Guía para asesinos sobre el amor y la traición

by Virginia Boecker

Cuando el padre de Lady Katherine es asesinado por su fe católica, ella descubre que ese no es el único secreto que escondía: también estaba envuelto en un plan para asesinar a la reina Isabel I. Sin nada más que perder, Katherine se disfraza de chico y viaja hasta Londres para llevar el plan de su padre aun más lejos: piensa matar a la reina ella misma.

Y tendrá su oportunidad durante la representación de la nueva obra de William Shakespeare a la que acudirá la propia reina. Pero lo que no sabe es que la obra no es lo que parece. Es un cebo para atraer a traidores y destruir la rebelión de una vez por todas.

Toby Ellis, un joven espía de la reina, es quien ha preparado la trampa... pero también oculta algunos secretos sobre si mismo. Cuando Toby y Katherine son los elegidos para interpretar a los protagonistas, se encuentran inexplicablemente atraídos el uno por el otro. Pero cuanto más se conocen más peligro corren. Y pronto descubrirán que actuar es mucho más difícil y peligroso al bajar del escenario.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Romance, Fiction, LGBT, Shakespeare

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 23, 2018

About the author

Virginia Boecker is the author of The Witch Hunter series and An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason. A graduate of the University of Texas, she had a decade-long career in technology before quitting to become a full-time writer. When she isn't writing, Virginia likes skiing, traveling, cooking, and reading. She has lived all over the world but currently resides in beautiful Lake Oswego, Oregon with her husband and two children.

You can visit Virginia online at virginiaboecker.com or on Instagram @virgboecker.

Reviews

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good take on Twelfth Night.

I shall start this review off with a slight bit of criticism: the plot of this book is, admittedly, very convoluted. The plot feels at time repetitious due to the lack of narrative weight presented by certain plot points.

However, the book is almost entirely redeemed by its characters: Katherine and Toby are written with so much heart. I loved how Katherine’s character’s inner turmoil and conflict was written and conveyed by the narrative. I also adored how Toby’s grief was subtly conveyed through the narrative.

Oh, and I loved how this played with Shakespeare. There’s a tidbit here about the original story of Twelfth Night involving Viola killing Orsino under dubious circumstances. The play evolves as the story does, which I thought was so incredibly meta and interesting.

Okay. Okay so I want to talk about gender for a second. One of the characters in this book, as in Twelfth Night, spends the entire book dressed as a boy, and the two fall in love.

It wasn't that you were a girl--are a girl. It's that you lied to me. I know why you did. But you knew my secret.

When Toby of course eventually finds this out, he feels deeply betrayed not primarily because of the lie — but because he has let her know that he is bisexual, in a time where that is quite literally illegal.


At one point, I wrote an essay about Twelfth Night discussing how it holds gender as primarily performance:

Viola’s transformation of gender allows her to take on a freer ‘role’ in the world, a role which at once suits her and forces her to hide. Yet Orsino wants her as both a maid and a man — in other words, he loves her for who she is.

I think this book leans quite far into this exact same idea in a very good way, albeit a far more canonical way.

✨Arc received from the publisher for an honest review. [ releases: November 2018.]

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[♛ may · Rating 2 out of 5]

ehhhhh, i liked the ~*idea*~ of this book more than the actual book

the characters were alright, they had good backstories but i found the more the story progressed, the more it wasn't coming together. the stakes were pretty HIGH but it didn't feel like it. it felt pretty relaxed the whole way through

and dont get me wrong, im a really big shipper, but for some reason, i felt NO chemistry between the characters. they were developed so quickly and honestly it was becoming a chore to read

so, guess this wasn't for me

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars

Pre reading thoughts:

This book has all the ingredients I never knew I needed to see gathered in one book:

Elizabethian era ✔️
Girl disguises herself as a boy ✔️
Takes place during the Anglo-Spanish War ✔️
Plotting an assassination against Elizabeth I ✔️
Both protagonists have to perform in a Shakespearean play, presumably "Twelfth Night" ✔️
Young spy ✔️
Revenge ✔️
From enemies to lovers (probably) ✔️

What I liked about this book:

