by S. J. Parris
First published 2011
The Great Conjunction arrives, bringing Jupiter and Saturn into alignment for the first time in a thousand years. London buzzes with dark prophecies about Queen Elizabeth's death and the end of an age. Inside the royal palace, several maids of honor turn up dead. Whispers of black magic spread through the corridors. Elizabeth summons two men to solve the murders: her court astrologer John Dee and the philosopher Giordano Bruno. Dee consults a medium who claims special knowledge of the crimes. Bruno suspects something more calculated than supernatural forces drives these killings. The queen refuses to accept that someone in her inner circle could be responsible. Bruno faces an impossible choice. He must let the conspiracy advance far enough to convince Elizabeth of the real threat. But each day he waits puts the queen, the kingdom, and his own life at greater risk. The killer moves closer to their ultimate target while Bruno races to unmask them.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, court-intrigue
Setting: London, Royal Palace
Period: Great Conjunction, Elizabethan Era
375 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday