An Elizabethan Spy Thriller Series - Book Two

'Authentic and absorbing. Mystery and menace pulsate from every page.' Michael Ward, author of Rags of Time

London.

1604.

As a devastating outbreak of plague retreats, leaving thousands dead, the capital prepares to celebrate the coronation of England's Scottish king.

But all is not well. Freed from quarantine, thief and spy Ned Savage is called before the king's secretary, Sir Robert Cecil.

Tasked with investigating the kidnapping of a royal physician, Savage is led into a web of madness and conspiracy that will put him and his family in mortal danger.

The great plague has not only ruined much of the city but given birth to a twisted cult calling themselves "The Enlightened". Led by the charismatic but unstable Nathaniel Hope, their aim is to provoke the end of days by finishing what the deadly infection started.

In a race against time, Savage embarks on a journey that will take him from the heart of Whitehall to the brothels of Southwark, pitting him against sinister mystics, menacing cultists, and a reclusive earl.

Before the Enlightened can destroy the new king, Savage must uncover their plans, unmask their leader, and save London from an explosive end to the coronation.

Recommended for fans of Andrew Taylor, CJ Sansom and SJ Parris.

Steven Veerapen was born in Glasgow and raised in Paisley. Pursuing an interest in the sixteenth century, he was awarded a first-class Honours degree in English, focussing his dissertation on representations of Henry VIII's six wives. He then received a Masters in Renaissance studies, and a Ph.D. investigating Elizabethan slander. Steven is fascinated by the glamour and ghastliness of life in the 1500s.

Praise for Steven Veerapen:

A Dangerous Trade

'A slow-burn character driven spy story that grips like a thumbscrew tightened by twist after twist towards the end - Le Carre transported to the 1560's. Brilliant work, based in impressively wide research and the kind of competition that I and a good number of others could well do without!' Peter Tonkin

The Abbey Close (Book One of the Simon Danforth Mysteries)

'The author balances gimlet-eyed research with narrative drive and clever reveals... Danforth is a strong yet torn central character... I look forward to reading the second book in the series.' Richard Foreman

Blood Feud: Mary Queen of Scots and The Earl of Moray

'Much-needed analysis of a sinister sibling rivalry.' Marie Macpherson

Elizabeth and Essex: Power, Passion and Politics

'A sensitive and lively account of one of the most politically significant relationships of the Elizabethan age.' Lisa Hopkins