Prince of Darkness

Justin de Quincy #4

by Sharon Kay Penman

From the New York Times-bestselling author of Time and Chance, the much anticipated fourth novel in her acclaimed medieval mystery series.

Bowing to an urgent summons from his former lover, Justin de Quincy hastens to Paris only to find that the Lady Claudine was, in fact, acting on behalf of his nemesis Prince John. As the Queen's man, de Quincy has already encountered John's murderous side. But now John tells him of a document implicating him in a plot to kill his brother, King Richard. The document is a forgery, and, despite his hunger for the crown, John is innocent of the charge. Still, a brother who looked with amiable contempt at John's earlier intrigues would hardly risk regicide. John must find the forger and prove the document false before Richard hears of it, and he entreats Justin to help him.

It takes more than John's wily charms to persuade Justin: It is only when he realizes that the welfare of the woman he serves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, is also at risk that Justin concedes. It is a concession that will take him to a bloody chamber on Mont-Saint-Michel, to a stinking dungeon in Brittany, to a murderous encounter in a Paris cemetery, and, ultimately, to the unraveling of a conspiracy that might have changed the course of history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Medieval, Historical Mystery, British Literature

327 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2005

About the author

Penman received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, she majored in history, and also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and later worked as a tax lawyer.

The Sunne in Splendour, a novel about Richard III of England is one of the most popular books on the Historical Novel Society's list of best historical novels. In 1996, following the success of When Christ and His Saints Slept (which dealt with the Anarchy and the early career of King Henry II of England), Penman ventured into the historical whodunnit with four mysteries set in the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine during the reign of Richard I. The mysteries did not enjoy the same success as her "straight" historical novels, to which she returned in 2002, with Time and Chance, again covering the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II. In 2008, she published Devil's Brood, which was to be the final book in her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. She soon realized that there was still more of the Angevins' story to tell and the result was Lionheart , followed by The King's Ransom. Henry and Eleanor's celebrated and controversial son, Richard the Lionheart is the major character in both books, although Eleanor, John, and Richard's favorite sister, Joanna, also get to spend time on center stage. She has just finished The Land Beyond the Sea, set in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. It will be published in the U.S. by G.P. Putnam's and in the U.K. and Down Under by Macmillan and co; the publication date is early March, 2020.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth and currently last installment of Penman's delightful Justin de Quincy mystery series. It is a shame that Penman's publishers have at least temporarily terminated the series, asking that she focus more on her longer historicals. I adore Penman's massive and meticulously researched historicals, but I also enjoy a short, fast and easy read at times, too. I can well imagine that these shorter works allow Penman to cleanse her mind between her longer works, utilizing her knowledge of the period while giving her imagination free reign. (Perhaps, she could self-publish these shorter works in e-book format if her publisher continues to balk?)

While the mysteries in this series are not the most difficult to figure out, they are well drawn from the politics of the period. Furthermore, I love Penman's fictional characters and their interactions with real historical figures. Penman's imagined characters and plots are so believably realized and interwoven so well into the lives of the actual historical figures that often times the reader can't tell the difference until he/she reads the author's note included at the end of every book.

I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the arch rivals, Durand and Justin, and their dealings with the Prince of Darkness himself, John, Count of Mortain (the future King John) in this book. The dialog between Durand and Justin was snappy and highly entertaining giving me several laugh out loud moments. I was particularly fascinated by the character of Morgan and was astonished to discover his true identity. In addition, Penman is able to successfully make the reader both appreciate and despise John -- an extremely difficult task considering how John has been portrayed throughout history in both literature and film.

Penman never fails to educate and entertain me; I'm hopeful that I'll one day be able to read the further adventures of Justin de Quincy.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin de Quincy has to help out Prince John (while Queen Eleanor is off ransoming King Richard)?! Oh my!!! Poor Justin! What a mess he has gotten himself into this time, and what fun for us!
We've left England for France, searching for the people responsible for a plot to discredit John in Richard's eyes upon his return... and as Justin feels the Queen would want him to help her son, he does (and well, let's face it... the likelyhood of John inheriting Richard's throne is very high, can't hurt to help a possible future King). We get to explore corners of Paris, stretches of Brittany and the fabulous Mont Saint Michel in Normandy. Good times will be had (for us), and people will die.
I read it in less than 24h, couldn't put it down! :)

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My book club invited the author to come visit us while we discussed this book, and we all enjoyed both the book and her visit. We were all impressed with how hard she works to keep the historical details correct, and to give an accurate portrait of life in that time period.

