Michael Jecks Boeken

Engeland in de 14de eeuw. Na 2 jaar van overvloedige regenval en misoogsten, maken roversbendes het platteland van Devonshire onveilig. Simon Puttock, de nieuwbenoemde baljuw van Lydford Castle, weet nauwelijks raad met het geweld dat zijn gebied teistert. En dan wordt het verkoolde lijk van Harold Brewer gevonden. Een ongeluk? Sir Baldwin, de zwijgzame en schrandere ridder die pas uit Europa terugkeerde, denkt er heel anders over. Zeker als een tweede, nog afschuwelijkere moord wordt gemeld. Houden de moorden verband met elkaar? Zullen de moordenaars opnieuw toeslaan?

Crediton 1320. Goudsmid Godfrey of London wordt vermoord en zijn dochter Cecily is slachtoffer van een aanslag. De inwoners menen al snel de schuldige gevonden te hebben, maar sir Baldwin volgt andere sporen. Dan steken geruchten de kop op dat de melaatsen uit het leprozengesticht betrokken zouden zijn bij de moord. Er ontstaat een ronduit grimmige sfeer als er enkele lafhartige aanslagen op de leprozerie worden gepleegd, culminerend in brandstichting. Maar dan voelt de dochter van de goudsmid zich geroepen geld te doneren om de schade te herstellen. Aanleiding daarvoor is haar relatie met een van de melaatsen uit de inrichting. Pas als de ware aard van die relatie bekend is kan de waarheid achter de moord op Godfrey worden blootgelegd.

It is 1321, and Lady Elizabeth of Topsham, prioress of St. Mary's, is fighting to retain her position in the face of devastating opposition. She has been accused by Sister Margherita, St. Mary's treasurer, of giving much-needed funds to the new vicar, a man she often sees alone at night. Many of the nuns are convinced that Margherita would make a better prioress—especially now that it is certain that Moll, a young nun, was murdered in her sick bed. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, together with his old friend Simon Puttock, are summoned to investigate. There is no doubt that the threefold vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty are being broken with alarming frequency. Then, when a second nun is murdered, they find themselves facing their most difficult case yet.

In het 14e eeuwse Engeland probeert een gevluchte horige zich aan de toorn van zijn heer te onttrekken door als mijnwerker in de tinmijnen te gaan werken, waardoor hij de bescherming van de Engelse koning geniet.

The year is 1321. As Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, prepares for his wedding, he receives news that one of his guests has been killed. Baldwin takes his friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock, to find out more about the death. Their investigation leads them to a sinister murderer.

When King Edward II is told that his wife has defied him & remained in France with their son, the king flies into a rage. It is Sir Baldwin de Furnshill & his friend Simon Puttock, who have broken the news to him & are no longer in the king's favour. They return to their homes in Devon, but find that outlaws hold sway in the land.

The first instalment of a thrilling new crusader series in the style of Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.

The third thrilling novel in the Vintener trilogy from the master of historical adventure

The Siege of Calais, during the Hundred Years' Wars. The thrilling second novel in a new series for master of the historical adventure, Michael Jecks.

Join accidental sleuth, Nick Morris, in his second mystery in The Art of Murder series. When an offer to paint a beautiful Georgian house in the Peak District falls into Nick Morris' lap he jumps at the commission. Businessman Derek Swann is selling up and wants a landscape to remember. But Nick's plans for a quiet stay in the countryside are scuppered when he and his chalet neighbour Megan Lamplighter find a body in the woods surrounding the holiday park. Rick Parrow seemed to be a troubled young adult, with a dark cloud following him around in recent days, so when it turns out he was murdered, Nick feels compelled to seek out the truth. What was bothering Rick in the days before his death? What exactly was his connection to the bear-like figure of Jez Cooper, who was staying in a chalet up from Nick? And who could possibly have wanted the boy dead? Nick's attention is pulled in every direction - from his work at the manor house, and its captivating housekeeper Adela - to the many unsavoury characters now circling the holiday park and paying a little too much attention to Nick's movements. Nick must act fast if he wants to get out of this in once piece!

1326. While King Edward II is furious about the queen's adulterous relationship, whispers of rebellion throw England into bloody turmoil. When news of a French invasion fleet is received at the palace, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill is summoned with the knights of the realm to protect the king at all costs.

