The Locksmith's Daughter

By: Karen Brooks

Narrated by: Karen Brooks

What if the key to your heart lies in your enemy's hands?

In a world where no one can be trusted and secrets are currency, one woman stands without fear.

Mallory Bright is the only daughter of London's master locksmith. For her there is no lock too elaborate, no secret too well kept. Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster and protector of Queen Elizabeth - the last of the Tudor monarchs - and her realm, is quick to realise Mallory's talent and draws her into his world of intrigue, danger and deception. With her by his side, no scheme in England or abroad is safe from discovery, no plot secure.

But Mallory's loyalty wavers when she witnesses the execution of three Jesuit priests, a punishment that doesn't fit their crime. When Mallory discovers the identity of a Catholic spy and a conspiracy that threatens the kingdom, she has to make a choice - between her country and her heart.

Mallory, however, carries her own dark secrets and is about to learn those being kept from her - secrets that could destroy those she loves.

Once Sir Francis' greatest asset, Mallory is fast becoming his worst threat...and everyone knows there's only one way Sir Francis deals with those.

©2016 Karen Brooks (P)2017 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

A great listen

I absolutely love historical fiction. It is my favorite genre.
Earlier this year I listened to The Good Wife of Bath, by Karen Brooks. I love that book so much, I listened to it a 2nd time just recently. I wanted to give another of her books a listen.

I really enjoyed this book, and felt the narrator did a great job. I only have a couple of nit-picky critiques. I found the narrator a tad too dramatic in some scenes. Overall, her performance was wonderful.
As for the story, I found a couple of "love scenes" a bit too sappy. I know that seems picky, but I find

page turner

lots of surprises at every turn in this fabulous novel. great historical contexts. must read.

Narrator Melodramatic

I enjoyed this title at first. I found the narrator melodramatic and off-putting. I found myself laughing in serious parts and imitating the narrator's voice. I found the protagonist to be a ninny toward the second half of tale.

Keep reading

took me awhile to enjoy it as the main character is frustrating, but the 2nd half of the book was terrific.

Intriguing story angle

Ms. Brooks pulls the reader in from the onset drawing her character through the difficult passage of her return from the rubble of a seemingly reputation destroying life choice, setting her course into a vaguely disguised career path she could little know or imagine. The author is tops at researching her eras, characters known & issues of the day that makes history worth remembering if not repeating in our modern days. Bravo to you Ms. Brooks for another excellent story!