Courting Dragons

Introducing Will Somers, the king's jester but nobody's fool in this exuberant, intriguing and thoroughly entertaining mystery set in Tudor England – the first in a new series from the author of the critically acclaimed Crispin Guest Medieval Noir series. 1529, London. Jester Will Somers enjoys an enviable position at the court of Henry VIII. As the king's entertainer, chief gossip-monger, spy and loyal adviser, he knows all of the king's secrets – and almost everyone else's within the walls of Greenwich Palace. But when Will discovers the body of Spanish count Don Gonzalo while walking his trusted sidekick Nosewise in the courtyard gardens, and a blackmail note arrives soon after demanding information about the king, is one of his own closely guarded secrets about to be exposed? Trouble is afoot at the palace. Are the king's enemies plotting a move against him? Will must draw on all his wit and ingenuity to get to the bottom of the treacherous and deadly goings-on at the court before further tragedy strikes . . .

The first in a gripping new Victorian mystery series set in London from critically acclaimed author Jeri Westerson. Watch out, Sherlock! Introducing one-time Baker Street Irregular Timothy Badger and his partner-in-crime Benjamin Watson, two exciting and unconventional young consulting detectives, mentored by the great man himself, tackling intriguing and unusual cases in Victorian London with endearing verve and wit. Sherlock Holmes's protégés Tim Badger and Benjamin Watson are catapulted into a tricky first case when a man is brutally murdered during a séance. London, 1895. Former Baker Street Irregular Tim Badger is determined to follow in the footsteps of his great mentor, Sherlock Holmes, by opening his own consulting detective agency with his partner, Benjamin Watson. The intrepid duo are ready to make a name for themselves . . . if only they had clients! Their luck changes when Sherlock recommends his protégés to Thomas Brent. Brent is eager to find out who killed his master, Horace Quinn, during a séance at Quinn's house. What was Quinn desperately trying to find out from his deceased business partner, Stephen Latimer, before he was stabbed through the heart? It seems that everyone in Quinn's household had a reason to want him dead. Can Tim and Benjamin step out of Sherlock's shadow to navigate dark secrets and unexpected dangers in their pursuit of a cold-blooded killer?

Court jester Will Somers is drawn into another gripping and entertaining mystery when malevolent forces strike again at the court of Henry VIII – and Anne Boleyn is the target. 1536, London. Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, is in peril. In the mid of night, court jester Will Somers is summoned to an urgent assignation when she discovers a body in her chamber. The queen wants Will to find out who the man is and how he ended up there. Is someone trying to frame her for his murder? Queen Anne has many enemies at court, and to make matters worse, Henry VIII is lining up his next conquest and suspects his queen of treason. Has the formidable Thomas Cromwell been whispering vile lies in the king’s ears, and could the queen be the target of a Catholic conspiracy? As further attacks plague the court, Will is determined to uncover the truth behind the plotting and devilry, but he will need to keep hold of all his wits to do so!

Dragons love attention, but wealth and fame can draw the wrong kind of notice. I don't like parties, and I definitely don't like crowds, but I promised the dragon Delaxsicoria I would go to one of her concerts, and I've run out of excuses. But I did save Delaxsicoria's life and she's a friend, so it won't be so bad. Except some of her family's enemies have decided this is a perfect time to take revenge. And unless I stop them, a lot of innocent people might die in the crossfire...

Private investigators Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson take on another unusual and baffling case in Victorian London when a mummy unwrapping party takes a chilling turn. London, 1895. Although their last high-profile case was a huge success, private detectives Tim Badger and Benjamin Watson know they can’t afford to turn down any work, despite financial assistance from their mentor, Sherlock Holmes. So when the eminent Doctor Enoch Sawyer of St Bart’s Hospital asks Badger if the duo will provide security for a mummy unwrapping party he is hosting, Badger doesn’t hesitate to take the job. After all, how hard can guarding the doctor’s bizarre Egyptian artifacts be? But with Doctor Sawyer running late for his own party, the ‘genuine’ ancient sarcophagus of Runihura Saa is unravelled to reveal the remains of . . . Doctor Sawyer! Suddenly, the pair are drawn into a case that’s stranger and twistier than they could ever have imagined.

“An exciting read for dragon lovers and fans of d’Lacey’s The Last Dragon Chronicles and Tui T. Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series.” —School Library Journal A Wearle of dragons set out on an expedition from their home planet and was never heard from again. Now, a new Wearle, determined to find the first, has come to the place its creatures call Erth. Gabrial, who still has the blue scales of a young dragon, is eager to prove himself, and to find his missing father. But when Gabrial causes an accident that results in a baby dragon going missing, he’ll have to prove himself worthy of remaining with the Wearle at all. Across the scorch line, most Hom, or humans, live in fear of the dragons. But a boy named Ren is too fascinated to stay away, and will soon find his fate intertwined with that of the dragons. When conflict erupts between the dragons and humankind, Ren does the unimaginable, crossing into dragon territory. Will he be able to gain the dragons’ trust and prevent an all-out war? New York Times bestseller Chris d’Lacey sweeps readers off on an extraordinary adventure bursting with majestic creatures and one boy with the heart of a dragon. “An inspiring tale of friendship, loyalty and wisdom.” —The Guardian “The creative spin on the intersection of dragon history and prehistoric humans is interesting and the action engaging.” —Kirkus Reviews “A rousing adventure with sweeping aerial action scenes and a tense mystery at its center.” —Publishers Weekly

The mighty white dragon, Nydeired, has chosen Chusi, a sapphire-blue female, as his lifemate. Years ago, Chusi was taken prisoner by outlaws and held captive, forced to compete in a brutal fighting ring. Unable to fly because of a wing deformity, Chusi escaped her captors, but her kidnappers remained unpunished. Now, Nydeired and Elias have learned the location of Blackgut, the notorious criminal who held Chusi captive. Side by side, Nydeired and Elias plan to settle the score, but will they be able to defeat the vicious Blackgut, or will they place themselves in mortal danger? This is the third book in Dragon Stone Adventures, a story set in the bestselling Dragon Stone universe. This book can be read on its own or as part of the series.