Old Scores

by Will Thomas

Cyrus Barker has worked endlessly in his garden to make it pristine for the Japanese diplomats who wish to walk its paths.  Thomas Llewelyn is surprised to see his boss flinch as the group enters and once again finds himself wondering at the hidden past of Barker. Then Barker is arrested outside the temporary quarters for the Japanese embassy when the ambassador is murdered.  Frustrated by Barker’s practice to hold clues to himself, Llewelyn questions his own willingness to continue as a personal enquiry agent working for Barker. 

Fans of this series will be very pleased to know that Thomas does, in fact, give us a peak into the mysterious past of Cyrus Barker.  (No spoilers here. Read the book!)  The historical elements Thomas peppers throughout this novel are interesting and don’t bog down the story.  Cyrus and Thomas are men with good hearts but emotionally flawed.  There are a few characters whose return appearances add more depth and enjoyment to the story. However, if this is your first sojourn into the world of Barker and Llewelyn, Thomas does an excellent job of filing in with enough facts that give you just enough information and might inspire you to pick up previous volumes.  Old Scores hits all the bases with intense situations, action and light-hearted banter.   So far, this is one of my favorites.

I wish to thank the publisher for generously providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy for my honest review.

ISBN: 9781250077967

Pub:  St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books

Pub Date:  October 3, 2017

Genre:  Historical Mystery