Destroying Angel

WINNER OF THE 2019 CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER

'A gripping tale of crime and sedition' Sunday Times on The Black Friar

'The best historical crime novel of the year' Sunday Express on The Seeker

Destroying Angel follows Captain Damian Seeker as he heads north, charged with preparing the way for the rule of the major-generals. Now under the command of Colonel Robert Lilburne at York, Seeker is sent to a small village on the North York moors to implement stringent new anti-Royalist laws. What begins as a routine visit unravels into a sinister plot that could rival anything in scheming London.

An invitation to dinner at the house of local businessman Matthew Pullan exposes the bubbling cauldron of grudges and resentment within Faithly village. The local constable, drunk on the little power he holds, uses it to settle old scores. The hated lord of the manor, last of a staunchly Royalist family, has so far managed to avoid suspicion of treachery. The vicar faces trial for his job and home, accused of ungodly acts. Meanwhile, the Pullans themselves, proudly Puritan yet disillusioned with Cromwell's government, are both respected and despised within the community.

The gathering was organised for The Trier, the enforcer of Puritan morality for the local villages, who fails to show up. By the end of the night, someone at Matthew Pullan's table will be fatally poisoned.

Seeker must uncover the motive behind the death—is it a case of mushroom misidentification, petty revenge, or part of a larger conspiracy against Cromwell's government in the north? With trust in short supply, Seeker faces a challenge when the most painful chapter of his past resurfaces after eleven years. Will he meet his match?