I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down until done.

The Noose’s Shadow by Graham Brack

This was a very enjoyable book.

This is a loved historical novel which I have always appreciated because not only do enjoy reading the story but you end up learning about the time period the story is set in.

The story was interesting and I loved the unique humour.

The drama and suspense were excellent.

I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This is the first historical mystery starring Master Mercurius that I have read although it is fourth in the series. I am a huge fan of historical mysteries. The Cadfael Chronicles and Sir John Fielding series come to mind but there are so many others I could mention.
Master Mecurius is back home at the University of Leiden after an important visit to England. He quickly becomes involved in the mysterious murder of a cantankerous farmer named Wolf. Wolf's neighbor Jaco has been accused of the murder but Jaco's wife is certain her husband is innocent and asks for Master Mercurius's help to uncover the truth.
The series takes place in 17th century Netherlands. The author describes this time period so well with so much descriptive detail including clothing, customs, and behavior. This is why I love historical mysteries. A good author can bring the people and times to life so well by the research they do and the way they write what they have learned about it. Non fiction can be dry and objective although I do like non fiction as well. A good historical mystery author can make you feel as if you have gone back in time. Master Mecurius is a very likeable character. The only issue I had is his obsession over women. Every time he saw them, there was a detailed description of their "virtues". I can understand setting the stage for the storyline but it became a bit mundane and repetitive. The point was made that he found the women attractive and it was a bit of a quandary considering his lifestye but to repeat the same over and over detracted from the story for me. Other than that small blip, I really enjoyed the story itself. I am planning to read the first three books in the series. I found the book could be read as a standalone but it seems like it would be beneficial and enjoyable to read the series itself.

The Noose's Shadow is the fourth Master Mercurius mystery by Graham Brack. Released 8th Dec 2020 by Sapere Books, it's 209 pages and available in paperback and ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

Despite being a huge fan of historical murder mysteries, I was previously unfamiliar with this exceptional series. Set in the late 17th century in the Netherlands, the protagonist, Master Mercurius (a theologian) is intelligent, amiable, honest, and insightful. He's drawn into the investigation of a local farmer when suspicion falls on a neighbor and the neighbor's pretty wife begs Mercurius to clear her husband's name and find the culprit.

It's been a while since I was truly enthralled by a book. This one drew me in immediately and I found myself thinking about the narrative even when I wasn't actively reading; mulling over the clues and the characters. The dialogue is pitch perfect and the characters are varied and very well rendered. The clues are presented fairly and the murder mystery itself is satisfyingly convoluted. I will confess that I -did- actually figure it out before the end, but the denouement and resolution are so well written that it was a pleasure to read.

I can't remember the last time I dropped my fairly rigid TBR list and immediately acquired the previous books in a series. (I review 700+ books a year, so it's always a bit of a press). This is a very well written book. I sincerely hope Master Mercurius has many many more stories for us.

Five stars. Very highly recommended to fans of the genre.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Mercurius, a hidden Catholic priest and professor at Leyden University, has solved cases for the ruler of Holland and in The Noose's Shadow by Graham Brack he has come to the aid of a small town wife whose husband was arrested for murder. Mercurius uses all his logic and detective skills to find out who committed the crime in seventeenth century Holland.

This is a historical mystery and it was very well researched. The story was gripping and I loved the suspense and tangled mysteries.
The characters were well developed and I was really impressed by the protagonist.
And I loved the humour in the story. There were a couple of moments when I laughed out loud.
This was a quite an enjoyable read!

This was a fun book to read - historic fiction of a calibre that is sadly in lacking in modern writing. This was my first introduction to Master Mercurius, and I shall definitely be back for more. It was like reading 17th Century Wodehouse, and Mercurius's 1st person narrated wry humour made me laugh as much as Bertie Wooster ever did. The story didn't exactly move at a breakneck pace, but it held my interest nonetheless, even though I did guess who the culprit was quite early on. In fact, it was rather obvious, but Mercurius is the first to admit that he is no detective, so this did not jar as much as it might have.

While I found the story something of a comedy, it was somewhat sobering to see quite how easily an innocent man could hang with little or no evidence against him whatsoever. It hardly seems credible, but far from innocent until proven guilty, it was more guilty, with no chance of innocence even being considered, let alone proven. Justice - for want of a better word - was swift and summary. I have, of course, encountered this before many times in historic crime fiction, but this fact was poignantly highlighted in this book, with Mercurius's race against time to prove, not the innocence of one man since this did not seem to factor in the slightest, but the clear guilt of another.

A thoroughly enjoyable book and I look forward to reading the others in the series.