Amidst the myths and folklore of Tavistock, one tale strikes fear into the hearts of the townspeople above all others: the murders on the Abbot’s Way.One cold winter, many years ago, a young acolyte eager for distraction led a group of fellow novices into stealing their abbot’s wine. Crippled with guilt and fear of discovery, the acolyte committed murder to hide his sins. Legend has it that the devil himself appeared for the acolyte’s soul, and tricked the novices into their deaths upon the Devon moors.In Autumn 1322, it appears that history is repeating, with Abbot Robert discovering an empty wine barrel, and a body found upon the moors. It soon becomes clear that the wine isn’t the only thing missing from the abbey, and the body on the moor isn’t the last. When Baldwin and Simon investigate, they begin to question whether the legends of the past hold the key to the present turmoil.

The compulsive and evocative twentieth novel in the series featuring Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock

July, 1556. En route to France and escape from QueenMary's men, Jack Blackjack spends the night at a Devon tavern, agrees to a gameof dice - and ends up accused of murder. Alone and friendless in a lawless landof cut-throats, outlaws and thieves, Jack knows that the only way to clear hisname - and save his skin - is to unmask the real killer.

On their way to a feast hosted by the de Courtenays, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Bailiff Simon Puttock find the murdered corpse of Sir Gilbert, a Knight Templar and old comrade of Baldwin's. The situation is confounded when a decapitated body is found, and Baldwin and Simon's suspicions that the two deaths are linked seem to be justified when Baldwin himself is attacked. Baldwin and Simon find themselves caught up in a baffling investigation, in which the participators will stop at nothing to achieve their sinister aims...

It is 1322, and Lord Hugh de Courtenay's plan to host a tournament is a fantastic opportunity for the money-lenders of Oakhampton. When the defeated knights find themselves unable to pay the traditional ransoms to their captors, they will have only one course open to them—accruing interest by the hour. But when the most prominent money-lender, Benjamin Dudenay, is found brutally murdered a month before the festivities, Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock find themselves on the trail of a most sinister killer. The Tournament of Blood is the eleventh tale in this superbly plotted medieval mystery series.

March 1557 Jack Blackjack is back in London enjoying a sedentary life. But his new parish of St Helen's has different ideas for him. . . a week after laying eye on the tempting Miss Rachel Nailor, she turns up horribly dead on the church vestry floor. . . and someone is trying to frame him for her murder!

Michael Jecks brings medieval England to life in the the fourteenth mystery featuring the ever-popular Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock schovat popis

For Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Bailiff Simon Puttock, the Christmas of 1321 promises to be one of great festivity. They are to receive the prestigious Gloves of Honor in a ceremony led by the specially elected Boy-Bishop of Exeter. But they soon learn that Ralph, the glovemaker, has been stabbed to death. Then Peter, a Secondary at the cathedral, collapses from poisoning. Sir Baldwin and his colleague must waste no time in solving the riddles surrounding the deaths, but as they dig for the truth, they find that many of Exeter's leading citizens are not what—or whom—they seem to be. The Boy-Bishop's Glovemaker is the tenth novel in this superbly plotted medieval mystery series.

Shipwrecked, Baldwin and Simon are washed ashore on neighboring islands. Both are independently charged with investigating the murder of a tax gatherer, embroiling them in the bitter rivalry between two island communities. Can they uncover the truth in time to prevent a massacre?

Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock's seventeenth mystery is a compelling tale of evil and darkness

Thrilling new novel in the acclaimed series from historical master Jecks It's 1327 and England is in turmoil. King Edward II has been removed from the throne and his son installed in his place. The old man's rule had proved a disaster for the realm and many hope that his removal may mean the return of peace to England's cities. Keeper of the King's Peace, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock had been tasked with guarding Edward II, but they have failed in their task and now ride fast to Exeter to inform the sheriff of the old king's escape. In Exeter, the sheriff has problems of his own. Overnight the body of a young maid has been discovered, lying bloodied and abandoned in a dirty alleyway. The city's gates had been shut against the lawlessness outside, so the perpetrator must still lie within the sanctuary of the town. When Baldwin de Furnshill arrives, along with Sir Richard de Welles, a companion of old, he is tasked with uncovering the truth behind this gruesome murder. But, in a city where every man hides a secret, his task will be far from easy.

