A new novel from British author Andrew Taylor always makes me happy. Not only has he written some of the best mysteries and thrillers of the past few decades, his output has included the James Marwood and Cat Hakesby novels, which comprise one of my favorite historical mystery series. THE ROYAL SECRET is the latest entry, and it does not fail to deliver on the high standards set by its predecessors.

Marwood is an investigator of sorts, and Cat is a female architect, which is a rarity in London in the year 1670. They are operating separately from each other in a complex plot that inevitably will find them once again on the same mission before the story comes to a satisfying end. However, THE ROYAL SECRET begins with two girls who are up to some seriously bad shenanigans.

"THE ROYAL SECRET is full of plot twists, red herrings, and a terrific group of characters who are worthy of the 'Main Characters' listing at the top of the story to help keep everyone straight."

Twelve-year-old Maria and her young housemaid, Hannah, have one big thing in common --- they both abhor Mr. Abbott, Maria’s stepfather and Hannah’s boss. Rather than just misbehave, they up the ante to full-scale witchery in a plot to rid them of their problem. Maria was innocent enough before she met Hannah, who is a truly twisted young woman.  She leads Maria down an evil path, and they pick the ideal opportunity to use a cursed doll, placed in Abbott’s mattress, to drain his life away. Abbott was a colleague of James Marwood, who is eager to investigate his friend’s untimely death.

What Marwood does not realize is that there is a Dutch connection to all this business. Anna, Abbott’s widow, is of Dutch heritage and runs to the home of her former father-in-law, a wealthy and eccentric Dutchman. Mr. Fanshawe’s reputation precedes him, and Marwood is aware of the influence he has --- as well as the wealthy extravagances he enjoys, like living with a lion. At one point in the novel, Marwood and Cat find themselves working for the same individual. Lord Arlington supports Marwood’s case looking into the Dutch contingency, which includes Henryk Van Riebeeck, a shady character who proposes marriage at one point to a horrified Cat.

It just so happens that Marwood blames Van Riebeeck for the murder of one of his loyal servants, and he will stop at nothing to expose him and Fanshawe, who he believes is protecting him from the law. When a body is discovered in the lion stable, it is evident that some nefarious activity is going on, but these are mere distractions to the book’s larger plot. Cat is commissioned by King Charles II himself to travel to France on what appears to be an architectural job, and once again her paths will cross with Marwood, who is there chasing Van Riebeeck.

THE ROYAL SECRET is full of plot twists, red herrings, and a terrific group of characters who are worthy of the “Main Characters” listing at the top of the story to help keep everyone straight. It is another classic historical mystery, and I hope Taylor is hard at work on the next entry in this outstanding series.