The Darkening Glass

by Paul Doherty Book 3 in the Mathilde of Westminster Trilogy series.

First published 2009

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March 1312. England is divided by Edward II’s refusal to abandon his favourite, Piers Gaveston, while the great earls intensify their campaign against the king. Queen Isabella is pregnant with the first child to unite Plantagenet and Capetian blood, making the safety of the royal household a matter of dynastic importance.

Mathilde of Westminster accompanies the king and queen as they flee towards the fortified priory at Tynemouth. Robert Bruce threatens the northern border and allies at sea make the royal refuge increasingly insecure. When a member of the party is murdered, Mathilde must investigate inside a household already strained by political fear and divided loyalty. The crime unfolds against the crisis that will end with Gaveston’s capture and death, forcing Mathilde to determine whether the killer serves a private grievance or the wider struggle against the king.