Цикл книг «Елизаветинская тайна» — 16 книг

У бродячей труппы "Вестфильдские комедианты" большие проблемы - во время потасовки зверски убит один из актеров. Николас Брейсвелл, суфлер, счетовод и душа компании, вынужден заняться расследованием трагической смерти друга. В поисках убийцы Николас осматривает опасные кварталы Лондона. И тут ему открываются некоторые факты жизни усопшего, которые тот явно предпочел бы сохранить в секрете...
Итак, Николас Брейсвелл приступает к расследованию...

У бродячей труппы "Вестфильдские комедианты" большие проблемы - во время потасовки зверски убит один из актеров. Николас Брейсвелл, суфлер, счетовод и душа компании, вынужден…

Bookholder Nicholas Bracewell, fresh from his triumph holding together his volatile players' company during a treasonous plot against Queen Elizabeth, is set to make the galleries of The Queen's Head ring with laughter with a new comedy, The Merry Devils. The lugubrious landlord is sure mischief will result. Nicholas sees only a harmless comedy that will not summon up real devils, but two actors adept at tumbling. How then, during the crucial scene, do three devils appear on stage, one looking disturbingly real? And what of the deviltry that follow? One imp, in fact, soon lies dead beneath the stage...The author's knowledge of Elizabethan statecraft and his deep affection for the period show in every word.

Bookholder Nicholas Bracewell, fresh from his triumph holding together his volatile players' company during a treasonous plot against Queen Elizabeth, is set to make the galleries…

London is under siege by the Black Plague, closing its theaters and losing its frightened citizens to the countryside. Lord Westfield's Men decide upon the relative safety of the road and a tour of the North. Before they can pack up and depart, one player in the troupe is murdered.

As they travel, the company of players managed by its bookholder, Nicholas Bracewell, learns that their arch-rivals, Banbury's Men, have been pirating their best works. Hoping to shake off Banbury's Men, actor Lawrence Firethorn eventually leads his troupe to York where all is revealed in a thrilling performance.

London is under siege by the Black Plague, closing its theaters and losing its frightened citizens to the countryside. Lord Westfield's Men decide upon the relative safety of the…

"Marston's wit and vivid evocation of Elizabethan London's sights and smells provide a delightfully ribald backdrop for this clever series." -Publishers Weekly ., ."all the swashbuckling thrills and romantic swagger of the blood-and-thunder tragedies that are meat and drink to Westfield's Men." -New York Times Book Review The fiery star, Laurence Firethorn, is hot for a lady, wife of the Lord Mayor elect. A tryst at London's Nine Giants inn is arranged. Meanwhile, the lugubrious landlord of the actors' home base is laid even lower by a plot to take over ownership of the inn. A young apprentice actor is subjected to a horrible assault. And a waterman pulls a mangled corpse from the Thames. The drama comes to a climax at the annual Lord Mayor's show as his barge moves grandly down the river.... "As rich in background color, language, and vivid characters as it is in plot structure, Marston has another winner here." -Kirkus Reviews Originally published in 1991, it is the fourth in series following Poisoned Pen Press' republications of The Queen's Head, The Merry Devils, and The Trip to Jerusalem.

"Marston's wit and vivid evocation of Elizabethan London's sights and smells provide a delightfully ribald backdrop for this clever series." -Publishers Weekly ., ."all the…

BUTCHERY OUTSIDE A LONDON BROTHEL HAS WESTFIELD'S MEN IN DISARRAY.

The axe murder of gentleman player Sebastian Carrick is only the first of many bitter blows to strike the celebrated acting troupe. Feuds blossom among players. A rival company launches a new hit. A mysterious beauty reduces leading player Lawrence Firethorn to a lovelorn wreck. Rumors of the declining health of Good Queen Bess are heard everywhere, and matters become so fraught that even a performing horse becomes a threat to the troubled troupe.

In such straits only one man has the wit to keep the company afloat--stage manager and company mainstay Nicholas Bracewell. And as Her Gracious Majesty sinks toward death, only clever Nicholas can discern the connection between the troupe's misfortunes and the shadow that is falling all over England....

BUTCHERY OUTSIDE A LONDON BROTHEL HAS WESTFIELD'S MEN IN DISARRAY.

The axe murder of gentleman player Sebastian Carrick is only the first of many bitter blows to strike the…

Marston's new novel continues the adventures of Nicholas Bracewell, who handles details backstage for Lord Westfield's Men, an Elizabethan theater troupe. When a young woman is poisoned before she can deliver a message to Nicholas, he takes leave to pursue a mystery from his own childhood.

