Jester Leaps In
A Fool's Guild Medieval Mystery
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- $18.99
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
A thrilling medieval mystery set amidst the political turmoil of 13th century Europe.
In 13th century Europe, political upheaval is the norm, and the Fool's Guild and its agents – jesters, jugglers, and knaves – work behind the scenes to manipulate events and maintain a balance of power. Theophilos, a Guild member known by many names, is still recovering from his last near-fatal mission, but finds himself with a new apprentice and wife, Viola.
As Theophilos recovers on the Dalmatian coast, the Guild approaches him with another mission. A crusade is launching from Venice, but some suspect the city has its own ulterior motives. Meanwhile, a pretender to the Byzantine throne is gathering European support, and all of the Guild's agents in Constantinople have mysteriously vanished.
Now, the newly married Theophilos and Viola must journey to Constantinople to gather intelligence, thwart the Guild's rivals, prevent a war, and perhaps – just perhaps – stay alive. Jester Leaps In is a gripping historical mystery filled with suspense, intrigue, and medieval spies, set against the rich backdrop of the Byzantine Empire and the Crusades of the 13th century.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Having boldly appropriated Shakespeare's Feste and Viola from Twelfth Night for his well-received debut novel, Thirteenth Night (1999), Gordon returns with a cunningly plotted sequel that is sure to be another crowd pleaser. Feste the Fool and his wife, Viola, are off to Constantinople to ensure that the Crusade of 1202 sticks to its goal of capturing the Holy Land. The son of a deposed Byzantine emperor threatens to turn the Crusaders against the Eastern Christian Church in a bid to gain his throne, while certain trading interests want to divert the force to invade the Muslim empire in Egypt. Amid the sometimes confusing but never less than intriguing plots and counterplots, Feste and Viola must resort to sleight of hand, disguise and other tricks in order to unmask the assassin who's been silencing agents trying to preserve peace in Constantinople--before they themselves become victims. Gordon brings Constantinople and its environs wonderfully alive against the backdrop of the political and religious uncertainty and tension of the time. Like a master juggler, the author puts on a fine show, full of fun and surprises. While there are many medieval historicals in the marketplace, there's always room for another high quality series. An eye-catching "stained-glass window" jacket design will attract browsers.
