Book Club: The Locksmith’s Daughter

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Author: Karen Brooks
ISBN: 9781489210548
RRP: $32.99

The Locksmith’s Daughter is an historical tale set in the 1580s that deftly weaves fact and fiction into a captivating tale. My history is, let’s be honest here, pretty appalling. School was a while ago but that’s no excuse, I think my history was always pretty average. There are times that I will get intrigued by an historic event but it’s generally pretty shortlived.

It isn’t often that I read historical novels but when I do it’s fantastic to stick around for Author’s Notes to find out a little bit more, especially about the relationship between fact and fiction.

The Locksmith’s Daughter features real historical figures and actual historic events alongside an entire story imagined by the talented Brooks.

It took me a little while to really get immersed in the story but I think that has a lot more to do with the crazy weeks I’ve been having than the story. Historical stories, I find, are generally not as light and easy to read as contemporary novels and that may simply be because of the language and the completely different world the characters inhabit.

One of my issues with the book in the early chapters was the depth of description, I found it a little overwhelming and it seemed excessive. I soon realised that level of description served a purpose and once I understood the reason it ceased to overwhelm.

Mallory Bright is the daughter of a talented London locksmith who is trying to re-establish her reputation, a feat thought too difficult by some because of her unladylike behaviours. Instead of spending her time perfecting the role of dutiful daughter and future dutiful wife she’s been in the workshop learning the tricks of the trade. She is a formidable lockpick with skills that Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster and protector of the realm, recognises as being a valuable asset to his network.

The Locksmith’s Daughter tells the tale of a turbulent time in England’s history. The accepted religion of the realm had recently seen changes which lead to great upheaval between Catholics and Protestants, a theme which has lead to great turbulence in many countries through the centuries. It is believed that the Catholics are plotting against the Queen in a bid to restore the Catholic faith and so it becomes a religious divide in which innocents are caught up in the crossfire of fanatics.

The Locksmiths Daughter

Locks, keys, secrets and lies are elements of the story just as important to the narrative. It is Mallory’s skill with locks that brings her to the attention of Walsingham and sees her become the first woman included in the network, for the very realistic reason that no-one would ever suspect a woman. That may have been true then but I certainly don’t think it’s true anymore.

Locks and lies become an integral part of Mallory’s work as a watcher but trying to keep that separate from her private life proves difficult, especially when there are things she’s still hiding to try and protect herself and her family.

Loyalty is of the utmost importance, in her work but also to Mallory personally so what happens when her loyalties are tested and she has to make a choice?
The plot of The Locksmith’s Daughter is fascinating, the historical detail is meticulous and it’s untold hours of research evident. The characters are insightful, intriguing and believable. I think this book will have immense appeal to lovers of historical drama, especially in the Elizabethan era, but also to everyone who loves a bit of mystery and suspense.

The Locksmith’s Daughter is book #41 for the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge 2016.

Karen Brooks can be found on Twitter, Facebook and her Website.

The Locksmith’s Daughter is available from October 2016 through Harlequin and available to pre-order now from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.

Thanks to Harlequin 20 of our Beauty and Lace club members will be reading and reviewing The Locksmith’s Daughter so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments, and we are ever so excited to be getting such an early look at this great book.

20 thoughts on “Book Club: The Locksmith’s Daughter

  1. The Locksmith’s Daughter is a novel set in the 1580’s during a turbulent time of England’s history. At first I found the book hard to settle into but once I had the feel for it I found it a great read. I really enjoy reading books set in this time period and this book was no exception and very well written.

    The way that Karen Brooks researched and wrote the story of this historical time is with great depth including language, clothing, and all aspects of life were very enlightening to what life was like in this period and for me at times I felt like I could have been there.

    The story focuses on the life of Mallory Bright the only daughter of a well known London locksmith Gideon Bright who has taught his daughter the tricks of the trade. She is not only talented at lock picking but also talented in many languages. Her talents do not go unnoticed; Sir Francis Walsingham hires Mallory for her talents to teach his daughter. But this is not what he has in mind for Mallory, and life gets complicated from here. He has other thoughts and wants her to work for him as a protector for the Queen and teachers her to become a spymaster involving a world of religion and politics.

    The story has many twists and turns, and keeps you wanting for more and you will not be disappointed as you read to the very last page.

    Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Harlequin for the opportunity to read The Locksmith’s Daughter.

  2. I am late leaving this review as I have been away on holidays and only received the book on my return.
    I am not really a lover of historical fiction, but actually found it to be a very interesting read. Karen Brooks is definitely a very talented author, has a really good knowledge of history and the way she blends fact and fiction is quite amazing. Mallory, the main character, is well educated, which is unusual for a woman of that time. Learning her father Gideon’s trade of a master locksmith is also unusual for a woman and she was extremely good at it as well as her expertise with language. She is taken out of her comfort zone when she is trained to become part of a network of spies and her life gets very complicated. This book kept me interested right up until the last page, there were so many twists and turns as well as romance and intrigue. I definitely recommend this book and am sure that you will not regret reading it.
    Thank you to both Beauty and Lace and Harlequin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.

