THE STRONG ROOM

With the coming of Mary Tudor to the throne of England, John Aumarle, Earl of Bristol, ended his ten years in the Tower, and was restored to his estates. Twenty-three, and politically naive, wishing only to keep himself out of the Tower, he nevertheless became involved in deep underbrush of political factions, motives, countless family trees, a romance in which marriage is forbidden, and planty of adventure. There are mysterious attacks on John's life, spies are abundant, Mary is crowned Queen, and there is an escape from England, well disguised. The plotters are discovered, John is returned to the Tower, is daringly rescued, and there is a final happy ending. All the element of successful historical romance are here, awkward dialog and some confusion slow the pace. Better than average.