I read The Doublet Affair shortly after To Shield the Queen and was pleased to find that it picked up shortly after the first book and was just as enjoyable a read.

Continuing from To Shield the Queen, The Doublet Affair follows Ursula Blanchard as she gets involved once again in matters of state and religion. After her success in discovering a plot against the Queen, Ursula is sent to investigate rumours of another Catholic scheme. In order to do this, she must assist an overwhelmed noblewoman in running her chaotic household--and still find time to be a spy. Complicating matters is Ursula's own tie to a certain Catholic...

The Doublet Affair builds well on the characters and settings of the first book. Ursula's internal conflict about her situation is well-written and understandable, and effectively mirrors the conflict outside. Characters from the first book are fleshed out, and Buckley's knowledge of the time period and history once again shows in the details. The mystery itself is somewhat more straightforward than the first one, but there are enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.