The Prisoner of Zaragoza

It's 1589 and King Philip II of Spain is having a terrible year - and that's on top of last year, when his Armada failed catastrophically to conquer England. Now the English are returning the favour by sending their own Armada to Spain. Not only that but Aragon is in full revolt, Barbary pirates are pillaging the Mediterranean coast and his ex-secretary, Antonio Pérez, whom he once counted as a friend, is threatening to reveal letters that implicate him in a murder. Poor old Philip! But this is not Philip's story. This is the tale of Albert Bast, a Jewish English sailor and Beatriz March i Saeza, a Valencian servant girl who are caught up in it all. Both are sent by the Bey of Tunis's seventh wife into a perilous and unstable Spain to retrieve Pérez's letters. A land in revolt where foreign agents wield deadly magic and the Inquisition can read your mind. The Prisoner of Zaragoza is a historical fantasy romance set in a world of clashing civilisations, war, intrigue, spies and betrayal. Do bring a sword if you're coming.