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The Plantagenet Vendetta
UK Top 200
UK Top 30 - Thrillers
UK #1 - Historical Thrillers
Australia #1 - Historical Thrillers
US #2 - Historical Thrillers
The Bestselling Thriller from the International Bestselling Author of The Templar Agenda and The Larmenius Inheritance
FROM THE BACK PAGE
England 1485: They were called the Sons of York. They were secretly created during the final hours of the reign of Richard III. Their sole purpose was to hunt down and eliminate the descendants of his murderer.
By any means necessary.
Over five hundred years later, the long reign of King James III of England comes to an unexpected end. Less than a week later, the bodies of two Cabinet ministers are discovered in a burning car. Though the deaths of all three are initially assumed to be unconnected, a chance arrest in London yields a bizarre confession.
And a sinister warning...
Thomas Winchesterhas been waging war on the enemies of his family ever since graduating from Sandhurst. Youngest nephew of the king, he is celebrated as one of MI5's finest agents - the only man capable of taking on the Royal Family's biggest crisis in recent memory.
Meanwhile, a quiet village in the North York Moorsmourns a tragic loss. A young girl has vanished, allegedly the victim of a deranged boy who later committed suicide. A year on, television researcher Jennifer Farrelly is sent to follow up on the story. The body was never found, and the girl's parents have not given up hope of finding her alive.
A locked door in the medieval vaults of a remote Yorkshire church hides something strange: something with the potential to expose a previously untold chapter of England's darkest history. As Farrelly's search for the truth causes her to unwittingly cross paths with that of the royals, she and Winchester have no choice but to form a unique alliance to uncover a secret many have died to protect - a secret that still threatens the very foundation of the monarchy...
Praise for JPD...
Can’t wait for the new one . . .
Richard Doetsch, international bestselling author of The Thieves of Heaven
...an enjoyable read, with different subplots and an exciting historical treasure hunt all coming together to make a satisfying novel.
Kathryn Warner, UK #1 Bestselling History Author
If John Paul Davis wrote the phonebook, we’d all be reading it!
Keith Houghton, #1 bestselling thriller author
Takes you on a fast-paced, thoroughly researched thrill ride . . .
David Leadbeater, #1 bestselling thriller author and winner of the Amazon Storytelling Award
. . . fascinating, action-packed thriller melding past, present and future.
Karen Perkins, international bestselling thriller author and winner of the silver medal for European Fiction in the 2015 Independent Publisher Book Awards
John Paul Davis clearly owns the genre of historical thrillers!
Steven Sora, author of The Lost Colony of the Templars
. . . well-researched, original and fascinating . . .
Graham Phillips, international bestselling non-fiction author
Prepare for the most fascinating read you’ll get in ages
The Birmingham Post
UK Top 30 - Thrillers
UK #1 - Historical Thrillers
Australia #1 - Historical Thrillers
US #2 - Historical Thrillers
The Bestselling Thriller from the International Bestselling Author of The Templar Agenda and The Larmenius Inheritance
FROM THE BACK PAGE
England 1485: They were called the Sons of York. They were secretly created during the final hours of the reign of Richard III. Their sole purpose was to hunt down and eliminate the descendants of his murderer.
By any means necessary.
Over five hundred years later, the long reign of King James III of England comes to an unexpected end. Less than a week later, the bodies of two Cabinet ministers are discovered in a burning car. Though the deaths of all three are initially assumed to be unconnected, a chance arrest in London yields a bizarre confession.
And a sinister warning...
Thomas Winchesterhas been waging war on the enemies of his family ever since graduating from Sandhurst. Youngest nephew of the king, he is celebrated as one of MI5's finest agents - the only man capable of taking on the Royal Family's biggest crisis in recent memory.
Meanwhile, a quiet village in the North York Moorsmourns a tragic loss. A young girl has vanished, allegedly the victim of a deranged boy who later committed suicide. A year on, television researcher Jennifer Farrelly is sent to follow up on the story. The body was never found, and the girl's parents have not given up hope of finding her alive.
