Set in London and Brussels, this novel features as the main character John Grey who is actually a lawyer who works in Lincoln's Inn Fields but has also done some spying work in the past. Much is made of mistaken identity and John Grey has many names - he is mistakenly identified by two Royalists, Ripley and Broderick, as John Clifford, but as a spy he is also known as Mr Cardinal and Mr Plautus. The story happens in the years 1657- 8 and ends with the death of Oliver Cromwell and the return of Charles II to England to reclaim the throne.
John Grey receives a written message delivered to his lodgings inviting him to meet with a 'Mr SK' at a designated place. It soon becomes apparent that John Grey is not the intended recipient of the note but he attends the meeting anyway after deciphering that 'Mr SK' is a reference to the Sealed Knot, a Royalist organisation.
The title of the novel is a name given to one of the characters and the themes of the story include lies and deceit, a web of which threatens to engulf one who is attempting to spin it. The story is told with a sly and ironic humour and the narrator (Grey) never seems to take himself too seriously even when his life seems to be in danger. The author uses Grey for his naratorial perspective except for a scene at the end of the book where it shifts to that of the future king, Charles Stuart. The first novel in the John Grey historical series is "A cruel necessity" and the next is "Pestilence", which is to be a story about the Black Death, and I look forward to reading them both.
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