Corpus: A gripping spy thriller

Description

1936. Europe is in turmoil. The Nazis have marched into the Rhineland. In Russia, Stalin has unleashed his Great Terror. Spain has erupted in civil war. In Berlin, a young Englishwoman evades the Gestapo to deliver vital papers to a Jewish scientist. Within weeks, she is found dead in her Cambridge bedroom, a silver syringe clutched in her fingers. In a London club, three senior members of the British establishment light the touch paper on a conspiracy that will threaten the very heart of government. Even the ancient colleges of Cambridge are not immune to political division. Dons and students must choose a side: right or left, where do you stand? When a renowned member of the county set and his wife are found horribly murdered, a maverick history professor finds himself dragged into a world of espionage which, until now, he has only read about in books. But the deeper Thomas Wilde delves, the more he wonders whether the murders are linked to the death of the girl with the silver syringe - and, just as worryingly, to the scandal surrounding King Edward VIII and his mistress Wallis Simpson... Set against the drumbeat of war and moving from Berlin to Cambridge, from Whitehall to the Kent countryside, and from the Fens to the Aragon Front in Spain, this big canvas international thriller marks the beginning of a major new series from bestselling author Rory Clements.

RORY CLEMENTS was born on the edge of England in Dover, the son of a Royal Naval officer and a former WREN. Since 2007, Rory has been writing full-time in a quiet corner of Norfolk, England, where he lives with his family. He won the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award in 2010 for his second novel, Revenger. A TV series of the John Shakespeare novels is currently in development by the team behind POLDARK and ENDEAVOUR. Find out more at www.roryclements.co.uk.

Dramatic . . . pacy and assured . . . Well crafted, it has all the pleasures of an intriguing lead character, intricate plot and fascinating historical context * Daily Mail * Rory Clements's timely spy thriller set in the 1930s evokes a period of political polarisation, mistrust and simmering violence. Corpus is fast-paced and there are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. This is the first of a promising series and Wilde is a likeable hero * The Times * This clever novel, rich in deceptions and intrigue, shows the reach of Stalin and Hitler into every class of British society, threatening violence on horrific scale. Corpus is a standout historical novel and spy thriller by an author who can turn his hand to any historical period he chooses * Daily Express * I was a huge fan of the John Shakespeare series and love every single book. Corpus was an enjoyable read... * Lis The Bookworm * 'I really enjoyed this book. It was my first experience of this author and I am very glad I picked this one up. The writing was easy to get into and the plot was engaging. I enjoyed the characters, especially the lead - he is well written and intelligent. Overall this was a great book set in an interesting time and I would definitely recommend picking this book up.' * The Little Book Owl * ' An intelligent thriller...I loved the characters and especially hero Professor Thomas Wilde. Our heroine, Lydia is well rounded...Wilde is a cool hero.' * For the Love of Books * 'It simply took my breath away. The amount of research that has gone into this superb book is just phenomenal. Boy does Rory Clements know how to tell a story! It's a tangled web of espionage, murder, intrigue and thrills. I'm so glad I got the chance to review this book. When I have time I will be reading this again. There's so much detail that you might miss!' * The Book Guzzler * 'Rory Clements is a fine writer of such clever novels and in Tom Wilde he has created a character to do him proud, every bit as much as John Shakespeare. This is a very clever book, rich in intrigue and deceptions...The storyline is marvellous! Its complexity is very satisfying to unravel and it captures so much of the sinister world of 1936 Europe. Hitler and Stalin walk in the shadows of this novel. Rory Clements writes as brilliantly as he plots and this is a novel steeped in atmosphere, menace and history. If I had to find fault with Corpus, I'd be out of luck. This is a standout historical novel and a gripping spy thriller. Clearly Rory Clements can turn his attention to any period of history he likes and in it he will find gold.' * For Winter Nights * 'Corpus by Rory Clements is set in England a few years before the Second World War as Britain is