The Blood Upon the Rose [Kindle Edition]

Well written tale of the Irish troubles of 1919/20. Beginning with an actual ambush attempt on Viceroy French, it weaves facts in along with the fictional romance and action. The characters of the main fictional actors: Sean, Cathy, Kee & Andrew Butler are apt and believable. They come across as distinct individuals and not, as quite often happens with poorer writing, minor variations on the same character but with different names and physical descriptions.
A similar difficulty is raised as occurs in `The Day of the Jackal' when we know that De Gaulle is not killed by the Jackal, but Butler's attempt on Mike Collins, and his fate are still interesting enough to keep the reader entertained.
Probably the only minor cavil is that the story is a little blurred in focus. Is this Sean's, Cathy's, Kee's or Andrew's story? It is all four of course but I did feel the drama was a shade diluted by not having a main character to fully identify with. Nevertheless we get to view some of the emotional responses to events and situations (women's sexuality, imperial might, Catholic dogma, moral values of the Police, etc.) that a mere ninety years on seem dated or sad.
A good read and in the few places suspension of disbelief is required, it comes relatively easily.

Set in Dublin after WWI and Michael Collins is leading the Irish Uprising in its final fling to gain independence from Britain.

Sean Brennan a Medical student at University College Dublin and his friend have joined the Cause.

Catherine Maeve O'Connell-Gort daughter of Colonel O'Connell-Gort head of Military Inteligence in Ireland and answerable to Field Marshal Sir John Denton Pinkstone French, KGB, KCMG, Viscount of Ypres and High Lake, Viceroy and Lord Lieutenant of His Majesty's Kingdom Of Ireland

Catherine is exercising her freedom and she too is studying to become a doctor at UCD, where she meets Sean Brennan.

While Catherine's family history is that of land ownership and part of the ruling classes in Ireland a profoundly disturbing incident from her youth has made her despise her class and wish for the British to be out of Ireland for good...

Tricked by her father in getting onto theViceroy's train, Catherine embarrasses him by arguing with the Viceroy telling him that she wished they would leave Ireland to the Irish, accusing him and his Army and Police of unspeakable acts of torture and killings against innocent Irish.

Then, almost killed in an attack on the Viceroy's car, by Sean, this serves to drive her deeper into his arms and not away from him

Both are virgins and the tenderness of the love scene where they both come to sexual maturity is short, as one might expect the first tremblings of love to be, but it is written so tenderly and you feel for the lovers as they come together in the muted firelight of the tenement building that Sean is hiding out in.

Major Andrew Butler, a man who found that he is an efficient killer while serving in the front line, and surviving the horrors of WWI, is enlisted by O'Connell-Gort and Harrison, a Civil Servant, to find and kill Collins.

There are a number of twists and revelations in this that just enhance the story as it unfolds and like Julian Stockwin and his Kydd series of books, the mix of real life events into a political, murderous, love story novel has been done so masterfully by Mr Vicary and will make me check out his other books.

This book is a mix of political intrigue, honour and dishonour, of cold blooded killing and tender lovemaking of a Country and a Woman who both want desperately to be recognised for what they are; Independent and able to stand on their own without bowing to Colonial Masters or to Male Dominance.

Editing for Kindle: 5 out of 5
Reading Enjoyment: 5 out of 5
Plot: 5 out of 5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

This is a great read. It starts with an attempted assassination of Sir John French, the Viceroy of Ireland, and moves swiftly into a touching, tender but ultimately tragic love affair between Catherine, a feisty young heiress who is determined to make her way as a medical student, and Sean, an IRA assassin from the Dublin slums. The love triangle is complete when Sean is imprisoned and Catherine's father tries to marry her to Andrew Butler, a sinister, scarred war veteran recruited by MI6 to kill Michael Collins. All the main characters are strongly drawn, and the author seems to have equal sympathy for the pain this war inflicts on both sides. It's fast-moving too, with lots of action and credible dialogue, hard to put down once you get into it, with a nail-biting series of twists and turns at the end - just what a good book should be!

The same author has some other books on Kindle: A Game of Proof (The trials of Sarah Newby)]][[Bold Counsel (The Trials of Sarah Newby)A Fatal Verdict (The Trials of Sarah Newby)[Cat and Mouse