A gripping historical thriller set in sixteenth-century England and centered on the highly secretive cult of Saint Thomas Becket, the twelfth-century archbishop murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.
London, summer of 1584: Radical philosopher, ex-monk, and spy Giordano Bruno suspects he is being followed by an old enemy. He is shocked to discover that his pursuer is in fact Sophia Underhill, a young woman with whom he was once in love. When Bruno learns that Sophia has been accused of murdering her husband, a prominent magistrate in Canterbury, he agrees to do anything he can to help clear her name.
In the city that was once England's greatest center of pilgrimage, Bruno begins to uncover unsuspected secrets that point to the dead man being part of a larger and more dangerous plot in the making. He must turn his detective's eye on history—on Saint Thomas Becket, the twelfth-century archbishop murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, and on the legend surrounding the disappearance of his body—in order to solve the crime.
As Bruno's feelings for Sophia grow more intense, so does his fear that another murder is about to take place—perhaps his own. But more than Bruno's life is at stake in this vividly rendered, impeccably researched, and addictively page-turning whodunit—the stability of the kingdom hangs in the balance as Bruno hunts down a brutal murderer in the shadows of England's most ancient cathedral.
**
Review
“Reinforces Parris’s position at the top of the Elizabethan historical pack. . . . Parris . . . masterfully mixes political intrigue, action, and sleuthing.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Giordano Bruno turns out to be that rare hero, charismatic and nuanced.” —Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club
“A feast for fans of historical thrillers. . . . [Bruno] is one of the most engaging characters ever created.” —Bookreporter
“Move over C. J. Sansom, S.J. Parris has arrived. . . . Brilliant.” —The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
“Bruno commands our attention and our sympathy as any likable heretic should.” —The Washington Post Book World
“The novel's fast pace and numerous twists keep readers hooked until the end.” —Booklist
“The politics of Elizabethan England play a part, but it’s the personal relationships that are front and center. A good read.” —The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA)
“Parris provides a sumptuously rich setting with an absorbing entangled plotline that will keep the reader on a precipice of sudden death.” —Historical Novels Review
“Enjoyably ingenious.” —The Sunday Times (London)
Review
Praise for S. J. Parris: * 'Impossible to resist ... Parris creates a convincing sense of the past, woven with so much intrigue that the head fairly spins' Daily Telegraph * 'It has everything - intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate Mosse * 'Parris writes with confident ease of Tudor London ... The dialogue balances nicely on a tightrope of period phrases and cut-to-the-chase colloquialisms. More, please' The Times * 'Full of surprises ... an imaginatively satisfying addition to the many real intrigues surrounding the imprisoned Mary Stuart and the threats to Elizabeth's security' TLS * 'Fascinating ... The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden * 'A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabth I' Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The American Boy
Description:
A gripping historical thriller set in sixteenth-century England and centered on the highly secretive cult of Saint Thomas Becket, the twelfth-century archbishop murdered in Canterbury Cathedral.
London, summer of 1584: Radical philosopher, ex-monk, and spy Giordano Bruno suspects he is being followed by an old enemy. He is shocked to discover that his pursuer is in fact Sophia Underhill, a young woman with whom he was once in love. When Bruno learns that Sophia has been accused of murdering her husband, a prominent magistrate in Canterbury, he agrees to do anything he can to help clear her name.
In the city that was once England's greatest center of pilgrimage, Bruno begins to uncover unsuspected secrets that point to the dead man being part of a larger and more dangerous plot in the making. He must turn his detective's eye on history—on Saint Thomas Becket, the twelfth-century archbishop murdered in Canterbury Cathedral, and on the legend surrounding the disappearance of his body—in order to solve the crime.
As Bruno's feelings for Sophia grow more intense, so does his fear that another murder is about to take place—perhaps his own. But more than Bruno's life is at stake in this vividly rendered, impeccably researched, and addictively page-turning whodunit—the stability of the kingdom hangs in the balance as Bruno hunts down a brutal murderer in the shadows of England's most ancient cathedral.
**
Review
“Reinforces Parris’s position at the top of the Elizabethan historical pack. . . . Parris . . . masterfully mixes political intrigue, action, and sleuthing.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Giordano Bruno turns out to be that rare hero, charismatic and nuanced.” —Matthew Pearl, author of The Dante Club
“A feast for fans of historical thrillers. . . . [Bruno] is one of the most engaging characters ever created.” —Bookreporter
“Move over C. J. Sansom, S.J. Parris has arrived. . . . Brilliant.” —The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
“Bruno commands our attention and our sympathy as any likable heretic should.” —The Washington Post Book World
“The novel's fast pace and numerous twists keep readers hooked until the end.” —Booklist
“The politics of Elizabethan England play a part, but it’s the personal relationships that are front and center. A good read.” —The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA)
“Parris provides a sumptuously rich setting with an absorbing entangled plotline that will keep the reader on a precipice of sudden death.” —Historical Novels Review
“Enjoyably ingenious.” —The Sunday Times (London)
Review
Praise for S. J. Parris: * 'Impossible to resist ... Parris creates a convincing sense of the past, woven with so much intrigue that the head fairly spins' Daily Telegraph * 'It has everything - intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate Mosse * 'Parris writes with confident ease of Tudor London ... The dialogue balances nicely on a tightrope of period phrases and cut-to-the-chase colloquialisms. More, please' The Times * 'Full of surprises ... an imaginatively satisfying addition to the many real intrigues surrounding the imprisoned Mary Stuart and the threats to Elizabeth's security' TLS * 'Fascinating ... The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden * 'A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabth I' Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The American Boy