-Basically everything, most of them I mentioned in my pre-reading thoughts.
-The Dual point of views was great, because if it were only from one POV it'd have leaned on the dull side. Plus it gave us the chance to see more insights on the characters' purposes.
-The politics and the conflict between Catholics and Protestants, and significant historical events alike have always fascinated me.
-Seeing or more like reading Shakespeare as himself being a part of the book.
-Most of the things that happened in the book were based on true events, thus the author didn't make all of this fictional except the main protagonists.
-Katherine became braver, straight-forward and open minded while disguising herself as boy. Being Kit made her know what she really wants and how she should handle things around her without being a damsel in distress like most women were during the medieval era.
-The play that both Toby and Katherine were acting in started colliding with their lives outside the play. Meaning: Both Viola (from Twelfth Night) and Katherine disguising themself as boys and their ''opponents'' starting to have feelings towards them. The entire book felt like I was reading a Shakespearian plot with crossdressers and star-crossed lovers.
-The author's note is a MUST if you read this book. Seriously, do not skip that part.

What I didn't like:

I can't really give a particular reason, but...
-The reason I didn't give this higher than 4 stars was because of the ending. I was satisfied with it, however I wanted a full closure on each and every character.
-Not getting enough flashbacks on Toby's past.
For example: Jory was training to become a priest, but he was the one who tried to kill queen Elizabeth. (Who planned that? How he managed to get the exact same clothes as Kit's? What happened to the men Katherine aka Kit started working with in plan of assassinating the queen?).
-The novel could've added more details about the religious aspect along with Christopher Marlowe.
-The entire ending felt a bit rushed to me.

[Olivia (Stories For Coffee)]

DNFING
No shade to this book. I just refuse to read a book, this year, that doesn’t immediately spark my interest within the first 50 pages.

[Virginia Boecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

*peeks*

*sees nice reviews*

*smiles*

*runs away*

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun unique take on historical fiction. Shakespeare, romance, disguised gender and, you know, plotting murder, made for one excellent story.

This is a great standalone I highly recommend.

[Cherry's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Viajamos al Londres isabelino de la mano de Katherine una joven cuyo padre es asesinado mientras se efectúa su arresto por traición y por practicar la fe católica. Ahora el nuevo objetivo en la vida de Katherine es atentar contra la mismísima reina Elizabeth I, para cometer esta venganza se unirá a un grupo secreto de aristócratas católicos que planean matar a la reina. Katherine se hará pasar por chico y se infiltrará en una obra de teatro para la reina dirigida por el mismísimo William Shakespeare, para cumplir así su misión. Lo que Katherine (ahora Kit) no sabe es que "Noche de Reyes" no es más que una trampa orquestada por el servicio de espionaje de la reina para atrapar a los traidores católicos que pretenden atentar contra su persona. Toby es la cabeza pensante de toda esta trampa, su misión principal es intentar descubrir al traidor entre el elenco de la obra antes de que se represente. Todo se complica cuando entre Toby y Kit comienza a surgir una amistad y una atracción. Humor, drama, amor, intrigas y por supuesto muchas traiciones...Damas y caballeros, se levanta el telón.

En cuanto cerré el libro al terminarlo lo primero que pasó por mi mente fue "Necesito que más gente lea este libro". Y es que Guía para asesinos sobre el amor y la traición ha sido una lectura muy peculiar, hacía tiempo que no leía nada de este estilo y si hablamos del argumento directamente no conozco ningún libro con el que pueda compararlo. El tremendo trabajo de documentación que ha hecho la autora resalta en el simple hecho de que en ningún momento me ha sacado de la historia, te rodea por completo todo el contexto, ese Londres turbio y oscuro, de traiciones, religiones en la sombra, tramas de palacio y profundos secretos. El libro va intercalando el punto de vista de ambos protagonistas (un capítulo uno y un capítulo otro) manteniendo el interés del lector, unido eso a la trama que tiene un buen ritmo de acción, hacen de Guía para asesinos una de esas lecturas ligeras que calan profundo.

