The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett Book Review.
“He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining the cocoon of books shielding him from all danger, inhaling deeply the familiar scent of cloth and leather and dust and words.”
Antiquarian Bookseller, Peter Byerly, is reeling from the death of his wife. Moving to the English countryside he is daunted by the idea of beginning his life over again. In an old book he finds a Victorian watercolor portrait of a woman who looks like his late wife and it starts him on a journey. In seeking the truth behind the watercolor, Peter stumbles upon what may be one of the greatest literary finds.
This story follows three different timelines and I found the 16th/17th century timeline a bit difficult to follow. Whenever returning to that timeline I often had to flip back to try to correctly remember the characters and unfolding of events. It’s an intricate story and can get a tad difficult to follow closely. I would have really struggled reading this on an ebook or audio.
Putting in the effort paid off though because I really liked the mystery in this book; that was where the author really succeeded here. I found the dialogue and some of the plot points a little weak, but I still enjoyed the book overall. I recommend this for fans of historical fiction and books about books, especially Shakespeare. It reminded me a bit of a Dan Brown book, but less dark and controversial! This is a great fall read best paired with a cup of tea and a warm fire!
Rating: 4 stars
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 9780143125389
Get it at: Amazon or Book Depository
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From the publisher:
Nine months after the death of his beloved wife Amanda left him shattered, Peter Byerly, a young antiquarian bookseller, relocates from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to outrun his grief and rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth-century study of Shakespeare forgeries, he discovers a Victorian watercolor of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Amanda.
Peter becomes obsessed with learning the picture’s origins and braves a host of dangers to follow a trail of clues back across the centuries—all the way to Shakespeare’s time and a priceless literary artifact that could prove, once and for all, the truth about the Bard’s real identity.
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett Book Review.
