Untrue till Death: Murder in 17th Century Europe

“This was getting murkier by the moment, and all my instincts were telling me that this was the moment to ask for a passport so I could go to Sweden to study some important theological papers, if I could think of any that were convincing enough. Or, if not Sweden, then maybe Poland. Scotland, if there were absolutely no alternatives.” Untrue Till Death is the second book in the Master Mercurius Mysteries series by British author, Graham Brack. Now an aged cleric, Master Mercurius dictates to his clerk a second episode that occurred during his days as a young lecturer in moral philosophy and ethics at the University of Leiden. It’s a very candid account: Mercurius freely admits to his weaknesses and deficits, his poor judgement of character. His tranquil existence is disturbed when the Rector assigns him a seemingly mundane task, which he is then told to present to the Stadhouder, William III of Orange, in The Hague. While reluctant, Mercurius can hardly refuse: the Rector is his superior, and clearly a very clever man who just might be aware of the potentially damaging secret Mercurius holds. When he meets the Stadhouder, Mercurius understands this was merely a pretext, and that his unwanted reputation for solving problems, attributed to a success three years earlier in Delft, has drawn William’s unsolicited attention. William is acutely aware of the murmurs of conspiracy and sends an unenthusiastic Mercurius to check on a loyal supporter at the University of Utrecht. Always endeavouring to remain apolitical at a time when “avoiding alignment with either side seemed prudent”, Mercurius is dismayed to have to act for William on a “diplomatic mission to which I was supremely ill-suited.” The events that follow see Mercurius, as well as investigating two murders, so smitten with a beautiful young woman he considers breaking vows, buying a weapon he concedes he is very unlikely to use, travelling in the unwelcome company of a lutenist, developing an aversion for apples, narrowly avoiding being stabbed, unravelling convoluted connections and loyalties, conversing with a master torturer, and taking a lot of barge journeys. Brack’s protagonist is a very likeable fellow: the polar opposite of a stuffy clergyman, a good man, self-deprecating and with a dry sense of humour, who tries hard to resist temptation and whose priorities regarding food and refreshment, Brack fans will agree, align with those of Josef Slonský, despite his lesser means and opportunity. Brack gives Mercurius a cheeky comment on the pronunciation of languages: “I find English names very difficult to say sometimes. Why they can’t have honest Dutch names like Terhoeven, Van Leeuwenhoek or Gijsbert Voet I have no idea. Anyone can pronounce those” The astute reader who deduces, early on, the result of his lightbulb moment will, nonetheless, be eager follow Mercurius as he discovers the how and why of the guilty parties. The plot has enough twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing, and the era is evoked with ease. Brack seamlessly incorporates a wealth of interesting historical facts into the narrative, as well as a generous helping of (sometimes dark) humour. This is brilliantly entertaining historical crime fiction and fans will be pleased to know that the third instalment, Dishonour and Obey, follows soon.