A compelling murder mystery set within the splendour and intrigue of the Elizabethan age.

Comparison: James Forrester, Andrew Pepper, Ariana Franklin
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Synopsis

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, Shakespeare's investigations will take him from magnificent royal horseraces to the opulent chambers of Black Luce's brothel, from the theatrical underworld of Marlowe and Kyd to the pain-wracked torture cells of priest-hunter Richard Topcliffe, 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.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR THE JOHN SHAKESPEARE SERIES:

'A cracking plot full of twists right up to the last minute. I look forweard to the next'
Sunday Express

'Beautifully done ... alive and tremendously engrossing'
Daily Telegraph

'A colourful history lesson ... exciting narrative twists'
Sunday Telegraph

'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish'
Guardian

'An engrossing thriller'
Washington Post

'An excellent debut'
Publishers Weekly

'This is a historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine ... atmospheric - the evocation of the filth and debauchery of London is quite exceptional. Clements demonstrates the compelling eye for detail and character that Bernard Cornwell so memorably brought to Rifleman Sharpe ... I could not tear myself away, it is that good'
Daily Mail

PRAISE FOR PRINCE

'A genuine page turner, and cleverly weaves in real historical events and personalities. Fans will not be disappointed'
Eastern Daily Press

'Intriguing ... wonderfully graphic and descriptive. Clements richly deserves the accolade: faster moving than C J Sansom '
Bookbag

'Clements' thrilling murder mysteries are a real cut above... steeped in authentic 16th-century politics, the plots are complex and clever, and the characters believable and engrossing. But his greatest gift is the ability to bring to life the squalor, intrigue and perils of Tudor London and amidst it all create a superbly tense and entertaining mystery. Roll on Mr Shakespeare's Act IV
Lancashire Evening Post

'This very well-plotted, erudite, historical mystery has many twists and turns which make for a very vivid and fast story line. A very absorbing read with a real quality, similar in style but perhaps faster moving, than books by James Forrester or C J Sansom ... I was completely transfixed whilst reading it and did not want it to end. I consider it one of the best books I've read this year. I will certainly look out for more stories by this very talented writer'
Eurocrime

'Blending fact with fiction Clements tells a rip-roaring yarn with vigour and energy and a huge enthusiasm for the period ... Prince is a novel lacking neither action nor spice. An undeniably enjoyable and lively plot that gathers pace and excitement throughout ... A devilishly good read'
Crime Time

'There is a veritable cornucopia of elements to praise here ... John Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths'
Barry Forshaw

'Prince is action packed, and its pages are filled with intricate layers of deception. The late Elizabethan world is brilliantly portrayed with exciting narrative twists... Historical detail is expertly integrated into sophisticated plot strands to create a seamless whole ... This novel is extremely intelligent and exceptionally well written. I could not put it down until I reached its final startling denouements'
Historical Novels Review

'A cracker ... gripping'
Peterborough Evening Telegraph

About the Author

After a career in national newspapers, Rory Clements now lives in a seventeenth-century farmhouse in Norfolk and writes full time. When not immersing himself in the Elizabethan world, he enjoys village life and a game of tennis with friends. He is married to the artist Naomi Clements-Wright. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation