The King of Thieves by Michael Jecks

Edward II's England is in turmoil. His Queen, Isabella, is in France, in deep negotiations with her brother, the King of France, for Edward's right to keep his French Properties. Edward is to go to France to make obesiance to the French King as his liege lord for his French Lands. But, back in England, Edward is not so sanguine about going. His confidante, Hugh Despenser, is hated by Lords across England for his grasping ways, and Edward's friendship has enabled him to confiscate the lands of others and take them for his own.

Not even Simon Puttock is immune. He finds out that the property he thought was owned by others has been sold out from under him... to Hugh Despencer, and though he wants to stay and keep his family safe, he discovers that he and his friend Baldwin De Furnshill, former knight templar, have been ordered to go to France as part of the Delegation to protect Prince Edward, only thirteen but made Earl and gifted with the King's French Holdings. So it is he who will making an obesiance to the French King, avoiding a dangerous precedent.

But no sooner do they arrive when they get drawn into another murder mystery, this one involving the son of the French Spy deNogaret and his wife, who have been slain in separate incidents in Paris. Luckily, Jean de Poissy, the Procureur of Paris is looking into the crime. But when the Procureur is himself assassinated, Baldwin and Simon will have to step in to free one of their own, the Bishop Walter Stapledon, from accusations of complicity in this awful crime.

But this is no mere usual crime, for it involves the two most dangerous men in Paris, the King of Thieves and his formost assassin, Jaquot. But when the King tries to cheat Jacquot of his money, and the King's latest whore, who is excited by the sight of death, attempts to charm Jaquot into killing the King and taking over his position, the city of Paris is headed for deadly and dangerous times. But can Simon and Baldwin succeed in unmasking the real killer and bring those involved to justice?

Michael Jecks writes some truly twisty and convoluted mysteries, and this one is very much in line with that. With story threads that are both political and criminal, not even the reader knows exactly why DeNogaret and his wife were killed until the end of the book, and even then, it only has something to do with money stolen from the Pope.

More is made of Queen Isabella demanding money of Walter Stapledon, who has been advanced money for Isabella, but only if she agrees to return home to England, and she simply will not return to her husband until Hugh Despenser is gone. And Hugh Despenser is causing more friction between Baldwin, Simon and the other lords who want Despenser gone for good. Who will the friends back? Their king, and Despenser, or the other lords who want Despenser gone?

This is a novel based on Historical fact, but Michael Jecks hasn't chosen to use one of the most prevalent rumors about Edward II and his many male favorites, that Edward was a homosexual- although you can read that into it if you read between the lines. Of Course, Despenser isn't taken care of yet... because history says he lived for a few more years yet. But we can see in this volume that Edward is sowing the seeds of his own destruction with his wife and with Roger Mortimer, who would eventually become her lover and help her overthrow her busband in favor of her son.

This is a well-researched and wonderful book. The characters are getting older, but their allegiances are still to their king. I only wonder how that is going to turn out for them considering what happens to Edward II not too far off in history. But I'll be there to see what happens. Recommended.