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The first thrilling instalment in a legendary historical adventure
series.Paris, 1307. The Knights Templar have been destroyed by Pope
Clement, having been persuaded by a jealous king that they are
corrupt devil worshippers. There is one survivor - a knight who
swears vengeance. Devon, 1316. A charred body is discovered in a
burned-out cottage, and newly appointed Bailiff, Simon Puttock,
believes it to be accidental. Until the new master of the local
manor, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, deduces that they were dead before
the fire began. With the assistance of the astute yet strangely
reticent knight, Simon begins to piece together the events of the
man's last days. Then word comes of another, far more sinister
murder - for in this case, the victim was undoubtedly burned alive.
Are the two incidents connected, and will the killer strike again?
An absolutely sensational historical mystery by a true master of
the genre, ideal for fans of S. J. A. Turney, K. M. Ashman and
Bernard Cornwell. Praise for Michael Jecks'Marvellously portrayed'
C. J. Sansom 'Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval
whodunnit' Robert Low 'The most wickedly plotted medieval mystery
novels' The Times
Londoner Jack Blackjack finds himself a stranger in a strange land
when he's accused of murder in rural Devon in this eventful Tudor
mystery. July, 1556. En route to France and escape from Queen
Mary's men, Jack Blackjack decides to spend the night at a Devon
tavern, agrees to a game of dice - and ends up accused of murder.
To make matters worse, the dead man turns out to have been the
leader of the all-powerful miners who rule the surrounding moors -
and they have no intention of waiting for the official court
verdict to determine Jack's guilt. But who would frame Jack for
murder . . . and why? Alone and friendless in a lawless land of
cut-throats, outlaws and thieves, Jack realizes that the only way
to clear his name - and save his skin - is to unmask the real
killer. But knowing nothing of the local ways and customs, how is
he to even begin? As Jack's attempts to find answers stirs up a
hornet's nest of warring factions within the town, events soon
start to spiral out of control . . .
Jack Blackjack stands accused of killing a priest in the wickedly
entertaining new Bloody Mary Tudor mystery. April, 1555. A priest
has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east
of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside - and
Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder. As well as clearing
his name, Jack has his own reasons for wanting to find out who
really killed the priest - but this is an investigation where
nothing is as it seems. Was it a random attack by a desperate
outlaw, or do the answers lie in the murdered priest's past? As he
questions those who knew the dead man, Jack is faced with a number
of conflicting accounts - and it's clear that not everyone can be
telling him the whole truth. But Jack is about to be sidetracked
from the investigation . with disastrous consequences.
Londoner Jack Blackjack finds himself a stranger in a strange land
when he's accused of murder in rural Devon in this eventful Tudor
mystery. July, 1556. En route to France and escape from Queen
Mary's men, Jack Blackjack decides to spend the night at a Devon
tavern, agrees to a game of dice - and ends up accused of murder.
To make matters worse, the dead man turns out to have been the
leader of the all-powerful miners who rule the surrounding moors -
and they have no intention of waiting for the official court
verdict to determine Jack's guilt. But who would frame Jack for
murder . . . and why? Alone and friendless in a lawless land of
cut-throats, outlaws and thieves, Jack realizes that the only way
to clear his name - and save his skin - is to unmask the real
killer. But knowing nothing of the local ways and customs, how is
he to even begin? As Jack's attempts to find answers stirs up a
hornet's nest of warring factions within the town, events soon
start to spiral out of control . . .
Jack Blackjack's search for an executioner's son ensnares him in a
fiendish mesh of schemes in this lively Tudor mystery. London. May,
1556. Hal Westmecott, one of the city's most feared executioners,
reckons Jack Blackjack owes him a favour - and now he's come to
collect his dues. Hal has ordered Jack to track down his long-lost
son and, although Jack believes he's been set an impossible task,
he's in no position to refuse. But when Jack's search draws him to
the attention of a ruthless nobleman, a dead priest's vengeful
brother and finally to a bloodstained body in a filthy lodging
house, he comes to realize he is an unwitting pawn in a mesh of
schemes dreamed up by the most powerful people in England. Just who
is a friend, who is a foe - and will Jack escape with his life
intact?
"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot"- Publishers Weekly
Starred Review August, 1556. Jack Blackjack is on a simple mission:
make it back home to his beloved London. It should be simple,
right? Wrong. He's made it as far as Exeter, but before he can
secure a fresh steed in that hellish city, he's faced with a dead
priest, ruthless thieves, and a devious Dean who's determined to
see the back of Jack. That suits Jack just fine - he wants to
leave! So when wealthy merchant Wolfe, offers passage to London via
sea, Jack jumps at the chance . . . and unwittingly into further
danger! With thieves, pirates and potential murderers at every turn
who can Jack trust? Will he uncover the truth behind the dead
priest and missing merchant ships? But more importantly, will he
ever make it home to London with his purse strings and limbs
intact? Set during the brief but exceedingly troubled reign of
Queen Mary I, elder half-sister to the future Elizabeth I,
(1553-1558) the Bloody Mary series features the amoral former
cutpurse turned paid assassin, Jack Blackjack, as its cowardly,
lecherous, yet strangely likeable amateur sleuth protagonist. The
joke is always on Jack as he lurches from one crisis to the next,
never quite sure what's going on, yet always - just about -
managing to keep one step ahead of his many enemies and those who,
for whatever reason, are trying to kill him.