Local farming life at the time of William of Orange is the basis for this mystery.
Master Mercurius back at the University of Leiden is asked by local farmers wife Sara to save her husband being held for the murder of local farmer Wolf. Mercurius uses his relationship with the Stadhouder to begin his own investigation. The local mayor offers his hospitality in hope that his daughter will take Mercurius eye even though Mercurius has secrets that make it not possible. Mercurius comes to many dead ends in his investigation and his liking for these two local women would complicate his investigation. This mystery really shows you the everyday life people had to cope with in 17th century Netherlands and how different choices can lead to murder. This is part of a series and l would recommend reading further books about Master Mercurius.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was the one I liked most of all of Master Mercurius’ exploits. I think the averageness of the situation was a lure and the fact that I identified the culprit quite early on. Usually, the latter bit is a drawback but in this case, I could relax and let the investigation wind its way through strange and interesting characters before the sudden understanding dawns on our Master (who actually has higher qualifications now).
A woman in need comes to him one night for help and moved by her plea (as well as her, in general), Master Mercurius sets out to investigate. I was mildly familiar with the concept of coerced confessions to be a deciding factor in declaring one guilt from another series. He chooses the right people at the university to give him a leg up with appropriate help as required. Although older than when we first meet him, his mind is more challenging to control now than before. There is a better pattern of events here, the investigation is thorough and streamlined, which means even more mental monologue. This last bit is what I think I am reading this series for. I would definitely pick up the next book if and when it becomes available to me.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my reading of the series.

When a pretty young woman approaches Mercurius one evening saying that her husband is accused of murder and likely to be hung, for a fleeting moment he yearns to stay warm in front of the fire but then accedes to travel to her village to help. A neighbour has been stabbed shortly after arguing with the husband and although there are no direct witnesses all the evidence points to him. Mercurius is not as sure and takes advantage of the privileges granted to him as a cleric, and the holder of a dispensation from the Stadhouder, to investigate further.
This is another really entertaining outing for Master Mercurius. I love the setting in 17th century Holland, it is an unusual location but a very interesting time. Here the action is all focused around the poor villagers and their day-to-day lives, there are no courts or rich people, the sense of everyday life for the common person is well-imagined. These are never going to be high literature but for a solid and fun historical mystery it certainly hits the spot.

This story is set in Leiden (Verenigde Provincieën or the Dutch Republic) in 1680.
Mercurius is an undercover Roman Catholic priest, posing as a Calvinist minister and a lecturer at the faculty of theology. In a previous book, he was of service to the Stadhouder William of Orange and he still possesses a letter from him that says to give all assistance to the bearer. A letter that proves very useful in this story.
One night, Mercurius is called upon by a woman from the village Oestgeest whose husband is arrested for the murder of his neighbour. She’s adamant that her husband is innocent but shortly before the murder he was observed quarrelling with the victim. With the letter from the Stadhouder, Mercurius starts an investigation and aided by Boudewijn, the mayor’s clerk, he interrogates all the neighbours. The dead man was despised by all, not only for his unruly pig or his rudeness but also because he openly abused his now-deceased wife. All the neighbours appear to be god-fearing, good Calvinists and tell the same story. Nobody but the victim’s son thinks that the accused is a violent man but with no other clear suspects; he may well face the noose if Mercurius cannot solve this case.

My GR friend Ingrid pointed me to this series and I thank her for this pleasant new discovery. It’s the 4th book in the series but works just as well as a standalone.
I’m not really familiar with Leiden myself. It is home to the oldest Dutch university. It was renowned from the start and is still famous today. The Pesthuis, another institution mentioned in the book is better known to me as it housed a squatter’s community in the 1990s where I had some friends. The villages that are mentioned in the book, also still exist in name but the farmlands has changed into suburbs
The author has done a great deal of research on daily life in the 17th century, and there are several observations on farming, religion, and marriage that are new to me. In the first place, the differences between Catholic and Calvinist doctrines were a lot greater than I imagined. In school, we are told the general outlines of the dispute and schism, but the rigidness and small-mindedness of many beliefs and dogma’s are new. Phew, I’m happy to be born on this side of the border and in this day and age and raised a Catholic (as most Flemish people). If you think that the Puritans are a stiff and rigid bunch, think again and meet the Calvinists! Even today, there are some remote communities where things like sports on Sundays are frowned upon.
As a catholic priest, Mercurius is sworn to celibacy but as a warm-blooded young man, he’s undoubtedly not impartial to female charms. The wife seeking help for her husband is attractive and the mayor’s daughter also makes an impression. The latter seems to like him as well but has her eye cast elsewhere.
The story progresses in the best of Agatha Christie traditions where the investigator interviews all the witnesses and neighbours of the victim and of the accused and looks for discrepancies or holes in the stories. I had 1 suspect from the start but started to doubt during the investigation. I won’t tell if I was right or not, but the solution is rather simple.
The writing is very clear and time appropriate. The use of Dutch words brings authenticity as well. At first, it was a bit strange to read an English language book that’s set in the Netherlands. The author uses appropriate Dutch terms for several words and expressions. I do wonder though how English speakers will pronounce words like Oestgeest or Koudevoet.
I thank Netgalley and Sapere Books for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest, unbiased review of it

