Henry and Eleanor and Devil’s Brood are next on my agenda. But if I may borrow a line from Bernard Cornwell and his marvelous Sharpe series: Justin will march again.
S.K.P.
September 2004
www.sharonkaypenman.com
Acknowledgments
In my last mystery, Dragon’s Lair, I quoted my favorite line from Casablanca: “Round up the usual suspects.” Well, nothing has changed and the same cast gets top billing again. I have been blessed with the editor of every writer’s dreams—Marian Wood; may she never consider retirement. I’ve been blessed, as well, with two remarkable agents, Molly Friedrich and Mic Cheetham. They deserve my gratitude and appreciation, as do the friends who continue to support me in my times of doubt, even in my occasional “diva” moments: Earle Kotila, Jill Davies, Marilynn Summers, Peggy Barrett, and my computer guru, Lowell LaMont. I’d like to thank my brother Bill for proving to me that the camera does not really hate me, and my dad for passing on the Penman writing gene. And, of course, Valerie Ptak LaMont, who helped me navigate those lonely Breton roads; there is much to be said for a friend with excellent map-reading skills.
About this Book
AD 1193. England lies uneasy, a land without a king. Richard the Lionheart has not returned from Crusade, his brother John conspires to usurp the crown. On the throne, in the Lionheart’s stead, sits Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is determined to prevent the outbreak of civil war, but there are few she can trust. Justin de Quincy – a man without title or land – is one of the few.
December: As the Queen’s man, de Quincy has already encountered Prince John’s murderous intrigues. But now the King’s brother has asked for his aid. John tells of a document implicating him in a plot to kill his brother. Despite his hunger for the crown, John swears he is innocent. He must find the forger and prove the document false before the Lionheart hears of it.
It takes more than John’s sly charms to persuade Justin, but the welfare of the Queen is also at stake. This concession will take him to a bloody chamber on Mont-Saint-Michel, a deadly encounter in a Paris cemetery, and, ultimately, to the unraveling of a conspiracy that might have changed the course of history.
Reviews
The Queen’s Man
“Penman is a superb storyteller.” —The Miami-Herald
“Once you enter Penman’s world, you’re hooked.” —Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“Energetic and adroitly plotted... Justin is so beguiling, and the action so lively and unpredictable, that readers will cheer Justin’s return in further adventures.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Well researched, credibly plotted, realistically detailed, and undeniably entertaining.” —Library Journal
“A glowing, living tapestry. This is storytelling at its finest” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Full of swordplay, bawdy byplay, and derring-do, The Queen’s Man is a full-bodied historical romp, steeped in period detail.” —The Houston Chronicle
Cruel as the Grave
“Masterfully told… Penman’s authentic period details, larger-than-life characters and fast-paced plot add up to great reading for both mystery fans and history buffs.” —Booklist
“Penman writes about the medieval world and its people with vigor, compassion, and clarity.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Penman’s lively, articulate prose brings to life history as it could have happened–high praise for a historical mystery.” —Houston Chronicle
“Sharon Kay Penman tells her stories with passion and a strong sense of time and place.” —Margaret Frazer, author of the Sister Frevisse novels
Dragon’s Lair
“A pleasure to read.” —Publishers Weekly
“A polished and absorbing historical mystery.” —Kirkus
Prince of Darkness
“Penman deftly weaves actual historical events into the narrative with nary a false note.” —Publishers Weekly
“The historical detail is scrupulously accurate without being presented as a history lesson.” —Library Journal
About this Series
THE QUEEN’S MAN SERIES
AD 1193. England lies uneasy, a land without a king. Richard the Lionheart is feared drowned on his return from Crusade, his brother John conspires to usurp the crown.
On the throne, in the Lionheart’s stead, sits Eleanor of Aquitaine. At seventy, Eleanor is the most powerful woman in Christendom, mother of both Richard and John and no stranger to the vicissitudes of royal family politics. She is determined to prevent the outbreak of civil war, but at court treachery is endemic and there are few men she can trust.
