Historical Fiction Spotlight: Hunter & Prey: The Complete Thomas the Falconer Mysteries, by John Pilkington

Available on Amazon UK and Amazon US

'The story moves at a great pace ... it made a welcome change to discover Elizabethan England through the eyes of a lesser mortal.' The Historical Novels Review

The Ruffler's Child - Book 1

Thomas Finbow is more than just a humble falconer, in the service of Sir Robert Vicary and Lady Margaret. He is a widowed father, a skilled ex-soldier and tenacious hunter.

Far from the court and corruption of London, Thomas resides in the picturesque Berkshire Downs.

All is as it should be until Lady Margaret’s loathsome brother is found murdered.

Once Thomas starts to put the pieces together, he realises that he, and his Mistress, are in grave danger.

A Ruinous Wind - Book 2

When invited to attend the Barrowhill Pleasures at the seat of the extravagant and pompous Earl of Reigate, Sir Robert brings Thomas along with him to enjoy the festivities.

No-one expected three of the Earl’s guests to be murdered, or for their deaths to be quickly covered up by the Earl himself.

But things begin to unravel when the Earl himself becomes the next target of the murderer.

The Ramage Hawk - Book 3

Thomas the Falconer confronts the most terrible foe he has ever faced.

On remote Salisbury Plain villagers toil to get the harvest in, unaware that a murderer has come amongst them.

Thomas is called in to help find a missing girl.

But the search soon turns into a dangerous game, involving hidden gold – and as the body count rises and fear grips the land, Thomas has no choice but to follow the trail to its bitter end.

The Mapmaker's Daughter - Book 4

A tragic fire at one of his master’s tenant farms is just the start of a tortuous trail for Thomas Finbow – for when the body of Simon Haylock is dragged from the blazing barn, it becomes clear that he was dead before the fire started.

Soon a chilling series of murders, seemingly unrelated, is spreading fear across the Berkshire Downs, baffling the authorities. Plague is raging in London and suspicion falls on strangers in the area, like the dour mapmaker Christopher Mead and the outrageous travelling showman Paulo Schweiz, whom Thomas rescues from the stocks.

Thomas finds himself matching wits with a cunning and elusive adversary.

The Maiden Bell - Book 5

In the isolated village of Lambourn there is great excitement when a family of itinerant bell-founders arrives to forge a new church bell. But the peace of a summer’s night is shattered when churchwarden Will Stubbs – a saintly old man without enemies – is found dead in the woods.

Thomas is charged by his master to find answers.

The Jingler's Luck - Book 6

In the depths of winter the body of a young woman, cruelly mutilated, is found washed up beside the Thames.

Meanwhile Thomas arrives in London on a sensitive mission: to persuade his master Sir Robert to give up his foolish infatuation with a notorious woman of the Court.

But the Lady Imogen’s intrigues are more serious than even Thomas realizes, until he’s caught up in a bizarre series of events including the theft of a corpse, and even his own imprisonment.

The Muscovy Chain - Book 7

Thomas’s master Sir Robert is charged by Queen Elizabeth’s Council to host an important guest to help valuable trade relations: Grigori Stanic, ambassador of distant Muscovy, in Russia.

Thomas must also guard a priceless gift for Boris Godunov. But no sooner has it arrived at Petbury than it is stolen, risking a disastrous diplomatic incident.

As the desperate hunt for the Muscovy Chain begins, a shadowy figure is seen on the Downs. Is he the thief – or worse, is he responsible for a murder, the victim having been brutally tortured?

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About the Author

John Pilkington has written plays for radio and theatre, television scripts for the BBC and now concentrates on historical fiction, reflecting his passion for the Tudor and Stuart periods. A writer for over thirty years, he has published around twenty books including the Thomas the Falconer Mysteries (republished by Sharpe Books), the Marbeck spy series (Severn House) and two Restoration-era mysteries featuring actress-turned-sleuth Betsy Brand (to be republished by Joffe Books). He is also the author of a children’s series, the Elizabethan Mysteries (Usborne). Born in the north-west of England, he now lives in a quiet Devon village with his partner, and has a son who is a musician and composer. Find out more at his website, www.johnpilkington.co.uk, and find John on Twitter @_JohnPilkington.