Giordano Bruno, heretic, philosopher and spy, is on the run from the Inquisition. He flees to Venice, but the beautiful city proves no safe haven.

The killing of an aristocrat and the arrest of his wife and secretary for murder are causing unrest. When an anonymous letter, written in code, proclaims the woman’s innocence, the city’s chief of intelligence employs Bruno to find the writer.

But the death is mired in a tangle of dangerous secrets, and Bruno soon learns there are some very powerful people who will stop at nothing to suppress the truth…

‘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’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘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’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

S. J. Parris's book 'Traitor’s Legacy' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-05-12.

Praise for S. J. Parris

‘Sumptuous’ New York Times

‘Over the past dozen years, S. J. Parris’s novels… have been among the most enjoyable of all historical thrillers’ Sunday Times

‘Breathless pace and acutely observed detail make for a story that confounds and surprises’ Observer

‘A brilliantly realised fictionalisation of the Babington plot against Elizabeth 1…Nimbly braiding history with suspense, this is a classy mystery’ Observer

‘Fast-paced and entertaining, it’s a well-researched and authentically claustrophobic romp through the Elizabethan underworld’ Mail on Sunday

‘A tight plot combines with subtly realised characters and an omnipresent sense of danger … My pleasure in the vividly textured backdrop and a cracking story was accompanied by an uneasy shudder’ Daily Mail

‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times

No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller S. J. Parris is the pseudonym of the author and journalist Stephanie Merritt. It was as a student at Cambridge researching a paper on the period that Stephanie first became fascinated by the rich history of Tudor England and Renaissance Europe. Since then, her interest has grown and led her to create this series of historical thrillers featuring Giordano Bruno.

Stephanie has worked as a critic and feature writer for a variety of newspapers and magazines, as well as radio and television. She currently writes for the Observer and the Guardian, and lives in Surrey with her son.