The Butcher of St Peter's: (Knights Templar 19)
Read The Butcher of St Peter's: (Knights Templar 19) Online
Authors: Michael Jecks
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #_MARKED, #blt
Michael Jecks
Copyright © 2005 Michael Jecks
The right of Michael Jecks to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.
First published as an Ebook by
Headline Publishing Group in 2014
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library
eISBN: 978 1 47221 9800
HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
338 Euston Road
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Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry to concentrate on his writing. He is the founder of Medieval Murderers,
has been Chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, and helped create the Historical Writers’ Association. Keen to help new
writers, for some years he organised the Debut Dagger competition, and is now organising the AsparaWriting festival for new
writers at Evesham. He has judged many prizes, including the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Michael is an international speaker
on writing and for business. He lives with his wife, children and dogs in northern Dartmoor.
Michael can be contacted through his website:
www.michaeljecks.co.uk
.
He can be followed on twitter (@MichaelJecks) or on
Facebook.com/Michael.Jecks.author
.
His photos of Devon and locations for his books can be found at:
Flickr.com/photos/Michael_Jecks
.
The Last Templar
The Merchant’s Partner
A Moorland Hanging
The Crediton Killings
The Abbot’s Gibbet
The Leper’s Return
Squire Throwleigh’s Heir
Belladonna at Belstone
The Traitor of St Giles
The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker
The Tournament of Blood
The Sticklepath Strangler
The Devil’s Acolyte
The Mad Monk of Gidleigh
The Templar’s Penance
The Outlaws of Ennor
The Tolls of Death
The Chapel of Bones
The Butcher of St Peter’s
A Friar’s Bloodfeud
The Death Ship of Dartmouth
Malice of Unnatural Death
Dispensation of Death
The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover
The Prophecy of Death
The King of Thieves
No Law in the Land
The Bishop Must Die
The Oath
King’s Gold
City of Fiends
Templar’s Acre
‘Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit’ Robert Low
‘Captivating… If you care for a well-researched visit to medieval England, don’t pass this series’
Historical Novels Review
‘Michael Jecks has a way of dipping into the past and giving it that immediacy of a present-day newspaper article… He writes…with
such convincing charm that you expect to walk round a corner in Tavistock and meet some of the characters’
Oxford Times
‘Great characterisation, a detailed sense of place, and a finely honed plot make this a superb medieval historical’
Library Journal
‘Stirring intrigue and a compelling cast of characters will continue to draw accolades’
Publishers Weekly
‘A tortuous and exciting plot… The construction of the story and the sense of period are excellent’
Shots
‘This fascinating portrayal of medieval life and the corruption of the Church will not disappoint. 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
The nineteenth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.
Exeter, 1323: a strange figure – obsessed with children – seems intent on entering people’s homes at night. Though many believe him to be harmless, a man now lies dead, slaughtered for protecting his family, and the person responsible must be caught.
To Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, the death is suspicious. For the victim had many enemies amid the city’s criminal underworld. As the country prepares for yet another civil war, Baldwin faces an impossible task. And when two further bodies are uncovered, the city shudders at the prospect of a killer still at large …
For Billy
With all a father’s love.
And – for my excellent friends
the Medieval Murderers:
Susanna Gregory
Ian Morson
Bernard Knight
and
Philip Gooden
With thanks for all the fun!
This book would have been impossible to write without the help and support of all of the Medieval Murderers. Not only did
they give me the initial idea while we collaborated on
The Tainted Relic
, it was Susanna Gregory who found the relevant stories about the Friars Preacher in Exeter that actually led to this book.
Her researches once again have given me much of the period colour and historical fact. To all of them, and especially Susanna,
many thanks.
It could not, of course, have been written were it not for the indefatigable spirit of Jane Conway-Gordon, star among agents,
who is more friend than business partner.
And finally, were it not for my wife there would be no series at all. I can only thank her for her patience and understanding
while I lock myself in my study, and she copes with the twenty-first century on my behalf.
Investigators | |
Sir Baldwin de Furnshill | once a Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin is now the Keeper of the King’s Peace. He is motivated by his hatred of hypocrisy and injustice, |
Lady Jeanne de Furnshill | Baldwin’s wife, Jeanne is in Exeter to help her husband recuperate from a wound. |
Bailiff Simon Puttock | the Abbot of Tavistock’s man in Dartmouth is known to be a shrewd investigator of local crimes. |
Edgar | Baldwin’s long-standing servant, Edgar was with Baldwin in the Knights Templar and still sees his primary duty to be defending |
Sir Peregrine de Barnstaple | the newly installed Coroner of Exeter, Sir Peregrine is a lonely middle-aged man. He would be a fairly good catch for a woman |
From the Cathedral | |
Bishop Walter | Walter de Stapledon, the Bishop of Exeter at this time, was one of the most powerful men in Britain, being the Lord High Treasurer |
Dean Alfred | the head of the cathedral chapter, and the most powerful man in the cathedral after Bishop Walter himself. |
Vicar Thomas | like Alfred, an older man but not at all greedy for power or money, he is a useful comrade to the Dean when Alfred needs unbiased |
Peter de la Fosse | a canon at the cathedral, Peter is one of the second-rate clergy – not clever enough nor sufficiently politically astute to |
Paul | a clerk in the cathedral, Paul is observant and astute. |
Exeter City | |
Guibert | the Prior of the Black Friars who has taken to vilifying the Bishop for his attack on the friars when he tried to wrest the |
Friar John | a Black Friar who was involved in the defence of the body of Sir Henry Ralegh at the Dominican church. |
Reginald Gylla | father of Michael and husband of Sabina, Reginald is miserable living in a loveless marriage and seeks escape through adultery. |
Sabina Gylla | aware of having lost her husband’s love, Sabina is bitter and jealous of his infidelity. |
Michael Gylla | son of Reginald, he guesses that his father is an adulterer. |
Jordan le Bolle | a powerful member of the city’s Freedom, with wealth based on prostitution and gambling, Jordan is a dangerous man to have |
Mazeline le Bolle | wife of Jordan, Mazeline is entranced by Reginald because he shows her affection and sympathy. |
Jane le Bolle | daughter of Jordan and Mazeline, Jane is quite spoiled by her father. |
Estmund Webber | a butcher, who loses his mind when his wife commits suicide. |
Emma Webber | wife of Estmund, who commits suicide when her child dies. |
Henry Adyn | a friend of Estmund and Emma, who tries to help the butcher to bury the bodies of his wife and daughter after their deaths. |
Daniel Austyn | an official in the city, sergeant Daniel is eager to enforce the laws, and is determined to bring Jordan to book for his criminal |
Juliana Austyn | wife of Daniel, Juliana has been married to her man since 1313. They have two children: Cecily, nine, and Arthur, four and |
Agnes Jon | sister of Juliana, Agnes is independent and strong-willed; she is also intensely jealous of her sister. |
Gervase de Brent | a merchant addicted to gambling, Gervase owes a great deal of money and must soon leave Exeter to return home. |
Mick | working for Jordan, Mick is a ‘pander’ or pimp for prostitutes, with responsibility for making them work hard and bring in |
Anne | a young prostitute reliant on Mick for her clients. |
Betsy | a friend of Mick and Anne, Betsy runs the brothel where Anne works. |
Ralph of Malmesbury | an educated and successful physician, Ralph is known as an expensive but effective leech. |