"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot"- Publishers Weekly
Starred Review August, 1556. Jack Blackjack is on a simple mission:
make it back home to his beloved London. It should be simple,
right? Wrong. He's made it as far as Exeter, but before he can
secure a fresh steed in that hellish city, he's faced with a dead
priest, ruthless thieves, and a devious Dean who's determined to
see the back of Jack. That suits Jack just fine - he wants to
leave! So when wealthy merchant Wolfe, offers passage to London via
sea, Jack jumps at the chance . . . and unwittingly into further
danger! With thieves, pirates and potential murderers at every turn
who can Jack trust? Will he uncover the truth behind the dead
priest and missing merchant ships? But more importantly, will he
ever make it home to London with his purse strings and limbs
intact? Set during the brief but exceedingly troubled reign of
Queen Mary I, elder half-sister to the future Elizabeth I,
(1553-1558) the Bloody Mary series features the amoral former
cutpurse turned paid assassin, Jack Blackjack, as its cowardly,
lecherous, yet strangely likeable amateur sleuth protagonist. The
joke is always on Jack as he lurches from one crisis to the next,
never quite sure what's going on, yet always - just about -
managing to keep one step ahead of his many enemies and those who,
for whatever reason, are trying to kill him.
Jack Blackjack is ordered to eliminate a spy in Princess
Elizabeth's household in this engaging Tudor mystery. June, 1554.
Former cutpurse and now professional assassin Jack Blackjack has
deep misgivings about his latest assignment. He has been despatched
to the Palace of Woodstock, where Queen Mary's half-sister Princess
Elizabeth is being kept under close guard. Jack's employer has
reason to believe that a spy has been installed within the
princess's household, and Jack has been ordered to kill her. Jack
has no choice but to agree. But he arrives at Woodstock to discover
that a murder has already been committed. As he sets out to prove
his innocence by uncovering the real killer, Jack finds the palace
to be a place steeped in misery and deceit; a hotbed of illicit
love affairs, seething resentments, clashing egos and bitter
jealousies. But who among Woodstock's residents is hiding a deadly
secret - and will Jack survive long enough to find out?
'Jecks keeps the suspense at a steady boil as his well-rounded
characters fight for a corner in tumultuous London' Publishers
Weekly 'I look forward to seeing what mishap next awaits the
unlikely hero of Jack Blackjack' Historical Novel Society DANGER
LIES IN WAIT IN TUDOR LONDON . . . January, 1554. Light-fingered
Jack Blackjack knows he's not going to have a good day when he
wakes with a sore head next to a dead body in a tavern's yard. That
would be bad enough - but when he discovers what's in the dead
man's purse, the one he'd stolen, his day is set to get much worse.
The purse explains why the mysterious man with the broad-brimmed
hat wants to catch him. But so does the Lord Chancellor, as does
the enigmatic Henry. In fact, almost everyone seems to be after
Jack Blackjack. If it weren't for the rebel army marching on London
determined to remove Queen Mary from her throne and install Lady
Jane Grey in her place, Jack could leave the city - but with the
bridge blocked and every gate manned, there's no escape. Instead he
must try to work out who killed the man in the yard, and why. But
it won't be easy as the rebel army comes ever closer and the death
toll mounts .
'Jecks keeps the suspense at a steady boil as his well-rounded
characters fight for a corner in tumultuous London' Publishers
Weekly 'I look forward to seeing what mishap next awaits the
unlikely hero of Jack Blackjack' Historical Novel Society DANGER
LIES IN WAIT IN TUDOR LONDON . . . January, 1554. Light-fingered
Jack Blackjack knows he's not going to have a good day when he
wakes with a sore head next to a dead body in a tavern's yard. That
would be bad enough - but when he discovers what's in the dead
man's purse, the one he'd stolen, his day is set to get much worse.
The purse explains why the mysterious man with the broad-brimmed
hat wants to catch him. But so does the Lord Chancellor, as does
the enigmatic Henry. In fact, almost everyone seems to be after
Jack Blackjack. If it weren't for the rebel army marching on London
determined to remove Queen Mary from her throne and install Lady
Jane Grey in her place, Jack could leave the city - but with the
bridge blocked and every gate manned, there's no escape. Instead he
must try to work out who killed the man in the yard, and why. But
it won't be easy as the rebel army comes ever closer and the death
toll mounts .
