The Bastille Spy: Shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown 2020

Description

'He was alive when he went in the mortuary.' 1789. The Bastille is marked for destruction. Skirmishes in the city are rife and revolution is in the air. When a gruesomely murdered rebel is found in the prison morgue, a plot is suspected. English spy, Attica Morgan, is laying low after an abortive mission. So when she's given an assignment inside the Bastille, her instinct is to run. Instead, she's offered a pardon, in return for solving the mystery of the dead revolutionary; and exposing a plot that leads to Marie Antoinette. But as tensions rise to breaking point in the city, Attica quickly realises she's in a race against time. Soon there could be no Bastille to investigate.

C.S. Quinn is a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, the Guardian and the Mirror, alongside many magazines. Prior to this, Quinn's background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Arts Council. Quinn pooled these resources, combining historical research with first-hand experiences in far-flung places to create her bestselling Thief Taker series.

A true treasure of a historical novel... Enjoyable and deeply satisfying with a rich array of characters and a sense of danger which lasts throughout. * Paul Doherty, author of the A Brother Athelstan Medieval Mystery series * A rip-roaring adventure with an exciting new heroine at its heart. * Tessa Harris, author of the Dr Thomas Silkstone Mysteries * A sparkling extravaganza of a read - fast-paced, exciting and utterly gripping from explosive start to satisfying ending. Lively, intriguing wonderful... I can't wait for the next one. * Joanna Courtney, author of the Queens of Conquest series * Delicious, brilliant and totally absorbing. This pacy, atmospheric thriller... is absolutely unputdownable with its sharp, witty writing and spot on period description. * Carol McGrath, author of The Daughters of Hastings series * The Bastille Spy is incredible! It's the best action adventure novel I've ever read... I can't wait for the next instalment. A fantastic achievement that has blown me away with its ingenuity, scope and breathless pace. * Louise Voss, author of the Detective Lennon Thriller Series * A galloping ventre a terre from start to finish. Attica Morgan is rebellious, resourceful, and perfectly willing to show that whatever an eighteenth century man can do, she can do better, and with flair. * Sarah Hawkswood, author of the Bradecote and Catchpoll series * The Bastille Spy is a rollicking read - a cross between Lara Croft and Pirates of the Caribbean, all transported to revolutionary era France. * David Penny, author of the Thomas Berrington series * This is really captivating, vivid writing. Descriptions that come straight off the pages and permeate deep into your senses, and a truly electrifying pace. Quinn is a brilliant new talent! * Peter James, author of Dead at First Sight, on C.S. Quinn * Sharp, atmospheric and sumptuous. * Simon Toyne, author of Sanctus, on C.S. Quinn *