A Ruinous Wind

Get hold of the second adventure in this gripping Elizabethan mystery series from John Pilkington!

'Thomas proves a dogged, creative and insightful sleuth.’ - Publishers Weekly

MURDER MOST SAVAGE…

When invited to attend the Barrowhill Pleasures at the seat of the extravagant and pompous Earl of Reigate, Sir Robert Vicary of Petbury brings Thomas, his trusted falconer along with him to enjoy the festivities.

But things take a very deadly turn when three of the Earl’s guests are murdered, and the Earl seems eager to cover the deaths up at all costs. With the promise of Queen Elizabeth attending the spectacle, the Earl remains adamant that his dramatic re-enactment of the Spanish Armada should still go ahead - despite the tide of unpleasantness.

As the festivities continue, a killer is on the loose, and Thomas must keep a keen eye on the guests. One of them is not what they seem, and he must discern who before the Earl himself becomes the next target.

Perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom, Andrew Taylor and S. J. Parris.

Praise for the Thomas the Falconer series:

‘Larger-than-life characters and authentic 16th-century ambience… Pilkington successfully draws readers into his world and keeps them turning the pages.’ - Booklist

'The story moves at a great pace ... it made a welcome change to discover Elizabethan England through the eyes of a lesser mortal.' - The Historical Novels Review

‘A sturdy and entertaining historical for fans of Elizabethan mysteries’ Library Journal

‘This latest entry in Pilkington’s Thomas the Falconer series is a vigorous adventure featuring a likeable hero, an intriguing plot and a fine sense of period ambience.’ Booklist

Praise for A Ruinous Wind:

'Excellent! This is an extremely readable tale, with interesting well realised characters and history so well drawn it is as if you are there' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Book 2 in this excellent series. The author writes very cleverly with humour and the descriptive prose transports the reader to the Elizabethan period.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Great plot, characters, historical fact. Enjoyed every one of these books!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Pilkington has a way of making you think you know what's about to happen only for the story to take a turn in a direction I wasn't expecting.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

'Simply brilliant!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

"A Ruinous Wind" was written by John Pilkington.

A writer for over forty years, John Pilkington was born in Lancashire and worked at many jobs including laboratory assistant, farm worker, weaver, shipping clerk, picture frame-maker and cabaret musician before finding his true vocations. He has written plays for radio and theatre, television scripts for a BBC soap, a short-lived children’s series and numerous works of historical fiction, including several Elizabethan mystery series for award-winning publisher Boldwood Books.

He lives in a village on a tidal estuary in Devon with his long-term partner.

Yes, "A Ruinous Wind" is part of the "The Thomas the Falconer Mysteries" series.