Winter, 1607. A man is struck down in the grounds of Battle Abbey, Sussex. Before dawn breaks, he is dead.

Home to the Montagues, Battle has caught the paranoid eye of King James. The Catholic household is rumoured to shelter those loyal to the Pope, disguising them as servants within the abbey walls. And the last man sent to expose them was silenced before his report could reach London.

Daniel Pursglove is summoned to infiltrate Battle and find proof of treachery. He soon discovers that nearly everyone at the abbey has something to hide - for deeds far more dangerous than religious dissent. But one lone figure he senses only in the shadows, carefully concealed from the world. Could the notorious traitor Spero Pettingar finally be close at hand?

As more bodies are unearthed, Daniel determines to catch the culprit. But how do you unmask a killer when nobody is who they seem?

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ recommendation

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and it is books like this that make it so. Well written, compelling and gripping. It was fast paced, twisty and unpredictable. I loved it.

Winter 1607. A time of King James, spies everywhere, no one is whom he seems. 2nd story of Daniel Pursglove who has been told to infiltrate the household of The Montagues at Battle who have sympathy with those loyal to the Pope. Previous spies had died in the attempt. A fast paced story with plenty of twists and turns will keep Daniel’s story going through to the next book in the series.
"Thank you NetGalley and (Headline) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own”.

I was pleased to read the second in the Daniel Pursglove series, "Traitor in the Ice" by KJ Maitland in which the action moves from the streets of Bristol to Battle Abbey. Pursglove is sent to infiltrate the Abbey and discover the traitor amongst the household. The cast in the book is huge, and at times it was a bit difficult to keep track of who was who, but it did add to the sense of "who can be/cannot be trusted". Once again, full of well-researched historical details, I'm enjoying the Daniel Pursglove series.