Giordano Bruno
6 primary works
Book 1
The first book in S. J. Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
In Elizabeth's England, true faith can mean bloody murder...Oxford, 1583. A place of learning. And murderous schemes.
The country is rife with plots to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and return the realm to the Catholic faith. Giordano Bruno is recruited by the queen's spymaster and sent undercover to expose a treacherous conspiracy in Oxford - but his own secret mission must remain hidden at all costs.
A spy under orders. A coveted throne under threat.
When a series of hideous murders ruptures close-knit college life, Bruno is compelled to investigate. And what he finds makes it brutally clear that the Tudor throne itself is at stake...
Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPraise for S. J. Parris
'A delicious blend of history and thriller' The Times
'An omnipresent sense of danger' Daily Mail
'Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death' Sunday Times
'Pacy, intricate, and thrilling' Observer
'Vivid, sprawling ... Well-crafted, exuberant' Financial Times
'Impossible to resist' Daily Telegraph
'An atmospheric and well-written historical thriller' Guardian
'Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes' Stuart MacBride
'It has everything - intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate Mosse
'The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden
'A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I' Andrew Taylor
"Rich in both historical detail and ingenious twists" Sam Bourne (bestselling author of The Righteous Men)
'Heresy is a must-read for every fan of historical thrillers.' Matthew Pearl (author of The Dante Club)
Book 2
The second book in S. J. Parris’s bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
Autumn, 1583. Under Elizabeth’s rule, loyalty is bought with blood…
An astrological phenomenon heralds the dawn of a new age and Queen Elizabeth’s throne is in peril. As Mary Stuart’s supporters scheme to usurp the rightful monarch, a young maid of honour is murdered, occult symbols carved into her flesh.
The Queen’s spymaster, Francis Walsingham, calls on maverick agent Giordano Bruno to infiltrate the plotters and secure the evidence that will condemn them to death.
Bruno is cunning, but so are his enemies. His identity could be exposed at any moment. The proof he seeks is within his grasp. But the young woman’s murder could point to an even more sinister truth…
Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPraise for S. J. Parris
‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times
‘An omnipresent sense of danger’ Daily Mail
‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times
‘Pacy, intricate, and thrilling’ Observer
‘Vivid, sprawling … Well-crafted, exuberant’ Financial Times
‘Impossible to resist’ Daily Telegraph
‘Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride
‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse
‘The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping’ Conn Iggulden
‘A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’ Andrew Taylor
Book 3
The third book in S. J. Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
London, 1584. Giordano Bruno travels to Canterbury for love. But finds only murder ...
Giordano Bruno is being followed by the woman he once loved - Sophia Underhill, accused of murder and on the run. With the leave of the Queen's spymaster, he sets out to clear Sophia's name. But when more brutal killings occur a far deadlier plot emerges.
A city rife with treachery. A relic steeped in blood.
His hunt for the real killer leads to the shadows of the Cathedral - England's holiest shrine - and the heart of a sinister and powerful conspiracy ...
Heretic, maverick, charmer: Giordano Bruno is always on his guard. Never more so than when working for Queen Elizabeth and her spymaster - for this man of letters is now an agent of intrigue and danger ...
Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPraise for S. J. Parris
'A delicious blend of history and thriller' The Times
'An omnipresent sense of danger' Daily Mail
'Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death' Sunday Times
'Pacy, intricate, and thrilling' Observer
'Vivid, sprawling ... Well-crafted, exuberant' Financial Times
'Impossible to resist' Daily Telegraph
'Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes' Stuart MacBride
'It has everything - intrigue, mystery and excellent history' Kate Mosse
'The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden
'A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I' Andrew Taylor
Book 4
The fourth book in S. J. Parris’s bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
August, 1585. England is on the brink of war…
Sir Francis Drake is preparing to launch a daring expedition against the Spanish when a murder aboard his ship changes everything.
A relentless enemy. A treacherous conspiracy.