Jack Blackjack stands accused of killing a priest in the wickedly entertaining new Bloody Mary Tudor mystery. April, 1555. A priest has been stabbed to death in the village of St Botolph, to the east of the City of London, his body left to rot by the roadside - and Jack Blackjack stands accused of his murder. As well as clearing his name, Jack has his own reasons for wanting to find out who really killed the priest - but this is an investigation where nothing is as it seems. Was it a random attack by a desperate outlaw, or do the answers lie in the murdered priest's past? As he questions those who knew the dead man, Jack is faced with a number of conflicting accounts - and it's clear that not everyone can be telling him the whole truth. But Jack is about to be sidetracked from the investigation ... with disastrous consequences.

The twenty-first novel in Michael Jecks' Knights Templar series is another fascinating murder mystery from 14th-century Devon

As the summer of 1322 brings sun to the Devonshire countryside, it seems that the small village of Sticklepath is destined to remain in darkness. An afternoon of innocent adventure becomes one of gruesome terror when two playmates uncover the body of a young girl up on the moors. The body is that of ten-year-old Aline, who had gone missing six years earlier. When Sir Baldwin Furnshill and his friend Simon Puttock are called to the scene to investigate, they soon discover that Aline is not the only young girl to have been found dead in recent years. It seems that the villagers have been concealing not only a serial killer, but a possible case of cannibalism. Or, if the rumors are to be believed, a vampire.

Forty years ago, Exeter Cathedral close was the scene of a vicious ambush. Afterwards, the bodies left lying in their blood bore witness to the conflicts tearing at heart of the Cathedral itself. Today, in 1323, more deaths have occurred. Is the first an accident? The second is surely not. Murder is again polluting the Cathedral close, but this killer will not be easily caught. The victim, Henry Potell, was feared by many, and held secrets that some wished to keep hidden... For Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock, events become increasingly mysterious. Who among Henry Potell's companions knows the truth about his death? What first appears to be a matter of lust or greed soon grows more troubling as Baldwin becomes aware of the ominous Chapel of Bones, built long ago in reparation for a terrible murder...

Set amid the turmoil of war, when nobody's life is safe, comes a gripping new murder mystery from a master of medieval crime 1326. In an England riven with conflict, knight and peasant alike find their lives turned upside down by the warring factions of Edward II, with his hated favorite, Hugh le Despenser, and Edward's estranged queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer. Yet even in such times the brutal slaughter of an entire family, right down to a babe in arms, still has the power to shock. Three further murders follow, and bailiff Simon Puttock is drawn into a web of intrigue, vengeance, power, and greed as Roger Mortimer charges him to investigate the killings. Brilliantly evoking the turmoil of 14th-century England, this novel features well-loved characters Simon Puttock and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill as they strive to maintain the principles of loyalty and truth.

Introducing Tudor cutpurse and adventurer Jack Blackjack in the first of a historical mystery series set in 1550s London

London. May, 1556. Hal Westmecott reckons Jack Blackjack owes him a favour, and orders Jack to track down his long-lost son - and although it seems an impossible task, Jack's in no position to refuse. But as his search progresses, Jack comes to realize he is an unwitting pawn in a mesh of schemes dreamed up by the most powerful people in England.

Het is het jaar 1319. Ook nu weer komen handelaren van heinde en verre naar de jaarmarkt van Tavistock, een stadje aan de rand van de woeste gronden van Dartmoor. En ook nu weer is het een heidens karwei om recht en orde te handhaven, want de kooplui met hun goedgevulde beurzen mogen zich verheugen in de belangstelling van menig crimineel. Maar dit jaar blijft het niet bij beurzensnijden en straatroof: midden in de stad wordt een lijk gevonden - gedumpt op een hoop afval en zonder hoofd. De abt va het nabijgelegen klooster die verantwoordelijk is voor de openbare orde, vraagt sir Baldwin en baljuw Puttock de zaak te onderzoeken. Aan hen de taak om een complex web van intriges te ontrafelen voordat het geweld in het overbevolkte stadje tot uitbarsting komt.

A stunning new series from Michael Jecks, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden. The year is 1346 and King Edward III is restless. Despite earlier victories his army has still not achieved a major breakthrough and the French crown remains intact. Determined to bring France under English rule and the French army to its knees he has regrouped and planned a new route of attack. And on the beaches of Normandy his men now mass, ready to march through France to victory. But the French are nowhere to be seen. Edward knows that the worst thing he could do would be to take the battle to the French, where they will have the advantage and so he sets up camp near a small hill at Crecy and waits. The Battle of Crecy will be a decisive turning point in the Hundred Years' Wars. This is the story of that battle and the men who won it.

