Winter's Prison

The Winter Murders #3

by E.L. Johnson

Welcome to Book Three in the exciting new series The Winter Murders from bestselling author E.L. Johnson!

Kitchen maid Bronwyn is on the run. Empress Maud’s attempted coronation in London has failed, and she and a loyal few are fleeing from an angry mob. Their travels end at Winchester, a stronghold loyal to the empress. But King Stephen’s wife, Queen Matilda, has been busy while her husband sits in prison, and her army is marching on Winchester.

Meanwhile, someone is pulling nasty pranks on the empress. From harmless tricks that disturb and distract the empress to serious incidents, a prankster is at her court, hiding in plain sight. Bronwyn’s reputation for solving court intrigues has raised her value in the empress’s eyes, and she is tasked with finding out who is behind these pranks. But with a suspicious new food taster and courtly figures getting involved in the investigation, Bronwyn’s suspect list only grows longer.

Once the queen’s army reaches Winchester, Bronwyn is separated from her two favorite squires—the one she fancies and the one she might just love. When Rupert defects and joins the queen’s army, they are at odds. And with Theobold working to defend the city from the queen’s invading forces, Bronwyn must solve these crimes on her own. But that’s difficult when she is captured by the queen’s army. And to make matters worse, the prankster has come along too.

Can Bronwyn find the deadly prankster before the queen’s army takes over Winchester? She must, or she’ll risk losing more than her heart.

Tropes You Castle SiegeMedieval WarfareDeadly PranksStolen KissesCourt IntrigueSecret CrushesGossiping Ladies-in-WaitingSuspicious Nuns
Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Winter Murders
Book 1 – Winter’s Poison
Book 2 – Winter’s Crown
Book 3 – Winter’s Prison
Book 4 – Winter’s Rose
Book 5 – Winter’s Thief
Book 6 – Winter's Flirt
Book 7 – Winter's Fool

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2025

About the author

I write novels. I'm a member of the Hertford Writers’ Circle and won the Sci-Fi London Film Festival’s 2014 48 hour Flash Fiction challenge.

When not penning stories I'm an avid reader, a decent epeé fencer, and live with my husband and cat Arya, named after the Game of Thrones character.

I also run a chatty book club in London and sometimes sing in metal bands in London.

Want fun updates from me on writing, fav tweets, lotsa books and mini mysteries?

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Reviews

[Petula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This medieval mystery is more of a serial than a series. Although each book has a new mystery to solve, most of the characters are the same. It follows the adventures of our heroine. She is just a normal young woman caught up in the lives of royalty and politics of her time.
I have read all the books and enjoyed them. Our heroine is very brave and smart. Although she can't read and write she can still solve her cases.
Good fun.

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is what I was looking for. The plot is intriguing. I was engaged with the characters and the direction of the plot. The plot definitely held itself together right down to the last twist of the story. The characters merged well with the objective of the plot. The characters were great and gave great depth to the plot and storyline. The dialogue and emotional reactions or responses from the characters felt very real through the wording. The wording is perfect for the characters. The writer did wonderfully by keep the dialogue simple and clear. The book was fun and exciting when it came to the main character being a so called sleuth. Not one of the Queens staff made her search easy. Friends definitely made her investigation double the hardship. The ending was good. The writer was amazing. Until next time my fellows read on!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy, enjoyable read that kept me turning pages. Book three of The Winter Murders throws Bronwyn into trouble right from the start and never really slows down.
After Empress Maud’s failed coronation, Bronwyn escapes with the empress to Winchester, only to find that Queen Matilda’s army is on the way. The court is tense, and things get even worse when someone starts playing pranks on the empress. At first they seem harmless, but soon they become dangerous. Because of her past successes, Bronwyn is asked to find out who’s responsible, even as more people get involved and her list of suspects keeps growing.
I liked how the mystery unfolded alongside the larger threat of war. The court politics were easy to follow, and the new characters, especially the food taster, added to the feeling that no one could really be trusted. Bronwyn’s personal life is also under pressure. Being separated from Rupert and Theobold, and seeing loyalties shift, made the story feel more emotional without taking over the plot.
Once the queen’s army reaches Winchester, the tension really ramps up. Bronwyn has to solve the mystery mostly on her own, even after she’s captured, and knowing the prankster is still nearby kept me guessing until the end.
Overall, this book mixes mystery, danger, and a touch of romance in a way that’s very easy to read. Bronwyn is a likable main character, and I enjoyed watching her face bigger risks and harder choices. A solid continuation of the series and a fun read for fans of historical mysteries.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review. 

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series, each with a different mystery. The characters are well developed and while it can be a standalone, I would recommend reading the entire series. Extremely engaging.