Toby me ha cautivado por su complejidad, y me ha gustado como Virginia introduce el tema de su sexualidad de una forma tan elegante e inclusiva, con una perspectiva sobre el amor muy diferente a la habitual que se representa en la novela juvenil (da gusto ver como están evolucionando estos temas en la literatura). Trabaja como espía más por una cuestión de "obligación" que por decisión propia, se vio introducido en todo esto siguiendo los pasos de su primer amor y sigue en ello con otros propósitos muy diferentes a la lealtad hacia su reina. La personalidad de Katherine por otro lado va moldeándose y cambiando a raíz de los sucesos en los que se ve implicada, y nosotros la acompañamos en esa evolución no siendo hasta casi el final cuando la conoceremos completamente. Ella ha pasado de ser una dama a hacerse pasar por un muchacho con aspiraciones teatrales, y empieza a ser entrenada para cometer el asesinato a la reina, una prueba muy dura en la que solo la mantiene su sed de venganza.


Hacía tiempo que no fangirleaba de la manera concreta que he fangirleado con este libro, imaginando a los personajes en situaciones ajenas a la historia, teorizando sobre "y si...", poniéndoles rostro conocidos, pensando en ellos mientras estaba ocupada en otras cosas y no podía leer. En definitiva, me ha hecho sufrir un poco de fiebre lectora. La forma de escribir de Boecker tiene algo de hipnótico, que te deja con ganas de leer más de ella (por eso me he apuntado la bilogía de Caza de Brujas, que se publicó antes de este). Supongo que esto último pasa en parte porque últimamente nos hemos malacostumbrado a que todo sean trilogías, series o como mínimo bilogias y Guía para asesinos sobre el amor y la traición es autoconclusiva, con un final satisfactorio pero que, como siempre, en la imaginación del lector queda lugar para un "algo más".

Por último si tuviera que cerrar un poco el circulo de a quién puede gustarle Guía para asesinos sobre el amor y la traición, yo diría que es un libro que puede seducir a un público muy amplio. Aunque se lo cataloga de juvenil es una lectura muy adulta que destaca por su originalidad y que trata temas muy diversos con los que puede captar la atención tanto de adolescentes como de personas a las que les apasione la historia renacentista y un buen libro de aventuras.

[Wing (notesbywing) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4 stars
i enjoyed this much more than i expected to (once I read past the first 100 pages and considered DNFing it)
the author clearly did her research and knows her stuff - making the plot and story very wholesome to read.
I love the story, I love Katherine and Toby, and honestly I think i relate to Shakespeare the most in the entire book (but I'm nowhere as talented lmao).
y'all
i just wish there was more at the end ahhhhhhh
hope this short review makes sense.

[Katherine Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was written to capture the would-be assassin of Queen Elizabeth I?!
And what do you get when you combine a cross-dressing Catholic called Katherine Arundell, out to avenge the death of her father, and put her slap-dab in the middle of merry old London?

‘An Assassin’s Guide to Love & Treason’, of course, and it’s quite scrumptious.
This romp through 1601 will have you questioning any history you may think you’ve learned about Elizabethan London, about the dalliances of Shakespearean players, and about the tension between the Protestants and Catholics at that time.

Being from England myself, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a bit of ‘history’ from home to indulge in. I delighted in this witty, clever tale about young Lady Katherine Arundell from Cornwall, who witnesses her father’s execution for being a practicing Catholic. This was because England is now Protestant under Queen Elizabeth I, and to avenge her father’s death, she then goes to London and plans to assassinate Queenie herself. Tall order perhaps.

Katherine constructs a plan, along with her merry band of Catholic conspirators; this means she must infiltrate the upcoming production of ‘Twelfth Night’, and create a new male identity for herself, Kit.

This is really at the crux of how clever Virginia Boecker is being with ‘Assassin’s Guide’ (and I know she knows this, because of her most brilliant Author’s Note in the back; only I do hope everyone reads it!). As many of you may know, women weren’t players in Shakespeare’s plays, men were, and they played all the women’s parts too. In order for Katherine to disguise herself in London, she must become Kit (this was a name short for Christopher back then), as well as to be a player on the stage.

She then gets the part as Viola, who (if you haven’t read ‘Twelfth Night’) dresses up as a man in the play. It all becomes quite complicated when Kit becomes drawn to Toby, who is another lead player, and writer, and unbeknownst to Kit, a spy for Elizabeth Regina; he’s trying to deduce which of the Twelfth Night players is the treasonous one. Yet he’s falling for Kit, just as he did previously for the late Kit Marlowe (that’s Christopher Marlowe to you).

