Michael Jecks – författare

The knights templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until an avaricious king savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his murdered brothers.

A gathering of evil

With scores of merchants streaming into Devon to participate in the Tavistock fair of 1319, a goodly amount of unlawful activity is expected. No one, however, anticipates a murder. The guests of Abbot Robert Champeaux, former Knight Templar Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, have been asked by their host to investigate the grisly discovery of a headless corpse by a local butcher. Hunting a killer in the din and bustle of the fair could prove a daunting task, especially with the victim''s identity a mystery. But Sir Baldwin and Simon are determined to unravel the complex weave of intrigue, rage, and violence that has brought death to Tavistock -- even if it means courting their own destruction.

The Knights Templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land—until an avaricious king destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his murdered brothers.

A fatal tide of intolerance

With civil war looming, tensions are high in the town of Crediton—and the foul murder of a local gold merchant and assault on his daughter merely feed the flames. Keeper of the King''s Peace and former Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, and his partner, Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, must find the culprit and resist the temptation to quickly condemn the most obvious suspect. But their cool heads may not prevail, for rumors are spreading that suggest the lepers of St. Lawrence''s hospital—the shunned outcasts of society—are somehow responsible for Crediton''s current ills. And any delay on the part of Furnshill and Puttock in apprehending a killer may well lead to a full-scale slaughter of the despised unfortunates.

The Knights Templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land—until an avaricious king who wanted their wealth savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his innocent murdered brothers.

An Ill Wind

The arrival of the eminent Bishop of Exeter to the small Devonshire town of Crediton—coupled with the unwanted appearance of a particularly unsavory band of mercenary soldiers—has made life exceedingly difficult for Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, and ex-Knight Templar Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King''s Peace. But it is the grim discovery of the body of a young girl hidden in a chest that unleashes a village-wide plague of fear and suspicion. Stemming the chaos may be beyond the powers of two dedicated upholders of the law. For the Crediton killings have only just begun—and each murder to follow threatens to be more heinous and baffling than the one before.

The Knights Templar

They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to theprotection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by anavaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justiceas he watched his innocent brothers die.

A Dastardly Deed

When the mutilated body of midwife and healer Agatha Kyteler is discovered in a hedge one frozen wintry morning, it at first appears the lack of clues will render the crime unsolvable -- until a frightened local youth inexplicably flees his village and a hue and cry is raised. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, once a Knight Templar, however, has doubts about the boy’s guilt, and enlists friend and bailiff of Lydford Castle, Simon Puttock, in the hunt for a murderer. But what they seek lies somewhere on the darker side of the village of Wefford, beneath layers of jealousy, suspicion, and hatred -- and the buried truth could prove fatal to anyone who disturbs it.

The Knights Templar

They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by an avaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justice as he watched his innocent brothers die.

A Dark Justice

Cold-blooded murder has transformed Simon Puttock''s official obligation into something horrid -- and he will need the able assistance of his friend, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, to draw a criminal out. A former Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin knows much of duty and servitude -- and of evil freely indulged in the name of godliness or greed. Now justice must be served,even if their search exposes extortion, foul corruption,rule by fear…and killers willing -- even eager -- to shed more blood.

The Knights Templar

They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to theprotection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until stories spread by anavaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight, however, who escaped the stake, vowing justiceas he watched his innocent brothers die.

In the Service of the Lord

Simon Puttock has not been bailiff of Lydford Castle long in this year of 1316, when he is called to a nearby village to examine a burned-out cottage and the dead body within. But it is the newly arrived knight, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, who discerns the deceased was no victim of a tragic mishap; he was, in fact, murdered prior to the blaze. Simon would be well-served by accepting further assistance from this astute, though haunted and secretive stranger. For a second fatal burning indicates that some harsh evil has invaded this once-peaceful place, and its hunger has yet to be sated.

"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot" Publishers Weekly Starred Review of The Merchant MurderersMarch, 1557. Jack Blackjack is back in London and enjoying a sedentary life - after his treacherous voyage back to his beloved city the previous year, he desires nothing more than the simple pleasures - women, wine, beer and more women.But his new parish of St Helen's has different ideas for him. . . a week after first laying eyes on the tempting Miss Rachel Nailor, she turns up horribly dead on the church vestry floor. . . and someone is trying to frame him for her murder!A fellow Lady Elizabeth sympathiser, it appears Rachel Nailor was a woman with many secrets. But was she murdered in a fit of lustful rage, or was it part of a wider political play? Who would want Rachel dead - and Jack hanged for it? The suspects are plenty and Jack is running out of time. With his master breathing down his neck, and old foes crawling out of the woodwork to add to Jack's wine-fuelled headache, Jack has never been in more danger!

