The Poison Machine (A Hunt and Hooke Novel): 2

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The skiffs moved on, slowly, quietly, their trails scratching white on the water. The Tower’s silhouette expanded ominously as they reached almost to its foot. I loved the Bloodless Boy (the first in the series) so I was really excited to be invited to read the second book. As with the first book in the series, The Poison Machine effortlessly blends together fact and fiction, combining real events and real people with fictionalised and imagined scenarios, with Lloyd using his knowledge of Robert Hooke’s diary, the paper of the Royal Society, and his knowledge of the period (gained whilst studying for an MA in the History of Ideas) to create a detailed, complex, and evolving world that draws the reader in to the period and its many tensions. Those with knowledge of the period will be delighted by cameos from some illustrious figures, including Sir Issac Newton and Denis Papin, as well as references to the key scientific and philosophical debates of the period. Frustrated in his wish to be appointed Curator and embarrassed in front of his fellow natural philosophers, Harry Hunt decides to leave the Royal Society and his mentor Robert Hooke behind, and accept the invitation of Sir Jonas Moore to join the Board of Ordinance. His first task, to investigate a murder… The author has again shown his skill at blending fact with fiction, particularly in relation to the experiences of Jeffrey Hudson. It is documented that he grew in height during the time he was enslaved despite being an adult when he was captured, so I enjoyed the author’s idea that he was replaced by a taller impostor.

As with The Bloodless Boy, The Poison Machine plot is steeped in meticulously researched historical detail, and blended with imagined events seamlessly to create an authentic and, I felt, occasionally quite a disturbing read. So much of the religious prejudice, the political machinations and the corruption of Harry Hunt and Robert Hooke’s era is all too pertinent to today’s world, making the exciting narrative feel uncomfortably and unnervingly modern as well as historically satisfying. This is a book that entertains but also makes the reader contemplate the world around them. London, 1679-A year has passed since the attempt to murder King Charles II, but London is still a viper's nest of rumored Catholic conspiracies, and of plots against them in turn. When Harry Hunt-estranged from his mentor Robert Hooke-is summoned to the remote and windswept marshes of Norfolk, he is at first relieved to get away from the place.He moved into the light and removed his hat, revealing a strange face tapering from a large forehead with a single eyebrow across it to a small mouth and sharp chin. Everything new is old again — rumor-mongering, disinformation campaigns, religious bigotry — in Robert J. Lloyd’s nifty murder mystery loosely based on real events in Restoration England.” —The Washington Post But in Norfolk, he finds that some Royal workers shoring up a riverbank have made a grim discovery—the skeleton of a dwarf. Harry is able to confirm that the skeleton is that of Captain Jeffrey Hudson, a prominent member of the court once famously given to the Queen in a pie. Except no one knew Hudson was dead, because another man had been impersonating him.

In a thrilling sequel to The Bloodless Boy —a New York Times Best New Historical Novel of 2021 —featuring real historic characters such as Christopher Wren and Issac Newton, early scientists Harry Hunt and Robert Hook of the Royal Society stumble on a plot to kill the Queen of England . . . However, there is a problem as someone else has been calling himself “Jeffrey Hudson” for a number of years. This man is presumed to be a French spy, who has now returned to France. The Poison Machine” is the second book of author Robert J Lloyd, and the second installment in his Hunt & Hooke series. As with the first book, this is wonderfully written, with historical detail painting a vivid picture of London and Paris in 1679. Harry Hunt must go to Paris in search of a spy and imposter who has knowledge of a plot to kill the Queen of England in this thrilling and addictive sequel to The Bloodless Boy.Four and a half stars. Highly recommended for fans of cerebral mysteries in the style of The Name of the Rose and Father Cadfael. It's not derivative, but there's something about the descriptive prose and very clever construction which reminds me of both of them. The Poison Machine is a nail-biting and brilliantly imagined historical thriller that will delight readers of its critically acclaimed predecessor, The Bloodless Boy. My Review of The Poison Machine Recognising he was not to live, the watchman lifted his eyes to Boilot’s. He clasped his hands together. ‘. . . Maintain . . . defend . . . true reformed Protestant religion . . .’ he croaked. He could taste blood in his mouth. He tried to rise, but could not. Boilot helped him, turning him to sit against the wherry so he could look over the river, at the lights of Southwark.