London, 1555. Queen Mary is newly married to Philip II of Spain -
and not everyone is happy about the alliance. The kingdom is
divided between those loyal to Catholic Mary and those who support
her half-sister, Lady Elizabeth. Former cutpurse turned paid
assassin Jack Blackjack has more immediate matters to worry about.
Having been ordered to kill a man, he determines to save him
instead. But Jack defies his spymaster at his peril . and even the
best-laid plans can sometimes go awry. When it appears that Jack
has killed the wrong man, he reluctantly finds himself drawn into
affairs of state, making new enemies wherever he turns. Can he
survive long enough to put matters right? This engaging Tudor
mystery will appeal to fans of S J PARRIS and RORY CLEMENTS.
Join this accidental sleuth, Nick Morris, in his first mystery in
The Art of Murder series. Nick Morris is your classic struggling
artist. He paints pet portraits to pay the bills but is always just
one big commission away from a more comfortable life. Which is why
he agrees to paint the reluctant, hot-tempered hotelier, Jason
Robart. But Nick gets more than he bargained for when he finds
Jason dead from a shotgun blast to the head in an apparent suicide.
No one seems upset about his death except for his girlfriend
Elizabeth, and Nick, who has lost the income from the commission.
It turns out Jason owed money to everyone - including some
unsavoury Russians. When Elizabeth goes missing, Nick is concerned,
but so is Jason's unpleasant business partner and those persuasive
Russians who threaten Nick to reveal everything he knows . . . or
else! Nick is knee deep in trouble and to escape he must find
Elizabeth, uncover the truth of Jason's death, and stay alive. If
only he had stuck to painting cats . . .
Introducing Elizabethan cutpurse and adventurer Jack Blackjack in
the first of a brand-new historical mystery series January, 1554.
Light-fingered Jack Blackjack knows he's not going to have a good
day when he wakes with a sore head next to a dead body in a
tavern's yard. That would be bad enough - but when he discovers
what's in the dead man's purse, the one he'd stolen, his day is set
to get much worse. The purse explains why the mysterious man with
the broad-brimmed hat wants to catch him. But so does the Lord
Chancellor, as does the enigmatic Henry. In fact, almost everyone
seems to be after Jack Blackjack. If it weren't for the rebel army
marching on London determined to remove Queen Mary from her throne
and install Lady Jane Grey in her place, Jack could leave the city
- but with the bridge blocked and every gate manned, there's no
escape. Instead he must try to work out who killed the man in the
yard, and why. But it won't be easy as the rebel army comes ever
closer and the death toll mounts .
Jack Blackjack stands accused of killing a priest in the wickedly
entertaining new Bloody Mary Tudor mystery. April, 1555. A priest
has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east
of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside - and
Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder. As well as clearing
his name, Jack has his own reasons for wanting to find out who
really killed the priest - but this is an investigation where
nothing is as it seems. Was it a random attack by a desperate
outlaw, or do the answers lie in the murdered priest's past? As he
questions those who knew the dead man, Jack is faced with a number
of conflicting accounts - and it's clear that not everyone can be
telling him the whole truth. But Jack is about to be sidetracked
from the investigation . with disastrous consequences.
Jack Blackjack's search for an executioner's son ensnares him in a
fiendish mesh of schemes in this lively Tudor mystery. London. May,
1556. Hal Westmecott, one of the city's most feared executioners,
reckons Jack Blackjack owes him a favour - and now he's come to
collect his dues. Hal has ordered Jack to track down his long-lost
son and, although Jack believes he's been set an impossible task,
he's in no position to refuse. But when Jack's search draws him to
the attention of a ruthless nobleman, a dead priest's vengeful
brother and finally to a bloodstained body in a filthy lodging
house, he comes to realize he is an unwitting pawn in a mesh of
schemes dreamed up by the most powerful people in England. Just who
is a friend, who is a foe - and will Jack escape with his life
intact?
When Jack Blackjack disobeys the orders of his spymaster, he enters
dangerous waters in this lively Tudor mystery. London, 1555. Queen
Mary is newly married to Philip II of Spain - and not everyone is
happy about the alliance. The kingdom is divided between those
loyal to Catholic Mary and those who support her half-sister, Lady
Elizabeth. Former cutpurse turned paid assassin Jack Blackjack has
more immediate matters to worry about. Having been ordered to kill
a man, he determines to save him instead. But Jack defies his
spymaster at his peril . and even the best-laid plans can sometimes
go awry. When it appears that Jack has killed the wrong man, he
reluctantly finds himself drawn into affairs of state, making new
enemies wherever he turns. Can he survive long enough to put
matters right? This engaging Tudor mystery will appeal to fans of S
J PARRIS and RORY CLEMENTS.
