Realm by James Jackson

ISBN 1848540027(978-184-854002-6)
RRP $32.99 August 2010
John Murray Paperback (Royal)

1588. In Lisbon the great Spanish Armada prepares to set sail for England. Along the coast of the Low Countries, the army of the Duke of Parma readies itself for embarkation. Threat is imminent. Yet behind it is a darker and more secretive game, one of espionage and murder, of treachery and deceit. The stiletto-blade to the back, the poison in the chalice, the tortuerer's rack in the dungeon. This is the realm of the spy. And at its heart is the legendary Elizabethan spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. One-by-one his intelligence sources vanish, day-by-day the danger to his queen and country grows. Finally, he sends the young soldier and agent Christian Hardy to discover the truth. But to reach it, Hardy must confront the deadliest of foes, the Spanish Inquisition, turncoats among his own, and the might of the enemy fleet. Time is running out. For Hardy, for England, for its sovereign queen Elizabeth...

Review

The Armada is coming... Well it is in this fantastic historical fiction set in 1588, in Lisbon. We see the great Spanish Armada preparing to set sail for England from Lisbon. Along the coast of the Low Countries, the army of the Duke of Parma readies itself for embarkation. Threat is imminent. Yet behind it is a darker and more secretive game, one of espionage and murder, of treachery and deceit. The stiletto-blade to the back, the poison in the chalice, the tortuerer's rack in the dungeon. This is the realm of the spy. And at its heart is the legendary Elizabethan spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham.

One-by-one his intelligence sources vanish, day-by-day the danger to his queen and country grows. Finally, he sends the young soldier and agent Christian Hardy to discover the truth. But to reach it, Hardy must confront the deadliest of foes, the Spanish Inquisition, turncoats among his own, and the might of the enemy fleet. Time is running out. For Hardy, for England, for its sovereign queen Elizabeth...

'This is history - and terrific history - on every page' -- Frederick Forsyth, author of The Day of the Jackal.

James Jackson has written four previous thrillers, including the acclaimed Blood Rock and Pilgrim, available in John Murray paperback. His non-fiction works include The Counter-Terrorist Handbook. A former political risk consultant and a postgraduate in military studies, he is also a qualified barrister and member of the Inner Temple. He lives in London.

These credentials ensure that Jackson’s historical fiction is written with extreme accuracy and detail. Excellent work.