The Heretics

By: Rory Clements

Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong

From Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award, comes The Heretics, the fifth in his acclaimed John Shakespeare Elizabethan mystery series. 'Does for Elizabeth's reign what C. J. Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times.

England may have survived the Armada threat of 1588, but when Spanish galleys land troops in Cornwall on a lightning raid seven years later, is it a dry-run for a new invasion? Or is there, perhaps, a more sinister motive? The Queen is speechless with rage. But as intelligencer John Shakespeare tries to get a grip on events, one by one his network of spies is horribly murdered.

What has all this to do with Thomasyn Jade, a girl driven to the edge of madness by the foul rituals of exorcism? And what is the link to a group of priests held prisoner in bleak Wisbech Castle?

From the pain-wracked torture rooms of the Inquisition in Seville to the marshy wastes of fenland, from the wild coasts of Cornwall to the sweat and sawdust of the Elizabethan playhouses, and from the condemned cell at Newgate to the devilish fantasies of a fanatic, The Heretics builds to a terrifying climax that threatens the life of the Queen herself.

2013, CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award, Short-listed

©2012 Rory Clements (P)2013 John Murray Press

Critic reviews

"Rory Clements again brings to life the dark side of Elizabethan England" (Daily Mail)

"A cracking plot full of twists right up to the last minute. I look forward to the next" (Sunday Express)

"The best yet in Rory Clements' magnificent series about John Shakespeare . . . As always, the historical detail is fascinating and sometimes delightfully obscure . . . another sumptuous feast that will leave you sated - but craving for the next helping!" (Crimesquad)

I love a good historical mystery

This is the second book in Roy Clements' Elizabethan mystery series with John Shakespear as the lead character, and his faithful side Boltfoot covering his back. And though I have enjoyed both books (1 & 5) I found the characters rather flat and the story lines, which should have easily carried the books, almost dull.
The Elizabethan Court was anything but flat, dull, or stagnant. It was a time in history when conspiracies and intregy rule each day..
Mr Clements chose his subjects and interviews well, but John Shakespear lacks dept and carry through. It took me 5 times of picking up and starting the first book in the series, and quite a few years to complete reading it. Which is very unusual for me.
I am sorry to say that after all the literature classes I've had, I do not believe Williams Shaespear is the true author of all the plays, poems, and satire attributed to him. first and foremost he did not have enough ready access to the court and it's dealings to have written any of the indept play that he is credited with, nor did he as a a civilian have access to the more poignant affairs that occurred within Elizabeth's court.
that aside, I tried d to put my prejudices about William Shasespear aside so that I could enjoy Clements mysteries. They do cover the main issues to the day, and take you on a roller coaster ride all around England, especially London.. For this a I very must appreciate Mr. Clements stories. And for bring out issues that have off been swept under the rug, that need a closer look. Elizabeth was not a kind or necessarily good monarch, though she held the ruin for over 40 years without circuming to to the pressures of marriage, yet she did have a very full sexual relationship with several men.