King's Fool

Courting Dragons (#1)

"Somers proves an able sleuth, and Westerson does a fine job evoking the period’s political intrigue. Devotees of Alan Gordon’s Fools’ Guild mysteries will welcome this promising series."

Publishers Weekly

"Familiar historical figures seen from a different viewpoint add spice to the mystery."

Kirkus

"For readers who enjoy accurate, in-depth historical details in a mystery"

Library Journal

"A great start to a new series.... Fans of Jeri Westerson’s Crispin Guest “Medieval Noir” series will also enjoy the first book in her new King’s Fool series, Courting Dragons."

Mostly Mysteries

"All in all though, I enjoyed this historical mystery. It’s got a nice number of suspects and motives, a mostly convincing lead character and a convincing picture of life in the Tudor court. I look forward to book two."

In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel

"Many historical figures are expertly woven into the narrative"

Historical Novel Society

"A terrific mix of royal history and rotten murder."

Reading Reality

"Will Somers is a new favourite. Highly recommended for fans of well written and researched historical murder mysteries."

Brainfluff

"Brilliant! Jeri Westerson has outdone herself with this brilliant first in a series book with a clever perspective"

Kings River Life

"People who want to read a fictional account of Henry VIII’s court, set in a mystery with the perfect amateur sleuth, should be ready for in-depth historical details in Courting Dragons."

Lesa's Book Critiques

“Jeri Westerson is at the top of her game”

Louis Bayard, bestselling author of The Pale Blue Eye

“The Tudor court as seen through the eyes of wily Will Somers, Henry VIII’s jester, comes to vivid life in this sparkling mystery”

C.W. Gortner, bestselling author of The Tudor Secret

The Twilight Queen (#2)

"Westerson's second King's Fool mystery (after Courting Dragons, 2023) vividly evokes the bawdy, lusty, turbulent, highly politicized, favor-currying atmosphere of King Henry’s court, and her vibrant characters, coupled with unexpected twists and a surprising conclusion, make this an entertaining read"

Booklist

"Historical details mixed with a puzzling mystery make for a fine read, with several more wives to go."

Kirkus

"I really loved Will himself and loved Westerson’s imagining of him, and I appreciated the way she was able to further illustrate Tudor court life through her clever story. If you are a fan of the Tudors, don’t miss this read."

Aunt Agatha

Booke of the Hidden Series

Booke of the Hidden (#1)

“Readers sad about the ending of Charlaine Harris’s Midnight, Texas trilogy will find some consolation in Moody Bog.”

Publishers Weekly

“BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN is paranormal romance perfection [...] Jeri Westerson is flawless in this tale of adventure, mystery and saucy romance. The pages reverberate with passion, and absolutely no wrong can come from vivid characters and a hero to die for.”

RT Book Reviews

“If you love well written tales of magic, curses, mystery and horror with a bit of romance I think you’d enjoy this book.”

Flora Reviews

“BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN is a perfect start to a new series and I can’t wait for the next one! [...] If you enjoy urban fantasy, don’t miss this book! Or should I say ‘Booke.'”

Kings River Life Magazine

“Subversively clever, this book sneaks up on you, teasing you to a final twist that leaves you panting for the next book. Westerson creates an utterly believable history of witches, demons, and magic for her claustrophobic New England village and peoples it with rich and wonderful characters, including a heroine with enough spark, smarts, and stubbornness to keep both the bad guys and the deliciously dangerous love-interest on their toes. Definitely a keeper!”

Kat Richardson, author of the Greywalker series

“The power of tea compels you to read this devilishly delightful Booke!”

Maria Alexandra, Bram Stoker Award-winning Author of Snowed and Mr. Wicker

Deadly Rising (#2)

“Occult killings and lovestruck demons combine in this broadly blended urban fantasy novel that mixes magic and family matters.”

Publishers Weekly

“Jeri Westerson has done probably the best job in making the story very accessible to new readers without any info dumps, while successfully moving the story forward for those who have read the first book.”

Vampire Book Club

“If you love fantasy with a touch of romance and mystery, great characters, and a great plot, don’t miss DEADLY RISING.”

Kings River Life

Shadows in the Mist (#3)

“SHADOWS IN THE MIST is a fun romp through a world filled with magic, curses, and mayhem.”

All Things Urban Fantasy

The Darkest Gateway (#4)

“Westerson generously parcels out the heroics among a diverse group of folks who undercut their stereotypes […] readers who have followed Kylie’s saga get a satisfactory finale.”

Publishers Weekly

Crispin Guest Medieval Mystery Series

Veil of Lies (#1)

“Westerson’s mystery debut is a brilliant tale of survival in a hostile environment, where anything can lead to death. Fans of medieval mysteries will put this on their reserve list. Highly recommended.”

