In THE HERETICS, John Shakespeare returns in a desperate race to unravel a plot that threatens to destroy the very heart of England.

To fulfill a promise to a dying priest, John Shakespeare must track down Thomasyn Jade, a young woman who suffered greatly at the hands of priests who performed a month long exorcism on her. Shakespeare is to make sure she is well- cared for and protected. It is a promise he has every intention of keeping despite the differences of their religions. But when a plot is uncovered that reveals a papist Spanish plan to invade England, Shakespeare must divide his focus between the search for those who would attack his country and his search for a woman who might not want to be found. From the theaters of London, to the marshy fens outside Wisbech, to the coast of Cornwall, and back, Shakespeare's two cases become increasingly entangled and he must unravel the truth before it is too late.

THE HERETICS by Rory Clements is the fifth John Shakespeare mystery. I've quickly become a fan of Rory Clements as he defies expectations by taking the story in unexpected directions. He weaves the seemingly separate story threads of his characters' lives into a unified tale that reveals a deeper conflict. The intrigue of finding the true source of power behind the Spanish invasion is a fascinating hunt through half-revealed truths and carefully hidden motivations, but it is the promise to a dying priest that gives THE HERETICS its heart. Father Robert Southwell admits to the wrongs of his past and seeks desperately to right them before his death. John Shakespeare promises to help right that injustice partly because of the injustice he sees in the treatment of Father Southwell.

THE HERETICS is a story of injustice and retribution. It is about people who desperately seek to fix the wrongs they've done and the wrongs done to them. Clements blurs the lines of justice and pushes his readers to consider what justice truly means and he does it with a clever plot only reveals itself at the very end. Rory Clements is a talented author who continues to impress and delight with each new John Shakespeare Mystery.