A.J. MacKenzie Books in Order

In 1796 Kent, Reverend Hardcastle discovers a dying stranger on his doorstep and narrowly avoids being shot himself. With Mrs Chaytor's help, he pursues the man's cryptic last words through a coastal community where smuggling may conceal deeper crimes.

A body frozen in a pond at deserted New Hall presents Reverend Hardcastle with no identity, weapon, or obvious motive. Assisted by Amelia Chaytor and Captain Austen, he investigates returning families, wartime loyalties, and old grievances in Romney Marsh.

Smugglers bring a mysterious coffin across the Channel, and a guest at a banker's party is later found murdered. Hardcastle and Mrs Chaytor investigate the connection, following concealed gold and suspicious dealings into the overlap between finance and organized crime.

Returning to England after Crécy, Simon Merrivale faces a Scottish invasion and evidence of treason along the border. As armies gather, foreign agents and divided loyalties reveal a conspiracy whose ambitions reach far beyond the immediate conflict.

During Edward III's invasion of France, an English knight's assassination exposes a traitor within the army. Herald Simon Merrivale investigates as the troops advance toward Crécy, uncovering a conspiracy that threatens to shape the fate of both nations.

Rejoining the siege of Calais, Simon Merrivale discovers that the conspiracy threatening England and France has gained powerful allies. Tracking secret meetings and assassination attempts across Europe, he must expose the hidden traitor before the expanded plot succeeds.

Returning to England in disgrace after a failed mission, Simon Merrivale finds corruption draining Edward III's war funds. He must uncover traitors hidden among allies while rebuilding his own standing, as financial ruin threatens the king's fragile European coalition.