Katherine’s own confidence as a ‘man’ mirrors Viola’s growing confidence in the play, particularly as Toby and ‘Kit’ rehearse together, and the themes of bisexuality and questions about societal gender norms play like their own characters in the book. Just like the very irony we see in having men play the parts of women (who play men), this is a double irony, if you will, and forces the characters to constantly question their identities, as well as their loyalties. At a time when many only had loyalty to the Crown or to God, questioning your identity was frowned against and was highly confusing, and naturally left you open to being cast out by all sorts of weaknesses such as witchcraft and going back to the Old Religion (Catholicism). You certainly didn’t admit to liking the same sex, even if you did put on a dress for all to see in the Globe Theatre.

The ‘supporting cast’ of William Shakespeare, the Wright Brothers, and even the Queen, lend so much color to the tapestry that Boecker has woven for this ‘Guide’, and readers will love it when familiar names and places appear in the story. I’d also say there’s a little bit of everything here to make this an all-round great read: we start off with a murder, and then we have action, romance, and a lot of wit and charm. Shakespeare would approve of all of that.

Virginia has actually taken great pains to do her research and in her Author’s Note points out where she has meddled with the history and where she has kept to the facts. I absolutely loved this small part of the book, as well as the long bibliography she has listed.
While you may not come out with a proper Elizabethan history lesson, or an actual assassin’s guide, you will be thoroughly entertained, and may (like myself) be inclined to read up on your English history and to even re-read some Shakespeare!
This was a solid 5 star read for me.
Jolly good show.

**I played Maria in my high school performance of ‘Twelfth Night’.

[Katie.dorny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bisexual loose retelling of the gunpowder plot; with bisexuality discussed openly and beautifully whilst also exploring cross dressing. Mixed with political intrigue, Shakespeare, a slow burn romance and all set in Tudor England.....I die.

This was just a whole lot of fun. Probably someone more into mysteries/thrillers might have guessed the ending sooner but I didn’t - it shocked me and I loved it.

Our main two characters - Katherine and Toby are wonderfully awkward about their crush. As someone not usually into enemies to lovers I enjoyed this one immensely.

But don’t be fooled - this book doesn’t shy away from dealing with dark topics such as death and grief. Overall this book is quite a gritty ya compared to what I’ve read before.

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 4 out of 5]

La ambientación, los secretos y mentiras, los protagonistas y la trama, todo ha sido tan tan genial y adictivo... Si tengo alguna pega, esa es lo repentino del desenlace: en apenas 20 páginas todo queda cerrado sin explicaciones ni nada :(

[fatma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but not the best thing I've ever read.

[Anabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me ha gustado la historia, la ambientación y todo lo referente a los espías de la reina Isabel I y toda esa conspiración para asesinarla. Pero me ha faltado algo más de acción por parte de los protagonistas, la historia se me he hecho lenta, me he enganchado desde cierta parte eso si pero poco más, además la historia de amor no ha sido profundizada y no me ha convencido nada, con un personaje bisexual sin duda hubiera dado para mucho. Así que me quedo con que me ha gustado a medias.

[Ana Encinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guía para asesinos sobre el amor y la traición, una historia de ficción histórica escrita por Virginia Boecker. La trama comienza bastante fuerte, presentándonos a unos personajes de lo más característicos, con sus secretos y miedos. Pero conforme transcurre la historia, se va desinflando poco a poco hasta el punto de llegar a perderte. Aún así, el final, previsible o no, me ha gustado de todas maneras.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was awesome! I need more YA historical fiction like this. Like Mackenzi Lee and A Knight's Tale? Then I have a feeling you'll love this too.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book! And I did like the characters, the setting, and parts of the plot. But something was missing. I think this book would have been great if there was one more book involved. The ending was to quick and happy. Left me wanting more. Additionally I felt that the romance by the two MCs became a bit ridiculous. Kit is trying to kill the queen and she’s dressed like a man. But then is more than willing to give up her identity in a moment of passion. Which didn’t feel right for this sort of plot. Also, the plot moved fast and then really slow at various times making it harder to read. So I’ll give it a 3. Great ideas, characters, etc but needed a bit more work. Also you don’t need to know or like Shakespeare to read this book. I felt the author wasn’t a huge fan of him given to how she portrayed him... I’ll def read another by this author though as I did enjoy her last series and I did like bits of this book as well

[Aadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hope that 2020 isn't a year full of "if only" books! This could've been 4 stars ..if only...

