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Shakespeare’s Revenge

John O’Shea
iUniverse (2010)
ISBN 978145023982
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (01/11)

Any student of Shakespearean literature is aware of the mystery behind its authorship.  There are many arguments, some more compelling than others, as to who actually penned the many plays and sonnets attributed to William Shakespeare. In this novel, John O’Shea presents much documented fodder for thought as he weaves a mystery surrounding the mysterious death of Kargil, Maine’s groundskeeper Frank Deavor.  As he has no apparent family, the worth of his estate must be established and disposed of. Tanner Cook, injured and recovering bike racer is earning money as an estate assessor and is hired to discover if any connections to heirs exist, and if not, prepare the home for public auction.

As he searches through the home, he stumbles up stacks of books and many editions of Shakespeare’s play that are annotated and covered with geometric shapes and mathematical equations.  As Tanner delves further into the collection, he becomes intrigued by these questionable red marks.  He seems to uncovering clues leading to a possible discovery of early manuscripts attributed to Shakespeare.  As he becomes more and more involved, he finds himself immersed in not only an historic mystery, but a present day threatening intrigue.  As he is chased and attacked, he can no longer feel safe trusting anyone.  Instead of retreating, he becomes even more intent on solving the mystery behind the deceased man and his books.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was quite anxious to see how Tanner could reach some plausible conclusion without totally rewriting history.  As a character, I found him a bit too knowledgeable of English literature and a bit too “superhuman” in strength and endurance.  He has the makings of a modern day Indiana Jones!  In spite of my misgivings, I found the book to be a fast-paced murder mystery and a fascinating, historical well-researched path back to the Elizabethan Era, raising it a step beyond just a good beach read.

 

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