A locked door in the medieval vaults of a remote Yorkshire church hides something strange: something with the potential to expose a previously untold chapter of England's darkest history. As Farrelly's search for the truth causes her to unwittingly cross paths with that of the royals, she and Winchester have no choice but to form a unique alliance to uncover a secret many have died to protect - a secret that still threatens the very foundation of the monarchy...
Praise for JPD...
Can’t wait for the new one . . .
Richard Doetsch, international bestselling author of The Thieves of Heaven
...an enjoyable read, with different subplots and an exciting historical treasure hunt all coming together to make a satisfying novel.
Kathryn Warner, UK #1 Bestselling History Author
If John Paul Davis wrote the phonebook, we’d all be reading it!
Keith Houghton, #1 bestselling thriller author
Takes you on a fast-paced, thoroughly researched thrill ride . . .
David Leadbeater, #1 bestselling thriller author and winner of the Amazon Storytelling Award
. . . fascinating, action-packed thriller melding past, present and future.
Karen Perkins, international bestselling thriller author and winner of the silver medal for European Fiction in the 2015 Independent Publisher Book Awards
John Paul Davis clearly owns the genre of historical thrillers!
Steven Sora, author of The Lost Colony of the Templars
. . . well-researched, original and fascinating . . .
Graham Phillips, international bestselling non-fiction author
Prepare for the most fascinating read you’ll get in ages
The Birmingham Post
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2014
129 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
John Paul Davis
31 books69 followers📚 John Paul Davis is the international bestselling author of fourteen thriller novels. His debut, The Templar Agenda, cracked the UK Top 20 and claimed the #1 spot in Historical Thrillers. Since then, he has continued to keep readers on the edge of their seats, with hits like The Cortés Trilogy, which reached the UK Top 40 and US Top 20, and the White Hart series, starring a secret black ops group with origins dating back to the Middle Ages.
🖊 In addition to thrillers, JPD has authored seven works of nonfiction. His debut work, Robin Hood: The Unknown Templar, sparked international press interest, while Pity For The Guy, the first full-length biography of Guy Fawkes, was featured on ITV’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show.
🏠 JPD is an active member of International Thriller Writers (ITW) and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He holds a BSc from Loughborough University and resides in Warwickshire, where he enjoys sports, history, reading, contemplating the meaning of life, planning book-related travels and pondering plot twists.
Checkout his official Website: www.johnpauldavis.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 7, 2020
he Plantagenet Vendetta by John Paul Davis is a semi-historical/semi-fictional account of an alternate line of royals for the British thorn. The Sons of York was a group of those descendants who felt their were the rightful heirs to the throne rather than the Tudor line that came to power after the War of the Roses (the cousin's war). Supposedly over the hundreds of years since, they have maintained many different government positions and also been responsible for a great many deaths in the Tudor descendants. The book is hard to get into with so many different stories starting with each chapter for the first half dozen or more, but then when the stories begin to come together between 1483 and the present, it gets really interesting. The nephew of the present as yet uncrowned King is helping to investigate his grandfather's death which they have now learned was murder by poison. Thomas begins to learn some about The Sons of York and to try and find out who their present day descendants and those active in the group are. Jen was sent to Wooten to help research for a documentary that was going to be done 1 year after the disappearance of a local girl. Her research and what she discovers puts her life in danger when she discovers the vault containing the ancestors of who The Sons of York call "the real King of England." That same group, she discovers was actually responsible for the death of the young girl Debra Harrison. They even framed and killed a local boy so that they could blame him for her disappearance. All of this done, to keep their secret organization hidden and to continue to exert their power and influence in their bid to take control of England and eventually the EU.