I loved the premise and setting of the story! I'm vaguely familiar with Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and the clashes between Protestants and Catholics during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the first, but I had no idea that Shakespeare's plays played such political roles! I always appreciate a book that is well researched and teaches me something.

I enjoyed the writing as well. It was fitting to the time period, occasionally poetic and not too wordy.

In the end, though, I was let down.
The novel starts off with a prologue where the male mc is being interrogated. It then shifts to a few months prior, beginning the story which we know will lead us to the said interrogation. You'd expect a build-up of thrilling events, dangerous and exciting, keeping you on edge...but instead, there are none of these feelings. Life goes on leading to the "climax", the day on which Twelfth Night is to be performed, and not once do you hold your breath, not once are you riveted.

The same can be said for the ending. The climax is quite anti-climactic and the ending wraps up quickly and too easily. There is no friction or resistance..things just fall into place. And while everyone loves a happy ending, it doesn't feel as satisfying if the characters didn't have to go through hell and back to get there.

And lastly, I was disappointed with the female mc, Katherin/Kit. She goes through an ordeal, makes decisions for herself, finds a purpose and in the process begins to find her true self. But all of this falls apart in the last quarter of the book, where the plot just pulls her along and shoves her towards the ending.

Sigh. Here's to hoping that 2020 presents books that are less underwhelming.

[USOM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't get over how clever An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason is. For the inner English Lit nerd, watching all the pieces of this book come together was me just yelling, "YES!" over and over again. That's almost what it was like watching me read this book. Except I was in a government building. So it was more just happy sighing over and over again. But besides the cleverness of the writing, what I loved was the assassins, weapon training, conspiracies, and love story.

full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, stunned take: Absolutely brilliant.
Actual blurb: A tour de force blending wrenchingly complicated romance, vibrant theatre history, and deadly Elizabethan politics, AN ASSASSIN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND TREASON seduced me completely.
Unofficial blurb: OMG I AM SO OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK READ IT READ IT NOW

[Rukky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

It was really engaging and full of suspense. I also absolutely loved the historical aspect and the characters. The spies, the illusions, the lies-it definitely made the story more awesome!!

Full review to come!!

[Anny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3'75.
Me ha gustado y me he llevado una muy grata sorpresa con esta novela. Pese a que quería leer antes 'Caza de brujas', la anterior novela publicada por la autora, decidí animarme a empezar con esta nueva publicación y ha sido una historia muy ligera, muy amena, pero al mismo tiempo muy intrigante.
Si bien es cierto que no es que sea el libro de mi vida, porque aunque la trama me gustó y quería saber qué pasaría a continuación, tampoco tiene tanta profundidad pero no por ello gusta menos, por de hecho, me gustó mucho cómo lo ha llevado la autora.
Los personajes, por el otro lado, fueron lo que más me gustó del libro, sobretodo Toby. ¡Me pareció un amor!
Quizás lo que menos me ha gustado fue el final, porque lo vi un poco precipitado y me hubiera gustado saber qué pasará a continuación con la trama que se fue desarrollando durante la novela. Pero aún así, ha sido una lectura de la que he disfrutado mucho.

[Neftis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho desde el inicio. Tantas intrigas, espionaje e intereses dentro de una obra de Shakespeare, con él de por medio como una gallina loca me ha encantado y me ha tenido enganchada toda la lectura.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una lectura muy ágil y entretenida. Pronto reseña en el blog.

[Mora · Rating 5 out of 5]

--23 August 2022
I don't know why I like this book so much but I keep coming back to reread it. I just love Kit and Toby (and Kit and Toby together). Will admit this time I skimmed the Kit-practicing-with-the-plot-Catholics parts because they're boring but I love everything else. Shakespeare is my favorite side character just because he's so weird and I love how meta the plot is!


