The No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling series

The fifth book in S. J. Parriss bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I

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

PARIS, 1585

A KING WITHOUT AN HEIR

Heretic-turned-spy Giordano Bruno arrives in Paris to find a city on the edge of catastrophe. King Henri III lives in fear of a coup by the Duke of Guise and his fanatical Catholic League, and another massacre on the streets.

A COURT AT WAR WITH GOD

When Brunos old rival, Father Paul Lefvre is found murdered, Bruno is drawn into a dangerous web of religious politics and court intrigue. And watching over his shoulder is the Kings mother, Catherine de Medici, with her harem of beautiful spies.

A DEADLY CONSPIRACY IN PLAY

When murder strikes at the heart of the Palace, Bruno finds himself on the trail of a killer who is protecting a terrible secret. With the royal houses of France and England under threat, Bruno must expose the truth or be silenced for good

Praise for S. J. Parris

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