[James Scheid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pennman, who died this past January, has written 10 medieval historical novels and 4 medieval mysteries. Now I have read all of her books. As you can see I am a fan. I prefer her historical novels to her mysteries. Her mysteries are entertaining and involve some of the same real life characters of her novels. This one involves the fictional Justin de Quincy and the real life John (who becomes King of England after this novel takes place). In the background are his brother, the real life King Richard I (the Lionhearted) and their mother, the brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine. Though the main mystery of the novel is fictional, it is plausible. There were real competing political rivalries in the dysfunctional extended family of the Plantagenets. They had a lust for power and loyalty to family members was not always a priority. John, not one for known for his scruples, appears more charming in this novel than in other books I have read. Though not a paragon of virtue, John actually has a few principles here. As always, her author's note at the end is a fascinating coda to the novel.
(If you are unfamiliar with the history of the novel, I would suggest briefly reading up on how Richard was held in an Austrian prison on his way back from the Crusades.)

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last of 4 fictional mysteries set with the Plantagenets. Queen Eleanor is away rescuing Richard Lionheart but Justin's 'holiday' soon gets derailed by a commission from John. Nice to see John in an almost positive light for a change! Pity Ms Penman didn't finish off her Plantagenet series with a biographical novel about John but she was pretty clear that it all ended with Richard. Tsk.

The byplay between Justin and Durand is good fun - two secret agents of the queen (one being a double agent) who can't stand each other but have to work together. Historically pretty sound, this short series ended before Penman's best books were written (Devil's Brood and onward). Another pity she didn't write any more Justin de Quincy novels. Bah.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen Eleanor is away on the continent, to free her son King Richard the Lionheart from imprisonment at last. Meanwhile, Justin de Quincy is summoned by Prince John, his erstwhile enemy who now seeks his help. John has learned of the existence of a document that implicates him in a plot to murder his brother in order to seize the throne - a document John insists is a forgery and wants found before it comes to the attention of the King. De Quincy may have no particular incentive to aid John, but preventing bloodshed between the royal brothers is also in Queen Eleanor's interest, and so he reluctantly agrees to take on the task, which will take him to France and into mortal danger.

The fourth and thus far final book in this engrossing historical mystery series, this proved another highly entertaining read. Penman did state that she intended for Justin to embark on further adventures eventually, but as it's been 17 years since the publication of this novel, it doesn't seem all that likely that another will come along any time soon. A shame, as I've really enjoyed these.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery takes place during the medieval period in Europe. Richard Lionheart is on the throne and wary of contenders and someone has gone to great lengths to make it look as though his brother John is planning to kill him. Surprising, John calls upon "the Queen's man", Justine de Quincy to help him prove that the letter that supposedly proves his guilt is forged. The story that follows in absorbing and full of many interesting and well drawn characters. While the culprit is being sought the reader gets a taste of the times and its moral and social character. (For example I found it interesting that the English royalty of the time did not speak English.)

[Thomas Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

I wasn’t very invested in the mystery aspect this time round, but really enjoyed the interactions between Justin and Durand.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in the de Quincy saga. Penman is an excellent historical story teller. She makes villains (Prince John) human, even likeable as they practice their evil ways.

[A.M. Reynwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book I picked up without knowing much about it, but it sounded interesting. I've not heard of a medieval mystery before. I've never been one for historical fiction, and I've never been one for mystery, but the two together? I thought, 'why not?'

Putting aside the fact that I jumped in with the fourth book in a series, I thought it was really good. I was unsure in the beginning, especially since it was so slow and there were so many people I couldn't keep track of (because I'd just met them, whereas if I'd done the smart thing and started at the beginning I'd have been familiar with them already), but as the narrative went on I grew increasingly invested.

