William Shakespeare Mysteries Series

The more he gains, the more he has to lose…


William Shakespeare is now both a man at court and a man of the theatre. Accepted into Elizabeth I’s world, he is trusted to write plays for her. But his position is insecure, based entirely on the queen’s whims.

When one of the her ladies-in-waiting is found dead, almost everyone suspects it was murder. But who stood to gain by her death? Were the rumours that she was with child when she died true, or was she merely a pawn in a greater game?

Sir Robert Cecil senses an opportunity to finally rid himself of his bitter rival, the Earl of Essex, who was seen with the girl before she died, and enlists Will to discover the truth.

But Will knows that the Earl of Southampton, his patron, already allies himself to the Earl of Essex. Once again he is caught between two powerful foes. But this time, he must choose a side if he is to survive.

A captivating and thoroughly researched crime thriller that paints a rich portait of the life of the greatest of writers. Praise for Howard Linskey

‘Evoking the danger and the everyday struggles of people in Elizabethan England, A Serpent in the Garden gives us a new slant on Shakespeare and his world. I couldn’t put it down’ Barbara Nadel

‘I haven’t had this much fun in the Elizabethan era since Joseph Fiennes woo’d Gwyneth Paltrow’ Douglas Skelton

‘Absolutely fantastic. Clever, sly, funny, gripping – everything to make it a terrific read’ Ajay Chowdhury

‘Howard has done a wonderful job of weaving a thrilling adventure into the weft of established history. The setting is wonderfully evoked and the pacing spot on’ James Oswald

‘Historical fiction meets crime mystery as Howard Linskey transports us back to Shakespeare’s London for this rich page-turner’ Isabel Ashdown

The greatest writer who ever lived… turns detective.

A thrilling adventure wonderfully evoked as Shakespeare turns spy’ James OswaldPreviously published as A Serpent in the Garden

‘Will Shakespeare as a detective is so good you realise he was wasted as a playwright… This clever crime tale blends pace and humour into a riveting, believable and funny read’ Sun Pick of the Week

It’s 1592. As plague ravages London and playhouses close, the Bard turns sleuth

A young William Shakespeare was the rising star of the theatre world before a deadly epidemic forced the curtain to come down on his promising career as a dramatist.

Lady Celia Vernon is one of the first to succumb, but her cousin, the Earl of Southampton, is convinced she was actually murdered. He commands Will to uncover the truth.

But while Shakespeare is investigating the capital’s cutthroats, Robert Cecil Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster hears of his activities. Cecil suspects the earl of treason, and charges Will to report on his comings and goings.

Caught between a suspected murderer and two of the most powerful men in the kingdom, Will is playing a dangerous game. Losing might cost him his life

A perfect historical mystery for those new to Shakespeare and Bard aficionados alike, this is a fantastically realised imagining of the events of the famous ‘Lost Years’, where almost nothing is known about the most formative events of Will’s incredible life.

Praise for A Serpent in the Garden ‘A thrilling adventure wonderfully evoked as Shakespeare turns spy’ James Oswald

‘Impressive… a delicious tapestry of intrigue and adventure’ Crime Time

‘Hugely entertaining, clever, engaging. An all-round delight’ Trevor Wood

‘A masterpiece’ Rachael Blok

‘I don’t think I’ve ever read any fictional account that so accurately portrays the terrible autocracy that was in force during Elizabeth I’s reign. I couldn’t put it down’ Barbara Nadel

‘Absolutely fantastic. Clever, sly, funny, gripping everything to make it a terrific read’ Ajay Chowdhury

‘A rich page-turner the sights, sounds and atmosphere of 16th Century London pour from the pages’ Isabel Ashdown

‘Up there with the best historical fiction I’ve read Will Shakespeare is an almost competent private eye’ James Oswald

‘I haven’t had this much fun in the Elizabethan era since Joseph Fiennes woo’d Gwyneth Paltrow’ Douglas Skelton

‘One of the best historical novels I’ve read in years’ Robert Rutherford

‘A thrilling adventure wonderfully evoked as Shakespeare turns spy’ James Oswald’Will Shakespeare as a detective is so good you realise he was wasted as a playwright… This clever crime tale blends pace and humour into a riveting, believable and funny read’ Sun Pick of the Week
London, 1592. 28-year-old William Shakespeare is the rising man of English theatre. But plague has hit the capital, and the playhouses are to be shut. Livelihoods, and lives, are at stake.
Lady Celia Vernon is one of the first to perish but did she really die of plague? Her cousin, the Earl of Southampton, orders Will to discover the truth in a London filled with conspirators, cutthroats and traitors.
The Queen’s spymaster, Robert Cecil, suspects the Earl of treason and orders Will to spy on him in return. Caught between two of the most powerful men in the kingdom, Will cannot possibly serve both masters, and could easily become the next victim of the killer he is trying to catch.
With his future, safety and life on the line, Will uncovers a devastating secret, and changes the course of his, and the world’s destiny forever.
An utterly compelling historical mystery offering a new and fascinating look into the personal life of the great William Shakespeare.

Subsequently published with the title Players of Death.
Praise for A Serpent in the Garden’A thrilling adventure wonderfully evoked as Shakespeare turns spy’ James Oswald
‘Impressive… a delicious tapestry of intrigue and adventure’ Crime Time
‘Hugely entertaining, clever, engaging. An all-round delight’ Trevor Wood
‘A masterpiece’ Rachael Blok
‘I don’t think I’ve ever read any fictional account that so accurately portrays the terrible autocracy that was in force during Elizabeth I’s reign. I couldn’t put it down’ Barbara Nadel
‘Absolutely fantastic. Clever, sly, funny, gripping everything to make it a terrific read’ Ajay Chowdhury
‘A rich page-turner the sights, sounds and atmosphere of 16th Century London pour from the pages’ Isabel Ashdown
‘Up there with the best historical fiction I’ve read Will Shakespeare is an almost competent private eye’ James Oswald
‘I haven’t had this much fun in the Elizabethan era since Joseph Fiennes woo’d Gwyneth Paltrow’ Douglas Skelton
‘One of the best historical novels I’ve read in years’ Robert Rutherford