Corpus: A gripping spy thriller

Description

1936. Europe is in turmoil. The Nazis have marched into the Rhineland. In Russia, Stalin has unleashed his Great Terror. Spain has erupted in civil war. In Berlin, a young Englishwoman evades the Gestapo to deliver vital papers to a Jewish scientist. Within weeks, she is found dead in her Cambridge bedroom, a silver syringe clutched in her fingers. In a London club, three senior members of the British establishment light the touch paper on a conspiracy that will threaten the very heart of government. Even the ancient colleges of Cambridge are not immune to political division. Dons and students must choose a side: right or left, where do you stand? When a renowned member of the county set and his wife are found horribly murdered, a maverick history professor finds himself dragged into a world of espionage which, until now, he has only read about in books. But the deeper Thomas Wilde delves, the more he wonders whether the murders are linked to the death of the girl with the silver syringe - and, just as worryingly, to the scandal surrounding King Edward VIII and his mistress Wallis Simpson... Set against the drumbeat of war and moving from Berlin to Cambridge, from Whitehall to the Kent countryside, and from the Fens to the Aragon Front in Spain, this big canvas international thriller marks the beginning of a major new series from bestselling author Rory Clements.

Rory Clements was born on the edge of England in Dover, the son of a Royal Naval officer and a former WREN. Since 2007, Rory has been writing full-time in a quiet corner of Norfolk, England, where he lives with his family. He won the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award in 2010 for his second novel, Revenger. A TV series of the John Shakespeare novels is currently in development by the team behind Poldark and Endeavour. Find out more at www.roryclements.co.uk.

'pacy and assured...Well crafted, it has all the pleasures of an intriguing lead character, intricate plot and historical context'. -- Elizabeth Buchan * Daily Mail * 'Rory Clements's timely spy thriller set in the 1930s evokes a period of political polarisation, mistrust and simmering violence. Corpus is fast-paced and there are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. This is the first of a promising series and Wilde is a likeable hero. If his leap from Cambridge historian to fearless motor-biking crime fighter stretches credulity, perhaps that is the fault of the Cambridge historians I have known.' -- Antonia Senior * The Times, Saturday Review * 'This clever novel, rich in deceptions and intrigue, shows the reach of Stalin and Hitler into every class of British society, threatening violence on a horrific scale. Corpus is a standout historical novel and spy thriller by an author who can turn his hand to any historical period he chooses.' -- Kate Atherton * Daily Express * I was a huge fan of the John Shakespeare series and love every single book. Corpus was an enjoyable read... * Lis The Bookworm * 'I really enjoyed this book. It was my first experience of this author and I am very glad I picked this one up. The writing was easy to get into and the plot was engaging. I enjoyed the characters, especially the lead - he is well written and intelligent. Overall this was a great book set in an interesting time and I would definitely recommend picking this book up.' * The Little Book Owl * ' An intelligent thriller...I loved the characters and especially hero Professor Thomas Wilde. Our heroine, Lydia is well rounded...Wilde is a cool hero.' * For the Love of Books * 'It simply took my breath away. The amount of research that has gone into this superb book is just phenomenal. Boy does Rory Clements know how to tell a story! It's a tangled web of espionage, murder, intrigue and thrills. I'm so glad I got the chance to review this book. When I have time I will be reading this again. There's so much detail that you might miss!' * The Book Guzzler * An atmospheric historical thriller * The Daily Telegraph * Best known for his Tudor espionage novels, Rory Clements has turned his hand to 1930s skulduggery in Corpus... More please, Mr Clements! * Times Higher Education Supplement *