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Authors: Michael Jecks

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THE KING OF THIEVES
Michael Jecks

Copyright © 2008 Michael Jecks

The right of Michael Jecks to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

First published as an Ebook by

Headline Publishing Group in 2014

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

eISBN: 978 1 47221 9879

HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

An Hachette UK Company

338 Euston Road

London NW1 3BH

www.headline.co.uk

www.hachette.co.uk

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

About the Author

Also by Michael Jecks

Praise

About the Book

Dedication

Glossary

Cast of Characters

Author’s Note

Map

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Epilogue

About the Author

Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry to concentrate on his writing. He is the founder of Medieval Murderers,
has been Chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, and helped create the Historical Writers’ Association. Keen to help new
writers, for some years he organised the Debut Dagger competition, and is now organising the AsparaWriting festival for new
writers at Evesham. He has judged many prizes, including the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Michael is an international speaker
on writing and for business. He lives with his wife, children and dogs in northern Dartmoor.

Michael can be contacted through his website:
www.michaeljecks.co.uk
.

He can be followed on twitter (@MichaelJecks) or on
Facebook.com/Michael.Jecks.author
.

His photos of Devon and locations for his books can be found at:
Flickr.com/photos/Michael_Jecks
.

Also by Michael Jecks

The Last Templar

The Merchant’s Partner

A Moorland Hanging

The Crediton Killings

The Abbot’s Gibbet

The Leper’s Return

Squire Throwleigh’s Heir

Belladonna at Belstone

The Traitor of St Giles

The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker

The Tournament of Blood

The Sticklepath Strangler

The Devil’s Acolyte

The Mad Monk of Gidleigh

The Templar’s Penance

The Outlaws of Ennor

The Tolls of Death

The Chapel of Bones

The Butcher of St Peter’s

A Friar’s Bloodfeud

The Death Ship of Dartmouth

Malice of Unnatural Death

Dispensation of Death

The Templar, the Queen and Her Lover

The Prophecy of Death

The King of Thieves

No Law in the Land

The Bishop Must Die

The Oath

King’s Gold

City of Fiends

Templar’s Acre

Praise

‘Michael Jecks is the master of the medieval whodunnit’ Robert Low

‘Captivating … If you care for a well-researched visit to medieval England, don’t pass this series’
Historical Novels Review

‘Michael Jecks has a way of dipping into the past and giving it that immediacy of a present-day newspaper article … He
writes … with such convincing charm that you expect to walk round a corner in Tavistock and meet some of the characters’
Oxford Times

‘Great characterisation, a detailed sense of place, and a finely honed plot make this a superb medieval historical’
Library Journal

‘Stirring intrigue and a compelling cast of characters will continue to draw accolades’
Publishers Weekly

‘A tortuous and exciting plot … The construction of the story and the sense of period are excellent’
Shots

‘This fascinating portrayal of medieval life and the corruption of the Church will not disappoint. With convincing characters
whose treacherous acts perfectly combine with a devilishly masterful plot, Jecks transports readers back to this wicked world
with ease’
Good Book Guide

About the book

The twenty-sixth novel in Michael Jecks’s medieval Knights Templar series.

1325: Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Simon Puttock are in France guarding King Edward’s son on his perilous journey to meet the French king, Charles IV. But they are unaware that King Edward’s wife Isabella is disaffected and plotting her revenge …

What first appears a simple diplomatic mission is fast becoming lethally dangerous. Meanwhile, two murders in Paris are causing alarm. Is there a connection between the killings and the shadowy ‘King’ of thieves? Simon and Baldwin know the future of the English crown is at risk. And in order to protect it they must put their own lives in jeopardy.

This book is for two friends whom I respected hugely.

Both were great countrymen.

Both adored nature in all its forms.

Both had the same respect for the world about them.

Both could see humour in everything they (or others) did.

And I, like many others, suffered from their practical jokes.

Both died too soon.

Martin Coombs

Brian Radford

You’re both sorely missed.

Glossary

Crophead

slang term for a priest or other tonsured man.

Harvester

slang for a cutpurse, someone who would slice through the thongs holding a man’s money to his belt.

Picker

a thief who would take everything from his victim.

Planter

one who would provide fake jewels.

Cast of Characters

Sir Baldwin de Furnshill

once a Knight Templar, Baldwin is now known to be an astute investigator of crimes.

Jeanne

Baldwin’s wife.

Simon Puttock

a close friend of Baldwin’s for almost ten years, Simon has worked with Baldwin in many investigations.

Margaret

Simon’s wife, Margaret is particularly concerned that their house could be under threat.

King Edward II

a frivolous, untrustworthy and ruthless King, Edward was loathed by his barons, thought feckless and vain by the clergy, and
detested by the French King because of his treatment of his French wife, Queen Isabella.

Sir Hugh le Despenser

King Edward’s closest companion, adviser, friend and – in the opinion of many historians – his lover, Sir Hugh was probably
the most avaricious, dishonest and manipulative adviser that England has ever known.

King Charles IV of France

brother of Queen Isabella, King Charles was the last of his line on the French throne.

Cardinal Thomas

Thomas d’Angou was an adviser to
King Charles IV of France, as well as informant to the Pope.

Sieur Hugues de Toulouse

once an obscure knight, Sieur Hugues has risen to the post of castellan of the Louvre.

Sir Richard de Welles

a cheery knight from Devon, Sir Richard is a King’s Coroner, in which capacity he has worked with Simon and Baldwin in the
past.

The King of Thieves

known as such because of his unique position in Paris, the ‘King’ controls much of the crime that is perpetrated.

Jacquot

Once a contented farmer, now Jacquot is an embittered criminal eking out a living in Paris.

Amélie

a prostitute, Amélie is the latest in a series of companions for the ‘King of Thieves’.

Jean de Poissy

the city prosecutor, or Procureur, Jean de Poissy is an indefatigable investigator.

Pons and Vital

two officers of Paris responsible for inquiring into murders.

Stephen

Jean’s servant of many years’ standing.

Hélias

a brothel-keeper and whore, Hélias has been a friend of Jean de Poissy’s for a long time.

Jehanin

one of many kitchen knaves in the Louvre.

Raoulet

a messenger in the Louvre.

Arnaud

the main porter, or gatekeeper, to the Louvre.

Queen Isabella

wife to King Edward of England, Isabella is deeply unhappy at being
ignored by her husband in favour of Despenser, whom she hates. The Queen has been sent to France on a diplomatic mission to
prevent an escalation in hostilities over English possessions in France.

Lord John Cromwell

the head of the English delegation, Lord John has already grown to be an ally of the Queen’s.

William de Bouden

Comptroller to the Queen during her stay in France.

Alice de Toeni

a lady-in-waiting, put in place by Despenser to keep a watchful eye on the Queen and all her dealings.

Joan of Bar

the divorced wife of Earl John de Warenne, Joan was also put in place by Despenser, but has grown to pity and sympathise with
the Queen.

Edward, Earl of Chester

son of the King and Queen Isabella, Earl Edward, later created Duke of Aquitaine, is to travel to France to pay homage for
the English territories.

Bishop Walter II

the Bishop of Exeter, Walter Stapledon is an old friend of Simon and Baldwin, but has also held a number of key positions
in English politics. He was the guardian to Earl Edward during the ill-fated journey to France in 1325.

Sir Henry de Beaumont

a loyal servant to the King, he has been placed with the Bishop to guard Earl Edward during his journey to France.

BOOK: The King of Thieves:
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