Library Journal, Starred Review

“Will appeal to mystery and history fans alike.”

Kirkus

“An entertaining read that makes the prospect of sequels welcome.”

Publishers Weekly

“A promising debut featuring reluctant sleuth Crispin Guest […] This authentically detailed medieval mystery has an intriguingly dark edge that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and noir.”

Booklist

“This book, which has a bit of romance tucked up its raveled sleeve is pure fun.”

Boston Globe

“Brimming with medieval atmosphere, blessed with an elaborate plot and interesting characters, VEIL OF LIES shows great promise. And Westerson displays the skill of a writer who has mastered her subject and has used that knowledge to create erudite entertainment.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“To say VEIL OF LIES is a remarkable novel doesn’t do the book justice. just when the plot seems set on a fixed course, the author deftly arranges another neat surprise and keeps the pages turning. The story is fresh, and engaging characters abound.”

Historical Novels Review

“Westerson combines an encyclopedic knowledge of the Middle Ages with an obvious love for the hard boiled genre and adds a classic mystery-telling ability to create what is one of my favorite reads of the year. I look forward to more from this wonderful new talent.”

Crimespree Magazine

“Westerson effectively translates the “noirish” tone of the classic 1930s private-eye novels to medieval England, creating a realistically gritty and intriguingly dark variation of other medieval mysteries by Ellis Peters and Margaret Frazier.”

VOYA

“A resolution amid revelations, with a depth worth plumbing.”

McClatchy Newspapers

“Guest is a likeable albeit flawed detective who is well worth his own niche in the history mystery genre.”

I Love a Mystery

“VEIL OF LIES marks a spectacular debut! Westerson’s “medieval noir” page-turner sports vigorous plotting, robust characters, and superb scholarship. An utterly beguiling alchemy of Canterbury and Connelly. The Crispin Guest series scores a bulls-eye on the first shot. The stuff of legend!”

Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of I Shall Not Want

“Every fan of P.C. Doherty should be delighted with this new series.”

Margaret Frazer, author of the Dame Frevisse and Joliffe medieval mystery series

“Jeri Westerson’s VEIL OF LIES is a great read, through and through. Her finely wrought portrait of gritty Medieval London is imbued with great wit and poignancy, establishing Crispin Guest as a knight to remember.”

Cornelia Read, author of A Field of Darkness

“Now that the Da Vinci Code has come and gone, VEIL OF LIES ought to prove the abiding interest in fiction that touches on Catholic and medieval themes […] I’ve never read such a well-constructed and well-written mystery, and I’ve read many hundreds of them… I can’t think of a single living author of mystery fiction that I’d buy in hardcover any more. I know I’ll reread these books many times, so they have to be sturdy. Has someone already claimed the slot as #1 fan? Oh, okay, I’ll settle for being #750.”

Laura James, Crime Historian of Clews

Serpent in the Thorns (#2)

“An appealing premise [...] Crispin’s derring-do as he weaves between the Court and the kitchens is distinctively entertaining.”

Kirkus

“Westerson adds flavor to the tale by enhancing the relationship between Guest and his young helper. Readers who can’t get enough of medieval historicals will snap this one up.”

Library Journal

“Westerson’s noir-influenced historical mystery boasts a strong cast of characters and makes good use of period details. This makes an excellent choice for mystery and historical fiction lovers.”

Booklist

“Gripping scenes of escape, vivid descriptions of everyday life, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. A rollicking good read for fans of the genre.”

School Library Journal

“Her second book entertains as much as as did her 2008 novel VEIL OF LIES […] an interesting protagonist and beguiling read.”

North Country Times

“Combine the historical lore with an intricate plot and a winning protagonist, and this is a series with broad appeal.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Crispin is a complex character who is struggling to regain his status in life, but not at the cost of what he holds dear to himself: his honor. He is engaging and interesting to discover more about.”

Green Man Review

“Fast, clever and wonderful this is a great way to spend an evening.”

Crimespree Magazine

“Westerson has caught the spirit of the age with plots and counterplots as well as the sights, sounds, and smells of that age’s seamier London neighborhoods.”

I Love a Mystery

The Demon’s Parchment (#3)

“Absolutely first class; highly recommended for fans of medieval mysteries.”

Library Journal, Starred Review

“The best yet in the series.”

Publishers Weekly

“A solid plot and cast of characters, a feel for the story’s place and time (fourteenth-century England), and an appealing noirish air. A welcome addition to the medieval-mystery landscape.”

Booklist

“The writing is wonderful and the history vividly presented. Not to be missed by fans of real historical mysteries.”

RT Book Reviews, 4.5 stars, Top Pick

“Westerson writes with such knowledge and skill that you feel as if you are walking those shadowy streets and alleys of London […] not only enjoyable but enlightening.”

