The Roots of Betrayal

Clarenceux Trilogy #2

by James Forrester

1564: Catholic herald William Harley, Clarenceaux King of Arms, is the custodian of a highly dangerous document. When it is stolen, Clarenceaux immediately suspects a group of Catholic sympathisers, the self-styled Knights of the Round Table.
Francis Walsingham, the ruthless protégé of the queen's Principal Secretary, Sir William Cecil, intercepts a coded message from the Knights to a Countess known to have Catholic leanings. He is convinced that Clarenceaux is trying to use the document to advance the cause of the Catholic Queen.
And soon Clarenceaux enters a nightmare of suspicion, deception and conspiracy. Conflict and fear, compounded by the religious doubts of the time, conceal a persistent mystery. Where has the document gone? Who has it and who really took it? And why? The roots of betrayal are deep and shocking: and Clarenceaux's journey towards the truth entails not just the discovery of clues and signs, but also the discovery of himself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Crime, Thriller, Renaissance

404 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

James Forrester is a historian by profession. He has published a few medieval and early modern non-fiction titles under the name Ian Mortimer Ian Mortimer (his full name being Ian James Forrester Mortimer). He lives in Devon with his wife and three children, on the northeast edge of Dartmoor.

The Clarenceux Trilogy was inspired by contemporary documents in the National Archives and the British Library discovered in the course of his scholarly research. The main character is William harley, Clarenceux King of Arms, a herald. It is concerned with loyalty and betrayal - and set in the 1560s, when loyalty to one's spouse, to the state, and to one's religion were exceedingly important - so much so that betrayal of these things could end respectively in flogging, being hanged, drawn and quartered; and being burnt at the stake.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2012, and its the 2nd marvellous volume of the delightful "Clarenceux" trilogy.

The year is AD 1564, and William Harley, a Catholic Clarenceux King of Arms, is in possession of a highly dangerous document.

When this secret document gets stolen, he suspects a group of Catholic sympathisers, a group calling themselves the Knights of the Round Table.

Protestant Master spy Francis Walsingham intercepts a coded message from the Knight to a Countess with Catholic leanings.

In this world of suspicion and death Walsingham is convinced that Clarenceux Harley has sent this message in order to advance the cause of the Catholic Queen.

Thus will Clarenceux Harley enter a world of nightmare, conspiracy and deception, where hate about the other's religion, fear, and in this conflict of minds a persistent mystery is deeply concealed.

For Clarenceux Harley the important questions are, who has that document really, who took it in the first place, and where is it now, and in this maelstrom of dangerous events, the roots of betrayal will be slowly visible for Clarenceux and the results of that truth will also be shocking to himself.

What is follow is an intriguing and thrilling historical mystery adventure, in which William Harley will get deeper and deeper into this morass of deceit and betrayal, and where his life is in danger from different sides, but most of all from the queen and her hound of hell, Francis Walsingham.

Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful addition to this amazing trilogy, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Magnificent Clarenceux Sequel"!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in a trilogy of novels featuring William Harley, Clarenceux King of Arms. At the end of the first book, “Sacred Treason”, Clarenceux found himself in possession of a document which could destroy the reign of Elizabeth I. Charged with protecting this document – a marriage agreement between Lord Percy and Anne Boleyn, which proves Elizabeth to be illegitimate with no right to the throne – by Lord Cecil, Clarenceux finds himself in a very difficult position. Walsingham still believes Clarenceux to be a traitor and the Catholic Conspirators, the so called Knights of the Round Table, are angry that he has not used the document to try to bring back a Catholic monarch to the throne.

Clarenceux wants to live in peace, but it seems that is unlikely to happen. Even his wife, Awdry, is pushing him to take a post as ambassador in Antwerp. However, even as he demands to be left alone and to put the past behind him, the worst happens. The document he is charged with protecting goes missing and it looks as though Rebecca Machin, who aided him in the first book, has stolen it. Before long, he is plunged again, unwillingly, into adventure – being drugged, tortured, captured, escaping, going on the run, captured by pirates and trying to discover the whereabouts of both Rebecca and the ‘Catholic Treasure’.

