Rebellion in the city, and a Royalist spy in his own ranks – Damian Seeker, Captain of Oliver Cromwell’s guard, must eradicate both in this twisty, action-packed historical thriller for fans of CJ Sansom, Rory Clements and The Three Musketeers.
‘MacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city’ Sunday Times
London, 1655, and Cromwell’s regime is under threat from all sides. Damian Seeker, Captain of Cromwell’s Guard, is all too aware of the danger facing Cromwell. Parliament resents his control of the Army while the Army resents his absolute power.
In the east end of London, a group of religious fanatics plots rebellion. In the midst of all this, a stonemason uncovers a perfectly preserved body dressed in the robes of a Dominican friar, bricked up in a wall in the crumbling Black Friars.
Ill-informed rumours and speculation abound, but Seeker instantly recognises the dead man. What he must discover is why he met such a hideous end, and what his connection was to the children who have started to disappear from around the city. Unravelling these mysteries is challenging enough, and made still harder by the activities of dissenters at home, Royalist plotters abroad and individuals who are not what they seem…
‘MacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city’ Sunday Times
London, 1655, and Cromwell’s regime is under threat from all sides. Damian Seeker, Captain of Cromwell’s Guard, is all too aware of the danger facing Cromwell. Parliament resents his control of the Army while the Army resents his absolute power.
In the east end of London, a group of religious fanatics plots rebellion. In the midst of all this, a stonemason uncovers a perfectly preserved body dressed in the robes of a Dominican friar, bricked up in a wall in the crumbling Black Friars.
Ill-informed rumours and speculation abound, but Seeker instantly recognises the dead man. What he must discover is why he met such a hideous end, and what his connection was to the children who have started to disappear from around the city. Unravelling these mysteries is challenging enough, and made still harder by the activities of dissenters at home, Royalist plotters abroad and individuals who are not what they seem…
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
Brilliantly woven into a thrilling plot . . . MacLean's characters are subtle and convincing . . . could challenge C.J. Sansom for dominion of historical crime
The best historical crime novel of the year
A first class, compelling debut for MacLean's new hero
MacLean achieves the balance of immersing her readers in a time and place without ever making them feel battered over the head by research, while the central mystery is satisfying and plausibly plotted
MacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city
Damian Seeker [is] one of the most appealing heroes I've come across in quite some time . . . [the Commonwealth] is paid full service by S. G. MacLean, a fine writer with a terrific grasp of history and character
Damian Seeker really comes into his own in this novel . . . the plot navigates the waters of history with masterful effect
MacLean's light touch portrait of a hard man with a softer core is what makes these books so memorable
Excellent at conveying the insecurities and unsettling memories that bedevil Cromwell's dying Protectorate, the author brings a fresh perspective and gold-plated research to a period which has been unfairly eclipsed by the popularity of the Tudors
