Leonard Tourney

MEET DR WILLIAM GILBERT IN THIS ENTHRALLING ELIZABETHAN HISTORICAL MYSTERY.16th Century England.Dr William Gilbert enjoys the company of one of his more accomplished patients, a Jewish-born Christian convert now living in the Domus.But when the man is found dead, hanging from an impossibly high beam, William is suspicious.Hampered by the prejudice of those around him, William sets out to ensure the mystery of his friend's death is solved. He is joined in this pursuit by Johane Sheldon, a clever and beautiful woman who is the dead man's only living relative.Is this mystery a step too far even for the inestimable skills of Dr Gilbert?Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom, Iain Pears, S.W. Perry, Andrew Taylor, S.G. MacLean, Ian Morson, and David Penny.PRAISE FOR LEONARD TOURNEY: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A fascinating look into another era.' Robyn B.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This series is a delight and not to be missed.' Steve H.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant book, couldn't put it down. One to re-read.' Anne R.WILLIAM GILBERT MYSTERIESBOOK 1: THE CUCKOLD'S BRIDEBOOK 2 THE KINDNESS OF WITCHESBOOK 3: SOLOMON'S GOLD

In sixteenth century England, fear of witchcraft abounds. But witches are not the only source of evil, as Dr William Gilbert will discover ... When Dr William Gilbert is caught in an Essex snowstorm, his life is saved by a strange, wolf-like dog. Taken in by the family that owns the animal, he is nursed back to health in an eerie, isolated building with a terrible history, where the cries of a child echo through the corridors at night. Having recovered, William is pleased to leave the Old Priory, but equally grateful to the husband, wife and daughter that saved him. So, when the women are accused of witchcraft and seem certain to be burned, he feels duty-bound to help them, despite the dire warnings of his father. To the people of sixteenth-century Essex, witches are everywhere and to associate with them is destruction. Nevertheless, William is driven to seek justice for his saviours, and as he delves into the case, discovers there is evil at play, of a type far worse than any invented tale of witchcraft. But can he prove that before the next victim dies and the innocent burn?

As Elizabethan England reels from the clash of religious and renaissance ideas, a young pregnant woman dies. Did jealousy kill her - or science? Doctor William Gilbert is the epitome of the renaissance scientist. Interested in philosophy and true science, he is broad minded when it comes to religion and sceptical of the revered ancients. To Dr Gilbert, rationality is all. However, Dr Gilbert is also ambitious, and when his friend offers him a job tending a rich man's pregnant wife, William seizes the chance with his eyes on a prosperous future. But when the beautiful young bride is found dead, he has cause to reconsider his actions - and his ideas about the world. And when William himself is accused of the woman's murder, he must use all of his intelligence and rationality to save his own skin. The Cuckold's Bride is an immersive and fast-paced novel of murder, science, and the best and worst of human nature, which takes the reader into the heart of Elizabethan England.

London 1604 - In the reign of King James I, religious tensions threaten to rise out of control.Dedicated to his writing and performing, successful playwright, Will Shakespeare, finds his life disturbed by the return of an old friend, Gabriel Catesby. As unsavoury events unfold, Will accepts him into his company of players, The King's Men, relying on his friend for protection against those who wish him harm.When the King's Men perform at a lord's manor house, through Catesby's connections, Will is introduced to those who seek to use his influence, for a playwright's words are powerful. And secret meetings draw further questions about Catesby's own intentions and loyalties.As dangerous plots ensue, Will becomes entangled with dangerous new alliances: alliances that teeter on the brink of treason.Catesby's Ghost is a much anticipated return to the Mysteries of Shakespeare series, placing the playwright in the mix of the most infamous instance of domestic terrorism in English history.Leonard Tourney is a specialist in composition pedagogy and creative writing, he has authored scholarly articles in 17th century British literature, a critical biography of Joseph Hall, short fiction, and nine historical novels, the most recent a fictional memoir of William Shakespeare. He has taught at Western Illinois University, the University of Tulsa, and the University of California at Santa Barbara.