Justin de Quincy

Sharon Kay Penman

When Justin de Quincy discovers a dying man on the road to Winchester clutching a secret letter for Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, he is drawn into a perilous web of political intrigue. Summoned to serve the formidable queen, Justin must use courage, wit, and a developing talent for investigation to uncover the truth before powerful enemies can silence it. Set in the turbulent years following Henry II’s death, the novel vividly portrays a fractured Angevin empire, a captive Richard, and John’s struggle for influence. Blending meticulously researched history with a compelling medieval mystery, it explores loyalty, ambition, justice, and the uneasy relationship between power and truth.

Sharon Kay Penman

In April 1193, England teeters on the edge of rebellion while King Richard the Lionheart languishes in a German prison and his brother, John, moves to seize power. Against this volatile backdrop, Queen Eleanor’s trusted agent, Justin de Quincey, is drawn into a dangerous murder investigation that reaches into the highest levels of court and church. As he follows a trail of betrayal, ambition, and hidden loyalties, Justin must navigate a medieval world where political treason and personal vengeance are perilously intertwined. Rich in authentic period detail and propelled by vivid, compassionate prose, this historical mystery vividly brings twelfth-century England—and its uneasy people—to life.

Sharon Kay Penman

In July 1193, England struggles to raise the ransom demanded for Richard the Lionheart, imprisoned after returning from the Crusades, while his brother John conspires to keep him in captivity. When a crucial ransom payment disappears in the rugged fastnesses of Wales, Dowager Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine sends her resourceful agent, Justin de Quincy, to recover it. His investigation draws him into a volatile world of political intrigue, divided loyalties, and possible rebellion, where every alliance carries a price. Rich in authentic medieval detail and propelled by lively action, this historical mystery blends suspense, adventure, and the turbulent power struggles of the Plantagenet age.

Sharon Kay Penman

In medieval Paris, Queen’s Man Justin de Quincy is drawn into a dangerous mission when Prince John is accused of plotting the murder of his brother, King Richard. Reluctantly joining forces with the ambitious prince, Justin must investigate a suspicious document while protecting the interests of Eleanor of Aquitaine—and navigate a conspiracy whose reach extends from royal courts to grim prisons and perilous encounters. Blending historical intrigue, atmospheric mystery, and political suspense, the novel follows one man’s search for truth amid treachery that could alter the fate of England.