May 27, 2015
Good historical fiction
Good story, if a little farfetched. The multiple names and titles kept my head spinning, especially when historical settings changed. For Anglophiles, you will love it
Good story, if a little farfetched. The multiple names and titles kept my head spinning, especially when historical settings changed. For Anglophiles, you will love it
July 9, 2018
Full House: Kings and Queens
By Bob Gelms
I have about a half a dozen friends, book buddies if you will, with whom I discuss what’s hot and what’s not in the world of literature. Two of my buddies are confirmed fans of the historical novel.
I got reading suggestions from them and acquired an interest in reading more in the genre. Then, I found a copy of The Wild Irish: A Novel of Elizabeth I and the Pirate O'Malley by Robin Maxwell. Grace O’Malley is, by light years, my favorite Irish person of all time. I was a pile of iron filings and the genre, historical novels, was a big ole’ magnet.
So, I was loaded and charged up when The Plantagenet Vendetta by John Paul Davis came to my attention. This is an historical novel with quite a bit of added spice. It has a large dose of “thriller” sprinkled all over it. The historical and fictional elements are blended together so well I started checking myself on things I absolutely knew were true. Here are some background highlights, true and otherwise.
The chaos surrounding the heir to the throne of England ran into an immense speed bump in 1485. Richard III had reigned for 2 years. After a long series of civil wars known as the War of the Roses, Richard III was killed in battle and Henry VII captured the throne.
The House of York lost the throne with the death of Richard III. They secretly created an organization called the Sons of York whose mandate was to kill the offspring of every murderer complicit in the death of Richard III in order to retake the throne.
By the 1600’s their seething passion for revenge cooled and the Sons of York went dormant. Since then, they strive to take control of the UK, rid England of the monarchy and replace it with a democratic form of government. I assume this would include the peaceful dissolution of Parliament; achieving, without explosions, that which Guy Fawkes attempted in 1605 with 30 casks of gunpowder in the basement of the building housing Parliament. In addition, the Sons of York would like to gain control of the EU
Skipping ahead to the present, the current monarch, James III, drops dead under baffling circumstances. Turning up dead as well are two of his ministers found in a burning car. Rising to the investigative challenge is one Thomas Winchester, youngest nephew to the new King Edward and, as it happens, one of MI5’s best agents. (MI5 is the sister espionage division to James Bond’s MI6.)
Elsewhere, in the sleepy village of Wooton-on-the-Moor, a beautiful teenage girl, Debra Harrison, goes missing and is never found. About a week after her disappearance, a disturbed teenage boy, Luke Rankin, who had feelings for Debra, is found hanging from a railroad bridge in what the police consider a suicide. Although there is no proof, most people believe Luke killed Debra and then himself. Since Debra’s body was never found there is no proof of anything.
Wooton-on-the-Moor is a hotbed of Yorkists. Walking right into the middle of all this one year later is a TV reporter from London, Jennifer Farrelly. She is there to do background checks on the one year anniversary of the story in advance of the TV crew showing up to do interviews. Nobody in the village wants any of this revisited under any circumstances. Jennifer develops a friendship with one of Debra’s friends and they go snooping around an old York castle and ancient church, the catacombs of which prove to be awfully interesting and also especially dangerous.
Thomas Winchester shows up, joins forces with Jennifer, and things start to get interesting. It looks as if everyone is out to kill them whether or not they deserve it. They, however, manage to kill quite a few lads who do deserve it. It seems the Sons of York are going to astonishing lengths to keep something secret and that secret appears to be in the ruins of the York castle and church.
The Plantagenet Vendetta by John Paul Davis is a humdinger and I don’t use that word lightly. And, if you like this one, you’ll absolutely lose sleep reading his first novel, The Templar Agenda. It’s a rocket on a roller coaster. John Paul Davis owns the historical thriller. He is as good as it gets.
By Bob Gelms
I have about a half a dozen friends, book buddies if you will, with whom I discuss what’s hot and what’s not in the world of literature. Two of my buddies are confirmed fans of the historical novel.