"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot"- Publishers Weekly Starred ReviewAugust, 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 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.

"Superb. . .a fast-moving and gripping plot"- Publishers Weekly Starred ReviewAugust, 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.

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 . . .

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 . . .

Princess Elizabeth's unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary's health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that's before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack's latest female companion's body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the mirky truth - while ensuring he doesn't find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

For readers who like their historical mysteries with a dash of farce and frolicking fun!

Artist-turned-amateur sleuth Nick Morris is back, and this time he's swapped the English countryside for beautiful Italy. Only it's not long before another dead body (or two) lands in front of him! This witty mystery is perfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz.Artist Nick Morris is in picturesque Piacenza, Italy to teach at an art retreat. A delightful gig, if only his budding artists weren't so . . . dramatic! Between the heartbroken, dying and just plain cantankerous, Nick's got his work cut out. Especially with world renowned - and universally despised - author Gregory Stone swanning about ruffling everyone's feathers.But all is not as it seems with the bestseller. And Nick's horrified when he finds the man dead in his hotel. Another mystery is the last thing Nick wants to get involved in, but having befriended Stone's attractive publicist, he wonders, did Stone's bullying, misogyny and blatant plagiarism finally to push someone too far? As the investigation ramps up, so too does the suspect list. And soon Nick's fighting fires (literally!) all over the piazza. But it's the discovery of a second dead body - one of his students - that really throws him for a loop . . . Can Nick uncover the identity of the murderer before he himself becomes the next victim?Nick Morris's keen observance of the people around him takes the reader on a journey, investigating several suspects. But which one has a true motive for murder . . .? Laced with Michael Jecks' signature wit, readers will enjoy this latest addition to The Art of Murder series.

Join accidental sleuth, Nick Morris, in his second mystery in The Art of Murder series.When an offer to paint a beautiful Georgian house in the Peak District falls into Nick Morris' lap he jumps at the commission. Businessman Derek Swann is selling up and wants a landscape to remember. But Nick's plans for a quiet stay in the countryside are scuppered when he and his chalet neighbour Megan Lamplighter find a body in the woods surrounding the holiday park.Rick Parrow seemed to be a troubled young adult, with a dark cloud following him around in recent days, so when it turns out he was murdered, Nick feels compelled to seek out the truth. What was bothering Rick in the days before his death? What exactly was his connection to the bear-like figure of Jez Cooper, who was staying in a chalet up from Nick? And who could possibly have wanted the boy dead?Nick's attention is pulled in every direction - from his work at the manor house, and its captivating housekeeper Adela - to the many unsavoury characters now circling the holiday park and paying a little too much attention to Nick's movements. Nick must act fast if he wants to get out of this in one piece!

Escape into the evocative medieval world of Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock, as you join them on the suspenseful trail of three murder mysteries. The Knights Templar Collection brings together three engrossing novels in the widely acclaimed and much-loved Knights Templar series by Michael Jecks. Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and Bernard Cornwell.The Mad Monk of Gidleigh (Book 14): As the winter of 1323 descends on Dartmoor, who could blame the young priest, Father Mark, for seeking affection from the miller''s daughter, Mary? But when Mary and her unborn child are found dead, Mark is the obvious suspect. Called to investigate, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock soon begin to have their doubts. And by the time their search is over, life will never be quite the same again.The Templar''s Penance (Book 15): It is the summer of 1323, and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock have been granted leave to go on pilgrimage. When a beautiful girl is found murdered on a hillside en route to Santiago de Compostela, the friends are among the first on the scene. As Baldwin and Simon lend their skills to the inquiry, the unexpected appearance of a face from Baldwin''s past could threaten the investigation, as well as the future of Baldwin himself...The Outlaws of Ennor (Book 16): On return from pilgrimage, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock''s ship is attacked by pirates, and Simon sees Baldwin washed overboard. On the island of Ennor, Simon must investigate the murder of the island''s hated tax collector while, unbeknownst to his friend, Baldwin begins to unpick the same murder on the other side of the island. Can the pair uncover the truth in time to prevent certain massacre? What readers are saying about The Knights Templar mysteries: ''Michael Jecks is one of the best medieval writers of our times. His two main characters come alive in the imagination when you''re reading them''''The characters are richly drawn and weave in and out of the events of the early 14th century, with Michael Jecks showing great knowledge of the times''''Good introduction to the series''

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?

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?