Marston's new novel continues the adventures of Nicholas Bracewell, who handles details backstage for Lord Westfield's Men, an Elizabethan theater troupe. When a young woman is…

Dame Fortune has abandoned Lord Westfield's men to calamity...
One member of the popular London acting troupe has died. Their present production is a failure. Then an anonymous playwright hands company mainstay Nicholas Bracewell a chance for salvation: a new script that exposes a tragic miscarriage of justice in a murder case.
News of the impending production of The Roaring Boy swiftly reaches high places. Long before rehearsals begin, the company is menaced by enemies who target both script and players for destruction. For The Roaring Boy establishes the innocence of the two people executed for the crime and points a bold finger at the real murderer. Not even Lord Westfield, the company's powerful patron, can save the troupe from the mortal danger that now encompasses them...

Dame Fortune has abandoned Lord Westfield's men to calamity...
One member of the popular London acting troupe has died. Their present production is a failure. Then an anonymous…

Jonas Applegarth is a brilliant but belligerent playwright. When his play, The Misfortunes of Marriage, is performed by Lord Westfield's Men, it causes an uproar. All of Applegarth's enemies attack the company. Nicholas Bracewell defends the playwright loyally, but alas, Applegarth is soon found hanged by the neck. It is only the first of many mysteries that Nicholas has to solve. Lord Westfield's Men are furious when they are satirized by a rival children's theater company at the Blackfriars playhouse. A second attack by the killer-laughing hangman-throws the actors in further disarray. Nicholas is under enormous pressure, not least because he is trying to rekindle his romance with Anne Hendrik by helping her to fend off an aggressive suitor. His beloved company is under threat as never before, and he has to call on all of his resources to rescue them. "Marston's wit and vivid evocation of Elizabethan London's sights and smells provide a delightfully ribald backdrop for this clever series." -Publishers Weekly "A delightfully dazzling period piece suffused with humor, wit and atmospheric drama." -Booklist Edward Marston, under his real name, Keith Miles, was raised in Wales and went on to study modern history at Oxford. He has been a university lecturer, radio, television, and theatre dramatist, and in addition to writing has worked as an actor and director. His Elizabethan novel, The Roaring Boy, was a 1996 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee for best novel. He lives in Kent.

Jonas Applegarth is a brilliant but belligerent playwright. When his play, The Misfortunes of Marriage, is performed by Lord Westfield's Men, it causes an uproar. All of…

A plague is terrorizing Elizabethan England, and its theaters are empty for fear of contagion. Just as it seems that Lord Westfield's Men must disband, they receive an invitation to perform at the Imperial Court in Prague - an event they believe will be their crowning achievement. The invitation is from the fairest maid of Bohemia and great-niece of Rudolph II, the alluring Sophia Magdalena. In confidence, their patron Lord Westfield has given Nicholas Bracewell secret documents to deliver to an English doctor in Rudolph's court, Talbot Royden. While the troupe is en route to Prague, the brutal murder of an actor during their first performance turns their journey into a nightmare, especially when Bracewell realizes that he himself was the intended victim. Arriving in Prague, after having been trailed through Europe by mysterious pursuers, the troupe discovers that the eccentric court of Rudolph II keeps its own perilous secrets, and that instead of being a revered guest of the Court, the doctor Talbot Royden is languishing in a castle dungeon. As the debut of their play dedicated to Sophia Magdalena nears, Nicholas Bracewell needs all his skills to rescue the company from the whirlpool of deceit and danger into which they have plunged.

A plague is terrorizing Elizabethan England, and its theaters are empty for fear of contagion. Just as it seems that Lord Westfield's Men must disband, they receive an invitation…

In this installment of this dramatic Elizabethan series, Westfield s Men are flying high after a celebrated performance of "The Insatiate Duke" at the Queen s Head. However, victory is bittersweet as the company is soon faced with dissolution and the loss of their theatre; were it not for one of the company s rising stars. After acquiring a new benefactor, the company plan to build their own theatre. However, before they have the chance to find out who this guardian angel is, one of the group is found brutally murdered.Cue Nicholas Bracewell to uncover not one, but two hidden identities, of both the murderer and the anonymous benefactor, before the company gets disbanded."

In this installment of this dramatic Elizabethan series, Westfield s Men are flying high after a celebrated performance of "The Insatiate Duke" at the Queen s Head. However,…

Лондон в объятиях зимней стужи, и труппа "Уэстфилдские комедианты" сидит без работы. Актеры с радостью принимают приглашение выступить в графстве Эссекс, несмотря на то, что им ставят два условия: они должны показать новый спектакль и принять в труппу нового ученика Дэйви Страттона.
Поначалу всем кажется, что Дэйви искренне мечтает стать актером, однако он начинает ссориться с другими учениками, а вскоре даже сбегает. Суфлер Николас Брейсвелл прикладывает все усилия, чтобы помочь труппе хорошенько отрепетировать новый спектакль "Ведьма из Колчестера", однако, когда один из ведущих актеров становится жертвой странных хворей, которыми по сюжету пьесы страдает его персонаж, кое-кто из комедиантов начинает подозревать, что среди них скрывается колдунья. Дело усугубляется еще и тем, что во время спектакля неожиданно умирает один из зрителей, поэтому Николасу приходится заняться расследованием странных событий, чтобы разоблачить коварный заговор.
Роман "Ученик Дьявола", богатый историческими деталями, увлекательно рассказывает о золотом веке театра.

