and has a price put on his head.
His account always contains terse asides about his long-suffering scribe, Van der Meer. This time, he casts aspersions on the Frisians and, following certain events, Mercurius candidly shares his lack of enthusiasm for either of the religions into which he is ordained.
He offers insightful comments: “That is one of the glories of the Church of England; it is so keen to be a national church encompassing as many people as possible that it tries very hard not to have any definite opinions on anything unless it positively must” and he never pretends to be brave: “I am not cut from the cloth of martyrs. I always hoped to die in a comfortable bed, not in an alleyway in a foreign land, especially not this one, where I was an unwilling visitor in the first place.”
The dialogue is often a source of humour:
“‘So is that the English or French coast I can see?’ I asked.
‘The English,’ Hendriks announced confidently.
‘And you have established that using your instruments?’
‘No. The locals on the cliff-top are abusing us in English. If we were on the other side of the water we would be abused in French.’”
And Mercurius (or Brack) has quite a way with description: “Biscuit is what sailors eat when they cannot have fresh bread, and having tasted it I now know why there are so many mutinies at sea. It sits in your mouth rather like a piece of roof tile, but if you worry away at it with your tongue and roll it around in your saliva eventually a little liquid will begin to soften the broken edge and, by degrees, it becomes more like a piece of poorly-tanned leather.”
In the Master Mercurius Mysteries, Brack manages to make seventeenth Century history quite palatable: each one is a delight to read, and more will be most welcome!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Sapere Books (but I also purchased a copy!)
May 19, 2022
‘Memories.’
Master Mercurius, now an elderly man, is recording his memoirs with the aide of a scribe. His memory takes him back to 1685 when, once again, the Stadhouder, William of Orange, summons him to The Hague.
Charles II of England has died and James II, his brother, is now king. Next in line after James, is his daughter Mary, the wife of William of Orange. But Charles II’s illegitimate son, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth is being encouraged to stage a rebellion. James II is a Roman Catholic, and not popular. William of Orange has a cunning plan to thwart Monmouth’s rebellion without alienating Monmouth himself.
And who better to carry out this cunning plan than Master Mercurius?
Poor Mercurius. He was quite happy living his life in academia but a summons from the Stadhouder cannot be ignored. The Stadhouder’s plan is simple: Master Mercurius is to anonymously plant a letter containing Monmouth’s invasion plans in (or near) the English court so that James II becomes aware of the plans and summons an army.
What could possibly go wrong? Well, plenty as it turns out. Leaving aside Master Mercurius’s distaste for the sea (although I am fairly sure that Antarctica hadn’t been discovered in 1685, so that particular fear need not have arisen), there are language and other barriers to overcome.
This is another terrific instalment in the Master Mercurius series. We know that Mercurius has survived (how else could he be dictating his memoirs?) but just how he manages to survive arrest and imprisonment makes for an entertaining read.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Master Mercurius, now an elderly man, is recording his memoirs with the aide of a scribe. His memory takes him back to 1685 when, once again, the Stadhouder, William of Orange, summons him to The Hague.
Charles II of England has died and James II, his brother, is now king. Next in line after James, is his daughter Mary, the wife of William of Orange. But Charles II’s illegitimate son, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth is being encouraged to stage a rebellion. James II is a Roman Catholic, and not popular. William of Orange has a cunning plan to thwart Monmouth’s rebellion without alienating Monmouth himself.
And who better to carry out this cunning plan than Master Mercurius?
Poor Mercurius. He was quite happy living his life in academia but a summons from the Stadhouder cannot be ignored. The Stadhouder’s plan is simple: Master Mercurius is to anonymously plant a letter containing Monmouth’s invasion plans in (or near) the English court so that James II becomes aware of the plans and summons an army.
What could possibly go wrong? Well, plenty as it turns out. Leaving aside Master Mercurius’s distaste for the sea (although I am fairly sure that Antarctica hadn’t been discovered in 1685, so that particular fear need not have arisen), there are language and other barriers to overcome.