A shame, because the basic story of the body found, the doppelganger missing and the quest for answers is good. The diamond in the cannonball is also good. Even the escape from the Bastille was pretty clever since it feeds into Harry's natural philosopher strengths. The return of a clever cipher, the French commissionaire that is a frenemy were all good themes. But the story could have used new characters for villains, without recycling and/or tainting the old and it would have been much stronger for it. Hmmm...this is a tough one. My enjoyment was a bit marred by the narrator of the Audible version of this book. I listened half the time and read the physical book the other half of the time. The Poison Machine” is the second in the ‘Hunt and Hooke’ series, set in 17th century ‘Restoration London’, during a scientific revolution. This historical crime thriller is an intelligent, extremely well researched and meticulously written novel. The author Robert J Loyd deserves high praise indeed for incorporating genuine real life scientists and academics into a fictional story, which is both worded and portrayed as befits the political late 17th century, even down to the indignation of the catholic families and their vandalised shops.

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I had my doubts about The Poison Machine in the beginning. It took almost half to book for the plot to build up enough that I reached the just-one-more-chapter state of engagement. But said point was reached, and I found myself racing through the book's second half. If you enjoy historical mysteries enough to put up with an initial slow burn, you'll have no trouble enjoying this title. The book has different story paths and we go along with Harry on his as well as getting insight into the shady bad guys and their dastardly plans, murder/robbery and darker still. King, Queen and all manners of important people are throughout the book as well as a stint in one of the jails, ooft I really felt for the person at that point. The author really paints a vivid picture of the horrific conditions and depending on your imagination, quite boak worthy. The physicist’s urgent work this time (“the body will not keepe”) takes him far from the Thames shores he clung to in The Bloodless Boy. France is a major setting in the book and a final lengthy and very exciting scene takes us to the Queen’s Catholic Consult, where restrictions against the much-loathed group will be discussed. Lloyd again succeeds in creating an immersive look at the various layers of life his hero encounters, one that draws enough on real events to treat readers to intriguing history, but that also adds just the right fictional elements to keep the plot rich. Another winner. —Henrietta Verma Their search will soon lead them to a Paris beset by conspiracy and intrigue. And, in the salons and libraries of the great and the good, Hunt will soon be chasing a terrible plot being planned against the Queen of England herself.

London, 1679 — A year has passed since the sensational attempt to murder King Charles II, but London is still a viper’s nest of rumoured Catholic conspiracies, and of plots against them in turn. When Harry Hunt — estranged from his mentor Robert Hooke — is summoned to the remote and windswept marshes of Norfolk, he is at first relieved to get away from the place. After witnessing Hudson’s body and confirming his ide Harry is a very human character, he gets embarrassed, he knee jerk reacts but he is basically a decent guy and dedicated to his task(s) but he really makes some questionable decisions. The hunt for the impersonator takes Harry to Paris, full of conspiracies, intrigues, plots to kill the Queen and catholic members of the court. The ending is very exciting, the plot keeps getting more complex & twisty, & there is plenty of suspense throughout!I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of this historical thriller series The Bloodless Boy, which introduced us to the unlikely crime busting pairing of Royal Society members Robert Hooke and his assistant Harry Hunt. Their first adventure was a twisty mystery around the body of a young boy, drained of his blood, that led to the discovery of a plot to kill Charles II. At school I wanted to be an artist, thinking I was going to be the next great English painter. I did a BA degree in Fine Art, in Coventry, but moved more into art theory, ideas, and writing. I loved following Harry Hunt through real life events reimagined, with time compressed in some places, I also love the strong female characters of Grace and the Duchesse de Mazarin and I hope they feature in future novels. The protagonist, Harry Hunt, ex-apprentice to Robert Hook of the Royal Society, is charged with solving the murder of the Queen’s dwarf. But as word spreads that he is solving this crime he is approached by a Countess to find a missing/stolen diamond and to find a man now impersonating the Queen’s murdered dwarf in France. In doing so, Harry discovers an elaborate plot to kill the Queen of England and this becomes the book’s central plot line.