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Martyr

A spellbinding, utterly gripping historical mystery from the award-winning, SUNDAY TIMES bestseller

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Martyr

By: Rory Clements
Narrated by: Peter Wickham
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About this listen

 'Does for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times

The first book in the iconic John Shakespeare series, beloved by thousands of readers, from true master of historical fiction, Rory Clements.

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'Sixteenth-century London comes alive in all its tawdriness' Daily Mail

'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing' Daily Telegraph

'Plot and dialogue that hums with Elizabethan slang, profanity and wit' The Times

'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish' Guardian

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England, 1587. Mary, Queen of Scots is to be executed. Spain gathers their fleet in vengeance . . . War is coming.

Tensions in Elizabeth I's government are at breaking point. At the eye of the storm is John Shakespeare, chief intelligencer in the secret service of Sir Francis Walsingham.

When an intercept reveals a plot to assassinate Francis Drake, Shakespeare is ordered to protect him. The future of the nation rests on Drake's safety.

But London is nothing but one large powder keg. And murder and mutilation of a high-born young woman at a printing house, a case which Shakespeare is forced to investigate, could be the spark that sets everything ablaze. . .

From the splendour and intrigue of the royal court, to the sleek warships of Her Majesty's Navy and the teeming brothels of Southwark, Shakespeare soon learns that nothing is as it seems.

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Readers adore Martyr and the John Shakespeare series . . .

'If you love C.J. Sansom, you'll love this'

'You can feel, smell, see and hear the dangerous times of Tudor England'

'An absolutely delightful Elizabethan mystery'

'If you enjoy S.J. Parris, you need to try this'

'Rory Clements has struck gold with John Shakespeare' ©2009 Rory Clements Fiction Historical Mystery England Royalty

Critic reviews

This is a historical thriller to send a shiver down your spine.
Clements can be seen as doing for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's.
John Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths. (Barry Forshaw)
A colourful history lesson ... exciting narrative twists.
An engrossing thriller.
'A colourful history lesson...leavened by exciting narrative twists'
'The joy of this book is the way it interweaves commonly known history with the story. The atmosphere and attention to detail will commend this book to devotees of the period'
'An engrossing thriller'
'Beautifully done . . . alive and tremendously engrossing'
'Enjoyable, bloody and brutish'
'An excellent debut'
'Captivates and carries one along through the strength of its plot and its intelligent main character'
'Sharp and challenging, this book is missed at one's peril'
'The novel wears its historical learning lightly, and Clements seasons it with romance and humour'
'Clements can be seen as doing for Elizabeth's reign what CJ Sansom does for Henry VIII's . . . What's impressive in the latest is how much of Tudor society it crams in, from the court and Derby's estate to outlaws and the soldiers in its concluding scene'
'There's plenty of thrills . . . the multiple plot elements are well-handled . . . there's much that's enjoyable and Clements' orchestration of the narrative is skillful'
'The best yet in Rory Clements' magnificent series about John Shakespeare . . . As always, the historical detail is fascinating and sometimes delightfully obscure . . . another sumptuous feast that will leave you sated - but craving for the next helping!
'I found this the best book in the series'
Praise for Prince:

'A genuine page turner, and cleverly weaves in real historical events and personalities. Fans will not be disappointed'
'Intriguing . . . wonderfully graphic and descriptive. Clements richly deserves the accolade: "faster moving than C.J. Sansom'
'Clements' thrilling murder mysteries are a real cut above . . . steeped in authentic 16th-century politics, the plots are complex and clever, and the characters believable and engrossing. But his greatest gift is the ability to bring to life the squalor, intrigue and perils of Tudor London and amidst it all create a superbly tense and entertaining mystery. Roll on Mr Shakespeare's Act IV'
'Blending fact with fiction Clements tells a rip-roaring yarn with vigour and energy and a huge enthusiasm for the period . . . a novel lacking neither action nor spice. An undeniably enjoyable and lively plot that gathers pace and excitement throughout. A devilishly good read'
'There is a veritable cornucopia of elements to praise here . . . John Shakespeare is one of the great historical sleuths'
All stars
Most relevant
Really enjoyed this story. You get a strong sense of Elizabethan England; the religious and political tensions and intrigues in particular.

Shakespeare is attempting to find a murderer before he kills Drake. There’s enough fact to give the plot credibility and the range of characters adds depth. Excellent narration and I’m looking forward to the next adventure in this series.

Complex and satisfying

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it's good to read historical fiction with adult themes, the narrator started off a bit shaky but I liked him by the end

Excellent

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The voice of the narrator was initially off putting but as I became engrossed with the plot I found him easy to listen too. Although the language suits the times I found it rather vulgar and unnecessary, I feel some may be put off by it.
The book has a good plot, the main character is an easy one to like and on the whole I think the story is a good one.

Martyr

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On John Shakespeare, that is. This book was overly long and tedious in parts but at it’s heart was a good story. It just needed less of it!

I won’t give up yet.

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I have listened to Rory Clements books about the interwar years, conflict and post war years from the perspective of both British and German heroes. All these titles were first class, well researched, written and read by the talented Adam Sims. Adam’s delivery was really good, he really seems to engage with the book he was reading and kept the tension and excitement at just the right level.

Peter Wickham, although gifted with a strong clear voice, fails to use his talents to best advantage. Listening to his delivery of this writer’s work is like listening to à laundry list being read out. He lets the writer down, the listener down but mostly himself as an actor. I am sure he has it in him to improve. This review may seem harsh but Wickham’s poor performance did spoil the book for me.

The book itself wasn’t one of Rory Clement’s best, it is an early book. However, judging by his later work, he does have talent and is well worth persevering with.

An interesting novel poorly delivered by substandard narration style.

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