This is another terrific instalment in the Master Mercurius series. We know that Mercurius has survived (how else could he be dictating his memoirs?) but just how he manages to survive arrest and imprisonment makes for an entertaining read.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 29, 2022
Delightful and engaging, as always.
May 18, 2022
Master Mercurius is back in The Lying Dutchman by Graham Brack. The year is 1685 and our brother is tasked by the Stadhouder in the Netherlands to once again travel to England. This time it's trouble with who will keep the crown and if Monmouths invasion plans will succeed. As always Brack has a wonderful feeling for the time and place and the story is humorous and suspenseful at the same time. I seldom laugh out loud when reading but this author makes me do it with every book he writes. I strongly recommend that you try some of his work. Master Mercurius is a wonderful character that reluctantly is roped in to help out and he never backs down due to his sense of duty and the fact that he gets some time off from teaching and praying. I must thank @SapereBooks @sapere.books @netgalley for letting me read this advance copy and @graham_brack for continuing with making this stuff up.
May 28, 2022
Sometimes I with I paid more attention to the history lessons in school. Master Mercurius is living in very interesting times (which is not always a good thing). Reading about his latest adventure caused me to look up a lot of details about Dutch history in Wikepedia. The funny thing is, reading about Stadhouder Willem is more interesting since Graham Brack started writing about him, and his dealings with Mercurius. So 'historical fiction' here means a very funny and interesting story with a lot of fiction carefully woven into this difficult period of history. It seems as if everybody was fighting with everybody and you had to be very careful with what you said or did.
Mercurius hopes that losing a letter will be as simple as is sounds, but we do know Mercurius a little now and of course things go terrible wrong from the beginning.
As in the first five books in the series, there are a lot of very funny dialogues and Graham Brack is a master in saying a lot with little amount of words.
Now Mercurius is home safely again, I hope he will be able to stay in his beloved Leiden for a while - where there are no doubt adventures too.
Mercurius hopes that losing a letter will be as simple as is sounds, but we do know Mercurius a little now and of course things go terrible wrong from the beginning.
As in the first five books in the series, there are a lot of very funny dialogues and Graham Brack is a master in saying a lot with little amount of words.
Now Mercurius is home safely again, I hope he will be able to stay in his beloved Leiden for a while - where there are no doubt adventures too.
May 25, 2022
Back again with the fantastic Master Mercurius and his memoirs as he is again called for and sent on a mission to England by William Of Orange.
I have really enjoyed this series. A witty historical mystery series where the books are short but hugely enjoyable.
The Lying Dutchman I feel is the weakest in the series by far. It has its moments and there are as usual some real lol moments but, even at a page run of a little over 200 pages it felt overly long and lacking in story.
The pages are text heavy as they are filled with Mercurius musings, too much of it I felt at the expense of the story.
The story itself I felt was incredibly thin and had no real energy to it. It all felt a little one paced and flat as it meandered to its conclusion.
I do wonder if this series has ran its course at this stage. It all felt a little too familiar and added little to the series.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
I have really enjoyed this series. A witty historical mystery series where the books are short but hugely enjoyable.
The Lying Dutchman I feel is the weakest in the series by far. It has its moments and there are as usual some real lol moments but, even at a page run of a little over 200 pages it felt overly long and lacking in story.
The pages are text heavy as they are filled with Mercurius musings, too much of it I felt at the expense of the story.
The story itself I felt was incredibly thin and had no real energy to it. It all felt a little one paced and flat as it meandered to its conclusion.
I do wonder if this series has ran its course at this stage. It all felt a little too familiar and added little to the series.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
June 8, 2022
Entertaining and historically interesting but no real crime solving involved.
June 13, 2022
excellent
HAVE READ ALL THE OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES AND THIS ONE IS JUST AS BRILLIANT AS THE OTHERS MAKES YOU SMILE AT SOME PASSAGS IN THE BOOK
CAN HEARTELY RECOMMEND AS WITH ALL THE OTHERS HOPE THERES ANOTHER ONE SOON
HAVE READ ALL THE OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES AND THIS ONE IS JUST AS BRILLIANT AS THE OTHERS MAKES YOU SMILE AT SOME PASSAGS IN THE BOOK
CAN HEARTELY RECOMMEND AS WITH ALL THE OTHERS HOPE THERES ANOTHER ONE SOON
June 3, 2022
This sixth instalment of the memoirs of Master Mercurio, ordained Protestant minister, professor of theology at the University of Leiden, and secretly a priest in the Roman Catholic church, has Mercurio undertaking another dangerous secret mission to England on behalf of William of Orange, Stadhouder of the Netherlands.
