Tag: tudor mystery

Congratulations to Adele Jordan!

Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose page-turning Tudor mystery, The Body in the Chamber, is published today!

The Body in the Chamber is the third book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series.

1536, London

With two queens already removed from King Henry VIII’s side, the Tudor court fears for his new wife, Jane Seymour.

Thief turned espionage agent, Gwynnie Wightham is tasked by her employer Elric Tombstone to watch over the new queen.

And it soon becomes clear that her task will not be an easy one when a dead body is found in the queen’s chambers.

It seems there is a murderer hiding in the palace walls, and a clear suspect has already been named.

Convicted killer, Connal Devlin, escaped the noose at Tyburn and vowed to seek revenge on King Henry for turning his back on the ‘true’ Catholic faith.

Gwynnie is tasked with finding Devlin, but something doesn’t seem right.

Is it possible Devlin isn’t as evil as he was made out to be? Could someone else be behind the murder at the palace?

And can Gwynnie stop them before another Tudor queen’s life comes to an untimely end…?

How I Write by Angela Ranson

In this behind-the-scenes blog series, Sapere Books authors offer an intriguing insight into how, where and why they write.

Today, we are delighted to spotlight Angela Ranson, author of the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mysteries.

Angela’s study

I write in my study, which doubles as a playroom for my two cats. I love having their energy and curiosity as the backdrop for my writing. This is especially true because I write about a world long dead — Tudor England — and try with every scene to bring it back to life.

My books centre around the early years in the reign of Elizabeth I (the 1560s), which I studied when I earned my doctorate in sixteenth-century English history. I live in York, within a stone’s throw of King’s Manor. This was the building where Henry VIII stayed in 1536, and his suite of rooms is now one of the University of York’s libraries. If you stand at the back of the building, you can see a tiny window that leads to nowhere: it originally let some light into Henry’s specially-made toilet, or garderobe.

I love that York has these little historical treasures; I go looking for them whenever I have the opportunity. That isn’t as often as I would like, because I write between the hours dedicated to two jobs at the university. Writing is what I do to relax, to escape from the trials of daily life. Thus, you’ll often see me writing while I eat my supper, or early on a Saturday morning when I’m still in my pyjamas. Turns out, those are the hours when dreams come true.

Death At The Tower is Published Today

Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose captivating espionage adventure, Death At The Tower, is published today!

Death At The Tower is the second book in the Shadow Cutpurses Tudor Thriller Series: gripping adventures set during King Henry VIII’s reign in England with a strong female lead.

1536, London

Thief Gwynnie Wightham has a new master in Elric Tombstone. She may follow his word, but she has little loyalty for him, and there is even less friendship between them.

She has agreed to assist him to make sure he keeps his word to never go hunting for her mother. For if Emlyn is ever found, she will be tried not just for being a jewel thief, but for murder.

Tombstone’s task for Gwynnie is to investigate Captain Daundelyon, for there has been a tipoff that the Dandy Lyon, as he’s nicknamed, is a French spy, come to ingratiate himself with the king.

Gwynnie follows Captain Daundelyon around, noticing he’s a common thief, almost as skilled as her in her deception, but she finds no hint of his spy work.

But the Tudor court is cracking into factions – a great rift has swelled between King Henry and Queen Anne Boleyn, and what she does find is that Daundelyon’s presence is inextricably linked with Queen Anne’s downfall.

What is Daundelyon’s relationship to Anne Boleyn? Is he plotting against the king?

And can Gwynnie prove her worth and find a way to clear her mother’s name…?

Congratulations to David Field!

Congratulations to David Field, whose gripping historical mystery, To Kill A King, is out now!

To Kill A King is the fifth novel in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1603

Queen Elizabeth’s long reign has finally come to an end and the Tudor era is over. Scottish King James has been handed the crown of England, but not everyone is happy about that, and there are several plots being hatched to replace him with an alternative.

Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel already has his hands full with an increase in destitute vagrants flooding the county, who seem to be victims of a human trafficker. But before he can find the man responsible, he is tasked by an official with royal authority to infiltrate a local group, who it is rumoured are plotting to assassinate the new king.

Edward enlists the help of fellow bailiff, Francis Barton to find the group, who are hiding out in Sherwood Forest.

But the only way to discover the plot is to place themselves right in the heart of the danger. And there’s a good chance they will be killed before they can save the king…

Who is leading the band of rebels? Can he be stopped?

And is there a connection between the treasonous plot and the desperate vagrants Edward is trying to assist…?

The Clamorous Dead is Published Today

Congratulations to David Field, whose twisty Elizabethan mystery, The Clamorous Dead, is published today!

The Clamorous Dead is the fourth historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1596

A routine hanging at Gallows Hill is disrupted when a wild woman begins screaming a curse on the execution site, calling down nightly visitations from the undead to claim the souls of the living.

County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel attempts to pursue her, but she vanishes into thin air.

Nightly thereafter, Gallows Hill is the scene of ghastly happenings that Edward is ordered to investigate. Rumours of witchcraft infiltrate the county and the bailiff is sent to arrest a local woman, suspected of devilry.