I liked Justin, and the fact that he's head over heels for his daughter is both heartwarming and heart wrenching. He may not have appreciated spending so many months with Durand, either, but I did. They make a fun team to read. And don't get me started on Morgan. I had suspicions that he was more than he seemed, but I didn't think he was that much more. He was fun and lively and entertaining.

The pacing throughout the narrative was fairly slow and even, with pockets of activity, but the smoothness of the writing and transitioning from one scene to the next was well done, pulling me along until the very end. I'd have to say that I enjoyed it very much, and I can really appreciate the research Penman did in the crafting of this book - the politics and royal intrigue is such a brain twister!

I am definitely on board with going back to the beginning and learning more about Justin's story and all the crazy adventures he's had leading up to this point. We're not through!

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've heard that the four medieval mysteries of which this is the last wasn't as successful as Penman's other books and no more are planned. Which I find a shame. I wasn't impressed with the first two books in the series. I thought the resolution and culprits predictable and Penman herself said in one author's note she wasn't completely comfortable at first dealing with completely fictional characters. The series grew on me though, and I think she grew in her skill in this genre.

I wouldn't put this up there with Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael tales, never mind Eco's Name of the Rose. For that matter, no I don't think these rival Penman at her best. Her "The Sunne in Splendour" and "Here Be Dragons" are favorites of mine I'd rate five stars--these are definitely not in that league. But they are enjoyable and Justin de Quincy has become a friend I'm sorry to leave. Never mind it's a chance to spend time with her Eleanor of Aquitaine and John, the "Prince of Darkness" himself. I suspect that was one allure in writing this. I know having read her trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor I was drawn to reading this series became I didn't want to leave this world--and I'm sorry there'll be no more of them. Although it is a treat to see Justin and Durand inserted in her long historical fiction novel, "A King's Ransom" which I'm reading now.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did it! I finally finished the fourth (and so far, final) book in Penman's Justin de Quincy series. I don't know how she does it. Every book in the series has a creative, new mystery that features another facet of the story of Richard Lionheart and his rival/brother John.

In this book, Justin de Quincy is called to France to help the very person he dislikes, the enemy of his King - John. Surprisingly, de Quincy realizes that he should lend his assistance here, because the plot he is called to unearth would harm the king as well as his brother.

I love how Penman presents a well-researched work of historical fiction, wrapped around a fictional mystery. She portrays characters that are charming and a narrative that is engrossing.

Now I just have to find time to squeeze in Ransom, the sequel to Penman's wonderful work about King Richard.

[Scott Rezer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more, Justin de Quincy is called upon to help in his role as Queen’s Man, but this time, his services are not on behalf of the queen, but rather his nemesis and enemy, Prince John. Called to Paris under false pretenses, he is asked to help save John from false charges of treason—the one time he is actually innocent—and in that endeavor he is forced to work with none other than fellow spy, Durand de Curzon. What could possibly be the harm in such an alliance? Did I mention Justin has to travel with Durand, Queen Emma, and Claudine through Wales and Brittany and France to unmask a clever conspiracy to see John found guilty and Richard’s young heir, Arthur, inherit the throne. Sparks fly and the adventure continues...

[Gigi Berrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this series. She writes well; I like her main character, Justin; and the backdrop of medieval England and France with historical people is great. This one took place in France including Mont St. Michel--a favorite place of mine. The author hints that there will be another Justin book, but I can't find one yet. Hope she continues.

[Betty Strohecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This mystery finds Justin de Quincy working for his nemesis, King John, in order to protect Queen Eleanor and the British throne. Love this series!

[Bea Goode-Parson · Rating 2 out of 5]

And so the Justin de Quincy series ends, not with a bang, but with a tired sigh as it finally lays down to sleep.

I didn't want to give this such a low rating, but it suffered the worst offense a book can, aside from being truly awful — it was boring. The first half of the book is focused on political intrigue, which could have been interesting, but the stakes failed to be set for me and it ended up just feeling like a lot of people fussing over a letter. There's also the character of Arzhela, who the author is clearly fond of having crafted, and we get POV from her until she unceremoniously dies. Justin and Durand team up to solve her murder and get into some shenanigans (none romantic, unfortunately; alas, it seems it's up to me to write the enemies-to-lovers version), but aside from their interactions there wasn't much else that intrigued me. We focus much more on the historical figures in this entry, with John and Lady Emma appearing throughout, Duchess Constance having a few moments, and the awkward insertion of Morgan Bloet.