Whereas “Sacred Treason” was very much a complete novel in its own right, this is very much part of a series. You really need to have read the first novel for this to make sense and it also feels that there is more to come. That is not to say it is not a good read. As a story, it is much more faster moving than the first book; with a great deal of adventure and excitement. It also makes you want to read on to find out what will happen in the last of the trilogy, “The Final Sacrament”. There are some great new characters, including the daring pirate Raw Carew and his crew. An enjoyable book and I look forward to seeing what will happen next.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed reading both of James Forrester's Clarenceux books. They are well-crafted yarns, which rattled along at a good old pace. The added bonus is the historical accuracy, with so much of the plot coming back to following wherever the power and the money are. If you like historical fiction and are interested in the Tudors, then this is for you.

[Jmom88 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, Sacred Treason (will post review soon), so I was looking forward to reading this second installment in the trilogy. At the start, I was a bit confused on the introductory chapter about pirates. Having prior knowledge of the plot from the first book, I was a bit thrown off by the pirates. It was interesting, mind you, but I just still was not getting how it will tie in to the plot.
The first half of this book with the background chapters on the pirates and all the running around that Clarenceaux was doing was a little cumbersome for me to wade though. I wanted to get to the meat of the plot already! I realize much later in the book how these introductory and background chapters came into play, but I wanted to be embroiled in the story right away like I was in the first book.
- See more at: Found Not Lost review of The Roots of Betrayal

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in what appears to be a series featuring William Harley, Clarenceux. I did read the first. How Clarenceux can still be alive I am not sure as this is truly stretching the notion of having 9 lives. I will immediately start reading the third book as I am interested to see what further trouble will visit him as he attempts to serve loyally as herald with the added challenge of being a Catholic during Elizabeth's reign. In this book we see him betrayed by Cecil, hated and tortured by Walsingham, tortured by Knights of the Round Table, imprisoned and physically tortured by others as well. The focus in these books is action and setting, rather neatly set up for video production vs emphasis on literary phrasing and emotional tone. Thus...while many brutal and exciting scenes are played out, one is not brought to tears but rather anticipating what zany impossible to believe escape will come next.

[Brian V · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rip-roaring tale; historically compelling in depictions of Elizabethan England; attractive and interesting characters that pull you into the story. But ultimately, it falters on the believability of the incidents: the protagonist is stabbed through the hand and is fighting with a sword 3 days later; cut on the face, shoulder, without food for days, but swims for miles, runs for more and travels many miles on a fast horse. Pirate has a 3/4" pistol ball removed from his leg then jumps up and races to engage in a attach on a fortified castle where he kills 6 people, grapples, leaps and runs about, is slashed and his innards come spilling out, swims miles...etc and still survives.Ring at end is inscribed with message, but how this could be arranged defies logic. And the reason why a pirate would risk everything to save the protagonist is not compelling. I wanted to like this but the plot line was too problematic.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading this series of books featuring the character Clarenceax, in chronological order, and so far have really enjoyed them but this latest one I found was a bit too bogged down as regards the overall story line and I got a bit fed up with the detail and confused as to who was betraying who, and who was a traitor and whose side the characters were on. Nevertheless I shall follow on and read the next in the series and the next if available, as I do overall enjoy them

[AdiTurbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another triumph from historian Ian Mortimer under his pen name James Forrester. Swashbuckling fast-paced action mixed with wonderful characters, moral dilemmas, surprising plot turns and rich historical background, plus great writing - what could be better? Going straight on to the next and last book in the series.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because I enjoy historical book reads.....and I was severely disappointed by this.

This book seems to messy and all over the place. Nothing seems logical! I got very annoyed with EVERYONE in this book, from Cecil (hello this is the beloved Cecil that I love to read about in other historical fictions, but definitely NOT this!) to Clarenceaux to the pirate.

