Traitor’s Legacy

Introducing an incredible new series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling master of historical crime, S. J. Parris.

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'Sophia is a dazzling heroine, and the world of late Elizabethan England, brimful of plot and conspiracy, is vividly and thrillingly brought to life' Laura Shepherd-Robinson

'Right from the intriguing opening pages everything Parris layers into this Elizabethan crime drama screams bestselling series' Observer

'A new historical crime from S. J. Parris is always cause for celebration but she really has excelled herself with Traitor's Legacy' Andrew Taylor

'A writer who repeatedly proves that she is one of the most stylish of historical crime practitioners' Financial Times

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England, 1598. Queen Elizabeth’s successor remains unnamed. The country teeters on a knife edge.

When a young heiress is found murdered at the theatre, the Queen’s spymaster Robert Cecil calls upon former agent Sophia de Wolfe to investigate.

A cryptic note found on the dead girl’s body connects to Sophia’s previous life as a spy, and her quest soon takes her into dangerous waters. Powerful enemies emerge, among them the Earl of Essex: the Queen’s favourite courtier and a man of ruthless ambition.

This is a murder that reaches directly into the heart of the court. And Sophia is concealing a deep-buried secret of her own. She must uncover the truth before her past threatens to destroy her.

Traitor's Legacy was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 12-05-2025.

‘Top class historical crime’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Another fantastic historical thriller from master of the Elizabethan mystery’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘A straight 5* for me! A very compelling novel I highly recommend’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Sophia De Wolfe is a truly epic character’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I had very high expectations for this novel. It is excellent. And the even better news is that this is the first of a new series’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘The richly detailed Elizabethan setting and clever twists kept me hooked from start to finish’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘The murder mystery is layered with political intrigue, keeping you second-guessing every revelation’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Excellently researched, great plot, beautiful execution. I love the combination of historical menace and a thriller’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘SJ Parris does it again’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I didn't know who to trust or who to believe the whole way along’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Another glorious dive into the murky world of Elizabethan spies and lies’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Loved every minute of this book. More please featuring Sophia!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘I'm already looking forward to book two’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘You know what you’re getting with Parris; a stunning mix of fact and fiction with a clever plot woven around real people and the duplicitous Cecil, the court spymaster. It’s tense, well-paced, twists that feel real and it’s easy to become immersed in a different world’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️