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The Heretics

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The Heretics

By: Rory Clements
Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
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About this listen

From Rory Clements, winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Award, comes The Heretics, the fifth in his acclaimed John Shakespeare Elizabethan mystery series. 'Does for Elizabeth's reign what C. J. Sansom does for Henry VIII's' Sunday Times.

England may have survived the Armada threat of 1588, but when Spanish galleys land troops in Cornwall on a lightning raid seven years later, is it a dry-run for a new invasion? Or is there, perhaps, a more sinister motive? The Queen is speechless with rage. But as intelligencer John Shakespeare tries to get a grip on events, one by one his network of spies is horribly murdered.

What has all this to do with Thomasyn Jade, a girl driven to the edge of madness by the foul rituals of exorcism? And what is the link to a group of priests held prisoner in bleak Wisbech Castle?

From the pain-wracked torture rooms of the Inquisition in Seville to the marshy wastes of fenland, from the wild coasts of Cornwall to the sweat and sawdust of the Elizabethan playhouses, and from the condemned cell at Newgate to the devilish fantasies of a fanatic, The Heretics builds to a terrifying climax that threatens the life of the Queen herself.

2013, CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award, Short-listed

©2012 Rory Clements (P)2013 John Murray Press
Crime Fiction Fiction Historical Exciting
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Critic reviews

"Rory Clements again brings to life the dark side of Elizabethan England" (Daily Mail)

"A cracking plot full of twists right up to the last minute. I look forward to the next" (Sunday Express)

"The best yet in Rory Clements' magnificent series about John Shakespeare . . . As always, the historical detail is fascinating and sometimes delightfully obscure . . . another sumptuous feast that will leave you sated - but craving for the next helping!" (Crimesquad)

What listeners say about The Heretics

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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love this character

some of the voices of the characters varied a bit but I enjoyed the story with lots of twists and turns. I've enjoyed all the books on this series and it's a good & easy listen

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

Excellent story and very well read. I Look forward to listening to the next episode

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful stories

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this one. Very well narrated.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Heretics?

All of it. Excellent story.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I do not have a favourite

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I had the time. Yes.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another enjoyable novel

Have just finished listening to this book and it kept my attention throughout
Moving straight into the next novel.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Who did it

Where does The Heretics rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not a bad read but not a brilliant one either. At times it feels like the author is spoon feeding you with super runny food thats not easy to swallow. Yet at other times he tends to go off on a tangent which leaves you dangling in midair until the relevancy becomes clear.

A real who did it story that on occasions left you wondering "well who are they talking about" as characters seemed to drift in and out.

Gareths performance was clear and pleasant to listen to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very good, but...

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this as I have enjoyed the previous Shakespeare audiobooks. Good, properly convoluted plot, danger, romance etc. This, however, was let down by bad editing/production and lost it a star from me. Most, if not all, chapters were cut short & ploughed straight into the next chapter losing important plot points, turns and cliffhangers that I've come to expect from this series. I hope future audiobooks in this series aren't marred like this.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

While laying back on my bed on a cold Scottish winter's afternoon and letting my mind soak up the days of yore......great stuff.....brings the imagination to life....

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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loved it

Would you listen to The Heretics again? Why?

I would listen to the Heretics again, really enjoyed the plot and the narrator, interpretation

What other book might you compare The Heretics to, and why?

its like the Ken Follet books,

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A great listen

Another Elizabethan spy story brilliantly read by Gareth Armstrong. See the characters, smell the scenes.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Shakespeare in real trouble this time !

what a great story that twisted and turned everywhere, with no idea who to trust ,loved it !

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