The first half of this book was a slog and I almost DNFed multiple times; the second half picks up and is quite enjoyable!  I don't normally read mystery/thrillers so it was a fun experience - definitely a page turner at parts.  I still can't tell if the book was pro or anti Catholic - but learning about the religious persecution was interesting and added some complexity to the book which was nice.  Can't recommend her repeated use of the word "palatine" though.