This is a novel of the gunpowder plot, based on the historical events and the real plotters, but centred around the rivalry between the fictional Christian Hardy, an agent of Sir Robert Cecil, King James I's Secretary of State; and the Spanish agent "Realm", a callous and utterly amoral cold hearted individual who supports the plot, but makes good his escape at the end. It is very well written, evoking the atmosphere of the times, especially the poisonous religious rivalry and the horrific violence. The dialogue is rich, but reads quite theatrically (Shakespeare and Ben Jonson appear as minor characters, by the way). The grim nature of the themes and their stark depiction to some extent limited my enjoyment of the book, but it is a worthy historical novel, and I have downloaded an earlier novel that tells of the rivalry between Hardy and Realm at an earlier stage in their careers. ( )