[Henry Gresham 03] • The Coming of the King

Queen Elizabeth I is dying, and the King of England’s oldest and bitterest enemy, Scotland, is poised to take the throne. Lonely, her power fading, Elizabeth fears she is being poisoned. With all her old allies and advisors dead, she turns to the only man she can trust to tell her the truth, Henry Gresham. A reluctant recruit, Gresham finds himself unwillingly dragged into the vicious political manoeuvring that will decide who is England’s next ruler.

Involved in the mad-cap race to be the first to tell James VI of Scotland that Elizabeth has chosen him as her successor, Gresham faces savage attacks on his home and those he loves, imprisonment, attempts to destroy not only him but the College he loves in Cambridge. He is even accused of witchcraft and is faced with the loss of all he holds dear and the prospect of a civil war with terrifying consequences.

Gresham finds himself one of the few people who knows about plots emanating from England’s oldest European rivals and enemies – plots that could change England into an unrecognizable country. Fighting harder than he has ever had to before, Gresham must struggle to survive and to defeat his enemies at home, and with no army except his wits, fight for the survival of his country as England enters a time that could see it tear itself apart.’

This completely new and previously unpublished third book in the Henry Gresham series is another intricate page-turner of a novel. Once again, Martin Stephen has produced a tale of treachery, intrigue and passion which displays a staggeringly intimate knowledge of history.

‘Henry Gresham is a hero for all seasons.’ Val McDermid

‘Considerable effort has gone into the mucky detail of early seventeenth century London, and the tale is moved on at high speed by Gresham’s well-timed revelations. Stephen has a good feel for the momentary decisions that can help to shape the course of history – as well, of course, as the cowardice, vainglory and greed.’ The Times

‘Breathtaking plotting and delightful characterization in a Jacobean tale of murder and political intrigue – a pyrotechnic, explosive rocket of a book.’ Jenni Murray

‘Intrigue, high-life and low-life are brilliantly interwoven in a thriller which has a compelling vividness and pungency. The historical details are utterly convincing; one can see and smell Jacobean England and hear its inhabitants speaking.’ Lawrence James

‘Martin Stephen takes a refreshingly different approach in his Jacobean thriller…dastardly political and religious manoeuvrings, footpads, trollops and demented Catholics, all add up to a terrific book, the first of a long series, we must hope.’ Spectator

‘Here is a thriller that is just exploding with action and double-dealing and which paints Jacobean London in vivid and dramatic detail.’ Northern Echo