The bulk of the book had a lot of information to wade through and didn't make it an easy read. I got lost a few times and was a little bored by what was going on. It wasn't until the action scenes that it got interesting, especially when Clarenceaux was in the fort fighting his way out to find Rebecca, who supposedly has the Percy and Boleyn marriage paper.

A lot of backstabbing, plotting and back and forth. Sort of interesting but not a fan of the main characters so I'm not going to pick up any more books with this character in it.

[Lora Starkings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book sent to me from my local bookshop as part of my historical fiction subscription, I found the book didn't need to be read in sequence as it was just as good as a stand alone. I found some of the chapters very gruesome, but that was indicative of the era, and I was guessing at each turn as to who had the Catholic treasure. There was a lot of skulduggery! I'm glad to have read it though.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book more than the first one. I like the main character but the level of peril was quite high through the book which kind of reduced the impact somewhat. I recommend this book and will read the final in the trilogy.

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clarenceux became rash and foolish in this continuation. I liked the other characters, particularly Raw Carew, and the storyline but Clarenceux's actions had me rolling my eyes and thinking about quitting reading the book.

[Shakti Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roots of betrayal lie in, possessions, perceptions and in emotions.

Great book, must read!

[Feathzzz · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.9

[Dustman · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are unexpectedly great reads.

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not realize it was book 2 in a trilogy. Will not read 1 or 3.

[Amanda Hewitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had it's good parts, but became a little dry out of a read toward the end.

[pamela titterington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellous

A cracking tale, with pace,twists and turns, I find it difficult to put down, many thanks to the auth,for such an interesting journey

[Dave Unwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Roots of Betrayal

This is the second book of the trilogy , such a good read, I couldn’t put it down, now for the final chapter, the suspense is??????!!!!😱😂👏

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.girllostinabook.com/2013/1...

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad book. But there was way too much detailed violence and gore. Truly unnecesary to the book.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

“The roots of betrayal lie in friendship; those of treason lie in loyalty.”

This quote could easily sum up this second volume of the trials and tribulations of William Harley, the Clarenceaux King of Arms. When you read the line, it seems so obvious, as if it should be a common saying.

Imagine my surprise to discover that the fiction author James Forrester was quoting himself (as historian Ian Mortimer) from his book The Greatest Traitor. It doesn’t make the words seem any less self-revealing, or any less “true” in the case in William Harley.

The lesson of Clarenceaux’ story could be taken as “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”, although the man seems to have a difficult time determining which are which.

And, to use our vernacular instead of his, if it wasn’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have any at all.

History remembers the Elizabethan Age (maybe we should be calling it the First Elizabethan Age) as a Golden Age. England defeated the Spanish Armada. Shakespeare’s career flourished. Elizabeth’s reign was the time of England’s glory.

But we forget that it didn’t begin that way. Elizabeth’s reign had a shaky start. There was a significant amount of religious dispute between Catholics and Protestants. Many wanted a return to Catholicism, and fomented revolts in favor of Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth’s putative heir.

The problem with Elizabeth being the “Virgin Queen” was that virgin queens have no children to inherit their thrones.

Into the middle of this we have the roots of William Harley’s betrayal. In Sacred Treason (reviewed at Book Lovers Inc.) Harley is entrusted with a document proving that Queen Elizabeth was illegitimate because her mother, the executed Anne Boleyn, was pre-contracted to Henry Percy. (This was a big deal in the 1500's)

At Anne’s trial, this was one of the many charges, but there was no documentary evidence.

There are conspirators who demand that Harley use the document to start a pro-Catholic rebellion. Harley, although he is Catholic himself, refuses. He is wise enough to know that rebellions only lead to death and repression.

Then the document is stolen from its hiding place in his house. Harley believes that he has been betrayed. But by whom?

