The Shroud
by George Bachman
In 16th-century England, Queen Elizabeth’s former spymaster, Hertford, is recruited by a court faction, the Owls, to recover the Shroud of Turin from Rome before a rival faction can do so and use its supernatural power to usurp the throne. He succeeds, but when a third party starts killing off people from both sides to take the Shroud for himself, Hertford discovers that Gotthard Kettler, an old enemy of England, has reemerged to destroy everyone.
However, when the Owl that Hertford tries to alert is murdered, Kettler frames the veteran spymaster. Hunted by vengeful members of both factions and suspected by Elizabeth, Hertford can rely only on himself and his years of experience as he pursues Kettler through catacombs, underground churches, and back alleys across Europe, seeking to stop the conspiracies against him, the factions, and the queen by uncovering the secrets of the Shroud that link them all.
4 out of 5 fairies
First, let me say I was absolutely intrigued by the blurb – magic and intrigue in Elizabethan times all surrounding the famous shroud that once wrapped the body of Jesus. Bachman has a singular talent for describing action scenes in a way that get the heart racing. The plot moves along in fits and starts, but keeps the reader intrigued enough that you want to know what happens next. Overall, an interesting historical thriller with nice fantasy elements woven in.
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George Bachman is also the author of the novel Spellcaster.