Justin de Quincy is bastard-born son of the Aubrey de Quincy, Bishop of Chester. The Bishop never acknowledged Justin, bestowing on the boy – in lieu of name or fortune – only an education. As it happens, it is a gift that will make de Quincy a ‘Queen’s Man’ taking him to the very centre of power – and into the heart of danger.
Moving from the royal chambers in the Tower of London to the alehouses and stews of Southwark, from the horrors of Newgate Gaol to the bustling streets of Winchester, from to the mountains of Wales to the wild coasts of Brittany, de Quincy will prove his mettle – or find an early grave – as he uncovers the dark intrigues of Eleanor’s court.
I. The Queen’s Man
January 1193
De Quincy is charged by a dying man to deliver a bloodstained letter to the Queen and finds himself caught between two hunts: one for a killer, the other for the throne.
The Queen’s Man is available here.
II. Cruel as the Grave
April 1193
The murder of a young girl interferes with de Quincy’s mission to deliver a message to Count John, currently besieged in Windsor Castle.
Cruel as the Grave is available here.
III. Dragon’s Lair
July 1193
As the king languishes in an Austrian dungeon, a ransom payment goes missing in Wales, itself wracked by rebellion and intrigue. Into this maelstrom, Eleanor sends her trusted man, Justin de Quincy.
Dragon’s Lair is available here.
IV. Prince of Darkness
December 1193
De Quincy must aid his former foe, the King’s brother John, and unravel a conspiracy that threatens to change the course of history.
Prince of Darkness is available here.
About the Author
SHARON PENMAN is the author of eight critically acclaimed historical novels: The Sunne in Splendour, Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, The Reckoning, When Christ and his Saints Slept, Time and Chance, Devil’s Brood and Lionheart. She has also written four medieval mysteries. Her first, The Queen’s Man, was a finalist for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery from the Mystery Writers of America. Her other mysteries are Cruel as the Grave, Dragon’s Lair, and Prince of Darkness. She lives in New Jersey.
A Letter from the Publisher
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HeadofZeusBooks
Dedicated to great storytelling
First published in 2005 by A Marian Wood Book an imprint of G. P. Putnam’s Sons
First published in the UK in 2013 by Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Sharon Penman, 2005
The moral right of Sharon Penman to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
9 7 5 3 1 2 4 6 8
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN (E) 9781781857090
Head of Zeus Ltd
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Contents
Cover
Welcome Page
Dedication
Prologue: December 1193: St-Malo, Brittany
Chapter I: December 1193: Genêts, Normandy
Chapter II: December 1193: St Albans, England
Chapter III: January 1194: London, England
Chapter IV: January 1194: Paris, France
Chapter V: January 1194: St Albans, England
Chapter VI: January 1194: Ellesmere, England
Chapter VII: January 1194: Paris, France
Chapter VIII: January 1194: Laval, Maine
Chapter IX: February 1194: Laval, Maine
Chapter X: February 1194: Mont St Michel, Normandy
Chapter XI: February 1194: Antrain, Brittany
Chapter XII: February 1194: Mont St Michel, Normandy
Chapter XIII: February 1194: Genêts, Normandy
Chapter XIV: February 1194: Mont St Michel, Normandy
Chapter XV: February 1194: Road to Fougères, Brittany
Chapter XVI: February 1194: Fougères Castle, Brittany
Chapter XVII: February 1194: St James de Beuvron, Brittany
Chapter XVIII: February 1194: Road to Fougères, Brittany
Chapter XIX: March 1194: Laval, Maine
Chapter XX: March 1194: Paris, France
Chapter XXI: March 1194: Paris, France
Chapter XXII: March 1194: Paris, France
Chapter XXIII: March 1194: Paris, France
Chapter XXIV: March 1194: Paris, France
Chapter XXV: March 1194: London, England
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
About this Book
Reviews
About this Series
About the Author
An Invitation from the Publisher
Copyright
Sharon Kay Penman, Prince of Darkness
(Series: # )
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