John Shakespeare – serie

'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday TimesThe first book in the iconic John Shakespeare series, beloved by thousands of readers, from true master of historical fiction, Rory Clements.-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------England, 1587. Mary, Queen of Scots is to be executed. Spain gathers their fleet in vengeance . . . War is coming.Tensions in Elizabeth I's government are at breaking point. At the eye of the storm is John Shakespeare, chief intelligencer in the secret service of Sir Francis Walsingham.When an intercept reveals a plot to assassinate Francis Drake, Shakespeare is ordered to protect him. The future of the nation rests on Drake's safety.But London is nothing but one large powder keg. And murder and mutilation of a high-born young woman at a printing house, a case which Shakespeare is forced to investigate, could be the spark that sets everything ablaze. . .From the splendour and intrigue of the royal court, to the sleek warships of Her Majesty's Navy and the teeming brothels of Southwark, Shakespeare soon learns that nothing is as it seems.-------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England' 'An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery' 'If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this' 'Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'

'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday TimesPart of the bestselling John Shakespeare series of Tudor spy thrillers from Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------1592. England and Spain are at war, yet there is peril at home, too. The death of her trusted spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham has left Queen Elizabeth vulnerable. Conspiracies multiply.The quiet life of John Shakespeare is shattered by a summons from the deadly young statesman Robert Cecil, insisting Shakespeare re-enter government service. His mission: to find vital papers, now in the possession of the Earl of Essex.Essex is the brightest star in the firmament, a man of ambition. He woos the Queen, thirty-three years his senior, as if she were a girl his age.When Shakespeare infiltrates this dissolute world he discovers not only that the Queen herself is in danger - but that he and his family are also targets. Shakespeare must face implacable forces who believe themselves above the law: men and women who kill without compunction. But in a world of shifting allegiances, just how far he can trust Robert Cecil, his devious new master? -------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England''An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery''If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this''Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'

'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday TimesThe third book in the iconic John Shakespeare series, beloved by thousands of readers, from true master of historical fiction, Rory Clements.-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------Spring 1593. England is a powder keg of rumour and fear.Plague rages, famine is rife, the ageing Queen's couriers scheme: Elizabeth's Golden Age is truly tarnished. Meanwhile Spain watches and waits - and plots.Into this turmoil a small cart clatters through the streets of London, carrying a deadly load. It is the first in a wave of horrific bombing attacks on the Dutch immigrant community that will change John Shakespeare's life for ever.Driven on by cold rage, his investigations will take him from royal horseraces to opulent brothel chambers, from the theatrical underworld of Marlowe and Kyd to pain-wracked torture cells , and from the elegant offices of master tactician Robert Cecil to the splintering timbers of an explosive encounter at sea.As Shakespeare delves ever deeper, he uncovers intricate layers of mystery and deception that threaten the heart not only of the realm, but of all that he holds dear. -------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England''An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery''If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this''Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'

'A master of the wartime spy thriller' Financial TimesThe fourth book in the iconic John Shakespeare series, beloved by thousands of readers, from true master of historical fiction, Rory Clements.-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------The Elizabethan navy has a secret weapon: an optical instrument so powerful it gives England unassailable superiority at sea.Spain will stop at nothing to steal it and seize the two men who understand its secrets - its operative William Ivory, known as the 'Queen's Eye', and its inventor, the maverick magician Dr Dee.With a second Armada threatened, intelligencer John Shakespeare is sent north to escort Dr Dee to safety. But his mission is far from straightforward.While Shakespeare attempts to untangle a plot that points to treachery at the very highest reaches of government, he also faces serious accusations far closer to home. With so much at stake, must he choose between family and his duty to Queen and country?Moving from the Catholic heartlands of Lancashire to a vagabond camp in the heart of England, and from the deck of Admiral Frobisher's flagship to the secret meetings of Elizabeth's closest associates, Traitor is an intriguing and compelling novel from award-winning writer Rory Clements. -------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''Once again Rory Clements has delivered an excellent fast paced Elizabethan mystery''An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery''If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this''Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'

'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday TimesThe fifth book in the iconic John Shakespeare series, beloved by thousands of readers, from true master of historical fiction, Rory Clements.-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------England have survived the Armada threat of 1588. But when Spanish galleys land troops in Cornwall on a lightning raid seven years later, is it a dry-run for a new invasion? Revenge for the sacking of Spanish shipping and ports? Or is there, perhaps, a more sinister motive?The Queen is speechless with rage at Spain's temerity. Sir Robert Cecil demands answers. But as John Shakespeare tries to get a grip on events, England's secret defences begin to unravel as one by one his network of spies is horribly murdered.But what has all this to do with Thomasyn Jade, a girl driven to the edge of madness by the foul rituals of exorcism? And what is the link to a group of priests held prisoner in the bleak confines of Wisbech Castle?From the pain-wracked torture rooms of the Inquisition in Seville to the marshy wastes of fenland, from the wild coasts of Cornwall to the sweat and sawdust of the Elizabethan playhouses, The Heretics builds to a terrifying climax that threatens the life of the Queen herself. -------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England''An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery''If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this''Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'

***Includes bonus short story***Introduces us to the life of John Shakespeare, Queen's Spy.-------------------------------------------------------'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian-------------------------------------------------------England is a Judas nest of conspiracy.It is 1582, and the conflict between Protestant and Catholic threatens to tear the country in two.While Queen Elizabeth I holds the reins of power, there are those whose loyalty lies with her imprisoned cousin, Mary Queen of Scots.On his first major mission for Sir Francis Walsingham, the young John Shakespeare is ordered to discover a conspiracy to free the Stuart queen from Sheffield Castle. All too soon, he realises that the tentacles of the plot reach deep into his native Warwickshire and threaten his own friends and family.His duty lies with Elizabeth - but how far will he go to protect those he loves? -------------------------------------------------------Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this''You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England''An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery''If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this''Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare'