Thomas the Falconer

When Nathaniel Pickering, Lady Margaret's older brother is found murdered, Thomas takes her away to London, in search of gyrfalcons. Thomas's astute mind is unable to ignore the clues, and in uncovering some dark secrets, he places himself - and his mistress - in grave danger. Now a target himself, Thomas must face some of London's most notorious criminals, in a battle of both brain and brawn.

When invited to attend the Barrowhill Pleasures at the seat of the extravagant and pompous Earl of Reigate, Sir Robert Vicary of Petbury brings Thomas, his trusted falconer along with him to enjoy the festivities. But things take a very deadly turn when three of the Earl's guests are murdered, and the Earl seems eager to cover the deaths up at all costs. As the festivities continue, a killer is on the loose, and Thomas must keep a keen eye on the guests. One of them is not what they seem, and he must discern who before the Earl himself becomes the next target.

Thomas Finbow, falconer to Sir Robert Vicary, is sent to the remote Salisbury Plain by his master to assist on the estate of the impoverished Sir Giles Buckeridge. Thomas is to train a ramage hawk – an immature, half-wild bird – and to teach the arts of falconry to Sir Giles’s young ward, Gervase. It soon becomes clear, however, that Sir Giles has much bigger problems than falconry as he is struggling to secure respectable futures – and provide sufficient dowries - for his three spirited daughters.

Thomas's friend Ben Mallam, the streetwise jingler (a dealer in used horses) returns to aid him. After a run of bad luck, perhaps Ben's fortunes will change as he helps Thomas unravel a deadly plot which strikes at the very heart of Tudor England, threatening the security of the nation itself.

1596. Sir Robert Vicary is to host an important guest, Grigori Stanic, the ambassador of distant Muscovy, and Thomas the Falconer is called on to entertain the Russian party. The ambassador is to make a magnificent gift to Boris Godunov, brother-in-law to the feeble Tsar Feodor: A priceless gold chain. But no sooner has it arrived than it is stolen. So begins Thomas hunt for The Muscovy Chain...