I got reading suggestions from them and acquired an interest in reading more in the genre. Then, I found a copy of The Wild Irish: A Novel of Elizabeth I and the Pirate O'Malley by Robin Maxwell. Grace O’Malley is, by light years, my favorite Irish person of all time. I was a pile of iron filings and the genre, historical novels, was a big ole’ magnet.
So, I was loaded and charged up when The Plantagenet Vendetta by John Paul Davis came to my attention. This is an historical novel with quite a bit of added spice. It has a large dose of “thriller” sprinkled all over it. The historical and fictional elements are blended together so well I started checking myself on things I absolutely knew were true. Here are some background highlights, true and otherwise.
The chaos surrounding the heir to the throne of England ran into an immense speed bump in 1485. Richard III had reigned for 2 years. After a long series of civil wars known as the War of the Roses, Richard III was killed in battle and Henry VII captured the throne.
The House of York lost the throne with the death of Richard III. They secretly created an organization called the Sons of York whose mandate was to kill the offspring of every murderer complicit in the death of Richard III in order to retake the throne.
By the 1600’s their seething passion for revenge cooled and the Sons of York went dormant. Since then, they strive to take control of the UK, rid England of the monarchy and replace it with a democratic form of government. I assume this would include the peaceful dissolution of Parliament; achieving, without explosions, that which Guy Fawkes attempted in 1605 with 30 casks of gunpowder in the basement of the building housing Parliament. In addition, the Sons of York would like to gain control of the EU
Skipping ahead to the present, the current monarch, James III, drops dead under baffling circumstances. Turning up dead as well are two of his ministers found in a burning car. Rising to the investigative challenge is one Thomas Winchester, youngest nephew to the new King Edward and, as it happens, one of MI5’s best agents. (MI5 is the sister espionage division to James Bond’s MI6.)
Elsewhere, in the sleepy village of Wooton-on-the-Moor, a beautiful teenage girl, Debra Harrison, goes missing and is never found. About a week after her disappearance, a disturbed teenage boy, Luke Rankin, who had feelings for Debra, is found hanging from a railroad bridge in what the police consider a suicide. Although there is no proof, most people believe Luke killed Debra and then himself. Since Debra’s body was never found there is no proof of anything.
Wooton-on-the-Moor is a hotbed of Yorkists. Walking right into the middle of all this one year later is a TV reporter from London, Jennifer Farrelly. She is there to do background checks on the one year anniversary of the story in advance of the TV crew showing up to do interviews. Nobody in the village wants any of this revisited under any circumstances. Jennifer develops a friendship with one of Debra’s friends and they go snooping around an old York castle and ancient church, the catacombs of which prove to be awfully interesting and also especially dangerous.
Thomas Winchester shows up, joins forces with Jennifer, and things start to get interesting. It looks as if everyone is out to kill them whether or not they deserve it. They, however, manage to kill quite a few lads who do deserve it. It seems the Sons of York are going to astonishing lengths to keep something secret and that secret appears to be in the ruins of the York castle and church.
The Plantagenet Vendetta by John Paul Davis is a humdinger and I don’t use that word lightly. And, if you like this one, you’ll absolutely lose sleep reading his first novel, The Templar Agenda. It’s a rocket on a roller coaster. John Paul Davis owns the historical thriller. He is as good as it gets.
November 27, 2018
This fictional work, looks at a possible lineage from the "Princes in the Tower" to modern day descendants, carrying on a role of sabotage against the current royal family.
It is intriguing and dramatic in turn, with an approach to the outcome from different people's perspective.
I found it an engaging read.
It is intriguing and dramatic in turn, with an approach to the outcome from different people's perspective.
I found it an engaging read.