As one might expect from a book entitled The Lying Dutchman, there is a LOT of humor in the book in addition to adventures, and it is the feature of the series I enjoy the most. I like highlighting and making notes when I read ebooks, and my copy of Lying Dutchman is full of “ha ha’s”, like this conversation between Mercurio and Samuel Pepys. Mercurio says,
“May I speak frankly and in confidence?”
“Of course. Mum’s the word.”
“I don’t understand. Why is your mother involved?”
My second favorite element of the series is the setting in the late 1600s, a very interesting time in European history that I wish I knew better. It is also a very confusing time in European history, as various powers vie with one another both openly and clandestinely, compounded by the complicated blood relationships among the royals of various countries. These relationships are an important part of the intrigue in which Mercurio is involved, and it is confusing, even though he tries to explain it at the beginning of the book. Author Graham Brack gives a very short Cliff Notes version of the background in a Note at the end of the book as well as a list of his references if your curiosity is more seriously whetted. A fun part of the setting also is the cameo appearances by people we all recognize, such as Samuel Pepys.
Mercurio’s errand for William of Orange seemed a bit implausible and did not really grab me, nor did some of Mercurio’s adventures (although some of them were entertaining, like when Mercurio gets locked in an English jail), but the humor and the historical setting were enough to keep me reading.
You can read this book in the series without encountering a lot of spoilers that will ruin earlier books, so do not hesitate to begin here and then pick up the earlier books later. If you like mystery and history presented with a big dose of humor, I am confident you will want to do exactly that!
As one might expect from a book entitled The Lying Dutchman, there is a LOT of humor in the book in addition to adventures, and it is the feature of the series I enjoy the most. I like highlighting and making notes when I read ebooks, and my copy of Lying Dutchman is full of “ha ha’s”, like this conversation between Mercurio and Samuel Pepys. Mercurio says,
“May I speak frankly and in confidence?”
“Of course. Mum’s the word.”
“I don’t understand. Why is your mother involved?”
My second favorite element of the series is the setting in the late 1600s, a very interesting time in European history that I wish I knew better. It is also a very confusing time in European history, as various powers vie with one another both openly and clandestinely, compounded by the complicated blood relationships among the royals of various countries. These relationships are an important part of the intrigue in which Mercurio is involved, and it is confusing, even though he tries to explain it at the beginning of the book. Author Graham Brack gives a very short Cliff Notes version of the background in a Note at the end of the book as well as a list of his references if your curiosity is more seriously whetted. A fun part of the setting also is the cameo appearances by people we all recognize, such as Samuel Pepys.
Mercurio’s errand for William of Orange seemed a bit implausible and did not really grab me, nor did some of Mercurio’s adventures (although some of them were entertaining, like when Mercurio gets locked in an English jail), but the humor and the historical setting were enough to keep me reading.
You can read this book in the series without encountering a lot of spoilers that will ruin earlier books, so do not hesitate to begin here and then pick up the earlier books later. If you like mystery and history presented with a big dose of humor, I am confident you will want to do exactly that!
June 22, 2022
Book 6 in the Master Mercurius mysteries is a joy to revisit. Mercurius is once again summoned by William of Orange the Stadhouder to go to England and plant plans which will stop The Duke of Monmouth’s invasion to take the throne of James II. As usual Mercurius journey does not go to plan and he finds he could face certain death as a spy. These memoirs of Mercurius are filled with so much humour and historical telling you are swept along at a wonderful pace to the end. This character is one you cannot wait to revisit soon.
June 21, 2022
Fun and Smart
Master mercurius looks back on his life with a great deal of wit and a little bit of arrogance. I love the inclusion of historical figures in the books.
