BASIC PLOT
The Doctor and Vicki find themselves embroiled in the intrigues of the British court at a crucial moment in history, while Ian and Barbara's plans to visit the Globe Theatre go badly awry.

DOCTOR
First.

COMPANIONS
Ian, Barbara and Vicki.

MATERIALISATION CIRCUIT
London, 1605.

PREPARATORY READING
None.

CONTINUITY REFERENCES
Pg 18 "I suggest it will be a deal easier than explaining yourselves to a Menoptera or a Venusian, both of which you have managed quite adequately, under my guidance." The Web Planet, Venusian Lullaby.

Pg 27 "His eyes had twinkled in the same way on the day they'd set off for Rome, and on the day he'd examined the parasitic webs woven by the evil Animus." The Romans, The Web Planet.

Pg 34 "Do I have to be a boy again?" Vicki was also dressed as a boy in The Crusade.

Pg 133 "Barbara thought back to the night she and Ian had stumbled inside the TARDIS." An Unearthly Child.

Pg 180 "For one moment there, I thought this episode - I mean to say this episode of my life - was going in a different direction." The Doctor may be aware that his life occurs in episodes (and indeed, this book is structured as four episodes).

Pg 285 "No, I suspect nobody else in his brotherhood had the same abilities, and certainly there's no evidence of their existence in later centuries." It's possible that Hay's brotherhood is the same secret brotherhood featured in the Psi Powers arc. This book was published in the same month as So Vile a Sin was due to be published.

OLD FRIENDS AND OLD ENEMIES
None.

NEW FRIENDS AND NEW ENEMIES
Firking, Hodge, King James, Cecil, Otley, Haldann, the Chamberlain.

Hay, Catesby.

CONTINUITY COCK-UPS
None.

PLUGGING THE HOLES [Fan-wank theorizing of how to fix continuity cock-ups]
N/A

FEATURED ALIEN RACES
None.

FEATURED LOCATIONS
London, November 1605.

IN SUMMARY - Robert Smith?
It's not quite the out and out laugh-fest of Gareth's season 17 novels and some elements of the plot are a bit close to similar events in The Romans (although King James pursuing Vicki is given a hilarious twist), but otherwise this is an extremely absorbing read and easily the best Hartnell historical the novels have ever produced. The characters are really on form, especially the regulars and the the fate of Guy Fawkes is incredibly shocking. Highly recommended.