A Ruinous Wind (A Thomas the Falconer Mystery)

ISBN: 0727860313

Author: Pilkington, John

Condition: New

From BooklistIt's 1588, and England is celebrating the rout of the Spanish Armada. Thomas Finbow, falconer to Sir Robert Vicary, is preparing to accompany his master to a hunting party hosted by the Earl of Reigate. The pair has scarcely reached the earl's sumptuous estate when one of the other guests is found murdered. On the victim's body is a scrap of paper containing a Latin inscription that translates as "So perish the wicked." Given that Thomas has helped solve other crimes in the past, Sir Robert asks him to investigate the murder. Then two other guests are killed, with still more Latin clues. Are these political killings, or does the murderer have another dark purpose? Thomas' investigation takes him from the county horse fair to the Dutch community in London and the horrific Bedlam asylum. This latest entry in Pilkington's Thomas the Falconer series is a vigorous adventure featuring a likable hero, an intriguing plot, and a fine sense of period ambience. Emily MeltonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reservedProduct DescriptionThomas is falconer to Sir Robert Vicary of Petbury, a minor lord who has made some influential friends. Sir Robert takes Thomas with him to stay with Lord Edmund, the Earl of Reigate, a decadent and pompous noble who is keen to impress Queen Elizabeth. Lord Edmund's plan is to stage a sumptuous house party involving a re-enactment of the recently foiled Spanish Armada, as well as a giant model of a falcon in flight, and other impressive festivities. When the murders of three of the Earl's guests are covered up in case the scandal ruins the celebrations, Thomas is bid by his master to uncover the murderer. His search takes him from the raucous tavern in the local village to the crime-ridden streets of the City of London and a world of intrigue, fear and betrayal. When the Earl becomes the next target of the killer's aim, Thomas realizes that the reasons for the murderer's' deadly plans are far more complicated than anyone thought.From Publishers WeeklyBritish author Pilkington's second Elizabethan mystery (after 2002's The Ruffler's Child) nicely blends historical events with engaging characters and a suspenseful plot but, alas, falls short as a whodunit. In 1588, Thomas Finbow, in charge of Sir Robert Vicary's hunting birds, accompanies his master to the Earl of Reigate's estate for festivities celebrating the lifting of the Spanish Armada threat. When the sudden daylight murder of an arrogant knight is passed off as a riding accident, despite a note in Latin found pinned to the body, the falconer realizes that his misgivings about the dubious character of many of those attending were all too prescient. His commitment to truth and justice brings him into conflict with the powers-that-be, and he's forced to conduct a clandestine inquiry. More baffling murders follow that suggest that a cunning and ruthless killer is targeting both gentry involved in financial speculation and members of the Dutch community. Thomas proves a dogged, creative and insightful sleuth, but the author curiously lets another character spring the surprise solution on the detective rather than allowing him to deduce it from the story's numerous clues. In addition, the culprit doesn't figure prominently enough to make the resolution truly fair play. Given Pilkington's evident writing skill, there's every reason to hope that this will become a lengthy series and that future entries will abide more by the rules of the genre.Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.