1593.

Under Queen Elizabeth’s reign, England is ravished by the great plague tearing through the country.

Religious turmoil, oppression and famine pose dangers in all corners of life.

But amidst the chaos a story emerges which paints a new face on British history.

George Bullen lives a comfortable but frugal life in London, widowed by the plague and working as a scribe for those unable to write themselves. 

With aspirations of becoming an author, perhaps selling stories to his old acquaintance Will Shakespeare, he is waiting for inspiration.

When a hooded soldier appears, scarred and haggard, hunted by Queen Elizabeth’s men for reasons unknown, George becomes the safe-keeper of his tale.

A member of the Duke of Norfolk’s illegal private army, his story begins with lost love and twists its way through death and war to uncover a horrifying secret of the Virgin Queen.

George’s own life soon becomes in perilous danger. 

Those around him are left slain by anonymous foes desperate to keep the conspiracy alive. 

The story he has written indicts him of treason and the soldier he harbours will stop at nothing to recover his lost love and escape the tyranny of his hunt.

As the Midsummer Revels commence, romance and death weave through the dreamy streets and disturbing secrets are revealed ...

Dickens’ lucid prose and thoroughly researched narrative present a gripping tale, bristling with wit and farce, yet guaranteed to leave you guessing until the final page.