Product Description

A callous murder. A devastating secret. A crime of passion. York, 1373: John Thoresby, the Archbishop of York, lies dying. Owen Archer, Thoresby's master of the guards, is determined to ensure that his lord's last days are as peaceful as possible, but his plans are thrown into disarray when Thoresby agrees to a visit from Joan, Princess of Wales, wife of the Black Prince and mother of the young heir to the throne of England. Owen resolves to do his duty, but within minutes of Joan's arrival things go disastrously wrong when a member of the royal party is murdered. Then, only days later, a messenger carrying urgent letters for Thoresby is found hanging in the woods. As Owen races against time to find the murderer, he starts to realise that not only has one of his own men been compromised, but all their lives are now in danger.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9521 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

From the Inside Flap
A CALLOUS MURDER. A DEVASTATING SECRET. A CRIME OF PASSION.

Bishopthorpe Palace, York. September 1373: John Thoresby, the Archbishop of York, lies dying. One of the most powerful men in the country, his imminent demise has the dominant families of the north vying to influence his succession.

Owen Archer, Thoresby’s master of the guards, is one of the few men Thoresby trusts. He is determined to ensure that his lord’s last days are as peaceful as possible, but his plans are thrown into disarray when Thoresby agrees to a visit from Joan, Princess of Wales, wife of the Black Prince and mother of the young heir to the throne of England. She has come to seek the great man’s advice before it is too late.

Owen resolves to do his duty, but within minutes of Joan’s arrival things go disastrously wrong when a member of the royal party is murdered. Then, only days later, a messenger carrying urgent letters for Thoresby is found hanging in the woods. Soon, the shadow of suspicion falls on the whole household. And as Owen races against time to find the murderer amongst them, he starts to realise that not only has one of his own men been compromised, but all their lives are now in danger…

From the Back Cover
A CALLOUS MURDER. A DEVASTATING SECRET. A CRIME OF PASSION.

York, 1373: John Thoresby, the Archbishop of York, lies dying. Owen Archer, Thoresby’s master of the guards, is determined to ensure that his lord’s last days are as peaceful as possible, but his plans are thrown into disarray when Thoresby agrees to a visit from Joan, Princess of Wales, wife of the Black Prince and mother of the young heir to the throne of England.

Owen resolves to do his duty, but within minutes of Joan’s arrival things go disastrously wrong when a member of the royal party is murdered. Then, only days later, a messenger carrying urgent letters for Thoresby is found hanging in the woods. As Owen races against time to find the murderer, he starts to realise that not only has one of his own men been compromised, but all their lives are now in danger…

ACCLAIM FOR CANDACE ROBB

‘Meticulously researched, authentic and gripping’ Yorkshire Evening Post

'It's ... the Machiavellian intrigue that makes this such an enjoyable read. When the iron curtain came down people said the spy-thriller genre was dead. They were wrong.

About the Author
Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D in Medieval and Anglo-Saxon Literature. She is also the author of nine previous Owen Archer novels and three Margaret Kerr Mysteries. She lives in Seattle.

Customer Reviews

Latest Book in the Owen Archer Series

Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D. in Medieval and Anglo-Saxon Literature. She divides her time between Seattle and the UK, frequently spending time in Scotland and York to research her books. She is the author of the best selling Owen Archer series, set in medieval York in the third quarter of the 14th century. A place quite close to my own home. I have read all of the books and find them fascinating.

For those unfamiliar with the Owen Archer novels, as the name suggest Owen is a once Captain of Welsh Archers. He has only one good eye, the other being removed by a woman of ill-repute, but that is another tale. He is now the captain of the guard for Archbishop Thoresby, the Archbishop of York. Owen is married to Lucy, who owns an apothecary shop in York.

Owen's master, the Archbishop lies close to death and Owen is determined that Thorseby will be peaceful. However Thorseby has agreed to a visit from Princess Joan, who wishes to take advice from him regarding the royal succession. However things are never that simple and within minutes of the royal party arriving it becomes apparent that a servant who apparently had an accident and subsequently died, was in fact murdered. This is just the start of a plot that begins to thicken with every hour. The servant may be the first to die, but he certainly will not be the last . . .

A Vigil of Spies
This is a captivating story, Candace Robb maintains her high standards with a real page-turner. I have read all her previous Owen Archer books and this is another delight. The characters are so well described that you care what happens to them. The books also have the effect of making you feel you are living in medieval England while you are reading, so vividly does her picture of everyday life come across.

Latest Book in the Owen Archer Series

Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D. in Medieval and Anglo-Saxon Literature. She divides her time between Seattle and the UK, frequently spending time in Scotland and York to research her books. She is the author of the best selling Owen Archer series, set in medieval York in the third quarter of the 14th century. A place quite close to my own home. I have read all of the books and find them fascinating.

For those unfamiliar with the Owen Archer novels, as the name suggest Owen is a once Captain of Welsh Archers. He has only one good eye, the other being removed by a woman of ill-repute, but that is another tale. He is now the captain of the guard for Archbishop Thoresby, the Archbishop of York. Owen is married to Lucy, who owns an apothecary shop in York.

Owen's master, the Archbishop lies close to death and Owen is determined that Thorseby will be peaceful. However Thorseby has agreed to a visit from Princess Joan, who wishes to take advice from him regarding the royal succession. However things are never that simple and within minutes of the royal party arriving it becomes apparent that a servant who apparently had an accident and subsequently died, was in fact murdered. This is just the start of a plot that begins to thicken with every hour. The servant may be the first to die, but he certainly will not be the last . . .