The Whyte Harte (Matthew Jankyn, Book 1)
A sweeping historical mystery of medieval England
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
The suspicious death of the Richard II prompts an unground movement known as the White Harte...
The turbulent times of the 15th century are perfectly captured in Paul Doherty's gripping mystery, The White Harte. Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters and Susanna Gregory.
Jankyn's narrative relates his own past, a past spent unwillingly under the tutelage of priests and friars in an Augustinian monastery; his rebellious flirtation with the heresy of Lollardism; and finally his becoming a thief, an accused traitor, and yeoman to Bishop Henry Beaufort, illegitimate grandson of 'The Black Prince', and half-brother to King Henry V. It is Beaufort who 'rescues' Jankyn from Newgate prison to serve as his investigator of the rumours that Richard II is not dead, but alive in Scotland, encouraging the small rebellions under the sign of the White Harte. It is up to Jankyn to discover the truth...
What readers are saying about Paul Doherty:
'The plot and mystery slowly unfolds with unexpected twists and turns before finally being unravelled. An enthralling tale by Doherty at his best'
'[You] lose yourself in the story'
'Five stars'
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Re-creating England and France in the early 15th century, Doherty's new novel rivals his previous masterworks, most recently The Crown in Darkness. The narrator, despicable Matthew Jankyn, is forced by Bishop Beaufort, half-brother to King Henry IV, who sits uneasy on the throne wrenched from Richard II, to trace rumors that Richard is in Scotland, gathering an army to march against the usurper. To save his low life, Jankyn betrays the woman he loves and his fellow Lollards, dedicated to the Whyte Harte, symbol of their belief in Richard's eventual triumph. During the ensuing bloody years, Jankyn remains in thrall to Beaufort and involved in the endless wars leading to Agincourt with its ruinous ``victories.'' The historically accurate, riveting story features numerous real and invented characters, none more vivid than the monster behind England's idolized Prince Hal.
