This is a lovely, though abbreviated, series starring Dr. John Dee, astonomer, astrologer, and advisor to the Queen. Most of the recurring characters in these two gems did, in fact, live at the time of Elizabeth’s reign, which is a hallmark of Rickman’s work – he starts with known figures and known events, and uses them as springboards to engaging, intriguing stories that motivate the reader to investigate further. That’s the beauty of historical fiction.