Published January 16th, 2025 by Bedford Square Publishers
Historical Fiction, LGBT Literature, Occult Ficiton
Welcome to my review for this darkly atmsohperic and immserive novel. Thank you to Bedford Square Publishers and Ed PR for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
‘Wonderfully evocative, this book transports the reader to the dark underworld of late Elizabethan London. I was gripped from the first page.’ Tracy Borman
It is 1597 and Kit Skevy and Mariner Elgin have just robbed the wrong grave.
They are young criminals in the pocket of a gang Lord named Will Twentyman, the Grave Eorl of Southwark. Mariner is the best cutpurse around, a strange Calvinist girl who dresses like a boy and is partner in crime to Kit Skevy, Southwark’s best brawler who carries a secret: he cannot feel pain.
When caught out in their unfortunate larceny, Kit is kidnapped by the menacing alchemist Lord Isherwood (a man who will stop at nothing to achieve his hopes for the Red Lion elixir) and his studious son, Lazarus Isherwood, with whom Kit develops a complicated intrigue. When Mariner enlists the help of a competing French alchemist, Lady Elody Blackwater, Mariner and Kit are thrust into the shadowed, political world of Tudor alchemy, testing both their friendship and their lives.
It matters not who you are born to… but where you are made!
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MY REVIEW:
1597. Criminals Kit Skevy and Mariner Elgin are owned by Will Twentyman, also known as the Grave Eorl of Southwark, who rules his streets with a terrifying fist. But Twentyman’s reputation fails to save them when Kit is kidnapped as they rob a grave for the gang Lord. Kit has been taken by Lord Isherwood, a menacing alchemist who wants to find the secret to Greek Fire. Mariner is desperate to save her friend, but Twentyman has no interest in rescuing his prized fighter, so she turns to competing alchemist, Lady Elody Blackwater, for help, sparking a chain of events that sees Kit and Mariner thrust into something much more dangerous than they ever imagined.
Emma Hinds debut novel, The Knowing, was a standout read of 2024 and one I’ve recommended many times, so I was very excited when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read her sophomore novel, The Quick and the Dead. Darkly atmospheric, immersive and mesmerising, Hinds not only lived up to the expectations set by her debut, she surpassed them, crafting a sensational historical novel brimming with secrets, conflict and intrigue. I devoured this book in under a day, unable to put the book down once I’d started. Masterfully written, cleverly plotted and intricately interwoven, Hinds held me in her thrall as she explored the dark underbelly of Elizabethan London. Hinds’ extensive research is evident in every facet of the story from the threat from Spain that lingers over every page to the alchemy practiced throughout, and finally in the layered narrative of political intrigue. Hinds also takes us on an engaging exploration of gender and sexuality that I didn’t expect but found to be one of the most powerful aspects of the story.
The story is narrated by Kit and Mariner, the thieves at the heart of the novel. Mariner Elgin is a strange girl who dresses male, and despite being Twentyman’s best cutpurse, lives in fear of being sent to the brothel. She is also Portuguese, so the hatred of Spain that is prevalent affects her more than most. Kit, a prized fighter, is a young man who is often mistaken for someone much younger. He also doesn’t feel pain, a helpful yet dangerous secret, that isn’t’ the most dangerous thing he hides. Both were easy to root for and I was completely invested in their stories. With the other characters, we never quite knew who among them we could trust. There were some despicable and debased characters where it was obvious they were the villains, but there were others whose motives weren’t so clear and I enjoyed the extra tension this brought to the story.
This is a must-read addition to the TBR of any historical fiction fan.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Emma is a Queer playwright and author living and working in Manchester. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews. She focuses on historical narratives, female voices, and Queer stories. Emma’s debut novel, The Knowing, is an exploration of female trauma in the vivid and cruel world of the Victorian freak show and is available through Bedford Square Publishing. Emma has been longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition twice and was a participant of the Penguin Random House Write Now Scheme in 2018.
Her latest play, PURE, was featured in Turn On festival at Hope Mill Theatre Manchester and she was the recipient of the Artist Development grant at Hope Mill Theatre.
She has written a few previous non-fiction books in her capacity as an academic (in another life she was a theologian) with an essay published, Tarantino and Theology; with Gray Matter Books and her book, Ineffable Love: Christian Themes in Good Omens; published by Darton Longman Todd. Emma uses she/her pronouns.
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx
Emma's Biblio Treasures 