Immagine dell'autore.

Anna Castle (1956–2022)

Autore di Murder by Misrule

27+ opere 412 membri 37 recensioni 1 preferito

Sull'Autore

Anna Castle grew up in Houston and is the writer of two series of novels: the Francis Bacon mysteries and the Lost Hat, Texas mysteries. (Bowker Author Biography)

Serie

Opere di Anna Castle

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Etichette

Informazioni generali

Nome canonico
Castle, Anna
Data di nascita
1956
Data di morte
2022-02-02
Sesso
female
Nazionalità
USA
Luogo di residenza
Austin, Texas
Istruzione
University of Texas at Austin (PhD Linguistics)
Attività lavorative
archivist, writer
Organizzazioni
Alliance of Independent Authors, Sisters in Crime
Breve biografia
Anna Castle is serious about series. She writes the Francis Bacon mysteries set in Elizabethan England, the Professor & Mrs. Moriarty mysteries set in Victorian London, and the Lost Hat, Texas mysteries.

She has earned a series of degrees -- BA in the Classics, MS in Computer Science, and a PhD in Linguistics -- and has had a corresponding series of careers -- waitress, software engineer, documentary linguist, assistant professor, and archivist. How that adds up to writing historical novels and madcap cozies is a mystery in itself, but it all revolves around her lifelong love of stories and learning. Anna physically resides in Austin, Texas, but mentally counts herself a queen of infinite space.  [retrieved 7/24/2017 from Amazon.com Author Page]

Utenti

Recensioni

Straightforward murder mystery. Easy read. Fairly well written.

Starts well, with very intriguing ideas, and good introduction of characters. However, about half way through several minor plot points emerged concerning the supporting characters that came completely out of nowhere and to no particular purpose. Also by the end of the book, the possible suspects had been gone over so many times, it was rather obvious who the murder had to be.
 
Segnalato
calenmarwen | 12 altre recensioni | May 29, 2023 |
Lock Up Honesty is the 8th book in Anna Castle's Francis Bacon Mysteries. It was published in January 2022. In this installment of the series Francis Bacon's clerk, Thomas Clarady, has finally passed the bar exam. He is now ready to sue his guardian for his livery in the Court of Wards. When Tom's father died, he was just shy of his 21st birthday. Not being of majority age, Tom was required by law to have a guardian who would take control of his father's assets and his marriage plans. However, the Court of Wards is the most corrupt institution in Tudor England and the Attorney for the Court of Wards expects bribes to be paid in order for cases to go forward. Now 27 years old, Tom is having none of it. During a dispute with the Attorney he yells loudly that he hopes the Attorney chokes on the expensive wine that Tom gave him. By the end of the day the Attorney is dead from poisoning and Tom is the main suspect.

This was a delightful story. It was fun to reconnect with my favorite characters. Francis doesn't play a big role in the investigation of the murder. Tom's friend Alice Trumpington, also known as Trumpet, is the character who leads the investigation, giving everyone else assignments but really performing most of the legwork. Tom also contributes to the investigation but, naturally, is terrified that he will be arrested if he is seen in public. Francis' lifestyle is portrayed a little differently than he has been in earlier books in the series. I could not remember whether the readers were given an idea of where he would take his life in the earlier novels. It's been a year since I read the last book in the series so I was surprised. Trumpet dresses up as a male on occasion in order to get witnesses to talk to her. This has become a norm for the series and I now expect that she will do this in every installment of the series. How she dresses, though, is different in each novel and her unreserved, lovable personality carries it off well.

Lock Up Honesty has lots of twists and turns. Author Anna Castle has kept her series entertaining with well plotted stories and steady development of all of her characters. Not every author develops each character in their stories but Ms. Castle does and she does it skillfully. I can, with pleasure, rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
Violette62 | Mar 5, 2022 |
Francis Bacon is a barrister of Gray's Inn, shockingly young for it, and currently in disfavor with Queen Elizabeth due to an ill-received proposal for law reform. Being unable to be received at court, or even by friends who are at court, is a significant obstacle to his ambitions, and even to his ordinary responsibilities.

It does not really look like help when his powerful uncle, Lord Burghley, Lord High Treasurer and Queen Elizabeth's most trusted adviser, asks him to quietly investigate the death of another, far more senior, barrister of Gray's. For various reasons, it's suspected this murder may involve Catholic intrigue aimed at overthrowing and replacing the Queen. Bacon recruits four students, whom he is now tutoring since their former tutor has been murdered (yes, of course.)

Tom Clarady is the son of a privateer, looking to rise in Elizabethan society. Stephen Delabere is the son of an earl, pretentious and self-important. Allen Trumpington, or "Trumpet," is very short, very young, and has a surprisingly strategic mind. Benjamin Whitt is earnest, dedicated to the law, and also quite dedicated to Francis Bacon. Together, they do most of the legwork in this investigation, and Bacon considers their evidence and sends them off to pursue the answers to additional questions.

In truth there are two unrelated mysteries here, one of which becomes a red herring distracting from the real cause of the murder and the killer's motive.

This is a tale of intrigue at the court of Queen Elizabeth and the Inns of Court, not a swashbuckling adventure. It's enjoyable and fun, but won't be to everyone's taste.

Recommended as a fun mystery for those who enjoy this kind of intrigue.

I bought this audiobook.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
LisCarey | 12 altre recensioni | Oct 25, 2021 |
I made the assumption that this book would be "just okay" for me, as I'm not one to include much historical fiction on my reading list. I'm happy to say I was wrong. I really enjoyed the book, and I read it out of turn from the rest of the series.

I'm always drawn in by character, and was well versed enough in history to recognize the historic figures and to feel like they were authentic in portrayal. The story was fun. Trumpet and Clarady work well together, and Francis Bacon comes across as a solid lead to anchor a potential televised murder mystery series.

A well done book. I received a free copy for review through NetGalley.
… (altro)
 
Segnalato
CaseyAdamsStark | 1 altra recensione | Sep 25, 2021 |

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Statistiche

Opere
27
Opere correlate
1
Utenti
412
Popolarità
#59,116
Voto
½ 3.6
Recensioni
37
ISBN
49
Lingue
1
Preferito da
1

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