Master mercurius looks back on his life with a great deal of wit and a little bit of arrogance. I love the inclusion of historical figures in the books.
December 21, 2023
This sixth instalment of the memoirs of Master Mercurio, ordained Protestant minister, professor of theology at the University of Leiden, and secretly a priest in the Roman Catholic church, has Mercurio undertaking another dangerous secret mission to England on behalf of William of Orange, Stadhouder of the Netherlands.
As one might expect from a book entitled The Lying Dutchman, there is a LOT of humor in the book in addition to adventures, and it is the feature of the series I enjoy the most. I like highlighting and making notes when I read ebooks, and my copy of Lying Dutchman is full of “ha ha’s”, like this conversation between Mercurio and Samuel Pepys. Mercurio says,
“May I speak frankly and in confidence?”
“Of course. Mum’s the word.”
“I don’t understand. Why is your mother involved?”
My second favorite element of the series is the setting in the late 1600s, a very interesting time in European history that I wish I knew better. It is also a very confusing time in European history, as various powers vie with one another both openly and clandestinely, compounded by the complicated blood relationships among the royals of various countries. These relationships are an important part of the intrigue in which Mercurio is involved, and it is confusing, even though he tries to explain it at the beginning of the book. Author Graham Brack gives a very short Cliff Notes version of the background in a Note at the end of the book as well as a list of his references if your curiosity is more seriously whetted. A fun part of the setting also is the cameo appearances by people we all recognize, such as Samuel Pepys.
Mercurio’s errand for William of Orange seemed a bit implausible and did not really grab me, nor did some of Mercurio’s adventures (although some of them were entertaining, like when Mercurio gets locked in an English jail), but the humor and the historical setting were enough to keep me reading.
You can read this book in the series without encountering a lot of spoilers that will ruin earlier books, so do not hesitate to begin here and then pick up the earlier books later. If you like mystery and history presented with a big dose of humor, I am confident you will want to do exactly that!
As one might expect from a book entitled The Lying Dutchman, there is a LOT of humor in the book in addition to adventures, and it is the feature of the series I enjoy the most. I like highlighting and making notes when I read ebooks, and my copy of Lying Dutchman is full of “ha ha’s”, like this conversation between Mercurio and Samuel Pepys. Mercurio says,
“May I speak frankly and in confidence?”
“Of course. Mum’s the word.”
“I don’t understand. Why is your mother involved?”
My second favorite element of the series is the setting in the late 1600s, a very interesting time in European history that I wish I knew better. It is also a very confusing time in European history, as various powers vie with one another both openly and clandestinely, compounded by the complicated blood relationships among the royals of various countries. These relationships are an important part of the intrigue in which Mercurio is involved, and it is confusing, even though he tries to explain it at the beginning of the book. Author Graham Brack gives a very short Cliff Notes version of the background in a Note at the end of the book as well as a list of his references if your curiosity is more seriously whetted. A fun part of the setting also is the cameo appearances by people we all recognize, such as Samuel Pepys.
Mercurio’s errand for William of Orange seemed a bit implausible and did not really grab me, nor did some of Mercurio’s adventures (although some of them were entertaining, like when Mercurio gets locked in an English jail), but the humor and the historical setting were enough to keep me reading.
You can read this book in the series without encountering a lot of spoilers that will ruin earlier books, so do not hesitate to begin here and then pick up the earlier books later. If you like mystery and history presented with a big dose of humor, I am confident you will want to do exactly that!
June 10, 2022
Master Mercurius is delightfully human
Sent to England in an effort to avoid a war, Mercurius gets everything wrong and is thrown in jail for his pains. Thanks to an old acquaintance, he is rescued and delivered safely home. Well done!
Sent to England in an effort to avoid a war, Mercurius gets everything wrong and is thrown in jail for his pains. Thanks to an old acquaintance, he is rescued and delivered safely home. Well done!
July 13, 2022
I have really enjoyed this series of historical mysteries. First because they are centered in Scandinavia which is an historical area I'm less familiar with (my history professors would despair), and second because the protagonist, Mercurius, is delightfully humorous and straightforward. I highly recommend these books for their clever mysteries and their humor.
