Marbeck and the Double Dealer

An Elizabethan spy travels far and wide in the service of his queen in a fast-paced adventure by the author of Thomas the Falconer series.

At the dawn of the seventeenth century, England has been embroiled in wars with Spain and Ireland for many years. The island crackles with unease in the dying years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, and Elizabethan intelligencer Martin Marbeck is bored. Then a message from his spymaster, Sir Robert Cecil arrives: the existence of a spy has been discovered, a double agent code-named Morera. A master of disguise fluent in the argot of secrets and lies, Marbeck must uncover the true identity of this traitor quickly, while evading Spanish spies, before rumours of the young King Philip III forming a new Armada prove themselves to be true.

“A superb historical mystery that concludes with an unexpected solution that leaves open many more dangerous doors.” —Historical Novel Society

“Pilkington’s Tudor-era spy novel oozes intrigue and dramatically captures the unsettled mood of the times. Think James Bond for the 17th-century crowd.” —Library Journal, starred review

“A gripping, entertaining page-turner.” —Booklist, starred review

“Pilkington introduces an intriguing new hero in the dashing Marbeck in an eventful tale packed with the usual Elizabethan minutiae.” —Kirkus Reviews