Edward finds her and realises she is merely a wise woman with ancient knowledge of herbs and medicine and with no ill intent. He decides to hide her to keep her safe from those calling for blood.

But his efforts are complicated by the arrival of a professional witch-hunter from Scotland, who is scouring the length and breadth of England in a blood-thirsty mission to destroy any woman, man or child found guilty of sorcery.

As mass hysteria and prejudice threaten to engulf the country, can Edward bring justice to his county, while still keeping his morals intact? Or will innocent women be thrown to the wolves…?

Happy Publication Day to David Field!

Congratulations to David Field, whose absorbing historical thriller, The Assassination Players, is published today!

The Assassination Players is the second instalment in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series – private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottinghamshire, England, 1591

Two of Queen Elizabeth I’s justices have been murdered within a week of each other, along with a woman who was involved with one of them and a man who had been awaiting trial by the other.

County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel and Town Bailiff Francis Barton are tasked with investigating the deaths, but they are thrown off course by a visit from the queen’s secretary, Baron Burghley.

Burghley has discovered a plot to kill the Protestant queen and replace her with a Catholic alternative.

He tasks the bailiffs with journeying into a neighbouring county to infiltrate the gang of suspected traitors.

Time is of the essence as the threat already seems to have infiltrated Elizabeth’s court.

But the men behind the plot are ruthless and the path to discover them is fraught with danger.

Will Mountsorrel and Barton unmask the traitors? Who is behind the plot to kill the queen?

Can the bailiffs stop them before they change the course of history forever…?

Death Foretold is Published Today!

Congratulations to Angela Ranson, whose gripping murder mystery, Dead Foretold, is published today!

Dead Foretold is the second book in the Catrin Surovell Tudor Mystery Series. It is an exciting historical thriller set at the court of Elizabeth I.

1561

Queen Elizabeth is under pressure from all her advisors to marry, but no one can agree on a potential husband.

The conflict is slowly eroding Elizabeth’s power and authority among the nobility, especially when a prophecy starts to spread that seems to predict the deaths of senior members of the queen’s court.

Tension grows when one of the queen’s maids of honour, Mathilda, is killed and placed on a false altar of hawthorn branches.

Her death follows the first lines of the prophecy, making people fearful about who could be next.

Amid rising hysteria, the queen orders her trusted lady-in-waiting Catrin Surovell to investigate.

Catrin soon learns that there is more to this mysterious death than anyone thought.

Strange symbols and eerie events put her on the trail of the murderer.

What do the symbols mean? Is someone using the guise of magic to destabilise the queen’s reign?

Catrin has to figure it out and stop the murderer before he strikes again…

The Castle Abductions is Out Now!

Congratulations to David Field, whose page-turning Tudor mystery, The Castle Abductions, is out now!

The Castle Abductions is the first historical thriller in the Bailiff Mountsorrel Tudor Mystery Series: private investigation crime novels set during the reign of Elizabeth I and beyond.

Nottingham, England, 1590

County Bailiff Edward Mountsorrel and Town Bailiff Francis Barton have vowed to root out the criminals of Nottinghamshire and bring them to justice.

But after acting on information from a questionable source, Edward is tricked into allowing several deer to be stolen from a local estate. Furious, he sets about tracking them down.

Meanwhile, Francis is asked to investigate the disappearance of Nell, a young woman who was last seen at a local alehouse with a wealthy stranger.

When the bailiffs’ shared house is burned down and their servant is found stabbed to death, Edward and Francis begin to suspect that their cases are linked.

And when more young women go missing, the two bailiffs worry they are running out of time to retrieve them from danger…

Who wishes to silence to Edward and Francis? What happened to the missing women?

And can the two bailiffs find them before it’s too late…?

Sapere Books Sign a New Tudor Thriller Series by Adele Jordan

The first book in the Kit Scarlett Mystery series

Following the success of Adele Jordan’s absorbing Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries, we are delighted to announce that we have signed her new series of Tudor thrillers.

In Adele’s words:

“I’m thrilled to be working with Sapere Books once more on my new series, The Shadow Cutpurses. This first instalment is the culmination of a lot of research into the Tudor era and a fascination with women’s lives outside of the royal court. This tale about cutpurses or thieves is a thriller, looking at what can happen when a woman at the bottom of the hierarchy is pitted against a man of ultimate power.

“My hope is that every page is a thrilling step in Gwynnie’s adventure. I hope that fans of my first series will find the same pace and spirit of adventure in this series, while plunging into the darkness of life during a slightly different period of Tudor history. It’s been a great joy to work with the Sapere family, and my huge thanks goes to Amy, Caoimhe, Richard and Natalie, for their support. My thanks also have to go to the other authors with Sapere, who through our chats have helped me to improve my writing.”

Sapere Books Signs a New Tudor Mystery Series by Paul Walker

We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new series of Tudor mysteries by Paul Walker.

In Paul’s words:

“I’m thrilled to have a contract with Sapere Books for my new series. With a well-deserved reputation for publishing outstanding and innovative historical fiction, it’s a privilege to join such a talented group of authors under the Sapere banner.

