The No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling series
The fourth book in S. J. Parris’s bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I



August, 1585. England is on the brink of war…



Sir Francis Drake is preparing to launch a daring expedition against the Spanish when a murder aboard his ship changes everything.



A relentless enemy. A treacherous conspiracy.



Giordano Bruno agrees to hunt the killer down, only to find that more than one deadly plot is brewing in Plymouth’s murky underworld. And as he tracks a murderer through its dangerous streets, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the future of England itself.


Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary Mantel

Praise for S. J. Parris



‘S. J. Parris is one of my favourite authors – and unquestionably our greatest living writer of historical thrillers.’ A.J. Finn, No. 1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window


“Hugely enjoyable” Guardian


‘This is historical mystery fiction at its finest’ Publishers Weekly


‘Her prose is taut and compelling. Her wielding of the historical material is always convincing but never overwhelming’ The Times


‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times


‘An omnipresent sense of danger’ Daily Mail


‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times


‘Pacy, intricate, and thrilling’ Observer


‘Vivid, sprawling … Well-crafted, exuberant’ Financial Times


‘Impossible to resist’ Daily Telegraph


‘Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride


‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse


‘The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping’ Conn Iggulden


‘A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’ Andrew Taylor