Flames of Norwich: A Den Helder / D'Artois Story

by J. Michael Butcher

Overview

In the aftermath of Magna Carta, disinherited barons raid the city of Norwich to acquire funds for their failing cause, and they met with little resistance. In fear of hidden support for the rebellion, the king sends agents to Norwich, and thus, Martin Den Helder and Sir Michel DArtois are drawn into a city underworld of murder, extortion, and crime that have some powerful, if secret, backing. Like poking a hornets nest, Den Helder and DArtois feel the backlash of their enquiries. Finally, a vicious murder at the Trinity Fair escalates the atmosphere of tension and resentment between city and church to a full-scale riot, and buildings of the cathedral and city are burned and valuables looted. Violence and murder are unrestrained. Flames of Norwich is a story of murder and mystery woven around real events, people, and places of the city of Norwich in the thirteenth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781524633646
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	08/10/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	418
File size:	475 KB

About the Author

John Michael Butcher was born in 1954 and has lived in Norwich most of his life. Educated at Thorpe Grammar School, he studied English and history at A level before working for Norfolk County Council’s education department firstly in personnel (later HR) and then the school’s finance. Childhood rheumatoid arthritis disrupted his schooling but allowed him to indulge his love of reading, which was a family trait. There were fortnightly visits to the Lazar House Library, which was and is featured as a leper hospital in Flames of Norwich. Remember, this was before computers, the Internet, X-box, DVDs, or even VHS, and there were only two channels on television. After writing short stories and skits on local life, it was his friend Mark King who inspired him to make the effort to go for a full-length novel. Mark had ambitions to write and asked John to proofread his draft novel. Thus, they met in the Fat Cat and Canary PH every Friday afternoon to review progress. Mark has now published the Daniel Jones series, young adult sci-fi stories Frenzy and Doom, and the third on the way. When rheumatoid arthritis returned and he had to give up work, John had more time to devote to writing, and Flames of Norwich became a time-consuming passion. Inspired by writers such as Ellis Peters (Brother Cadfael), Michael Jecks (Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Simon Puttock), Peter Tremayne (Sister Fidelma), and the great Bernard Cornwell (Sharpe plus so many others), his interest in history was reignited, and historical fiction became his chosen genre. As with these authors, he considers historical accuracy as essential. He is also a director and chair of Roseville Close RTM Co. Ltd, a company set up to manage the site of the apartments where he lives. He is single but not lonely, with a large circle of friends locally, and he has already embarked on Reliquary of Blood, a sequel to Flames of Norwich.