“The series is a spin-off from the first of my William Constable books, State of Treason. Hector Askham, a captain of Spymaster Walsingham’s guards, was rewarded with retirement to a small estate in North Norfolk for his role in foiling a plot against Queen Elizabeth. Eight years later, now a country squire settled into his new life, an unwelcome command from Walsingham arrives only a few weeks after the dispersal of the Spanish Armada. Another threat, more subtle and insidious, is understood to be nearing the Norfolk coast. Askham is expected to lead an ill-prepared and under-resourced defence. But is the intelligence flawed? Can he trust the word of spies and paid informers? To disobey Walsingham’s command is not an option, but the odds are stacked against success and if he fails, the consequences could be severe.”

Death in Rheims is Out Now

Congratulations to C. P. Giuliani, whose absorbing espionage adventure, Death in Rheims, is published today!

Death in Rheims is the third book in the Tom Walsingham Mysteries series: spy thrillers set during the Elizabethan era in Tudor Europe.

France, 1585

Tom Walsingham has been sent to France by his spymaster cousin, Sir Francis.

One of Sir Francis’s French informers has recently died in suspicious circumstances and Tom has been dispatched to investigate the death.

The dead man’s daughter is sure her father’s death was quite natural – but this doesn’t mean there aren’t strange circumstances surrounding it.

The informer lived in Rheims, close to a local English college where Catholic exiles are known to train for forbidden priesthood, and Sir Francis’s current plant at the college – a fiery young poet named Kit Marley – claims at least one of the young men has been murdered.

With yet another bout of civil war looming over France, and everyone pursuing their own agenda, Tom has his work cut for him, with plenty of aliases, betrayals and lies to disentangle.

And with relations still tense between the French and English, he must be careful not to betray his true identity and end up as the next victim…

Was the English informer targeted? Is there a serial killer at large?

And can Tom prevent any more deaths in Rheims…?

Happy Publication Day to Adele Jordan!

Congratulations to Adele Jordan, whose thrilling Tudor adventure, The Royal Assassin, is published today! The Royal Assassin is the second book in the Kit Scarlett Tudor Mysteries series.

1584, London

When Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster to the Tudor Queen Elizabeth, learns of a Jesuit assassin landing on England’s shores, he’s determined to go to any lengths to protect his Protestant Queen.

His protégé, Kit Scarlett, discovers a letter revealing the name of the assassin – Gregorio Luca. Together with Scottish agent, Iomhar Blackwood, Walsingham sends them on a mission to track Luca down.

It is clear Luca is only coming with one task in mind – to kill. But is his target the English queen?

Kit and Iomhar must scour the coast, keeping an eye on the beaches and searching for priest holes to stop Luca before he gets any further.

But when Kit is attacked, they realise they are the ones in grave danger…

Why is Kit being targeted? Does Luca know they are tracking him?

And can he be stopped before he completes his deadly mission…?

The Road to Murder is Published Today

Congratulations to  C. P. Giuliani, whose page-turning Tudor adventure, The Road to Murder, is published today!

England, 1581

Nineteen-year-old Thomas Walsingham is thrilled to be working as a confidential courier, carrying messages between London and Paris for his illustrious cousin, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham … until everything goes wrong.

Tasked with escorting an English glove-maker to the French Court, Tom is also playing messenger for the Duke of Anjou, Queen Elizabeth’s French suitor, as well as carrying confidential instructions to the English Ambassador in Paris.

When French soldiers assault his convoy en route, Tom loses a letter he had sewn into his clothes. And the next morning, the glove-maker is found stabbed to death.

Determined to prove himself, despite failing so disastrously in his mission, Tom pushes on to Paris, but when he gets there, he discovers the glove-maker may not have been who he said he was.

Certain the queen may now be at risk, Tom is determined to report back to Sir Francis, but he cannot afford to wait for official orders.

Who was the glove-maker working for? Why was he killed? Isolated and without a passport, Tom must travel incognito and return to the English court before anyone else ends up dead…

 

Click here to order Road to Murder

Sapere Books Sign a New Tudor Series by C P Giuliani

We are delighted to announce that we have signed a new Tudor mystery series by C P Giuliani.

The Tom Walsingham Mysteries follow a young sleuth as he becomes embroiled in the shady world of espionage. The first instalment will be published in 2021.

In Giuliani’s words:

“Signing with Sapere Books for my first murder mystery series has been truly wonderful!

“Book 1, A Road to Murder, is set in 1581 between England and France, and follows a young diplomatic courier’s efforts to untangle a murder that could have wider, political implications. With France constantly teetering on the brink of religious unrest, and Queen Elizabeth toying with the idea of marrying the French king’s Catholic heir, even the death of a glove-maker can hide sinister machinations. And my hero, Tom Walsingham — a relation to Queen Elizabeth’s powerful spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham — knows better than most just what could be at stake…

“This is going to be my first publication in the UK, and Amy and the whole team at Sapere Books are being incredibly supportive, friendly and very competent — and they have gathered together a very welcoming author community. A lovely experience through and through.”