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  • The Black Friar

  • Damian Seeker 2
  • By: S. G. MacLean
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (455 ratings)
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The Black Friar cover art

The Black Friar

By: S. G. MacLean
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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Summary

Rebellion in the city and a Royalist spy in his own ranks - Damian Seeker, Captain of Oliver Cromwell's guard, must eradicate both in this action-packed historical thriller for fans of CJ Sansom, Rory Clements and The Three Musketeers.

London, 1655, and Cromwell's regime is under threat from all sides. Damian Seeker, Captain of Cromwell's Guard, is all too aware of the danger facing Cromwell. Parliament resents his control of the army while the army resents his absolute power. In the East End of London, a group of religious fanatics plots rebellion. In the midst of all this, a stonemason uncovers a perfectly preserved body dressed in the robes of a Dominican friar, bricked up in a wall in the crumbling Black Friars.

Ill-informed rumours and speculation abound, but Seeker instantly recognises the dead man. What he must discover is why he met such a hideous end and what his connection was to the children who have started to disappear from around the city. Unravelling these mysteries is challenging enough and made still harder by the activities of dissenters at home, Royalist plotters abroad and individuals who are not what they seem....

©2016 Shona MacLean (P)2017 WF Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"MacLean skilfully weaves together the disparate threads of her plot to create a gripping tale of crime and sedition in an unsettled city." ( Sunday Times)

What listeners say about The Black Friar

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Thoroughly enjoyed this.

Gripped from start to finish. Great story, great characters. Brilliantly narrated by Jonathan Keeble. I look forward to the next book in the series.

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love these

good story as are the others in same series. excellent reading making story all the better

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

better than the first book

I might go and look at the third boom now, I enjoyed this one so much more than the first.

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  • 28-11-20

Great Listen

Thoroughly enjoyable from start to end with a great mixture of intrigue and suspense in equal measures.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great book

An exceptional second Seeker novel. It is a great storyline, fantastic characterisation and really good narration.

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Absorbing tale, expertly narrated.

The Black Friar is a really interesting book, extremely well read by the outstanding narrator Jonathan Keeble. In the book there were a number of references to the first book in the series (The Seeker) which I had only listened to in parts and then with gritted teeth because of its appalling narration ( not Jonathan Keeble that time) so will have to read The Seeker kindle book itself to fully understand their place in the overall story. All the same , The Black Friar was very interesting and a well crafted novel which I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

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Brought Cronwell's London to Life

Good plot and exists well alongside history. I will have to read the first book. Excellent reader/performer and will be checking his other works out too.

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Heartbreaking

It’s a heartbreaking story with twists and turns, though so well written and enjoyed it thoroughly

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Really good story

I hadn’t come across S G MacLean before but I’ll now look for other ones. Jonathan Keeble I have come to like enormously, and he did all the voices really well. I don’t often listen to historical mysteries but found this one really interesting, I know very little about the Protectorate and am pleased to know a bit more. Buy this, you won’t be disappointed.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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a really good yarn

I really enjoyed this. a great lead character and wonderful narration by Johnathan Keene. fun!

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