Every single person who has ever known about that document operates on the belief that someone has betrayed their trust. Clarenceaux is certain that the widow Rebecca Machyn, his partner in misfortune in Sacred Treason, has betrayed him. Francis Walsingham, an agent of the crown, is certain that Harley has betrayed the government and is working for towards a Catholic conspiracy.

Harley’s wife Awdrey believes that Harley has betrayed their marriage vows.

Because Harley is certain that his life is forfeit for losing the document, he chases after Rebecca Machyn, believing she has the document. Walsingham chases after Harley.

Where is the document, and why was it stolen? Who is at the heart of what conspiracy? Where is the betrayal? How many betrayals are there?

Escape Rating B+: The Roots of Betrayal was every bit as much of an immersive experience as Sacred Treason. In some ways, it was better. Part of the emotion of Sacred Treason required following along with William Harley's falling slightly in love with Rebecca Machyn, and that part didn't work.

The Roots of Betrayal is a story of honor and betrayal. Political conspiracies and political paranoia. Lies and deceit. This time, Harley follows Rebecca because he thinks she's stolen this document and he's afraid for his life and the lives of his wife and children. He knows what happened last time. His house was ransacked, his possessions were destroyed, his family had to flee London. He was nearly killed.

He's also correct that a rebellion will only end in repression and death, not just for the rebels themselves, but anyone who might be thought to be sympathetic. If the rebels are Catholic, then what little tolerance currently exists will be ruthlessly suppressed, probably in blood.

His chase leads him through dark places. He forgets everything but his need to find that document and prevent anyone from using it. He finds more honor, for certain strange definitions of that word, among thieves and pirates, than he does among supposedly ladies and gentlemen.

Sacred Treason fascinated because of the political plotting. The Roots of Betrayal is almost a "road novel". In his desperation to find the document, Clarenceaux leaves behind his comfortable, middle-class life and finds himself in more and more desperate straits at ever turn.

The people he meets along his journey are what push the story, and the reader, forward. Each time he learns of another link in the chain, he meets a new group of amazing characters. Each person's agenda layers on top of, or thwarts, his.

The idea that pirates have more honor than supposed gentlemen is one that sticks with you when you're done.

[Colleen Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Roots of Betrayal, the sequel to James Forrester’s Sacred Treason, William Harley, Clarenceux King of Arms and known to most as Clarenceux, continues his struggles to keep himself and his family safe against the schemes of government swirling around England and to stay true to his Catholic faith. But will his hope to live a happy, simple and free life ever become a reality? Not anytime soon it seems!

The Roots of Betrayal picks up six months after Sacred Treason and begins with Clarenceux reunited with his wife and daughters. While life seems to have settled down he still cannot feel completely safe with the knowledge that he is hiding a secret document for William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth’s Secretary and chief advisor, a document that calls into question the Queen’s legitimacy and that has caused many deaths in the attempt to secure it. Clarenceux is also disturbed by his continued feelings for Rebecca Machyn, the widow of Henry Machyn - the man who brought Clarenceux into the twisted web surrounding the document - and the woman who helped him secure and hide it. On top of this, the Knights of the Round Table – the Catholic men who know of this document and wish to use it to bring down the Protestant Queen – have been pressuring Clarenceux to take action with this “Catholic Treasure”. Wanting peace between other Catholics like himself and the Protestants, Clarenceux has withheld using the document knowing it will only bring a religious revolution that will see many more killed. But how long will he be able to hold it safe and hidden before someone on either side of the divide finds a way to get their hands on it?

Soon the worst has happened and the document is stolen, he believes by the woman he cares so much for, Rebecca. But as he begins his search to find her and the document he discovers that there are many more people involved in its theft and more betrayals than he could ever imagine. How will he ever find the document – and Rebecca – when every step he takes seems to lead him in so many different directions? And when so many people seem to think he is involved in the document’s disappearance (including a cutthroat pirate!) and continue to use interrogation, torture, imprisonment and even kidnapping in their attempts to use Clarenceux to find the very document he is also searching for, will he even be able to stay alive long enough to find out the truth of who took the document and where it is? When everyone seems to be turning against you, who can you trust?