I feel that some of my issues with this series are in part my own fault; this is my first series from Penman, and I think I went into it with the wrong expectations, hoping it would focus more on original characters rather than historical figures. But poor Luke, Jonas, Nell, and Aldred were given so much to do in the first book and it's sad to see them just shunted off to the wayside in favor of some royals and nobles I unfortunately do not care about. (Also Molly and Bennet appearing out of thin air for convenience then immediately vanishing, apart from a quick cameo, is just laughable.)
I've also simply grown tired of Penman’s writing, from major aspects like her plotting and character writing, to more minor things like how every blonde person must automatically have blue eyes or her sometimes using a comma where an “and” would have read better. Everything feels “pre-Raphaelite”; romanticized, dreamy, almost theatrical. There is this certain feel of reverence to the way Penman writes historical figures that makes them all feel so uncannily awkward in the story, like when a big name actor makes a cameo in a movie and they try to make it feel like it's not a big deal while also sneaking in a few fourth wall breaking references to how famous this person is.

I'd also like to go on a rant about Claudine and the atrocious baby storyline. Justin pressured her into not going through with the abortion she originally wanted, and then at one point is complaining about her not thinking about the baby she never wanted. And there's the usual moments of Justin wondering if she had sex with John and whining about her being a spy. It's so repetitive. And the baby is absolutely useless, she just gets mentioned a couple times and makes an appearance at the beginning and end of the book, but otherwise you could cut her out and nothing would change. So why did Aline even have to be born in the first place? And about her name… Was the whole point of Justin's father telling him his mother's name, and the baby being born a girl, so that we could have this “sweet” little full circle moment? The inclusion of the daughter would have worked much better for me if it was at the very end of the series, as a happy accident or a conscious decision to become a parent, to mark Justin's transition into another stage of his life, one with more stability thanks to his newfound status and job security.

From the sounds of the author's note at the end of my copy, “But if I may borrow a line from Bernard Cromwell and his marvelous Sharpe series: Justin will march again” (326), it sounds like Penman planned to write more adventures of Justin de Quincy? What a shame. I can't deny that Penman does have a recognizable style of her own, and she did write some beautiful lines, and I only enjoy complaining about these books because I do like these characters she's crafted. I'll very much miss Justin, Durand, Nell, John and all the rest of them.

[N.W. Moors · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read most of Ms. Penman's historical novels and loved them. So I decided to try one of her historical mysteries and picked up this one.
Justin de Quincey works for Eleanor of Aquitaine usually but in this book, he is mostly working for her son, Prince John. There is a plot to implicate John (not difficult as he's usually working some treason against his brother Richard), but in this case, he's innocent. Justin travels in Brittany in an attempt to find the evidence to clear John's name.
I enjoyed the book, but not nearly so much as her books like The Sunne in Splendor or the Welsh prince trilogy. This is apparently the fourth book in the series, but it wasn't difficult to pick up the story and identify the characters who must have appeared in the previous books. The story was okay, not all that much of a mystery though in my opinion. Still, it's a fine read for historical fiction readers.

[Brian V · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Good read, interesting characters and story, anchored, as much as possible, in history with good plot. A worthy series to read, but not an outstanding one.



Justin de Quincy hastens to Paris at the request of his former lover only to discover that she was acting on behalf of his nemesis, Prince John. The prince has been implicated in a plot to kill his brother, King Richard, and wants Justin to prove the incriminating document false.

Realizing that John's suspected treachery may also risk the welfare of the woman he serves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Justin reluctantly agrees to help. But his investigation unravels a sinister conspiracy that might change the course of English history

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time period is fascinating, bloody and absolutely batshit crazy. Eleanor of Aquitane was one wild woman and her sons were no less willful and strong-minded. This story sets a few fictional characters, including the protagonist Justin de Quincy, in amongst these insane people and their double-dealing ways. He's an honorable and reasonable man and that contrast saves these books from being descending completely into soap opera level mayhem. It also gives us a clearly defined hero where one isn't really to be found in the "English" royal family.