convulsed by the abdication crisis. Tom Wilde, a Cambridge academic, is drawn into a murky world of espionage and conspiracy by the unexplained death of a young Englishwoman recently returned from Berlin...' -- Nick Rennison * The Sunday Times Culture * 'a dynamic, fast-moving murder mystery brimming with menace, violence and intrigue, and starring a maverick Cambridge history professor caught up in a deadly conspiracy...this fascinating pre-war era comes breathtakingly and insidiously to life in a complex, compelling opener to what promises to be another extraordinary historical series as Clements harnesses society's distrust, divisions and deceptions in a powerful and plausible thriller. With real history, mystery, politics and espionage at play, Clements is undoubtedly on to another winner...' -- Pam Norfolk * Lancashire Evening Post * 'A very well thought out story with a new hero of mine, Thomas Wilde.' * Echoes in an Empty Room * 'fascinating historical conspiracy...it is in the minutiae of old fashioned sleuthing where the story starts to truly come alive. The mystery at the heart of the novel is intelligently written with this author's fine eye for historical detail and even though the overall pace of the novel is never fast and furious, there are certainly more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader guessing until the end.' * Jaffa Reads Too * 'HUGELY entertaining...Rory Clements really brought the sense of time and place to life in Corpus. He has also created a terrifically engaging character in Thomas Wilde, he will make an excellent series protagonist. Mixing politics and crime in an intriguing and full of flair fashion, the plot was superbly crafted, complex yet ever addictive and there is a richness to the historical detail here that really packs a punch. I do love a good atmospheric novel and Rory Clements has a terrifically sharp writing style that completely drags you in.' * Liz Loves Books * 'I was utterly absorbed and transported. Rory Clements has cleverly written this book in a way that is accessible to all readers. The plot is tight and the story rolls along at a steady pace...This book has managed to convert me into trying more historical fiction in the future.' * Reflections of a Reader * 'Corpus is quite rich in history and detail within the plot, so there are many threads to follow. The author has done a great job of weaving it together cohesively and the end result is a highly intriguing read.' * Bibliophile Book Club * 'this fascinating pre-war era comes breathtakingly and insidiously to life in a complex, compelling opener to what promises to be another extraordinary historical series as Clements harnesses society's distrust, divisions and deceptions in a powerful and plausible thriller. With real history, mystery, politics and espionage at play, Clements is undoubtedly on to another winner...' * Blackpool Gazette * 'An omniscient viewpoint and multiple characters give this novel the gravitas of Le Carre and it is highly accomplished. The 1930s are quite a decade in which to set a new series and with Bolsheviks, Nazis, treachery and political manoeuvring set against a looming global conflagration this is rich pickings for a skilled storyteller. It is impressively executed and Clements delivers a multi-layered historical spy thriller that few can emulate.' * Crime Fiction Lover * 'Wilde is a truly brilliant character...This is an immensely engrossing novel...Corpus is a remarkable chronicle of the treacherous game of poisoned politics, teasing the moves from its players with considerable skill to result in a thoroughly exhilarating fusion of espionage, intrigue and murder.' * Little Bookness Lane * 'Great new character, upbeat pace, low cunning plot, a fine read'. -- Jon Wise * The Sport newspaper * 'Corpus is a highly entertaining novel packed with exhilarating action thrown at us in a delightfully breakneck speed.' * Reviewed the Book * 'Rory Clements does a brilliant job in setting the scene and keeping the fictional events relevant to the established historical facts that he is weaving his story around. There are some very unlikeable characters, yet Wilde is a joy to follow and reading this story was something of a treat. Fans of Fatherland, cold war thrillers and political dramas - this is very much one for you.' * Grab This Book * 'Corpus is a highly entertaining novel packed with exhilarating action thrown at us in a delightfully breakneck speed. The standout part of this book, for me, was the character of Thomas Wilde...any future books in this new series will be absolute must-reads.' * Book Drunk * 'It is immensely gratifying to