Giordano Bruno agrees to hunt the killer down, only to find that more than one deadly plot is brewing in Plymouth’s murky underworld. And as he tracks a murderer through its dangerous streets, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the future of England itself.
Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPraise for S. J. Parris
‘S. J. Parris is one of my favourite authors – and unquestionably our greatest living writer of historical thrillers.’ A.J. Finn, No. 1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
“Hugely enjoyable” Guardian
‘This is historical mystery fiction at its finest’ Publishers Weekly
‘Her prose is taut and compelling. Her wielding of the historical material is always convincing but never overwhelming’ The Times
‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times
‘An omnipresent sense of danger’ Daily Mail
‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times
‘Pacy, intricate, and thrilling’ Observer
‘Vivid, sprawling … Well-crafted, exuberant’ Financial Times
‘Impossible to resist’ Daily Telegraph
‘Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride
‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse
‘The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping’ Conn Iggulden
‘A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’ Andrew Taylor
Book 5
The fifth book in S. J. Parris’s bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
PARIS, 1585
A KING WITHOUT AN HEIR
Heretic-turned-spy Giordano Bruno arrives in Paris to find a city on the edge of catastrophe. King Henri III lives in fear of a coup by the Duke of Guise and his fanatical Catholic League, and another massacre on the streets.
A COURT AT WAR WITH GOD
When Bruno’s old rival, Father Paul Lefèvre is found murdered, Bruno is drawn into a dangerous web of religious politics and court intrigue. And watching over his shoulder is the King’s mother, Catherine de Medici, with her harem of beautiful spies.
A DEADLY CONSPIRACY IN PLAY
When murder strikes at the heart of the Palace, Bruno finds himself on the trail of a killer who is protecting a terrible secret. With the royal houses of France and England under threat, Bruno must expose the truth – or be silenced for good…
Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary MantelPraise for S. J. Parris
‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times
‘An omnipresent sense of danger’ Daily Mail
‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times
‘Pacy, intricate, and thrilling’ Observer
‘Vivid, sprawling … Well-crafted, exuberant’ Financial Times
‘Impossible to resist’ Daily Telegraph
‘Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride
‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse
‘The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping’ Conn Iggulden
‘A brilliantly unusual glimpse at the intrigues surrounding Queen Elizabeth I’ Andrew Taylor
Book 6
The new book in S. J. Parris's bestselling, critically acclaimed series following Giordano Bruno, set at the time of Queen Elizabeth I
England, 1586.
A TREASONOUS CONSPIRACY
Giordano Bruno, a heretic turned spy, arrives in England with shocking information for spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. A band of Catholic Englishmen are plotting to kill Queen Elizabeth and spring Mary, Queen of Scots, from prison to take the English throne in her place.
A DEADLY TRAP
Bruno is surprised to find that Walsingham is aware of the plot and is allowing it to progress. He hopes that Mary will put her support in writing - and condemn herself to a traitor's death.
A QUEEN IN MORTAL DANGER
Bruno is tasked with going undercover to join the conspirators. Can he stop them before he is exposed? Either way a queen will die; Bruno must make sure it is the right one...
'A brilliantly realised fictionalisation of the Babington plot against Elizabeth 1' Observer
'Execution has an atmospheric sense of place. The plot twists and turns' The Times
'Immaculate... the depth of period detail, the all-enveloping sense of time and place, and the sheer gory drama' Metro
'Sumptuous' New York Times
'Parris's attention to the details of Elizabethan life and her ability to create characters of depth are again on display in a gripping narrative' The Sunday Times
'Fast-paced and entertaining' Mail on Sunday
'Parris is one of the stars of historical crime fiction and this, her sixth Giordano Bruno novel, is among her best'i
'Superbly plotted, shimmeringly written, it will have you on the edge of your seat' Kate Williams, author of The Storms of War
'An impressive feat' Marisa Haetzman, also writes as Ambrose Parry