July 4, 2022
Another adventure of Master Mercurious with his sarcastic wit and ‘innocent abroad’ mentality. Good yarn but this time less of a whodunnit and more of a thriller/history. Always worth it for the gems of humour but not the best of the series. That said, when’s the next one?
September 25, 2022
Another thoroughly enjoyable read from this master storyteller. He has managed to find humour in the most unlikely places. Firstly it was with detective Josef Slonsky in the Prague Police Department and in this series, its with a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Leiden in the late 17th century.
Dont skip the prologue which sets the scene as Master Mercurious, now an old man, dictates his memories to his long suffering secretary.
To increase the unlikelihood of the story having any humour - it is all about the Dutch politics and how they were concerned with our Monmouth Rebellion.
I admire the ability of the author to be able to tell the story though the eyes of this old man and make it interesting. I may have said before but if my history tutors had made their subject half as interesting as Graham Brack has made these stories, I certainly wouldnt have dropped the subject at the first opportunity.
Dont skip the prologue which sets the scene as Master Mercurious, now an old man, dictates his memories to his long suffering secretary.
To increase the unlikelihood of the story having any humour - it is all about the Dutch politics and how they were concerned with our Monmouth Rebellion.
I admire the ability of the author to be able to tell the story though the eyes of this old man and make it interesting. I may have said before but if my history tutors had made their subject half as interesting as Graham Brack has made these stories, I certainly wouldnt have dropped the subject at the first opportunity.
September 21, 2023
Over the course of this series, I have come to like Mercurius, especially as he is now old and dictating his memoirs. This adventure finds him summoned to the Stadhouder and sent on another mission to England, a place he dislikes. His mission is nefarious and involves a letter divulging the plans of the Duke of Monmouth and his plot against King James. Needless to say, nothing quite goes to plan and Mercurius finds himself arrested as a spy.
The character of Mercurius is as engaging as ever but the plot is not as good as usual and left me wondering what was actually going on. Hey ho! OK but not as good as the previous books. I gave it 3 stars more from previous enjoyment rather than the excellence of this plot.
The character of Mercurius is as engaging as ever but the plot is not as good as usual and left me wondering what was actually going on. Hey ho! OK but not as good as the previous books. I gave it 3 stars more from previous enjoyment rather than the excellence of this plot.
May 20, 2022
A stormy passage
I am Dutch, born and bred in the city where the Stadhouderlijk Hof is located in the heart of the former Royal residence (Leeuwarden) - which remained property of the Dutch royal family until 1971). Here, the Frisian branch of Oranje-Nassau, (and William of Orange's daughter) are buried.
I wish my history lessons in school would have been this enjoyable! :)
This historical novel takes place on the eve of the Glorious Revolution. Master Mercurius, a middle-aged philosophy lecturer at Leiden University (- University founded by William of Orange to thank the city for its rebellion against Spanish rule-) is sent off to England by William of Orange.
We follow Mercurius on his stormy passage across the Channel, during which he loses one of the two letters,; during his stay in England, his talent for moving from one disaster onto the next in the blink of an eye continues to haunt him.
This was a quick and rather amusing read, in which an important part of Dutch history is more or less made fun of. Names and details are historically correct, anything else is made fun of with silly jokes, coloured with anecdotes of us being too greedy, too talkative, too serious for our own good, e&t..
It felt like being in a Black Adder episode. albeit all the silliness became a bit too much and rather predictable in the end.
Atmospheric and humorous in setting, this was my introduction to the series, will purchase the previous ones in this series, as I would love to learn more about Master Mercurious.
3.5 stars, rounded up to four.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc, I leave this review voluntarily.
I am Dutch, born and bred in the city where the Stadhouderlijk Hof is located in the heart of the former Royal residence (Leeuwarden) - which remained property of the Dutch royal family until 1971). Here, the Frisian branch of Oranje-Nassau, (and William of Orange's daughter) are buried.
