At last I've reached the end of Edward II's reign. The story begins with the dreadful period of October 1326, when Bishop Walter was murdered, and the King was forced to flee from the approaching host of his own Queen. Despenser and the King hurried all the way across the country, seeking supporters who would fight to protect them, but all in vain. In the end, desperate, they headed off into Wales.
This is the point at which I started the book. I had a vision of scruffy soldiery marching, exhausted and filthy from too many nights in the open, along a muddy road. The weather was foul, all the reports tell us. And then a soldier falls into a pot hole and badly cuts his leg.
There is murder, of course - the brutal slaughter of an entire family, right down to a babe in arms. Then three further murders follow, and bailiff Simon Puttock is drawn into a web of intrigue, vengeance, power and greed as Roger Mortimer charges him to investigate the killings.
No, I won't give you more than that. But suffice it to say that the themes are of soldiers' loyalty to each other, and the destructive forces at play within a dysfunctional family. The case came from an old yellow book discovered by Browning, and he used it for his poem The Ring and The Book. It's complex, yes, but the period was so fascinating, and the story of the family so enthralling and horrific, that you'll really enjoy it.
The Oath was published by Simon & Schuster on 27th May 2010 in simultaneous hardback (or ask your favourite bookshop to place an order, quoting the ISBN: 978-1-8473-7900-9) and trade paperback (ISBN: 978-0-8572-0034-1) editions. Use the links to place an advance order with Amazon, or ask your local bookshop to stock it, quoting the ISBN.
It is also available from Amazon in a Kindle ebook edition.
The mass market paperback will follow in January 2011 (but is already available for pre-order from Amazon (ISBN: 978-1-8498-3082-9).
My latest mass-market paperback is the long-awaited Headline paperback edition of The Bishop Must Die published on 5th August 2010. This has been a long wait, I know - but I hope you'll find the book worth the wait! You can now order the paperback from Amazon, or encourage your local bookshop to stock it, quoting the ISBN: 978-0-7553-7445-8.
The Bishop Must Die is also my latest audio book; the Soundings audio edition is read by Michael Tudor Barnes. Order it direct from the publisher in a choice of formats.
Acclaim for Michael Jecks' mysteries:
"Michael Jecks paints a realistic portrait ... the detail of how life was lived from the highest to the lowest in this alien and frightening landscape is marvellously portrayed"
C.J. Sansom
"The most wickedly plotted medieval mystery novels"
The Times
"With convincing characters whose treacherous acts perfectly combine with a devilishly masterful plot, Jecks transports readers back to this wicked world with ease"
Good Book Guide