Muse of Fire

The more he gains, the more he has to lose.William Shakespeare is moving up in the world, his name respected both at court and the theatre. Accepted by Queen Elizabeth, he is trusted to write plays for her, so long as she likes them...When one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting is found dead, almost everyone suspects murder. But who stood to gain? And are the rumours that she was with child true? Sir Robert Cecil, Elizabeth's spymaster, 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 tasks Will to uncover the truth.But Shakespeare knows that the Earl of Southampton, his patron, is allied to the Earl of Essex. Will is caught between powerful foes. But this time, he must choose a side if he is to survive.The Bard turns sleuth once more in this fascinating second instalment in the investigations of William Shakespeare.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