--31 October 2019
old review: This was one of those "I stay up too late reading this so I nearly sleep through my 8:30 class (but DIDN'T)" books. I was very invested in the characters and the plot (well, the secrets aspect) and I thought Virginia Boecker did a great job with the mistaken identities and Toby's deductions (they were very logical, in my mind) and how we went literally the entire book with Toby not figuring out Kit was part of the assassination plot.

I connected a lot with Kit, actually. I love her so much. Her transformation from Katherine to Kit brought her character to life and gave her so much more agency, and I could literally tell from the writing that Kit was more comfortable, more confident when she was dressed as a boy. When Toby found out she was a girl, she literally said she felt herself reverting to subservience, to a weak person she didn't want to be anymore; a person who didn't fit. She literally said that she cannot go back to being Katherine, that she couldn't be that person anymore, that she didn't know if she wanted to be a girl or boy or live as either or both. Kit being happy brought me so much joy. For whatever reason, I also love how Toby sees/describes Kit from his POV, and how apart from directly after the reveal, he just described her the same way (apart from pronouns) and I love that.

Biiiig fan of the subversion of the girl-disguised-as-boy reveal where the main conflict wasn't that Kit was a girl but rather that Toby had to tell her he was bisexual in a time when that was illegal and he wanted it to be a secret - and that his bisexuality meant that he loved Kit as a person, whether Kit dressed and lived as a girl or a boy.

Both of the characters are so complicated and well written and as a completely character-centric reader I'm here for that and I love my queer kids Kit and Toby.

Also! I actually liked the romance! I like how they didn't actually do anything romantic besides describe each other in complimentary light and casually do things together and make each other laugh! It was slow and I loved it! I especially loved it from Toby's POV, the way he was forever describing Kit in a way that showed he found Kit attractive but being completely oblivious to that fact until later, when it slowly grew and he accepted it.

The writing style was clear and felt both modern yet somehow fitting to the time period in which it took place, and I enjoyed that.

My only "eh" moment is the plot and the stakes - the stakes never felt serious, I guess, and the assassination/spy plot seemed to drag at times. But I love the characters and the writing so much that this is overruled.

(I also loved Shakespeare as a character because he was hilarious, and how this is a Twelfth Night retelling while they all perform Twelfth Night.)

Anyway do read this book it's great.

(And now I need to go actually read Twelfth Night because there's no WAY it's not queer.)

[Keplers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much I blurbed it
"Assassins, spies, a forbidden romance, a plot to kill the queen, and secrets aplenty - all centering around Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Be still my Shakespeare-loving fangirl heart."

[Vernie♡]

Hmm.. that title and that cover remind me greatly of A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue.. but since Mackenzi Lee herself enjoyed it, I'll give it a go.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! This was a great romp that also had me very worried that things would not turn out alright -- no traumatically tragic ending here though, hurrah!

This has spies, secret identities, girls dressing up as boys dressed as girls, and lots of feelings about Kit Marlowe. GOOD TIMES.

[Raven_Blake (dreamy addictions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions

I thought I would love this book, but sadly it was not what I had expected.  I haven't read Virgina Boecker's The Witch Hunter series, but I really wanted to give this a shot because I couldn't resist a spy novel.   I was hoping for a  suspenseful YA historical spy novel with a dash of romance but what I got is a dramatic YA romance between two Star crossed lovers. Honestly, It has a good concept but I think this one is not for me because I'm not fan of Shakespeare and this book has a lot of Shakespeare references. People who like Shakespeare will definitely enjoy this book more than I did. The historical setting in this book was perfect. I really loved it. The characters were good but not great. I really liked the bi representation in the book.

