Traitor’s Codex (#12)
An ancient and mysterious book leads Crispin Guest into a deadly maze in this latest medieval noir mystery.
Crispin Guest, Tracker of London, is enjoying his ale in the Boar’s Tusk tavern – until a stranger leaves a mysterious wrapped bundle on his table, telling him, “You’ll know what to do.” Inside is an ancient leather-bound book written in an unrecognizable language. Accompanied by his apprentice, Jack Tucker, Crispin takes the unknown codex to a hidden rabbi, where they make a shocking discovery: it is the Gospel of Judas from the Holy Land, and its contents challenge the very doctrine of Christianity itself.
Crispin is soon drawn into a deadly maze involving murder, living saints, and lethal henchmen. Why was he given the blasphemous book, and what should he do with it? A series of horrific events confirm his fears that there are powerful men who want it – and who will stop at nothing to see it destroyed.
Reviews
“Disgraced former knight Crispin Guest, aka the Tracker, returns in the eleventh tale in Westerson’s medieval noir series. After being stripped of his title and lands, Guest, in an effort to make a living, realizes he has a knack for tracking down the truth and exposing murderers. This time, after receiving a mysterious codex from a stranger in a local pub, he discovers, with the help of a rabbi, that it is the infamous Gospel of Judas. Religion and politics enter the fray as both church officials and royals scramble to get their hands on a document that could challenge the very foundations of Christianity. When murders begin to pile up, Crispin and his loyal sidekick, Jack Tucker, realize that the codex poses a tangible threat to many suspects. Grim, gritty, and utterly enthralling, Westerson’s gripping narrative pulls the reader deep into the dark underbelly of the Middle Ages.”Booklist, Starred Review
“Brisk prose and well-drawn characters propel this nimble excursion into religious thriller territory.”