As with Sacred Treason this novel starts with a bang! From the very beginning there is endless action, the plot twists and turns and twists again, until it is seemingly impossible to know where the story is leading. When the truth is finally revealed the reader is able to sit back, take a satisfying deep breath and look back over the adventure to realize the great lengths they have gone along with the incredibly brave and moral Clarenceux. Watching him struggle with his beliefs and his need to do the right thing, whatever that ends up being, is a great journey on its own. Add in the action packed and sometimes incredibly dangerous aspects of the adventure and it is hard to set the book aside to do anything else.

One of my favorite facets of this story was the inclusion of Raw Carew, the ruthless pirate that, at times, seemed to have a heart of gold. He lived by his own set of rules and he never wavered from that strict code of conduct he expected all men who followed him to live by. While he did much that was dastardly he also had many admirable, kind qualities that made Clarenceux, and the reader, question what makes a man good or bad. If they are godless, as Carew was, does that make them a bad person? What if that same person saves your life while putting their own in danger? These sorts of questions pop up throughout the story and really make the reader sit back and think before jumping back into the continuous danger and action.

The Roots of Betrayal has so much to offer a reader that I cannot think of someone who would not enjoy it. Whether you love history, adventure, action, conspiracy theories, complicated love stories or just stories that keep you guessing until the very end there really seems to be something for everyone. While you don’t have to read Sacred Treason to jump into this novel I would highly recommend it as that book is just as wonderful as this one. I am really looking forward to read the final book in the series, The Final Sacrament, as soon as I can get my hands on it!

[John Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book of this series and which I found the most readable of all three. I must say that the plot did seem rather far fetched with Cllanenceax even ending up kidnapped by a pirate and fighting against rival ship sent to intercept sent by Walsigham and the pirate finally become a good friend and even dies trying to save Clarenceax! Not quite the usual historical fiction

[Sheila Lofthouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intricately plotted historical thriller, but a bit more violent than I was expecting.

[Book Reading Gals · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Roots of Betrayal

Series: Clarencaux Trilogy bk 2

Author: James Forrester

Genre: Historical Fiction

1564: Catholic herald William Harley, Clarenceaux King of Arms, is the custodian of a highly dangerous document. When it is stolen, Clarenceaux immediately suspects a group of Catholic sympathisers, the self-styled Knights of the Round Table.
Francis Walsingham, the ruthless protégé of the queen’s Principal Secretary, Sir William Cecil, intercepts a coded message from the Knights to a Countess known to have Catholic leanings. He is convinced that Clarenceaux is trying to use the document to advance the cause of the Catholic Queen.

And soon Clarenceaux enters a nightmare of suspicion, deception and conspiracy. Conflict and fear, compounded by the religious doubts of the time, conceal a persistent mystery. Where has the document gone? Who has it and who really took it? And why? The roots of betrayal are deep and shocking: and Clarenceaux’s journey towards the truth entails not just the discovery of clues and signs, but also the discovery of himself.

I have always loved history, and at one point I wanted to be a history professor and study this time period. My love of literature however far outweighed my love of history. But I’ve always enjoyed reading historicals whether there was a romance or not.

When I was asked to read Sacred Treason the first book in the series I leapt at the chance as I loved the theme behind the story. Knights of the Round Table, treason, love. When Sacred Treason ended I wondered what happens next. Especially between Clarenceaux and Rebecca as Clarenceaux was married.

As the next chapter in Clarenceaux story begins we are introduced to a new set of characters and get to revisit some from the first book. One of those new characters is Raw Carew and I have to be honest and say I fell more than a bit in love with him. He’s one of those characters where you want to him to achieve the goal he has before him, and then come back for you.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book as Clarenceaux searches for the missing documents, is betrayed by those he thought he could trust and finds unlikely allies in places he would never have thought to go before. His feelings for Rebecca come to a resolution and it’s one that I’m glad happened the way it did.

