The King-in-Waiting

By John Pilkington

The next instalment in the thrilling Martin Marbeck mystery series by John Pilkington Perfect for fans for S. J. Parris and Andrew Taylor

Spring, 1603

Queen Elizabeth is dying without naming an heir, and England waits anxiously. Her cousin James, King of Scotland, is assumed to be her successor, but history shows succession can be fraught with danger.

Sir Robert Cecil, Secretary of State, fears insurrection and has brought troops to the capital. But from where might the danger come - overseas, or from malcontents closer to home?

Meanwhile Marbeck, Cecil's best intelligencer, is wrongly suspected of shady dealings with the Spanish. So when the son of his friend Lady Celia Scroop joins a fanatical Puritan sect, he's glad to leave London to try and find the wayward youth.

But events move fast and Marbeck finds himself in a maelstrom: forced to confront plots from two directions, that threaten not only the peace of the nation but the very fabric of England itself...

*Title previously published as Marbeck and the King-in-Waiting

Praise for The King in Waiting:

'The second book in this fine series provides all the derring-do and historical interest to keep readers entranced' - Kirkus Reviews

'Fast-paced and suspenseful, with the feel of a contemporary thriller... the series could have a long run' - Booklist

'The fast-moving plot makes the prospect of more Marbeck books welcome' - Publishers Weekly

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1808271785
• ISBN13: 9781808271786
• Release Date: December 2026
• Publisher: Boldwood Books Ltd
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"