Seventeen Year old Katherine Arundell's father gets killed by the Queen's guards for being an illegally practicing Catholic. Luckily, Katherine escapes from the guards and runs away with a young priest in training. Later, she discovers that her father is one of the nobles who's involved in the murder plot against the Queen Elizabeth I which is a highest treason in their country. To fulfill her father's role, Katherine disguises herself as a boy named Kit and joins with the other rebels. Nineteen year old Toby Ellis is a poet and a writer but he  also works as a spy for the Queen. To lure out the rebels who're planning to assassinate the Queen, Toby comes up with a plan which involves William Shakespeare's newest play, which is to be performed in front of Her Majesty. To kill the Queen, Kit aka Katherine joins the Globe's theater group and she was cast opposite Toby. Something In Kit intrigues Toby even though he's one of the suspect. They gets drawn to each other and develops forbidden feelings for each other, but when dangerous secrets and betrayals are finally unveiled, everything comes falling down for both of them. 

Katherine is a strong character but I don't think she would make a great spy. When she gets caught, she gives away her real name easily that was kinda stupid. She's only a normal girl who wants revenge for her father's death. So don't expect her to be a kickass spy. On the other hand, we have Toby Ellis who's actually a bi. He harbors many secrets and serves the Queen in order to survive. I honestly enjoyed his character more than Katherine's. As for the romance part, I really liked Kit and Toby's relationship more than Kat and Toby's. Kit and Kat are the same person but I loved the queer relationship more. *wink wink*. Shakespeare was hilarious and insane. Although I didn't get some of his references, I really liked his character. 

The plot was interesting but it  was lacking the seriousness and tension which is one of the major issues I had with this book. The romance was okay. I should've known this wouldn't be a slow burn romance because it's Shakespeare. This book has a slow start and the pacing improves only in the second half. There's not much action in this book which is a little disappointing because I was hoping for a lot of kickass spy action and assassination attempts. I don't know about Lady Jane, but this book was nothing like Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue. The writing was pretty good. I don't have any issues with it. The book was written in first person dual pov's. The world building was fantastic. I really enjoyed the historical setting the author has created. It felt very authentic, it looks like she has done a great amount of research for this book. 

Overall, it was an okay-ish read for me! It was a decent YA historical novel filled with drama, conspiracies, and forbidden romance. I liked the ending part which is why I gave it a three and a half star instead of three stars. 

[Erin Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I read the synopsis of An Assassin’s Guide to Love & Treason by Virginia Boecker, I knew I had to read it. This book is a standalone and it has a fast pace to keep the story moving and if you like historical books focused on a plot for murder, I think you should pick this one up.

The story focuses on two main characters, Lady Katherine and Toby Ellis. Everything really kicks off when Katherine’s father is executed for being a practicing Catholic, a dangerous thing in those times. Katherine makes a run for it and heads to London so she can avenge his death. I loved Katherine. She could have easily given herself up when her father was killed. Instead, she decides to do whatever she can to get back at the one person she knows is responsible for his death, the Queen.

As part of the plan, Katherine changes who she is and becomes Kit, a boy playing the part of a girl in one of Shakespeare’s plays that will be put on specifically for the Queen. Not only does this change give her the access she will need to get her revenge, it also gives her an opportunity to experience London as she never would have been able to as Lady Katherine.

The other major player is Toby, a spy who is working to set a trap for those that are attempting to assassinate the Queen. I found his background to be especially interesting and he is in a precarious position throughout the story. As he is cast, purposefully, as one of the play’s leads alongside Katherine, he attempts to pin down who his main suspects are, and Kit is someone who caches his attention and not only because of his role in the play.

The secondary characters in this story are just as important as the leads. I loved that Boecker made Shakespeare a little crazy…ok maybe more than a little. We have the group of men who are behind Katherine’s revenge, Jory, Sir George Carey, Queen Elizabeth, and several other characters who helped add color to the story and kept things flowing.

I don’t want to say too much about the details here because that is where Boecker’s storytelling really shines. She brought these characters to life for me and pulled me into 17th century England with her descriptions. Having recently read this book and then gone to London shortly after, it was great to see the places referenced in the story and helped me imagine the characters in these places even more.

I really enjoyed this book and as I mentioned, it is a standalone, so you won’t have to worry about any cliffhangers. This book has a great mix of interesting characters, an original story, and of course, you know I love my books with some romance. If you are looking for something historical that will keep you turning the pages to find out what will happen next for everyone, you should definitely check this book out. Not only that, Boecker’s first series was pretty great too! I’m looking forward to whatever Boecker decides to write next as she has me hooked.

Thank you to the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.