January 24, 2018
Once again John Paul Davis hits it out of the ball park. This is a wonderful thriller with an extensive dose of history and intrigue. The book is well written. The characters are engaging. Historical content is fascinating and detailed. Of course, the story is great. I won’t say anything that will serve as a spoiler because it is not necessary for one to understand that this book will take them for a ride. It had a plot that has just the right about of twists and turns. The book seem to have two parallel story lines that seem only distantly related. As in any well written book, those two story lines come smashing into each other in a dramatic way. As with the other books I have read that were written by John Paul Davis, I find myself wishing that the characters could continue is other books he writes. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who likes historical fiction, modern thrillers, intrigue, mystery and action.
April 2, 2014
This is another exciting book by John Paul Davis, and like his previous books, I found it compelling reading and hard to put down. The plot centres on present day descendants of the Princes in the Tower, suggesting that they actually survived, rather than the popular assumption that they were murdered. These present day descendants still resent the fact that their ancestors were denied the throne of England, and over the centuries since the time this happened, have plotted against the monarchy in a bid to reclaim their (perceived) birth right. The book explains the historical context well, and then moves to the present day, where the death of the current King is linked to their activities. It centres on investigative work by a TV journalist who uncovers both tombs of Plantagenet ancestors and the activities of their present day descendants. It is also apparent that the plotting will continue, as not all those responsible are arrested, and their sons will take the place of those now behind bars.
As I said at the beginning of the review, I really enjoyed this book, and give it five stars.
As I said at the beginning of the review, I really enjoyed this book, and give it five stars.
March 12, 2015
John Paul Davis once again proves he's a master of the historical thriller genre. When I read THE TEMPLAR AGENDA, I was impressed with Davis' ability to weave fact and fiction together to form a story so seamless you wonder where one begins and the other ends. He's done it again with THE PLANTAGENET VENDETTA, this time with the murky history surrounding Richard III, the princes in the tower, and what might have been.
If you're a lover of English history, a fast-paced plot, and conspiracy theories surrounding the royal family, this is the book for you.
If you're a lover of English history, a fast-paced plot, and conspiracy theories surrounding the royal family, this is the book for you.
August 13, 2016
The premise was unique; the story would have benefited from editing. Lots of editing and formatting. The royal protagonists went from being cartoonish to buffoonish. I know names aren't copyrighted, so I was a bit surprised to see a very minor character with the same name as a character in one of my own books. I thought it was unique. If Mr. Davis edited this story and made the breaks in scene more obvious, I'd give it another read. The premise was excellent; just wish the story had been so.
December 18, 2020
Loved this book, I kept waiting for the White Hart to appear - if you haven’t read other books by this author you really need to. Once again really interesting characters blended with a fine mix of historic truth and pure fiction. I really enjoy the history lessons at the end of these books too, although at one point I thought my own history knowledge had failed me in just who did win The Wars of the Roses. On to the next one...
August 9, 2020
Fiction
A fictional story based on the idea that the two princes were not murdered by their uncle in England. Interesting and lively action brought to current times with fictional characters on the throne.
A fictional story based on the idea that the two princes were not murdered by their uncle in England. Interesting and lively action brought to current times with fictional characters on the throne.
April 8, 2015
From the author of The Templar Agenda this new novel is both entertaining and well researched. If you like historical novels with a lot of action this one is a must read.
February 5, 2016
Kept me up..
Very enjoyable.. I found John Paul Davis by accident, and now I have read 3 of his books and thoroughly enjoyed every one..
Very enjoyable.. I found John Paul Davis by accident, and now I have read 3 of his books and thoroughly enjoyed every one..
July 16, 2020
Took me a while to get to used to the alternative history model, with the different royal family and set of political parties. Found it difficult to get used to what seemed to be two stories which took a long time to converge. But once got deeper into the novel, got captivated and interested enough to read on.
And got intrigued by the emergence of a further clandestine set of royals operating underground. Some great ideas at work. Accept that some readers found that the plot was too far fetched, and dragged at crucial times but I am tempted to read more of this writer's work.
