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Historical Siren Queen: An Ursula Blanchard Mystery at Queen Elizabeth I's Court   by Fiona Buckley $13 / Pocket Books/ 2005 As the latest installment of the Ursula Blanchard Mystery series, The Siren Queen is a plot-bending conspiracy against the backdrop of Tudor England. The year is 1569. After a long career of spying in the service of her half-sister Queen Elizabeth, Ursula Blanchard has at last retired to enjoy more domestic pursuits. But everything changes with a seemingly innocuous invitation from the Duke of Norfolk to come to London to meet his secretary, a potential suitor for Ursula’s daughter Meg. But nothing goes right during the visit. Half the house is stricken with food poisoning and even though Ursula quickly determines that the young man is unsuitable, 14-year-old Meg swears she is in love with him. Of course, that is all before the first body turns up. When the duke’s encoded letters, suspicious visitors, and secret bribes presage the death of a second person, Ursula reaches a chilling conclusion: the queen herself might be the next victim. Fans of the series will be pleased to know that familiar characters have returned from previous novels, and Buckley’s portrayal of Elizabeth I is not to be missed; ten years into her reign, the mercurial queen is dignified yet passionate. A dashing court messenger, a coarse old gardener, and an imperious servant round out the cast with subtle authenticity. The ambition of Mary, Queen of Scots, is also brought to the fore, as well as the desire of many Englishmen to overthrow their Protestant queen. What emerges is a union of well-wrought fiction and genuine historical interpretation. The rich detail occasionally seems excessive and slows the story’s pace—significant events are explained more than once, which can seem condescending in a genre whose primary readers like to gather facts and solve the mystery themselves—yet it also lends the tale a certain comfortable appeal, as readers are encouraged to simply relax and enjoy the ride. With an ever-twisting plot, memorable characters, and a wealth of historical detail, The Siren Queen will delight existing fans of Fiona Buckley and probably win a few new ones, as well. — Shantel M. Sellers

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