I will tell you this when it’s revealed who took the documents you will be surprised as it was the last person I thought it would be, and yet as they tell him why they did it it made perfect sense to me.

If you love history, especially this time period this is one series you won’t want to miss, I know I’m glad I didn’t.

Grade A

Review By: Heather

- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com/2013/05...

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

1564: Catholic herald William Harley, Clarenceux King of Arms, is the custodian of a highly dangerous document. When it is stolen, Clarenceux immediately suspects a group of Catholic sympathisers, the self-styled Knights of the Round Table. Francis Walsingham, the ruthless protégé of the queen's Principal Secretary, Sir William Cecil, intercepts a coded message from the Knights to a Countess known to have Catholic leanings. He is convinced that Clarenceux is trying to use the document to advance the cause of the Catholic Queen. And soon Clarenceux enters a nightmare of suspicion, deception and conspiracy. Conflict and fear, compounded by the religious doubts of the time, conceal a persistent mystery. Where has the document gone? Who has it and who really took it? And why? The roots of betrayal are deep and shocking: and Clarenceux's journey towards the truth entails not just the discovery of clues and signs, but also the discovery of himself.

A little over a year ago I read Sacred Treason by James Forrester - the Pen name of Ian Mortimer – and was immediately hooked into the trials and tribulations of William Harley and his family in 16th century England. In The Roots of Betrayal, the second of a trilogy featuring Clarenceux King of Arms, Harley is back with a vengeance determined to ensure the safety of not only his family but a document that would have serious repercussions around England – the Percy/Boleyn marriage agreement – should it be discovered and used to bring down the reign of Elizabeth.

In his author notes at the end of his book, James Forrester reemphasises that The Roots of Betrayal is a work of pure fiction and should not be considered historically accurate. That’s all well and good but for someone – me - with incredibly limited knowledge of the Elizabethan era I absorbed his narrative with gusto and found myself living the life of a gentleman in the late 16th century. For me, the main goal of an historical fiction book is to entertain and give the reader a flavour of what life could have been like, I stress could. In The Roots of Betrayal the sights, sounds and incredibly pungent aromas come alive and you – as the reader – are effortlessly transported back into a time when religion played a key role in shaping a country where Catholicism was illegal and various conspiratorial gatherings necessary to keep the religion alive.

Full review on my blog

[Sx · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't until I started this book did I realise that the characters were vaguely familiar; then it hit me that I had read the prequel. Thank goodness I did for I don't recommend anyone to read this before reading the prequel or the significance of what has gone on before and what will happen after will be lost.

We open to Raw Carew taking over a ship, a charismatic outlaw pirate that will be the runaway hero of this book. We see him in all his ruthless glory in the prologue, meant to lay the foundations later when the layers of his complex character are slowly pulled back.

Then we cut back to Clarenceux, still guarding the all important document, now treading the delicate balance between the normalcy of his life amongst the heavy weight of his experience and secrets he carries. Then the document gets stolen....and the race to recover it begins.

Roots of betrayal definitely gets a while to get going, a good third of the book was spent laying the foundations. But once it does get going, it does so unapologetically, with all engines firing. Or in Carew speak, all sails unfurled.

Through a series of events, Carew forges an unlikely alliance with Clarenceux and though these two men couldn't be more different, they recognised a single mindedness and determination that was innate to them that they respected. They were of the same mettle, and instinctively they were probably drawn to each other because of that. Raw proved that he could be godly without being religious while Clarenceux proved that religion can be used to twist others into doing godly things.

I dare you to read this book and come away totally unaffected by Carew, for that is impossible. In the midst of the threat of strife between the Catholics and Protestants during the Elizabethan times, when one must either be on one side or the other, Carew was a rare breed who was neither but probably showed more morality and scruples than them combined.