Jack Blackjack is ordered to eliminate a spy in Princess
Elizabeth's household in this engaging Tudor mystery. June, 1554.
Former cutpurse and now professional assassin Jack Blackjack has
deep misgivings about his latest assignment. He has been despatched
to the Palace of Woodstock, where Queen Mary's half-sister Princess
Elizabeth is being kept under close guard. Jack's employer has
reason to believe that a spy has been installed within the
princess's household, and Jack has been ordered to kill her. Jack
has no choice but to agree. But he arrives at Woodstock to discover
that a murder has already been committed. As he sets out to prove
his innocence by uncovering the real killer, Jack finds the palace
to be a place steeped in misery and deceit; a hotbed of illicit
love affairs, seething resentments, clashing egos and bitter
jealousies. But who among Woodstock's residents is hiding a deadly
secret - and will Jack survive long enough to find out?
'Jecks keeps the suspense at a steady boil as his well-rounded
characters fight for a corner in tumultuous London' Publishers
Weekly 'I look forward to seeing what mishap next awaits the
unlikely hero of Jack Blackjack' Historical Novel Society DANGER
LIES IN WAIT IN TUDOR LONDON . . . London, 1554. Light-fingered
Jack Blackjack wakes in a tavern's yard with a sore head, his knife
smeared with blood and a dead stranger lying beside him. Jack may
have robbed the man but he's certain that he didn't kill him.
Unfortunately, the man's purse contains something much more
valuable than money and, as the prime suspect for the murder,
everyone is on Jack's tail. He needs to get out of the city, and
fast, but a rebel army is marching on London: the bridge is blocked
and every gate manned. Trapped in the city, Jack must avoid being
caught long enough to find the real murderer.
No clues, and everyone's a suspect...Agatha Kyteler, regarded as a
witch by her superstitious neighbours, has no shortage of enemies.
But when her body is found frozen and mutilated in a hedge one
wintry morning, there seem to be no clues as to who could be
responsible. Until a local youth runs away and the hue and cry is
raised... Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, is not
convinced of the youth's guilt, and he manages to persuade his
close friend Simon Puttock to help him with the investigation. As
they endeavour to find the true culprit, the darker, sinister side
of the village begins to emerge. A chilling, incredibly compelling
historical mystery from a legend of the genre, perfect for fans of
Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and C. J. Sansom. Praise for
Michael Jecks'Marvellously portrayed' C. J. Sansom 'Michael Jecks
is the master of the medieval whodunnit' Robert Low 'The most
wickedly plotted medieval mystery novels' The Times
The death of a runaway could spark a revolt...Devon, 1318. Peter
Bruther, who works the land for his lord, Sir William Beauscyr, is
fed up with his life of near-slavery, and has run away. Brutal
punishments usually fall on the heads of runaways, but Bruther uses
a legal loophole: on Dartmoor, tin miners enjoy special protection
from prosecution. They are accountable only to the king. Brother
swiftly sets himself up as a miner on the moors: safe... or so he
thinks. Beauscyr and his two feuding sons are furious to learn they
have no legal claim on their wayward man, and demand justice from
Bailiff Simon Puttock. They fear more runaways. But other miners
resent Bruther's appearance, too, and they do not want their
profitable extortion and protection racket destabilised. Before
dissent can spread to other serfs working for Beauscyr, Bruther is
found hanging from a tree. Simon, assisted by former Knight Templar
Sir Baldwin Furnshill, finds himself investigating cold-blooded
murder, and there is no shortage of suspects... An action-packed
historical mystery perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory, C. J.
Sansom and Rory Clements. Praise for Michael Jecks'Michael Jecks is
a national treasure' Scotland on Sunday 'Marvellously portrayed' C.
J. Sansom
Jack Blackjack stands accused of killing a priest in the wickedly
entertaining new Bloody Mary Tudor mystery. April, 1555. A priest
has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east
of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside - and
Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder. As well as clearing
his name, Jack has his own reasons for wanting to find out who
really killed the priest - but this is an investigation where
nothing is as it seems. Was it a random attack by a desperate
outlaw, or do the answers lie in the murdered priest's past? As he
questions those who knew the dead man, Jack is faced with a number
of conflicting accounts - and it's clear that not everyone can be
telling him the whole truth. But Jack is about to be sidetracked
from the investigation . with disastrous consequences.
The new riveting novel from the West Country's medieval crime
master Michael Jecks. King Edward II is furious when he learns that
his wife Queen Isabella has defied him and remains in France with
their son. As the unfortunate messengers of this unhappy news, Sir
Baldwin de Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend,
bailiff Simon Puttock, are instantly dismissed from court.
Returning to their homes in Devon, the pair are shocked to find
that outlaws now hold sway in the land and the chaos escalates as
the bodies of two clerics are found among a party of travellers...
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