The King of Thieves:
Read The King of Thieves: Online
Authors: Michael Jecks
Tags: #Mystery, #Contemporary Fiction, #blt, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Contemporary, #_MARKED, #Historical, #Literature & Fiction
Michael Jecks
Copyright © 2008 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 9879
HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP
An Hachette UK Company
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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 twenty-sixth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.
1325: Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Simon Puttock are in France guarding King Edward’s son on his perilous journey to meet the French king, Charles IV. But they are unaware that King Edward’s wife Isabella is disaffected and plotting her revenge …
What first appears a simple diplomatic mission is fast becoming lethally dangerous. Meanwhile, two murders in Paris are causing alarm. Is there a connection between the killings and the shadowy ‘King’ of thieves? Simon and Baldwin know the future of the English crown is at risk. And in order to protect it they must put their own lives in jeopardy.
This book is for two friends whom I respected hugely.
Both were great countrymen.
Both adored nature in all its forms.
Both had the same respect for the world about them.
Both could see humour in everything they (or others) did.
And I, like many others, suffered from their practical jokes.
Both died too soon.
Martin Coombs
Brian Radford
You’re both sorely missed.
Crophead | slang term for a priest or other tonsured man. |
Harvester | slang for a cutpurse, someone who would slice through the thongs holding a man’s money to his belt. |
Picker | a thief who would take everything from his victim. |
Planter | one who would provide fake jewels. |
Sir Baldwin de Furnshill | once a Knight Templar, Baldwin is now known to be an astute investigator of crimes. |
Jeanne | Baldwin’s wife. |
Simon Puttock | a close friend of Baldwin’s for almost ten years, Simon has worked with Baldwin in many investigations. |
Margaret | Simon’s wife, Margaret is particularly concerned that their house could be under threat. |
King Edward II | a frivolous, untrustworthy and ruthless King, Edward was loathed by his barons, thought feckless and vain by the clergy, and |
Sir Hugh le Despenser | King Edward’s closest companion, adviser, friend and – in the opinion of many historians – his lover, Sir Hugh was probably |
King Charles IV of France | brother of Queen Isabella, King Charles was the last of his line on the French throne. |
Cardinal Thomas | Thomas d’Angou was an adviser to |
Sieur Hugues de Toulouse | once an obscure knight, Sieur Hugues has risen to the post of castellan of the Louvre. |
Sir Richard de Welles | a cheery knight from Devon, Sir Richard is a King’s Coroner, in which capacity he has worked with Simon and Baldwin in the |
The King of Thieves | known as such because of his unique position in Paris, the ‘King’ controls much of the crime that is perpetrated. |
Jacquot | Once a contented farmer, now Jacquot is an embittered criminal eking out a living in Paris. |
Amélie | a prostitute, Amélie is the latest in a series of companions for the ‘King of Thieves’. |
Jean de Poissy | the city prosecutor, or Procureur, Jean de Poissy is an indefatigable investigator. |
Pons and Vital | two officers of Paris responsible for inquiring into murders. |
Stephen | Jean’s servant of many years’ standing. |
Hélias | a brothel-keeper and whore, Hélias has been a friend of Jean de Poissy’s for a long time. |
Jehanin | one of many kitchen knaves in the Louvre. |
Raoulet | a messenger in the Louvre. |
Arnaud | the main porter, or gatekeeper, to the Louvre. |
Queen Isabella | wife to King Edward of England, Isabella is deeply unhappy at being |
Lord John Cromwell | the head of the English delegation, Lord John has already grown to be an ally of the Queen’s. |
William de Bouden | Comptroller to the Queen during her stay in France. |
Alice de Toeni | a lady-in-waiting, put in place by Despenser to keep a watchful eye on the Queen and all her dealings. |
Joan of Bar | the divorced wife of Earl John de Warenne, Joan was also put in place by Despenser, but has grown to pity and sympathise with |
Edward, Earl of Chester | son of the King and Queen Isabella, Earl Edward, later created Duke of Aquitaine, is to travel to France to pay homage for |
Bishop Walter II | the Bishop of Exeter, Walter Stapledon is an old friend of Simon and Baldwin, but has also held a number of key positions |
Sir Henry de Beaumont | a loyal servant to the King, he has been placed with the Bishop to guard Earl Edward during his journey to France. |