Although not a specialist of the period of Elizabeth's reign, this books seems to me very successful in recreating the period, it's atmosphere and it's problems. While Elizabeth was trying to have England truly accept the new faith while sparing when possible the sensitivity of those nostalgic about the Pope, numerous plots where taking place to restore the old faith and as many counter-plots to try to thwart those efforts.

It is in this context that a excommunicated former monk from Italy gets involved as a spy for an earl who is very close to the queen.

While the plot doesn't throw you off your chair with surprising revelations and developments, it does move on it's way methodically while keeping a certain sense of suspense constantly hanging in the air. The characters are very believable involved as they are in both their religious motivations as well as more pragmatically personal ones that would lead to their immediate material profit. This is disclosed to us progressively as the characters slowly disclose their inner conflicts and complexity (or lack thereof.)

Stephanie Merritt (alias S.J. Parris) give us a very good read, interesting to the end.