*Many thanks to Graham Brack, Sapere Books, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
Master Mercurius does not disapppoint. This time he is asked to investigate the death of a farmer who was not a popular figure and who died violently. Mercurius has little time on his hands as the accused is awaiting the trial locked up and the noose is closer than he would wish it to be.
As always, a good mystery, solid history behind it, and Mercurius who can look at himself from a distance and whose sense of subtle humour makes this book quite enjoyable.

‘My room is cold in winter. It has always been so, but now that I am over eighty years old, I feel it all the more keenly.’

Master Mercurius may be an old man, but he is full of memories from the past. And, in this novel, he is remembering a case he solved in Leiden, The Netherlands in 1680. It is a few years after his successful trip to England when he is approached by Sara, a woman whose husband Jaco has been accused of murder. Sara has heard of Master Mercurius’s success in solving an earlier case in Delft and wants his help. She is convinced that Jaco is innocent.

But someone has murdered the farmer named Wolf. He was found stabbed to death outside his home not long after he and Jaco had words.

Master Mercurius investigates. He soon finds that nobody liked Wolf, but who would murder him and why? Mercurius needs to work quickly if he is to save Jaco from the noose.

‘Have you found his killer, Mercurius?’

‘Not exactly.’

‘This is a university, Mercurius. We deal in precision. The plausible answers are yes and no.’

‘I’m a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology, Rector. “Not exactly” is common parlance there.’

Mercurius, despite distractions which sometimes take the form of attractive young women, as well as frequent red herrings to distract the reader, investigates. There are several potential suspects and Mercurius is conscious, as he meets and questions them, that time is passing. All the (admittedly circumstantial) evidence seems to point to Jaco. Can Mercurius be mistaken about Jaco’s innocence?

This is a terrific fourth instalment in the Master Mercurius series. I love his asides as he examines his own conscience and motivation and enjoy the way in which the story unfolds. Mercurius is a likeably human minister and a priest.

‘You see, when we hear stories that are nearly identical, our nature is to try to harmonise them. We concentrate on what unites them, and therefore we construct one narrative that leads to one conclusion.’

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 is a wonderful, soft hearted, open minded minister who takes it upon himself to sort out this perplexing mystery. We read of his inner turmoil with his lack of progress along with his unfulfilled marital status. I became totally engrossed within this period mystery that continues to build on the wonderful previous three books of the series. You cannot help but build a relationship up with Mercurius, and hope for many more additions.

The year is 1680 and Master Mercurius is part of the Theology faculty at the University of Leiden. He is a Protestant minister and is also secretly a Catholic priest. He has the reputation of being able to solve crimes, so a young woman comes to him for help when her husband Jaco is arrested and about to be hanged for a murder he didn’t commit. Mercurius agrees to look into the murder and find plenty of people who caould have had a motive to murder the upleasant Franciscus Wolf, but but becomes worried when Jaco Zwart seems to be the only one with the opportunity to commit the crime.

This is the fourth book in the Master Mercurius series. The last two books found Mercurius assisting Stadhouder William of Orange. In an author’s note, Brack says it was time for Mercurius to return to helping ordinary people like he did in the first book of the series. Although I enjoyed the history behind the last two books, I agree with Brack and really became engaged in this story and getting a look at everyday life during this time period in Holland. Mercurius is clever and intelligent, but somewhat naive and the sometimes awkward situations he finds himself in (like the mayor in the town he is investigating trying to fix him up with his beautiful young daughter) are uncomfortable for Mercurius but entertaining for the reader.