This story also prominently includes the fictional Lady Arzhela who is mischievous and also good-hearted. I loved her character and wished she would be included in other books.

I really enjoyed this book.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a wee while to get into this, mostly because its been so long since I last picked up the series but once I did it took off with quite a bang

It was nice to see Justin matured. Yes he could still be innocent but a lot less naive which I think had been something that was irritating me. It was definitely interesting seeing Justin having to help clear the name of the man he loathes, John. But Justin has to clear Johns name in order to help the King and Eleanor who are people he does like

I wasn't as invested in the mystery aspect of this book I think the strength was more evident in teh characters and the interactions they had

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sharon Penman writes the Justin de Quincy novels which there are only four. This is due to her passing in January of 2021. Even though I was bummed that I wouldn’t get to know the main character due to her death, I wanted to finish the four-book series just to see how it left Justin.

Unfortunately, I only got a few chapters into book 3 “Dragon’s Lair” and decided that I wasn’t going to be able to finish the series. Not that the story line isn’t engaging. It wasn’t engaging me. So “Dragon’s Lair” and book 4 “Prince of Darkness” are going to be shelfed as Did Not Finish. I may go back to them at some point, or maybe not.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having finally read this, I have now officially read all of Penman’s books. I am now sad all over again that she will never write another deQuincy book!
It had been so long since I’d read the first three that I reread all of them before starting this one for the first time. Having read all 4 one after the other, I think they were all EXCELLENT, however I give this one 4 stars because I had trouble following the whole intrigue plot. I loved all the characters, the dialogue is witty and funny, and adventure exciting, I just sometimes lost who was who and for which side they were fighting for.

[Marlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

We all think we know the story of Prince John and Richard the Lionhearted. Ms. Penman takes the story and runs with it. She brings her characters to life, gives them depth and pulls us right into the middle of their drama. To be honest, I would not have read past the first chapter if I did not personally enjoy the history so much. It probably would have helped if I had started with the first book in the series rather than #4.

[F. Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen’s Man IV
Prince of Darkness By Sharon Penman

As usual, Penman does not disappoint. Shorter than other Penman books I’ve read, but it bears the same authenticity as her other novels. I feel as if I am watching history unfold before my eyes. This book had the added benefit of being a mystery.

Also, the author’s note always lets the reader know exactly what is from history and what comes from this author’s imagination.

[Babylon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite Queen’s Man novel. The plot seemed somewhat contrived and the characters never really came to life in the way she’s made them do so before. Despite a tight moment in an Obliette, I never really felt Justin was in danger, the stakes weren’t that high. But then, compared to most novelists, Penman’s works are some of the best.
What was very upsetting was the author’s note saying we will see more of Justin. Alas, with Penman now gone, that will never be so.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Penman's longer historical novels so I was excited to get my hands on a copy of one of her historical mysteries set during the same time period (the intrigue surrounding King Richard's release and his brother John's supposed treachery with the French court). Justin de Quincy was a fantastic moral character and I loved the exasperated animosity in the banter between him and Durand. I will be looking for more of the de Quincy mysteries-just wished I hadn't started with #4.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this final book in the series, our hero is now a much more confident sleuth, while retaining his charming self-effacing character. The conspiracy at the heart of the story is convoluted requiring focused reading to keep tabs on many characters. While this wasn’t my favorite in the series, it is an enjoyable and interesting story.

[Norma J. Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book!

Loved the character development especially the women. Justin is such a line able character. I always learn so much from her books. This time about Breton-Welsh relationship. I'm curious - were the Gaelic languages the ancient languages?

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book. I would give it 4.5 stars. Started off a bit slow and confusing with all the characters. The writing and the actual mystery/story were terrific. I look forward to reading other works by Kay Penman.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1193 Can Justin de Quincy prove that Prince John is not conspiring against his brother and king, Richard, as he proclaims his innocence.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its interesting characters.