“Superb . . . Lovers of British historical mysteries with a dash of romance and gothic atmosphere will clamour for more…” Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“…. Rayne depicts hammy antihero Jack with relish, loads the last half of her bubbly, spooky yarn with lively set pieces like a suspicious fire, and ties her chalice to the dark fates of Richard II and Anne Boleyn… Frightful fun with haunted history and a blustery thespian…” Kirkus
“…In this taut, Gothic-style mystery, Rayne offers a gripping plot with plenty of suspense and period ambience…” Booklist
Chalice of Darkness
Introducing the Fitzglens and their theatre of thieves in this spellbinding gothic mystery…
London, 1908. The Fitzglens are proud of their reputation as one of London’s leading theatre families. They are, however, equally proud of another profession which they pursue very discreetly . . . When not on stage, they are thieves.
Jack Fitzglen’s latest plan is to seek out the infamous Talisman Chalice, steal it and create a dazzling piece of theatre around it. He travels to Vallow Hall in Northumberland to find the mysterious Maude – the last known link to the Chalice – but uncovers something far darker. Scandal, secrets and danger lurk in every shady corner. Perhaps the legend of the Chalice has come true: that in the wrong hands, the Chalice drags a person into a darkness from which he or she can never emerge…
As past and present collide, can Jack find the Chalice, the truth and return to his theatre of thieves unscathed?
Book 1 in the ‘Theatre of Thieves’ Mysteries