Book Review | The Shakespeare Secret – J L Carrell

The Shakespeare Secret

by J L Carrell

My Book Review Rating:

Synopsis

A modern serial killer – hunting an ancient secret. A woman is left to die as the rebuilt Globe theatre burns. Another woman is drowned like Ophelia, skirts swirling in the water. A professor has his throat slashed open on the steps of Washington’s Capitol building. A deadly serial killer is on the loose, modelling his murders on Shakespeare’s plays. But why is he killing? And how can he be stopped? A gripping, shocking page turner, The Shakespeare Secret masterfully combines modern murder and startling true revelations from the life of Shakespeare. It has been acclaimed as one of the most compulsively readable thrillers of recent years.

Review

I’m one of those people who judges a book by its cover – which is how I came to pick this book up – although I almost put it straight back down when I saw the mention of the Da Vinci Code on the front! I enjoyed that book but don’t want to waste time reading carbon copies. But this is about Shakespeare rather than Templar nights and the Holy Grail, so I thought I’d give it a go.

I was actually pleasantly surprised – yeah it bears a similarity to the Dan Brown tale – a search for buried treasure where the heroine gets crossed and double crossed along the way – only this time the conspiracy theories are based around the infamous Bard.

We join Kate Sinclair as she finds herself thrown into a treasure hunt – for a lost manuscript and Shakespeare’s real identity – while a twisted killer leaves a trail of bodies whose deaths reflect those of victims from Shakespeare’s plays.

I have to admit that I struggled at times with the academic references to events that occurred in the 1600s but Carrell does a good job of keeping the story moving at a good pace and keeping you guessing as to the real intentions of the characters that Kate encounters during her quest.

I’ve spent an enjoyable Sunday getting caught up in the adventure and would recommend the book – if you liked the Da Vinci Code but have had enough of the Knights Templar then this may well be right up your street! And if you’re not sure about reading it – I can see it hitting the silver screen at some point in the future.

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Write a novel, please, not a literature lesson   Review Date: March 11, 2010 Reviewer: S. E. Webster, Melbourne, Australia Yes, as others note, this is Dan Brown light -- his rapid, episodic scene changes, and vast array of historical and (here) literary facts. And, here, minimal development of character, minimal plausibility, and childish continuity and dialogue. For a good example of a fast-paced mystery novel that moves relentlessly on to a twisted denoument, try Robert Goddard, the real master. Carrell's book has a sticker that says "LOVE THIS BOOK OR YOUR MONEY BACK - PUBLISHER'S PROMISE. I'd definitely be asking for my money back if I hadn't bought it second hand already. My first book review ever, but this is just too much. For everyone who likes mysteries and Shakespeare   Review Date: January 31, 2010 Reviewer: Martin Hassman, Prague, Czech Republic It's the classic treasure hunter plot. I like this book because it's based on a lot of facts about Shakespeare. It's not like Dan Brown, where you never know where the facts end and lies start. Jennifer Lee Carrel knows a lot about Shakespeare and her story is trustworthy, which I value a lot even though Carrel is not such a good writer as Dan Brown. I still don't understand, why there is another Carrel's book named "Interred with their bones" which looks as the same book just with different name. The Shakespeare Secret   Review Date: June 17, 2009 Reviewer: Rachel Parkman, I thought this was a very good book and I enjoyed it when I read under the title Interred With Their Bones. I hate publisher's who do this to us. And nowhere do they say published also under the name ___________! A good first novel   Review Date: May 15, 2009 Reviewer: Belle du Jour, Sydney, Australia By and large, I enjoyed "The Shakespeare Secret" very much and thought it was a good first novel. However, it is a cookie cutter knock-off of "The Da Vinci Code", down to the academic chasing after something worth a fortune, the attractive, mysterious accomplice and the older, aristocratic English confidante/helper who turns out to be not what he seems. The plot concerns the frenetic race to find a previously unpublished Shakespeare play hidden somewhere in the American west. The narrative races along at a brisk pace with numerous twists and turns. It is just unfortunate that the novel follows the construct of "The Da Vinci Code" so closely - I was left with a distinct feeling of deja vu after reading it. Ms Carell is a talented writer, however, and I would certainly read more of her novels. Some good moments, but...   Review Date: February 6, 2009 Reviewer: Book Den, The Shakespeare Secret is an easy read, and I had fun with it, but somehow the "secret" wasn't quite worth the build up. I love Shakespeare and followed the early chapters with interest, but couldn't quite buy the climax as it all came together. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I read it and as I said, I had fun with the book but the early build up deserved a more believable and well-thought out ending.
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