Jack's employer believes there is a spy in the princess's household and Jack has been ordered to kill her. He has no choice but to agree but, when he arrives, he discovers that a murder has already happened. Jack needs to prove his innocence by uncovering the real killer, but who is hiding a secret? And will Jack survive long enough to find out?

Agatha Kyteler, een vroedvrouw en kruidenvrouw, wordt vaak door zowel horigen als landeigenaren te hulp geroepen. Dat neemt niet weg dat heel wat inwoners van Wefford haar van hekserij verdenken. Als op een winterochtend haar lijk wordt gevonden, bevroren en verminkt, lijkt een jonge schaapherder de schuldige. Tot er een tweede dode valt. Als sir Baldwin en Simon Puttock de moorden onderzoeken, worden ze geconfronteerd met een sfeer van verdachtmakingen, afgunst en ontrouw die het stadje beheerst. En wat dreef die jonge vreemdeling, zoon van een edelman, ertoe dit slaperige stadje te bezoeken om vervolgens in het niets te verdwijnen?

Struggling artist, Nick Morris paints pet portraits to pay the bills but is always just one big commission away from the big time. Which is why he agrees to paint the reluctant, hot-tempered hotelier, Jason Robart. But when he finds Jason dead, and the hotelier's shady business associates come after Nick, he wishes he'd stuck to painting cats!

August, 1556. Jack Blackjack is on a simple mission: make it back home to his beloved London. He's made it as far as Exeter, where he's faced with a dead priest and a devious Dean who's determined to see the back of him. So when a wealthy merchant offers passage to London via sea, Jack jumps at the chance . and unwittingly into further danger!

Revised edition featuring an interactive table of contents, cross-referencing, links to external websites, downloadable resources, and optimized content for Kindle e-readers. This historical writers’ guide aims to equip aspiring writers with the essential skills for crafting historical novels and short stories. It also serves experienced writers looking to refine their craft or transition to historical fiction. The step-by-step format includes practical activities that encourage experimentation with techniques necessary for creating authentic and engaging historical narratives. Organized into seven main headings, each chapter focuses on a specific writing skill or tool, allowing for independent use to address particular challenges or reinforce concepts introduced. The guide aims to provide the necessary tools for writing in various historical subgenres, including historical crime fiction. Contributions from notable historical fiction writers offer insights that both complement and challenge the activities, providing a diverse perspective on the craft. The activities stem from innovative workshops led by Myfanwy Cook, a published author with numerous accolades. She emphasizes that mastering writing is akin to an apprenticeship, requiring practical skills, imagination, and a commitment to the craft. This guide seeks to fill gaps in knowledge and inspire aspiring writers by enhancing their confidence and skills in historical fi

A company of mercenaries is in residence in the town of Crediton. Although they are commonplace in 14th-century England, this group is particularly troublesome, seducing the local girls and showing no respect for anyone. When a robbery takes place among the mercenaries, Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock are on hand to investigate. Then a young girl is discovered murdered, hidden in a chest. This is only the first of the Crediton Killings—and as murder follows brutal murder, Furnshill and Puttock must discover the killer's identity before he strikes yet again.

From its first arrival in Britain with the Norman forces of William the Conqueror, violence and revenge are the cursed sword's constant companions. From an election-rigging scandal in 13th century Venice to the battlefield of Poitiers in 1356, as the Sword of Shame passes from owner to owner in this compelling collection of interlinked mysteries, it brings nothing but bad luck and disgrace to all who possess it.

Five intriguing, interlinked novella-length mysteries from the Medieval Murderers Group.

Having been ordered to kill a man, former cutpurse turned paid assassin Jack Blackjack determines to save him instead. But Jack defies his spymaster at his peril ... and even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry. When it appears that Jack has killed the wrong man, he reluctantly finds himself drawn into affairs of state.

Nach zwei Jahren übermäßigen Regens und Missernten machen Räuberbanden das Land von Devonshire unsicher. Der Baljuw von Lydford Castle steht machtlos da. Als eines Tages die verkohlte Leiche von Harold Brewer gefunden wird, sieht er keinen Anlass, an Mord zu denken. Doch Sir Baldwin sieht das anders. Er beginnt zu ermitteln, und bald häufen sich die Beweise für Mord. Und dann wird ein zweiter abscheulicher Mord begangen… In seiner Reihe von Kriminalromanen um Sir Baldwin und Simon Puttock gelingt es Michael Jecks, eine spannende Handlung mit einer lebendigen Beschreibung des spätmittelalterlichen Englands zu kombinieren. Spannung für Thriller- und Fantasy-Liebhaber!