Лондон в объятиях зимней стужи, и труппа "Уэстфилдские комедианты" сидит без работы. Актеры с радостью принимают приглашение выступить в графстве Эссекс, несмотря на то, что им…

Westfield's Men, the Elizabethan theater troupe at the heart of Edward Marston's intricate and popular series, are enjoying good fortune in their native London. Their talented playwright is at work on his next opus, set to open in a few short weeks, and the group's trusty stage manager and reliable problem-solver Nicholas Bracewell is looking forward to a productive and calm season.

Unfortunately for Nicholas, his friendship with Frank Quilter, a young actor who's just joined the troupe, is about to cause him a lot of trouble. Frank's father has been arrested and accused of a murder he didn't commit, and before anyone can figure out what to do he's convicted and hanged for his crime. Destroyed, young Frank promises to avenge his father, at the expense of the play Westfield's Men have contracted to perform. Nicholas, who's loyalty is split between the company and his new friend, agrees to help Frank on condition that he fulfill his obligations as an actor.

Enter an unlikely ally in the form of one Moll Comfrey, a comely young saleswoman with more to sell than meets the eye. She has the key to the whole mystery hidden somewhere on her person, and it's up to Nicholas to find out what she's hiding (by whatever means necessary) before the theater, not to mention Frank's life, goes dark.

Westfield's Men, the Elizabethan theater troupe at the heart of Edward Marston's intricate and popular series, are enjoying good fortune in their native London. Their talented…

‘I hoped that we might be safe but we have not seen the last of them, after all. They want more blood.’

During a performance of their new play, A Trick to Catch a Chaste Lady, Westfield’s Men are sabotaged, and they find themselves in the throngs of an audience-player melee. In the midst of the rotten-vegetable battlefield, one of the audience members is found stabbed, and their masterful clown, Barnaby Gill, is discovered with a broken leg.

With the company clown-less, they must find a replacement before they embark on their tour of Kent. Enter Gideon Mussett, a ruffian, scallywag and all around drunk. Thinking the victim in the theatre was an accident. Nicholas Bracewell and his fellows soon learn that there is more to this death than a drunken brawl. With a murderer still on the loose, it appears further deaths are on the cards, but who will be the second victim?

‘I hoped that we might be safe but we have not seen the last of them, after all. They want more blood.’

During a performance of their new play, A Trick to Catch a Chaste Lady,…

Nicholas Bracewell finds his job with the London theater troupe Westfield's Men complicated by an ailing playwright, the disappearance of the group's costumes, a troublesome gambler, a pair of con artists, and murder, in a new historical mystery from the Edgar-nominated series.

Nicholas Bracewell finds his job with the London theater troupe Westfield's Men complicated by an ailing playwright, the disappearance of the group's costumes, a troublesome…

The theaters of Elizabethan England can be a very dangerous environment. With dozens of troupes competing for the attentions of a fickle theater-going public, rival companies regularly resort to nefarious activities to thwart a competitor's success, tensions occasionally erupt into violence and, in some instances, the result is murder.

So it is no surprise that Westfield's Men, the most successful troupe in London and a prime target for jealousy and resentment, are plagued by a series of practical jokes. But when one of their actors is murdered, the humor turns distinctly sour. Appalling events continue: Lawrence Firethorn, actor-manager, is stalked by a mysterious lady; the sole copy of The Malevolent Comedy, the company's new play, is stolen; their leading apprentice is abducted; and there is an attempt on the life of Lord Westfield, their patron.

It's soon clear that someone more vicious than a practical jokester is trying to destroy the troupe. Nicholas Bracewell, the resourceful book holder, has an almighty struggle to save his beloved company from certain demise. Of course thwarting disaster is Nick's specialty, and Edward Marston's longtime readers will thoroughly enjoy this suspense-filled, raucous romp filled with the delightful backstage antics of mystery fiction's favorite ensemble cast.

The theaters of Elizabethan England can be a very dangerous environment. With dozens of troupes competing for the attentions of a fickle theater-going public, rival companies…

Winter approaches and Westfield's Men are out of work. When their widowed patron decides to marry again, he chooses a Danish bride with vague associations to the royal family. Since the wedding will take place in Elsinore, the troupe is invited to perform as guests of King Christian IV. One of the plays they select is The Princess of Denmark---and it will prove a disastrous choice.
Westfield's Men soon find themselves embroiled in political intrigue and religious dissension. Their patron, who has only seen a miniature of his future bride, is less enthusiastic when he actually meets the lady, but he can hardly withdraw. Murder and mayhem dogs the company until they realize that they have a traitor in their ranks. It is left to Nicholas Bracewell to solve a murder, unmask the villain, and rescue Lord Westfield from his unsuitable princess of Denmark.

Winter approaches and Westfield's Men are out of work. When their widowed patron decides to marry again, he chooses a Danish bride with vague associations to the royal family.…