  3. I am late leaving this review as I have been away on holidays and only received the book on my return. I did write the review a couple of days ago but have found that it hasn’t appeared, so am writing it again.
    I am not really a lover of historical fiction, but actually found it to be a very interesting read. Karen Brooks is definitely a very talented author, has a really good knowledge of history and the way she blends fact and fiction is quite amazing. Mallory, the main character, is well educated, which is unusual for a woman of that time. Learning her father Gideon’s trade of a master locksmith is also unusual for a woman and she was extremely good at it as well as her expertise with language. She is taken out of her comfort zone when she is trained to become part of a network of spies and her life gets very complicated. This book kept me interested right up until the last page, there were so many twists and turns as well as romance and intrigue. I definitely recommend this book and am sure that you will not regret reading it.
    Thank you to both Beauty and Lace and Harlequin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.

  4. I am certain I wrote my review for this but let’s try again!
    I certainly found this book a little hard to get around at first with the language, but it was well worth the read. This period piece is full of wonderful descriptions and is full of twists and turns that keeps you hooked right up to the last page.
    This story gives us a glimpse of how difficult things could be for women of this era, especially if they are misunderstood and even slightly intelligent.
    A very good read, thank you for the chance to review

  5. The Locksmiths Daughter is the perfect book for getting lost into. I love historical fiction and this was a wonderful journey back in time, Mallory , the main character is strong and beautiful . The book made me reflect on the differences between now and back then re being a woman… It made me happier to be a woman of the present and not the past . The story about Mallory is full of love, strength and regret. Her story line is mapped perfectly…a great read and was difficult to put down. I have already passed it on to my neighbour who is excited about reading it. Thank you for letting me be part of this trial.

  6. Wow, really enjoyed this book as it is not what I generally choose to read, Mallory, the main character is–“the locksmiths daughter” and her character is so strong and not a sweet unassuming girl like I would of assumed women to be like in the Tudor period. The book and contents are very well researched and written, sometimes the detail was so in depth that I found muself having to re-read the section to take it all in. In saying that, I couldn’t not keep reading it! There are twists and turns, romance and abit of a spy story in there as well which I wasnt expecting.
    Thankyou for the opportunity and glad I went out of the square to read something different.

  7. The Locksmiths daughter was a good deep meaty read ,It took a couple of chapters to really get into it but once in couldn’t put the book down .I was full on intrigue /sweetness /faith in humanity with just enough romance not to be overly .`Mallory showed courage in adversity .the research into the time period was impeccable .as this novel was not my normal read I was pleasantly surprise d how much I enjoyed it

  8. The Locksmith’s Daughter is a richly detailed and entertaining story. Set in the age of Queen Elizabeth the First its twisting and turning plot kept me riveted. I loved learning more about that slice of history and about the trade of a locksmith. The blend of fiction and fact brought the setting to life.

    The central character, Mallory Bright, was beautifully drawn, caught as she was between the social attitudes to women and her unusual upbringing. She was ably supported by a vast cast of supporting characters, who were also vividly portrayed.

    Mallory’s moral dilemmas felt very real set amongst the bloody retribution and religious intolerance of the times. I enjoyed the books enormously and would recommend it to anyone who loves a realistic historical. It did take a couple of chapters for me to adjust to the language but by the third chapter I stopped noticing it and simply enjoyed the story.

    Thanks to MIRA and Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to review it. And thanks to Karen Brooks for writing such a fascinating story.

  9. What a wonderful story. At first I found it difficult to get into the book, but I soon became captivated. I am an avid reader of many genres. I had recently been reading some books set at a similar time. So I was surprised to come across words I had never seen before. I think this added depth and authenticity to the story.
    It is incredible to think that women had no rights, her father signed her work contract. The formality that was part of every day life and the small things that gave offence were fascinating, Brook weaves fact and fiction in an intriguing way. Small things like the reference to knowing peoples status by their clothing and that only certain people were permitted to wear lace and velvet.
    The last book I read was “Bitter Greens” by Kate Forsyth, an Australian author. This was set a century later and based on the Kings court and life at that time. A very pleasant coincidence that I have read two works of fact and fiction, both expertly researched and spell binding. Having read one added depth and understanding to the second.
    I was intrigued by Mallorys secret and could not wait to discover what it was. Mallory is a very strong character, in today’s world she surely would have had PTSD. She is a woman in a mans world, very unusual for the time. Her relationships had me intrigued. What was the tension with her mother? Why was Lord Walsingham interested in her, and why his wife’s dislike of Mallory?
    All this and more had me glued to the story. Another great book that proves how fantastic Australian authors are.

  10. Firstly thanks to Beauty and Lace for allowing me to read and review The Locksmith’s Daughter by Karen Brooks.

    Karen Brooks immersed me in the world and times that surrounded Mallory with the use of the descriptive language and attention to detail.
    I did stop and start this book a couple of times and I think this was because at times I did tend to get lost in the language.

    From the first page of The Locksmith’s Daughter It felt almost like I was there walking down the street as Mallory, being aware of every single detail, every building and person. I really enjoyed the character of Mallory, in particular her empathy for humankind and ability to look deeper at a lot of the societal issues of the times.

    This would not be my usual type of book, however I always enjoy any read that has a main female character who is strong willed and so focused.

    Thank you to Beauty and Lace for their patience due to my late review.

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