History… the interesting bits!

Princess Elizabeth’s unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!

August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary’s health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that’s before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack’s latest female companion’s body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the mirky truth – while ensuring he doesn’t find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

You know, I don’t think I’ve had as much fun reading a book in a long time!

Michael Jecks has long been one of my favourite authors, ever since his very first book, The Last Templar. I Iove the way he writes. With his Tudor mystery series, he has really showcased his ability to write a jolly good murder mystery – with an impressive dose of humour.

I hate to use the word unputdownable – is it even a word? – but this book really was! I read it in two days. I took it every where with me, so I could read even if I only had a few minutes, sat in the car or giggling to myself whilst sat in a cafe – the other patrons must have thought me very odd. But I could not wait to get to the end. I think I will have to give it a re-read, slower this time. So that I can savour the story.

Set in 1558, in the final months of the life and reign of Mary I, Death Comes in Threes really captures the atmosphere of a London unsure of its future. The queen is either pregnant or ill, possibly about to deliver a Catholic heir, or on the verge of dying and leaving the throne to her Protestant sister, Lady Elizabeth. Factions are at work preparing for one outcome – or the other – and aiming to guarantee the throne’s security works in their interests.

And then Jack is accused of not one murder – but two!

You can tell I was out of sorts from the way that I lost my temper, and you see, I did have good reason.

My master, John Blount, had been less and less keen to speak with me for the last months, ever since his mission sending a female agent to the continent had failed. Another had caused that project to be closed, but he yet suspected, I think, that I might have had some involvement in the subsequent death. Of course, it was nothing to do with me, but Master Blount was nothing if not committed to his singular interpretation of other men and their motives and actions.

In my case, he had firmly persuaded himself that I was in fact a keen slayer of other men and women. I was hired on that express understanding, all owing to an unfortunate experience I had had during Wyatt’s revolt. I was seen in the presence of a dead man, and Blount formed an entirely mistaken opinion about my responsibility for the death.

Erroneous though his conclusion had been, there were benefits to his impression. First there was the new suit of clothing every year; then there was the property in which I had just harangued the Dutchman, God burn his ballocks; and the regular bonus each time I fulfilled his requirement of removing some poor soul from this vale of tears and misery. He was delighted with my expertise, and I was more than happy with the money. It meant that I could afford to hire a thoroughly competent killer on my own behalf, and then ensure that I was many miles away from any murders when they were committed, causing Blount on several occasions to look at me askance, as though wondering how on earth I had managed both to be in the presence of a corpse, while also being witnessed in a tavern, entertaining a wench, or playing dice in an alehouse. As a consequence, he grew more and more impressed with my abilities.

However, that all changed when his chosen agent was murdered, and no matter how I swore I had nothing to do with it, my protestations only served to convince him that I must have been responsible. It is a hard cross to bear, this matter of supposed infallibility, when on occasion it leaves others to wonder whether I had in truth been the man involved. I was not!

He did send messages to me indicating that the queen’s half-sister, our mistress Lady Elizabeth, was taking up much of his time. That, I was sure, was an excuse, and not a particularly good one. After all, she had been forced to keep her head down after the queen’s husband had tried to force her to marry a man she did not wish to, and since then, so I had heard, she and her sister were barely on speaking terms.

Michael Jecks’ self-absorbed hero, Jack Blackjack, is joined in the narrative by his employer, John Blount, and his neighbour, with whom he shares close relations – very close relations – Susan Appleby. The two new narrators offer an entirely different, and often surprising, view of our Jack. It is fascinating to read the three different interpretations of Jack’s character and abilities.

In Death Comes in Threes, Jack is surrounded by enemies, accused of murder and caught up in conspiracies with people whose loyalties and motives are suspect, to say the least. The poor chap doesn’t know who to trust!

The storyline is fast-paced and credible. With the queen’s health in question, of the birth of an heir imminent, London is suffering nervous anxiety. People are preparing for what comes next; a male child or the queen’s death. Or both!

Death Comes in Threes by Michael Jecks is not just a book – it is 8 hours of pure entertainment. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The entire series is a jolly good read, but this book is one of the best and a great way to start your 2025 reading.

Death Comes in Threes is a corker!

What a fabulous tv series these books would make!

About the author:

Michael Jecks is the author of more than thirty novels in the Knights Templar medieval mystery series, and four previous Bloody Mary Tudor mysteries. A former Chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, he lives with his wife, children and dogs in northern Dartmoor.

To buy Death Comes in Threes

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My Books

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Coming 30 January 2025: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England’s northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland’s queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.

Available for pre-order now.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell and Michael Jecks, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved. 

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

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©2025 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS