Crispin Guest Medieval Mystery

The Tracker encounters his old friend Geoffrey Chaucer while on a case for the Archbishop of Canterbury in this "murderous spin on The Canterbury Tales" (Kirkus Reviews). Since losing his knighthood, Crispin Guest has crafted a new reputation for himself. From the shadowy corners of London to the halls of the royal court he is known as the Tracker, an investigator for hire who can find anyone or anything. But when the Archbishop of Canterbury hires him to expose the culprit threatening the sacred relics of a holy martyr, Crispin finds himself a stranger in an unfamiliar land. Within a city of pilgrims and priests, he unexpectedly encounters his former friend Geoffrey Chaucer, poet, rabble-rouser, and liege to Crispin's former master. Chaucer and his group of fellow pilgrims all have tales to tell . . . and secrets to hide. And when murder befalls the cathedral, Crispin is enlisted in a second case. Among hallowed tombs of soldiers and saints, in a world of ancient secrets and undying vendettas, Crispin must identify the murderous heretic among holy men if he has any hope of returning home.

A medieval knight turned private investigator is joined by Geoffrey Chaucer in his latest case featuring "clever twists and convincing period detail" (Publishers Weekly). Private investigator and former knight Crispin Guest faces his most complicated case yet when he witnesses a body fall from London bridge into the frigid River Thames. Though the man's death is declared a suicide, Guest sees evidence of foul play. His investigation leads him to Sir Thomas Saunfayl, an old acquaintance from his knighthood days. It seems the dead man was bargaining with Sir Thomas for the Spear of Longinus, the weapon used to pierce the side of Christ on the Cross, which grants invincibility to its owner. After his friend Geoffrey Chaucer arrives in London, all too eager to help find the spear, Guest finds himself trying to solve a conundrum of many parts, all centered around the same dangerous and coveted relic. With evocative period detail and an unforgettable cast of characters, Blood Lance was a Kirkus Reviews "Top 10 Hot Crime Novels" of Fall 2012.

The Tracker takes the case of a French alchemist who is targeted for his secrets in this mystery set in the gritty streets of fourteenth century London. After losing his knighthood, Crispin Guest has found a new calling as the Tracker, a private investigator who can locate anything-or anyone. Now famed French alchemist Nicholas Flamel needs Crispin to locate his wife, Perenelle, and his apprentice, Thomas Cornhill. But the case takes a sinister turn when Flamel's apprentice is found murdered. The kidnapper promises that Flamel's wife will be next . . . unless he hands over his precious Philosopher's Stone, a magical object that can turn lead into gold. Soon, strange, antiquated symbols begin appearing throughout the city. Crispin must decipher their meaning to unearth the kidnappers true motive. Plunged into an underground world where alchemy combines with treacherous politics, Crispin will have to unravel the mystery in order to find his wife and unmask a dangerous mastermind determined to wreak havoc throughout the city.