All my stars are for Carew and for him alone. More than the plot, the characters, the setting, he touched a chord within me and I connected to his character and understood his motivations even if I didn't have to agree to certain things he did. And admired him for his wit, his courage, his love and his character.

In all our struggles, the last word is hope. I hope his spirit lives on and will appear somehow again in the final instalment of the trilogy.

Warning: Never try reading this book before any meals. The graphic description of violence might just turn you off whatever delicacies are spread on your table.

[Sandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Harley, known as Clarenceux, is a worried man. It is 1564, and there are so many ways that a man can be accused of treason and lose his life. Clarenceux is a Herald of the Queen, someone who is charged with ascertaining the family history and lineage of various individuals. But he is also a Catholic, and that is a dangerous place to be in the court of Elizabeth.

There is a document Clarenceux has been charged with keeping for safety. It could be used to declare Elizabeth illegitimate, and is called The Catholic Treasure. It is a very dangerous document, as the use of it could tear England apart once more into another bloody religious war. Imagine Clarenceux's shock when he checks the hiding place and finds it missing.

The Roots Of Betrayal covers the quest to locate the missing document. It involves those high in the government such as William Cecil, the Queen's chief advisor, and his man in charge of investigating conspiracies, Francis Walsingham. On the other side are a Catholic group who call themselves Knights of The Round Table, who are determined to use the document to restore the English crown to a Catholic. They use Widow Machyn in their plots, aware that Clarenceux has feelings for her. Other players include corrupt men in the administration who will stop at nothing to keep their power, and a ship of pirates, headed by the most notorious of all, Raw Carew. Clarenceux must weave his way between all these factions to try to reclaim the treasure that only he can keep safe, preventing another round of bloody war.

James Forrester has written a fast-paced, exciting historical adventure. Forrester is the pen name of Dr. Ian Mortimer, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and winner of the Alexander Prize for his work on social history. His scholarship concerns this time period, and the details of the story reveal his knowledge of everyday life in this era. Readers will thrill to the nail-biting suspense and admire the hero, Clarenceux, who is motivated by love of country and who uses his knowledge and logic to escape the various predicaments he finds himself in. This book is recommended for readers of historical fiction and for those readers interested in an intriguing suspense tale.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

With The Roots of Betrayal, James Forrester has once again delivered a thrilling historical fiction adventure. It’s been a hectic month with the end of the semester, but this book transported me to another world. It was hard to put it down and get some sleep!

The Roots of Betrayal is the second novel in a trilogy about the William Harley, Clarenceux King of Arms. Clarenceux is a secret Catholic during a time that it was very dangerous to be a known Catholic. In the first novel, Clarenceux worked with Rebecca Machyn to solve a mystery and discovered a document that could bring down Elizabeth I as the legitimate ruler of England. Fearing that this would create a religious Civil War, Clarenceux has concealed the document in his home with the blessing of the Queen’s advisor, Sir William Cecil.

In The Roots of Betrayal, Clarenceux discovers that the document has been stolen from his home and that he has been betrayed by Rebecca Machyn. Clarenceux goes on a perilous voyage to discover the forces behind the betrayal and robbery and also above all, to protect his country from religious warfare. Along the way he meets pirate Raw Carew. Carew was at first seeking the “Catholic Treasure,” but then puts himself on the path of revenge against an individual that harmed the people he loved. Carew and Clarenceux become unlikely allies and work together to solve a perilous mystery.

The Roots of Betrayal was a unique story with a great twist for the ending – I did not see it coming. I love books that lead me on a great adventure and have me guessing until the very end. I loved the setting in 1564 in Elizabethan England. It has always been a fascinating period of history for me. I also enjoyed the characters. I loved the introduction of Raw Carew. He was a “Robin Hood” of the seven seas. He was an interesting character that followed his own moral code. He did some dastardly deeds and was fascinating overall.

Overall, I highly recommend The Roots of Betrayal and Sacred Treason for anyone looking for a fascinating historical fiction thriller or just a great read overall.