Mouse Heart - Fleur Hitchcock

 

Mouse has been part of the Moth theatre group for as long as she can remember with the troupe her 'family'.  Then, one day, her friend Walter, the company's leading man, arrives back at the theatre in a state, saying that he needs to be hidden as he had tried to help a woman in the street who was already dead and now the authorities want to arrest him for murder - it turns out that the lady in question was Lady Margaret Grey, confidante to the queen.  Mouse knows that he is innocent and is determined to prove it, but with a murderer on the loose, can she get to the bottom of things before it's too late?

A historic novel bursting with period atmosphere,  Mouse Heart is an exciting murder mystery that will have you gripped from the very beginning.  Set during the reign of Queen Anne II (a fictional queen), the description allows you to perfectly imagine the filthy streets and the busy docks as Mouse experienced them,

Mouse is the most fantastic main character and one readers won't help but route for.  The theatre has been her family since she was abandoned and, although she is still young, she is incredibly brave and loyal to the other members of the group.  She fears for Walter and will do anything to get him out of prison.  It is this that starts her on her detective quest and the mistakes the killer has made soon begin to reveal themselves to her.  She is feisty and seemingly afraid of nothing as she follows the trail that could lead to Walter's release but this, in itself, could put her in danger and there were times that I worried about her safety and the situations she was putting herself in.  She leaves the theatre every night to bring food to Walter, assisted by Kwadwo who cannot leave the building for fear of being found by those who had previously kept him as their servant.  He is calm and gentle influence on all of those around him, particularly Mouse.  However, it is Valentina who took Mouse under her wing; she is the life and soul of the company and is charismatic and bold in everything she does.  

This is a thrilling book that weaves different elements of history into an exciting and tense book that you won't be able to put down.  Set at a time when law enforcement wasn't what it is today, Mouse Heart is a swashbuckling adventure with skulduggery and love at its heart.

Mouse Heart is due for release on the 4th August.