Like the other books in this series, The Noose’s Shadow is full of interesting, memorable characters. I love the Mercurius is able to deduce the solution to the murder. Although the book takes place in the 17th century, Mercurius is a witty and relatable character. When he is able to solve the crime, it says a lot about his character that his success in getting justice for the victim is bittersweet to him because of the circumstances of the murder and the fate awaiting the murderer. This book is my favorite in the series so far and I highly recommend it and the entire series.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Sapere Books. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

1690 Master Mercurius is approached by Sara Zwart of Oegstgeest Her husband, Jaco, has been arrested for the murder of their neighbour, Wolf and is due to be hanged. But she believes him to be innocent and wants his help to prove it. Mercurius investigates with the help of Boudewyn, the mayor's clerk.
Another enjoyable and well-written historical mystery with its likeable main character.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Graham Brack’s Master Mercurius historical mystery series has the unusual setting of seventeenth century Netherlands. Mercurius is an unusual man himself. A Protestant minister, as required for his post in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Leiden, he has also been secretly ordained as a Catholic priest and consequently must remain unwed (difficult to do when he is such an eligible bridegroom). Through his skill as an investigator he has come to the attention of William of Orange, serving as a member of the delegation to London to secure Princess Mary's hand in marriage. Now retired, he is continuing to write his memoirs with the aid of his clerk.

In this fourth episode, Mercurius is recounting an investigation he undertook after a personal appeal from a young woman. Her husband, Jaco Zwart has been accused of murdering their neighbour and will be hung within days if the real culprit is not found. Mercurius quickly discovers that the murdered man, Franciscus Wolf is disliked by everyone due to his drunkenness, laziness and the abuse of his wife that caused her death. Wolf has made himself unpopular by allowing his pig to wander where it will, plundering vegetable plots badly needed by his neighbours to feed their families. Unfortunately Jaco was observed having a heated argument with Wolf after returning the pig from once such incursion into his gardene. Shortly after Wolf was found dead by his son Joost, having bled to death from a stab wound to his heart, with Jaco the last to have been seen with him.

At first glance, Mercurius has his work cut out proving Jaco’s innocence and saving him from the noose. Everyone he talks to disliked Wolf and either saw and heard nothing or witnessed Jaco arguing with him. Fortunately Mercurius is a patient man and uses logic and common sense to niggle away at the puzzle until he eventually sees the only possible solution that can explain what happened.

This series will appeal to those who enjoy historical mysteries based on real historical facts and figures. There is a very good sense of time and place in the setting with evocative descriptions of village and town life in this era. Much of the travel is on foot or by canal boat between towns and the effect of the often inclement or freezing weather is strongly felt. Mercurius has a wicked sense of humour and his commentary on the abysmal cooking at his college, his trials with horse riding and the efforts of parents with marriageable daughters in attempting to snare him as a son in law, all add up to an enjoyable read with an intriguing plot.

The fourth installment in the Master Mercurius series, after his previous outing to England to arrange the marriage of Princess Mary to William Of Orange, we now find him back home in the University of Leiden and embroiled in a local mystery.

A farmer in a local town has been stabbed to death and his neighbour has been arrested for the murder and is due to hanged if found guilty. The accuseds wife is convinced he is innocent and visits Mercurius at the university pleading with him to help her husband.

Mercurius agrees and sets off to investigate and gather facts. As he talks to the neighbours and towns people he soon learns that the murdered farmer was a very unpopular person and many had reason to murder him but the question is, who did and can Mercurius find out before the accused faces the hang mans noose?

This is another great addition to this historical series set in 17th century Holland. Mercurius as ever is great fun to spend time with. A man of god with plenty of faults and a wicket dry sense of humour, he is one of a great cast of characters here in this local story.

The murderer I had copped fairly early on but that in no way diminishes the story or the enjoyment of it. The fun to be had here is the journey and the read. A world that is odd and familiar at the same time.

Highly recommended as is the whole series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sapere Books for an ARC.

The fourth book in the Master Mercurius series.

While I really enjoyed the first three books, this one didn’t do it for me. I had trouble connecting to this story, it didn;t grab me like the previous books. I struggle to finish the story.

I am not sure what it was about this book, I think I miss the tension and excitement that other books had.

Anyone that enjoys historical mysteries would be hard pressed to find a better series than Graham Brack’s Master Mercurius series. This is the fourth book and it is just as entertaining as its predecessors.
Mercurius is both Protestant minister and Catholic priest. He also has previously been tasked with helping solve various investigations for Stadhouder William of Orange. This time, he’s investigating a murder. No royalty involved this time, just plain old farm folk.
There is a lot of humor here. Mercurius has a wicked wit that he shares with the reader. Also, as a theologian, he occasionally engages in religious discourse, such as the belief in free will vs. predestination. I enjoy these little asides and feel they greatly add to the story and our understanding of Mercurius.
It was fairly obvious to me who the murderer was from early on, but that didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the book.
While part of a series, this can easily be read as a stand alone.
My thanks to netgalley and Sapere Books for an advance copy of this book.