I wish my history lessons in school would have been this enjoyable! :)
This historical novel takes place on the eve of the Glorious Revolution. Master Mercurius, a middle-aged philosophy lecturer at Leiden University (- University founded by William of Orange to thank the city for its rebellion against Spanish rule-) is sent off to England by William of Orange.
We follow Mercurius on his stormy passage across the Channel, during which he loses one of the two letters,; during his stay in England, his talent for moving from one disaster onto the next in the blink of an eye continues to haunt him.
This was a quick and rather amusing read, in which an important part of Dutch history is more or less made fun of. Names and details are historically correct, anything else is made fun of with silly jokes, coloured with anecdotes of us being too greedy, too talkative, too serious for our own good, e&t..
It felt like being in a Black Adder episode. albeit all the silliness became a bit too much and rather predictable in the end.
Atmospheric and humorous in setting, this was my introduction to the series, will purchase the previous ones in this series, as I would love to learn more about Master Mercurious.
3.5 stars, rounded up to four.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc, I leave this review voluntarily.
June 13, 2022
More Mercurius Dangerous Silliness
Not as much fun or as laugh out loud funny some of the previous nbooks...and...some really funny and perilous dialogue and situations as we have come to expect from Mr. Brack. I enjoy and look forward to these stories for vocabulary building and a fun romp or to to lighten up my life. Nice to have a bit of a vacation from the perilous times we are living in and through these days fraught with violence and unpredictability.I never really worry about Mercurius as he traverses his latest inquiries for William of Orange...who is assured whatever he asks Mercurius to do will be done in a way that makes William look good...and because Mercurius is a survivor because of his faith that he will somehow prevail with good people assisting him ...and some not so good folks assisting him!...and God's help. Good old Mercurius! I love his name. I live the innovative way he speaks to others and to us. I love his sensibility. I think he must know he, himself. is so much more capable then he gives himself credit for. This tale is a sad one in the end and yet quite an adventure for Mercurius and company. We are reintroduced to another character who, I have a strong suspicion WILL show up in my more of the forthcoming tales about the absurd and humorous and important situations our main man finds himself in to solve yet another mystery or problem facing William and the Dutch people. I recommend this series to all those, like me, who just need a speedy read, a fun romp with some very interesting situations Mercurius finds himself in, a challenging vocabulary that makes the stories More fun to read and a good story.
Not as much fun or as laugh out loud funny some of the previous nbooks...and...some really funny and perilous dialogue and situations as we have come to expect from Mr. Brack. I enjoy and look forward to these stories for vocabulary building and a fun romp or to to lighten up my life. Nice to have a bit of a vacation from the perilous times we are living in and through these days fraught with violence and unpredictability.I never really worry about Mercurius as he traverses his latest inquiries for William of Orange...who is assured whatever he asks Mercurius to do will be done in a way that makes William look good...and because Mercurius is a survivor because of his faith that he will somehow prevail with good people assisting him ...and some not so good folks assisting him!...and God's help. Good old Mercurius! I love his name. I live the innovative way he speaks to others and to us. I love his sensibility. I think he must know he, himself. is so much more capable then he gives himself credit for. This tale is a sad one in the end and yet quite an adventure for Mercurius and company. We are reintroduced to another character who, I have a strong suspicion WILL show up in my more of the forthcoming tales about the absurd and humorous and important situations our main man finds himself in to solve yet another mystery or problem facing William and the Dutch people. I recommend this series to all those, like me, who just need a speedy read, a fun romp with some very interesting situations Mercurius finds himself in, a challenging vocabulary that makes the stories More fun to read and a good story.
May 29, 2022
I can't recommend this entire series (and Brack's Slonsky series) highly enough. All the plotlines are engaging and well planned. The narrative flows swiftly and is both engrossing and informative. Whilst this novel doesn't have quite the complexities of previous ones in the series, being more of an adventure than a mystery, Mercurius' self-deprecating humour (more prominent here than in previous tales) more than makes up for the lack of intrigue. My only gripe is that the novels are relatively short. I'd love to see Mercurius in a longer novel, entangled in multiple plotlines.
