It's 1628 and Nicoclaes de Pelgrom, a young spy and assassin in the employ of George Villers, the Duke of Buckingham and is tasked to carry out a mission for Mariam Towerson whose husband was killed in the massacre of Amboyna. Mariam wants the men who led her husband to death to die and Nicoclaes is the man to do this. Nicoclaes infiltrates a ship posing as a Dutch sailor to carry out his plan but things a dark and sinister turn when the ship crashes.

This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting and was a lot darker than the usual historical fiction I read. However, I did enjoy the story, although I have to confess I did skim through the grim parts.
The book is told from the points of view of Nicholas, Jeronimus Cornelisz-the villain of the piece and Lucretia Jansz, the woman who gets caught between them.
I enjoyed reading the descriptions of London and life on the sea in 1628, and it isn’t a time that is often explored in fiction. George Villers, the Duke Of Buckingham ( a real-life figure) is an intriguing personality and you can understand Nicholas being in thrall to him. The incidents in the book like Amboyna and Viller’s influence on royalty are based on fact and make an interesting backdrop to the story.
Nicholas is a sympathetic character and a good counterpoint to Cornelisz who I found deeply disturbing. Lucretia is a victim but this is a realistic portrayal given how vulnerable women were in this period.
The author does not shy away from depicting the brutality of life on the sea particularly for ordinary serving men as well as the life in 17th century London. The descriptions are vivid and bring the story to life in a way that makes the violence more visceral.
As usual, I found myself wanting to read more about the secondary characters particularly Zwaantie, a young woman who knows how to survive.
Content warning
Death of children- off-page, physical torture, sexual assault-off page, descriptions of physical dismemberment.
Perfect for fans
Who likes a bit more darkness and psychological thriller twist to their historical fiction
Summary
I enjoyed reading this very different historical fiction despite the fact I found it a little too dark than I usually like.

I first learned about David Mark's crime thrillers this year (2021) and he has become a favorite writer. This is his 8th novel I have read this year, and I have admired how his stand-alones have been so different in their themes and content. I regard him as a master of crime writing for his outstanding fluency, vocabulary, and stunning plotting. His books contain vivid descriptions that immerse the reader in the time and place.

I must warn readers that Anatomy of a Heretic contains some very disturbing content. It is a very dark story that contains much that is ghastly, gruesome, and grotesque. The descriptions are powerful, while gut-wrenching and stomach-churning The prospective reader has been warned before embarking on this exciting, exhilarating adventure that there is much violence, dread, and gore on the voyage.

The time is 1628 in London. We are quickly immersed in its squalor, filth, and overpowering stench. The setting moves to a ship bound for Java, part of the Dutch East Indies. Rats, insects, poor food, illness, and disorderly conduct abound. The conditions aboard the ship make London seem like a paradise in retrospect.

Nicolaes de Pelgrom is the devoted ward and servant of a nobleman. From humble beginnings, he was educated by his master and became a spy and soldier for the crown. He is now tasked with a perilous journey under an assumed name to act as an assassin for that nobleman. He is to go to the East Indies and kill the men who harmed the husband of a beautiful, wealthy woman. She is on the ship hoping to reunite with her husband and see that his tormentors die. She is shocked at the flirtatious and promiscuous behaviour of the woman hired to accompany her as her maidservant.

Also on board, is a small, disfigured man, Jeronimus Cornelisz, a former apothecary from Holland who has dangerous, cultish beliefs. He feels he is destined to become a wealthy man with followers persuaded by his vicious religion. He has been hired by the immoral ships' captain as his assistant. The ship is carrying a fortune to Java, and Jeronimus is determined to seize that treasure. Although repulsive in appearance, he is servile, smarmy, and flattering, managing to influence others.

There is much intrigue, brutality, and misery onboard. The commander of the ship and its captain despise each other. No one is safe from the unchecked violence onboard. The ship runs aground on a barren, parched, deserted shore in the East Indies. Nicolaes finds himself in the company of a friend and some of the survivors. Their environment is inhospitable and survival will be difficult with little food, water, or shelter.

Another group is under the authority of Jeronimus who fancies himself captain-general and a Messiah. His devoted group has plundered the ship for treasure, weapons, fine garments. He orders the most murderous of his followers to put most of the survivors to death, including women and children. There will be more food, drink, and treasure for himself and the few of his ravaging protectors.

When the two groups come together, it is unlikely that Nicolaes and his comrades can survive an attack by Jeronimus with his heavily armed men.
Nicolaes is beginning to discover he was played as a pawn on his assignment, but by whom?
I wish to thank NetGalley and Aries for this riveting historical fiction in return for an honest review. 4.5 stars

Wow. Fantastic! Wild, gritty, violent , historically accurate historical fiction. And no the same old tropes set in the same old time periods. This is something unique and wild and hard to describe. It Mark can really wrote, and most important, he tells a great story. This novel, set in the 1600
‘S in England , Amsterdam and on board ships bound for Java and other eastern islands os a tale of two assassins, a demonic apothecary , who becomes a cult,leader and much more. You gotta read it but be prepared,for gruesome violence, depravity and sex. But it works. Highest recommendation!