The Nine Giants

by Edward Marston

Book Overview

"Marston's wit and vivid evocation of Elizabethan London's sights and smells provide a delightfully ribald backdrop for this clever series."--"Publishers Weekly."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312064268
• ISBN13: 9780312064266
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Fourth Book in a Terrific Series

Edward Marston is the pseudonym of Keith Miles, a fairly prolific and extremely good writer of mainly Elizabethan and medieval mysteries. He has also written mysteries under his own name with both sporting and golf backgrounds. However it is primarily the books that take place earlier in history that I am interested in. He read modern history at Oxford and has had many jobs, including university lecturer, but fortunately for all his readers, he turned to the writing profession. The star actor of group of players called Lord Westfield's men, Laurence Firethorn is more than eager to seduce a lady. Unfortunately the lady in question is the wife of the Lord Mayor elect. A clandestine meeting between the two is arranged at London's Nine Giants inn. In the meantime the landlord of the actors' home base is troubled by a plot to take over the ownership of the inn. A young actor is subjected to a horrible assault and a waterman pulls a mangled corpse from the river Thames. The drama comes to head at the annual show, organised by the incoming Lord Mayor, as his barge moves slowly down the Thames. Edward Marston bring to life the sights and sound of Elizabethan London so effectively that the reader almost feels transported back to the narrow stinking streets of old London town.

With constant action and entertaining insights

... Originally published in 1991, The Nine Giants is the fourth in a series published by Poisoned Pen Press of The Queen's Head, The Merry Devils, and The Trip To Jerusalem. Set in London during the period of romance and swashbuckling, The Nine Giants is a story of love, murder, the stage, and politics all rolled into one. Westfield's Menis a theater group sparked by the genius of the handsome and naughty Laurence Firethorn, whotranslates his enthusiastic performances to trysts with select female admirers, whether marriedor no. It is up to his book keeper, Nicholas Bracewell, to keep everything afloat. But whena body washes up on the Thames, and Nick's girlfriend Ann Hendrik's house and life is threatened, that Nick actually swings into high gear.. Not only does Nicholas minister to the needs of fickle actors around him, he also discoversthe rather elaborate plot hatched by a greedy politician, involving murder, intrigue, and conspiracy. The Nine Giants is a witty and ribald frolic, with the intensity of murderous greed at its core. Marston's characters are hilarious, the action is non-stop, and his use of language is pure bliss to the reader's inner eye. Elizabethan London resembles the political intrigues of today's world. This is a delightful read, with constant action and entertaining insights.Shelley GlodowskiReviewer