And got intrigued by the emergence of a further clandestine set of royals operating underground. Some great ideas at work. Accept that some readers found that the plot was too far fetched, and dragged at crucial times but I am tempted to read more of this writer's work.
June 22, 2017
It was a decent mystery and I, of course, loved the made-up kings of now and imagined past and present of the Cat, Rat, Dog and Hog. The whole pursuit and shooting-matches' part I kind of slid through but that is just a personal disinterest in gunfights.
A good book for a day or half-day of mystery-reading for history-lovers.
A good book for a day or half-day of mystery-reading for history-lovers.
March 14, 2022
Interesting fictional account
I enjoyed the book. I did find the switches between groups from one chapter to the next a little difficult. Otherwise it holds together well and the twists were interesting.
I enjoyed the book. I did find the switches between groups from one chapter to the next a little difficult. Otherwise it holds together well and the twists were interesting.
November 6, 2020
A new twist on history. The assumption is that the Plantagenet line never died out and the society known as the Sons of York exists and is plotting to take over not just Britain but Europe as well.
September 19, 2021
An interesting work that kept me rather hooked! All in all, a great read.
March 9, 2017
Great read
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. This author does great work & its a fun ride/ read even if I can't always follow the wide cast of characters so I will be reading more from this author. Kudos!
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. This author does great work & its a fun ride/ read even if I can't always follow the wide cast of characters so I will be reading more from this author. Kudos!
August 20, 2014
I was really looking forward to this book as it combines two of my favourite genres, alternative history and medieval English history. Sadly it was a disappointment and could have been so much better. I found it poorly written, even childish at times, characters a bit wooden and as there were so many characters in the story, I often found it difficult remembering who was who. I still enjoyed it but not as much as my expectations. If only the likes of Ken Follett or Bernard Cornwall had written it, it would have been a masterpiece.
July 7, 2014
3 1/2 stars. An enjoyable conspiracy type thriller. I've read better, but I've read worse too. I have to admitting getting annoyed with both the 'hero' and the 'heroine' in the story for making choices that i thought were downright stupid. Perhaps that's just me and there probably wouldn't have been a story without those choices.
September 2, 2014
Interesting Plot. Poor Editing.
Those author's fictional
premise about the surviving Plantagenet House of York in future politics in England was good. The editing was poor. The author is confusing about DNA testing being available in the past and contradicts himself. I would suggest careful pre-existing by Mr. Davis, otherwise, enjoyable book.
Those author's fictional
premise about the surviving Plantagenet House of York in future politics in England was good. The editing was poor. The author is confusing about DNA testing being available in the past and contradicts himself. I would suggest careful pre-existing by Mr. Davis, otherwise, enjoyable book.
March 27, 2015
A bit disappointed
My previous experience of this author led me to expect great things from this book. It was disappointing to find it very difficult to suspend disbelief. The creation of a current and completely fictitious royal family made portions of this plot difficult to follow. Overall, the book is interesting.
My previous experience of this author led me to expect great things from this book. It was disappointing to find it very difficult to suspend disbelief. The creation of a current and completely fictitious royal family made portions of this plot difficult to follow. Overall, the book is interesting.
March 8, 2014
The premise of the plot had lots of potential. However I found the 2 minor royal characters who stroll round the country putting guns in peoples faces and killing others with apparent impunity, a serious flaw in the book. I was unable to suspend my disbelief.
July 16, 2014
I loved this - really great alternate history. I did have to look up where places were since I'm not that familiar with the parts of England where this occurred. I hope he writes more in this world...
March 5, 2014
It was so badly written I couldn't even finish it.
Want to read
March 7, 2014$1.49
April 6, 2014
Not a great book but a quick enjoyable read
July 9, 2014
Am enjoyable read although I did struggle with all the historical facts and who was who. A lot of characters but clearly needed for the story to work.
December 10, 2017
Very enjoyable
March 28, 2015
alternate history....winchesters not windsors on the throne threatened by the long lost yorkists....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews