The Pale Companion: A Shakespearean Murder Mystery [Paperback]

With the occasional assistance of Justice of the Peace Adam Fielding, Nick tries to get to the bottom of the death of a strange wild man found hung, an apparent suicide. The dead man had hinted at a secret when he'd met Nick--and Nick fears that the secret may be buried with him. What he doesn't expect is that the wild man's death will be the first of several--and that he will be thrust in the midst of a mystery that may prove fatal to himself.

Author Philip Gooden writes convincingly of the stage during Shakespeare's day as English theater is still emerging from its earlier, more primative roots. Nick is convincing as a young man, filled with hormones, proud of what he has accomplished as an actor, and yet unwilling to accept the death of even a crazed man without questioning it. The mystery itself is enjoyable with plenty of twists and turns, false trails, and hidden motives. Gooden leaves a few red herrings unexposed and complicates matters a bit at the end, but delivers a fine story.

The Chamberlain's Men have been asked to journey to the country in order to perform at the wedding nuptials of the heir to Instede House. They are to perform William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." And for Nick Revill, one of the younger actors in the company, this performance also heralds his ascent through the ranks to playing more significant roles. Only a portion of the Chamberlain's Men are to make this journey across the Wiltshire Downs, and some of the parts are to augmented by members of the house party itself (indeed the part of Demetrius is to be played by the groom's brother). As such, Nick has been promoted from playing much smaller and more insignificant parts to that of Lysander, one of the star-crossed lovers, in this production. However, Nick's excitement over his new role (and over the prospect of a new love) soon suffers a set back. In spite of the fact that there is an air of festivity at Instede House, there also seems to be a sense that there is something menacing and evil lurking under everything. Could the unhappy truth that Lord Elcombe's elder son has no desire to marry his chosen bride be colouring the atmosphere at Instede House? Or the fact that both Lord Elcombe and his steward, Oswald Eden, seem to be rather unpleasant individuals? Or could Nick's feelings of unease stem from the enigmatic utterances of the wild man (who lives in the woods adjoining Instede House), who claims that Instede House has its fair share of dark and dangerous secrets? Whatever the case, the grim atmosphere is definitely getting to Nick! And then the wild man is found hanged in the woods. Everyone assumes suicide. But Nick discovers evidence that points to the contrary. With the help of the local magistrate, Nick sets out to discover why the wild man was murdered, and exactly what dark secrets Instede House holds...

"The Pale Companion" is a deeply atmospheric book. Not in the sense that it is a gothicky read, but rather that there is a dreamlike quality that quite colours the mood of the book. Everything that happens, everything Nick sees and observes, has that otherworldly quality, so that (along with Nick) one is sometimes unsure as to whether or not what we see our detecting hero observing is fact or fiction. This sets the tone, and makes reading "The Pale Companion" very compelling. It can be argued, however, that mystery-wise, this novel is not quite that exciting a read. The plot is not a deeply complex one that is full of cunning twists and turns, nor is it full of read herring suspects for the reader to ponder over. Indeed, Philip Gooden takes quite a while to set the stage, and the first murder doesn't even take place till halfway through the book. But, if you're looking for a book with an interesting storyline, good historical detail, complete with compelling characters, and a narrative that will keep you amused and glued to the pages, than you can't go very wrong with "The Pale Companion." All in all, this latest Nick Revill adventure makes for some truly brilliant reading.