'Pilkington transports us back to the Elizabethan era so deftly you can smell the stink of it, and feel the danger lurking in every shadow.' - Richard Cullen

1594, Bishopsgate Ward, London. Within the walls and without, unease and uncertainty lurk beneath the noise and bustle of a smoky, teeming city.

Matthew Cutler, newly widowed and caring for two spirited daughters, takes his position as constable for the parish of Spitalfields very seriously. So when Paulo Brisco, a quiet Venetian perfumer is found brutally murdered in his own shop, Cutler throws himself into his first major crime, and one which threatens to set all Bishopsgate alight. 🔥

Being a humble parish constable, Matthew Cutler’s powers are slight – and yet he possesses a skill which most others do not. As a former actor he can employ disguise, to considerable effect and to his unique advantage...

Plunged into a treacherous world of notorious rakes, angry tradesmen and a community seething with anti-foreigner sentiment and suspicion, Cutler must decipher shattered clues and confront a killer whose motive remains a baffling mystery - until the very last.

Step into the dangerous world of Elizabethan London with this cracking murder mystery!🩸🔍

Readers love John Pilkington's writing ❤️

'Through the eyes of Matthew Cutler, the London of 1594 is brought to visceral life, with all the wretchedness and violence that entails.' Richard Cullen

'The quality of the writing and evocation of the Elizabethan Age is right up there with C J Sansom - and that could be no higher recommendation. I devoured it with relish and a buzz of contentment.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Brilliant! I just love the way in which he brings his characters to life and makes them so believable. He is a master of descriptive prose.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Gripping, enjoyable and too difficult to put down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'John Pilkington continues to delight and inform. His writing style flows with ease and wit and I look forward to more of his tales' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'I was gripped from start to finish.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review