read a book that not only entertains and thrills consistently throughout with its compelling storytelling, but that uses the backdrop of historical events in such a clear and assured fashion, so much is learnt along the way too. I was rather impressed with this one, not only as a tense tale of political conspiracy and derring-do, but also as a very well characterised and compelling historical thriller. Looking forward to the next in the series too. Highly recommended.' * Raven Crime Reads * 'Corpus is a first rate thriller and a cracking read that will entertain fans of the involved murder mystery, the spy story or lovers of the period leading up to the Second World War and its political history. I think the novel will appeal to fans of Robert Harris and Philip Kerr, although the breadth of the story reminded me of a personal favourite, Hopeful Monsters by Nicholas Mosley, son of Oswald, a literary gem that still resonates.' * Nudge Books * 'CORPUS honestly blew me away. It was everything I wanted in a historical thriller. Clements has created a really interesting world and crime, and Thomas Wilde is an interesting main character. I really enjoyed reading CORPUS, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.' * The Flutterby Room * 'fans of Robert Harris are going to love this... Intrigue runs through the historically real and historically fictional characters making this unputdownable.' * The Bookbag * 'In Clements' plot, rumours, secrets and lies rub against each other: Edward VIII's desire to abdicate, covert support for Hitler in the highest reaches of the British establishment, world-altering scientific breakthroughs. Clements spins his wheels within wheels to enjoyable if mind-boggling effect.' * South China Morning Post * 'Corpus is a compelling novel, the writing is subtle, appalling events are handled skilfully, and whether you are susceptible to conspiracy theories or not, the research makes the plot utterly convincing. Clements kept this reader guessing right up to the last page - and beyond. I found myself musing over motives and hidden agendas, and trying to decide whether I should have liked or feared the enigmatic yet potentially dangerous Philip Eaton, for his role was (deliberately) never quite clear. This is a clever historical crime story and a very plausible thriller.' * Historia magazine * Clements spins his wheels within wheels to enjoyable, if mind-boggling, effect. Pay attention if you don't want to get lost: it works for thrillers and American Presidents alike. * South China Morning Post * A 1930s thriller. When a history professor links the deaths of English woman back from Berlin, a society husband and wife, and a Royal scandal, he must use all the skills gained from his research the Elizabethan secret service to save the woman he loves - and prevent a massacre. * Eastern Daily Press * Clements' clever, atmospheric, fast-paced and immaculately researched novel is both pacy and assured with an intriguing protagonist, intricate plot and historical context. Rich in deception and intrigue, this tangled web of espionage and murder is a real rollercoaster, equally appealing to fans of historical 'faction' or of spy fiction and thrillers. * Crime Review * I loved Wilde. I mean history professor as the main character, what's not to like? It was interesting to see what might have happened during the Abdication. Conspiracies and espionage everywhere. * Book Ramblings * It is well-written and is a solid historical fiction. * The Northern Witch's book blog * Clements juggles his story's disparate ingredients very skilfully, without - as far as I could tell - distorting facts. This book is the first in a series - good! * Literary Review * Quite different, but just as gripping, and you might well need a bit of a refresher during it. Very tense, not a lot of laughs, but a really good read, and concept. Fascinating times, great book. So often they are from this publisher. * Frost Magazine * A very well written and gripping novel, which I really enjoyed. * The Cottage at the End of the Lane * And this fascinating pre-war era comes breathtakingly and insidiously to life in a complex, compelling opener to what promises to be another extraordinary historical series as Clements harnesses society's distrust, divisions and deceptions in a powerful and plausible thriller. With real history, mystery, politics and espionage at play, Clements is undoubtedly on to another winner... * Lancashire Evening Post * The atmospheric tension is superb, the research and imaginative range impressive. Loved it. So will 'the beloved' if they like this sort of book * Frost Magazine *