Kate Sedley Books In Order

Publication Order of In The Shadow Of The Throne Books

Publication Order of Roger The Chapman Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Kate Sedley is one of the acclaimed authors from the United Kingdom, who likes to write thriller, historical mystery, and historical fiction books. The name is actually a pen name used by Brenda Margaret Lilian Honey Clarke for writing the novels of various genres. Author Sedley originally hails from Bristol, England. She studied at The Red Maids School, located in Westbury-on-Trym. Author Sedley is very well regarded for carrying out meticulous research before writing her novels. Her engaging style of writing is highly appreciated by the readers from all over the world. She is married and has a daughter and a son. The other pen names that she uses for writing historical fiction and mystery novels include Brenda Honeyman and Brenda Clarke. Author Sedley started her writing career in the year 1969 with the release of her debut book titled The Kingmaker, which she wrote as Brenda Honeyman. Later, she debuted as Brenda Clarke with the 1978 book called Glass Island. She went on to adopt her most famous pen name when she started writing her particular well known novel series, Roger the Chapman. Sedley began this series in the year 1991 with the publication of its first book titled as Death and the Chapman. Author Sedley was born on July 30, 1926 in Bristol and is an alma mater of the Cambridge University. She is married to Ronald John Clarke and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren. Sedley’s bestselling series is set in the 15th century England and features Roger as a medieval Chapman.

The Roger the Chapman series written by Kate Sedley is comprised of a total of 22 books, which were released between the years 1991 and 2013. All the books of this series feature Roger in the lead role, showing him as a peddler living in medieval England. An initially written book of the series is entitled ‘The Saint John’s Fern’. It was released by the Minotaur publication in the year 2002. The plot of the book opens in the month of October of the year 1477. Roger is introduced as a newly married chapman, who is still enjoying his wedded bliss. Roger becomes surprised when he feels that his old and familiar restlessness is returning. And within the next one month, he sets off on the ancient road dissecting Dartmoor. Driven by an instinct that makes him feel that his services are required in Plymouth, Roger heads in that direction. On the way, a carter gives him a lift, who was on his way to meet his daughter named Joanna in the city’s oldest part. Soon, Roger’s instincts are proved correct when he learns from Joanna about the brutal murder of her neighbor named Master Capstick. The main suspect in Capstick’s murder is his great nephew named Beric. He was seen leaving Captstick’s house on the morning of the murder, with his tunic having stains of blood. Many other people from the city saw him riding wildly on his horse to his home.

Based on the witnesses’s account, the King sends his men to arrest Beric. As they arrive at his manor house, they find that his black horse is in the stable, but Beric seems to have disappeared somehow. When the local people come to know about Beric’s disappearance, they fall back quickly on their ancestors’s witchcraft. They blame that the fern of Saint John, which is believed to make anyone invisible if consumed. Roger finds it difficult to digest this belief. As he has already solved a few mysteries before, he knows that there is definitely a different angle to the story. So, he begins to investigate to find the answers to his questions. After a while, Roger finds out that he is not the only one to have approached the witnesses. This makes his belief about a foul play in the case even stronger. Later, an attempt is made to kill him, but he saves himself. Roger becomes confident that he is very close to the truth, but he must prevent himself getting killed in order to be able to prove the superstitions wrong and solve the murder mystery. The killer becomes more vigilant about his activities and tries to finish him once and for all. But, Roger is way smarter than the killer, forcing him to come out from hiding. He hunts him down eventually.

Another mind blowing novel written in the mystery series is titled as ‘The Holy Innocents’. It was released by the HarperTorch publication in 1996. Author Sedley has set this book in the year 1475. The story opens on a shadowy morning after a couple of weeks of Easter. Roger feels that there is spring in air and in his steps as he moves nearer to the thriving Totnes village. He also senses danger. Roger comes to know that a cutthroats’s pack is wandering in the nearby forest after pillaging and stealing in the nearby villages during the night. When Roger sees them approaching towards him, he barely manages to prevent himself from coming in their sights by hiding in the bushes. When he arrives in Totnes, he comes to know that the countryside was being terrorized by the marauding cutthroats for many past weeks. Their livestocks were stolen, goods and money were snatched from them, and their cottages were also raided. And the worse is that the cutthroats were thought of being responsible for a couple of village children’s disappearance. Roger learns that the whole town is paralyzed and devastated by the fear of the cutthroats. Later, a women’s group hock Roger playfully and then let him go with only just a kiss by each of them as ransom. After arriving in the village, Roger decides to take rest for a few days. One of his rescuers, the beautiful Grizelda Harbourne, tells Roger about the tale of the disappeared children. Grizelda also informs Roger that she was the nurse of both the kids. As Roger begins to get caught up in the story, he is awakened by his mind for the mysteries and his ability to sense danger. Roger wonders how did the kids come out of their house during the day without getting noticed by anyone. He also tries to find out why did they come out and where they went after that? Rogers wonders whether someone had forced them to leave their house by tempting them with something? These questions start making Roger feel restless. He is not able to accept that the outlaws kill the children without any reason. Roger suspects that there is more in the case which he is not able to see. He is not ready to rule out the fact that there is some more violence in the case that what he is being told. The intriguing mystery makes Roger restless enough to promise himself that he is not going to rest until he has solved the mystery behind the children’s disappearance.

One Response to “Kate Sedley”

1. mary jane lee: 7 months ago

   excellant series the history is excellent with the human interest giving a good idea of the age

   Reply