The Alchemist's Plot

by Eleanor Swift-Hook

‘A superb blend of history and a likeable hero and engaging plot.’ Richard Foreman, author of Turpin’s Assassin.

England, March 1643

While the civil war between King Charles and his Parliament continues to tear the nation apart, erstwhile lawyer, Gideon Lennox, returns to England as part of a royal escort and in the employ of Sir Philip Lord, a mercenary commander with a mysterious past.

Accompanied by Gideon and Daniel Bristow - Lord's second in command who has his own history to confront in London - Lord risks a journey behind enemy lines to Mortlake.

They discover the house that once belonged to the alchemist John Dee has become a tapestry works.

Before they can begin to investigate any secrets the property might hold, they learn two of the weavers have taken their own lives within a few days of each other and in the same locked room.

Gideon sets out to find the truth behind the deaths. In the process, he and Lord discover many carefully concealed secrets.

But they are not the only ones in search of those secrets. Gideon is confronted by an old adversary and the full force of the mysterious organisation known as the Covenant is unleashed against them.

Trapped in the alchemist's house, Gideon has to fight or die.

Eleanor Swift-Hook fell in love with the early Stuart era at university. She is the author of the Lord's Legacy series. She lives in County Durham.

Praise for Eleanor
'Brutal, dark, and brilliant; it kept me gripped from the gruesome opening to the thrilling conclusion.' Jemahl Evans, author of The Last Roundhead.

‘Thrilling and powerful battle scenes, a conspiracy and a dash of romance – The Devil’s Command has it all!’ Fiona Forsyth, author of the Lucius Sestius mysteries.

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 12, 2023

About the author

Eleanor Swift-Hook enjoys the mysteries of history and fell in love with the early Stuart era at university when she re-enacted battles and living history events with the English Civil War Society. Since then, she has had an ongoing fascination with the social, military and political events that unfolded during the Thirty Years' War and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. She lives in County Durham and loves writing stories woven into the historical backdrop of those dramatic times.

You can find her on Twitter @emswifthook or learn more about the background of Lord's Legacy on her website www.eleanorswifthook.com.

Reviews

[Jane Jago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gideon Lennox is my favourite hero. His adventures are beautifully rendered

[Ben Bergonzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this penultimate part of the Lord's Legacy series, Philip Lord, Gideon Fox and Danny Bristow take a break from fighting the civil war to investigate a locked room murder mystery at the Mortlake Tapestry Works which was formerly the home of the real life controversial figure John Dee - the alchemist of the title. Although he is dead long before the year 1643, when this story is set, his 'plot' lives on through the complex secret passages and stairs, rods and levers, to be discovered in his old home. Apart from occasional trips to London (the trio of protagonists, all Royalists, are deeply undercover) the story takes place mainly in and around the tapestry works, a site Lord needs to investigate to discover information about his mysterious antecedents and also to clear his name from calumny and an old attainder. I had one reservation about plotting to do with Lord's ability to adopt two identities whilst appearing to the same on successive days, and changing his apparent identity purely through disguise - this is the only in this entire series that I have questioned the plot logic. Apart from that, we have the same very entertaining ride as before, possibly with a little more humour because we have more of Lord and less of Nick Tempest and Maggs (though the latter's one appearance is without doubt memorable.) All very enjoyable.

[PHILLIP PHILLIPS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got better after each book

Great read. Draws you in even if you have not read the previous books. Looking forward to the next book.