The Assassin's Mark by David Ebsworth

The Assassins Mark is set in Spain towards the end of the Civil War. It is a period of history that I know very little about so I was pleased to see that it was a meticulously researched and intelligently written. From the writing I felt confident in the research. There were times when I felt it a little too detailed. The characters were on a sightseeing tour through the battlefield areas so it is inevitable that it had a travelogue feel to it but I grew impatient with some of the descriptions of the individual towns and wanted to move on with the action. I am glad I persevered because when the story finally got going it was worth the wait. The Assassins Mark is in fact a murder mystery and I did not guess who the murderer was until right near the end which was very satisfying. Although it is written in the third person, the story is told entirely through the viewpoint of Jack Telford a left wing journalist. Jack's character is beautifully drawn, all the characters are, but I particularly like the slightly self deprecating way Jack thinks of himself. I do have a slight nitpick as I was irritated by the use of Mister instead of Mr. throughout the book. That is however, a very minor point. I am very happy to recommend another Indie Gem.