Black Death by M.J. Trow

Kit Marlowe gets a message from a man he doesn't like, and he's not even sure he wants to read it.  But when it says someone is trying to kill him, it gets Kit's curiosity up and he goes to visit.  Unfortunately, he's already died.  The autopsy points to a plant based poison.  Who poisoned him?

Severn House and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published July 1st.

The Black Plague is killing people in the poor part of town, so they close the theaters to avoid the spread of the disease.  It annoys everyone in the theater business, including Kit.  However it gives him more time to find a murderer.

An old woman is killed as well as a young boy.  The woman was strangled, the boy was drowned.  They don't look like the same killer but Kit thinks it is.  As he gets closer to the killer, he decides to take things in his own hands.  He'll kill him himself.  

This has an unexpected ending where Kit finds he was wrong and almost dies.  It's an exciting and suitable ending.