If you are a fan of CJ Sansom's Shardlake series, or indeed historical mysteries in general, then you really must add the Mercurius series to your reading list. Graham Brack (along with Caimh McDonnell) is my favourite new (to me) author so far this year and I look forward to reading his novels for many years to come.
If you are a fan of CJ Sansom's Shardlake series, or indeed historical mysteries in general, then you really must add the Mercurius series to your reading list. Graham Brack (along with Caimh McDonnell) is my favourite new (to me) author so far this year and I look forward to reading his novels for many years to come.
July 17, 2022
Summoned again by Stadhouder William, Master Mercurius is given an assignment to visit England again. He is not thrilled but cannot disobey his patron so voyages across the sea to London. Meeting with old friends he is appraised of the situation regarding the King and his rival, the Duke of Monmouth. The Stadhouder does not want to support Monmouth but also does not want to oppose him and Mercurius is a cog in the wheel of deception.
I really like Brack's books about Master Mercurius. Firstly the setting in 18th Century Leiden is unusual, secondly the anti-hero Mercurius is very engaging. This story is no exception, a convoluted plot to foil the Monmouth Rebellion but which makes sense in the context. Terrific fun and a great way to while away an afternoon.
I really like Brack's books about Master Mercurius. Firstly the setting in 18th Century Leiden is unusual, secondly the anti-hero Mercurius is very engaging. This story is no exception, a convoluted plot to foil the Monmouth Rebellion but which makes sense in the context. Terrific fun and a great way to while away an afternoon.
May 26, 2022
The year is 1685 and Protestant minister/Catholic priest/University lecturer Master Mercurius has once again been summoned by Staudhouder William of Orange.William and his wife Mary are next in line for the English throne, but the Duke of Monmouth is planning a rebellion to make his own claim to the throne. William sends Mercurius on a dangerous mission to keep that from happening.
This is the sixth book in this historical mystery series that is full of humor and makes history come alive. The book is clearly well-researched and is based on actual events. I prefer the books in this series that are murder mysteries as opposed to adventures like this one. However, it’s still a good book since Mercurius is such a likable character and his dry wit is a pleasure to read. I really like the ending, too. This series is perfect for readers who appreciate historical mysteries that include humor along with facts.
This is the sixth book in this historical mystery series that is full of humor and makes history come alive. The book is clearly well-researched and is based on actual events. I prefer the books in this series that are murder mysteries as opposed to adventures like this one. However, it’s still a good book since Mercurius is such a likable character and his dry wit is a pleasure to read. I really like the ending, too. This series is perfect for readers who appreciate historical mysteries that include humor along with facts.
May 30, 2022
1685. King Charles II is dead and his brother James is now King. But Charles's son the Duke of Monmouth plans an invasion to take the throne. Stadhouder, William of Orange friend to the Duke but wants his plans to fail so that evenually his and his wife Mary, daughter of James become the next King and Queen. So he has a plan, and to this end he sends Master Mercury's to England. But plans rarely turn out as wanted.
Another entertaining and well-writtn historical mystery with its likeable main character. A good addition to this series which cn easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another entertaining and well-writtn historical mystery with its likeable main character. A good addition to this series which cn easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2022
Mercurius is back! This time he must travel to England to plant evidence that will prevent the successful invasion of the Duke of Monmoth....
This is the sixth book in the Mercurius Mysteries, but there is no requirement to have read the preceding five books before this one
I've read a few books in this series now and they're always good fun. The Lying Dutchman is no exception. A likeable protagonist with a wry sense of humour supported by well-rounded cast of characters and an engaging plot with just the right amount of description and exposition to set the scene without detracting from the momentum of the tale. Yes please. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Sapele Books, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the sixth book in the Mercurius Mysteries, but there is no requirement to have read the preceding five books before this one
I've read a few books in this series now and they're always good fun. The Lying Dutchman is no exception. A likeable protagonist with a wry sense of humour supported by well-rounded cast of characters and an engaging plot with just the right amount of description and exposition to set the scene without detracting from the momentum of the tale. Yes please. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Sapele Books, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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