Reviewing the Evidence

“Westerson tells a chilling yarn and Crispin and his apprentice are among the most courageous and compelling protagonists at work in fictional detection.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Another superb mystery; those who discover Guest for the first time will be compelled to explore back through the original books, while longtime fans will already be looking forward to Westerson’s next novel.”

North Country Times

“Keep(s) the reader absorbed with intriguing characters, a believable setting and a horrific series of murders.”

Deadly Pleasures Magazine

“THE DEMON’S PARCHMENT is so good it’s sinful. With an unerring eye to historical detail and an uncanny knack for making the distant past feel comfortably contemporary, Jeri Westerson has written a novel sure to please even the most demanding reader. Protagonist Crispin Guest (a.k.a. The Tracker) is seductive as hell, and the writing is some of the best you’ll find anywhere. Buy this book or be damned!”

William Kent Krueger, Anthony Award-winning author of Heaven’s Keep

Troubled Bones (#4)

“A murderous spin on The Canterbury Tales […] Westerson’s latest medieval noir is a very readable combination of historical fact and mystery.”

Kirkus

“Westerson’s fine fourth historical featuring Crispin Guest […] The Agatha-Christie like solution will please puzzle buffs, while series fans will welcome the author’s efforts to further flesh out the lead and his apprentice, Jack Tucker.”

Publishers Weekly

“A fantastic book you won’t want to put down.”

RT Book Reviews, 4.5 stars, Top Pick

“A must-read for fans of medieval mysteries, but also of interest to readers of Alex Bledsoe’s Eddie Lacrosse fantasy series.”

Booklist

“Aficianados of medieval murder mysteries will delight in Westerson’s accurate period details and an intriguing plot guaranteed to keep the reader guessing into the night.”

Shelf Awareness

“Combines the best of two worlds in this dark but touching series, and TROUBLED BONES, like its predecessors, provides an evening of superior entertainment.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“[Westerson] draws you into the world of her characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys medieval mysteries, and I look forward to meeting Crispin and Jack again.”

Historical Novel Society Review

Blood Lance (#5)

“[A] lively tale of historical interest smoothly combined with a worthy mystery.”

Kirkus

“Clever twists and convincing period detail make Westerson’s fifth 14th-century historical featuring disgraced knight Crispin Guest one of her best.”

Publishers Weekly

“Well done […] medieval London is almost tangible!”

RT Book Reviews

“These mysteries are always well crafted and complex, leading us into the culture of the era.”

Library Journal

“Written with a keen knowledge of medieval history, BLOOD LANCE is another riveting tale of honor and heroism from Westerson, grounded in period detail, a wealth of action and the continued development of her characters.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Jeri Westerson is a master in making the reader see, and practically smell, the teeming, treacherous streets of 14th century England. Elaborate and detailed description of the scenes and locations give a more realistic touch to the story and don’t corrupt the plots.”

Mystery Tribune

“If you’re a history buff with a penchant for romantic suspense that borders on noir, Jeri Westerson delivers the goods…What she does especially well is weave period detail with murder. The investigation and the crime itself could have taken place in no era or locale but that of medieval London.”

Criminal Element

“Westerson does an excellent job combining actual famous people such as Geoffrey Chaucer with her fictitious characters […] she presents a page-turning thriller while mixing in a little romance with compelling drama. This is an enjoyable stand-alone novel, but I plan on reading the four previous books in the series. Highly recommended for readers of medieval mysteries.”

Historical Novel Society

“Ms. Westerson’s research is impeccable […] a stroke of genius for an excellent writer who brings the times to glowing life. And Jeri Westerson does just that. I can almost guarantee you’re going to be hooked on the Crispin Guest adventures.”

Buried Under Books

“You’re in for a great story with a stellar cast of characters set in 1386 in London as Westerson skillfully weaves a tale of murder, deceit, and treachery.”

Red Room

“…a very nicely judged balance between historical background, a pleasing puzzle to solve, and a high adventure content as our knight must get back in the saddle.”

CityBookReview

Shadow of the Alchemist (#6)

“Westerson continues to provide unusual historical detail, offbeat characters and a well-integrated puzzle.”

Kirkus

“All will appreciate [Westerson’s] close attention to period detail.”

Publishers Weekly

“The dark and brutal atmosphere of the times is expressed through inspired prose that is liberally laced with action.”

RT Book Reviews

“Westerson’s Middle Ages are as dark and edgy as her complex protagonist.”

Booklist

“This author’s combination of strongly fashioned characters, sword-clashing action, circuitous plotting, and incidental humor long ago won me over […] Westerson does a superior job of incorporating into this treasure-hunt tale the political and social complexities of Guest’s era, without hobbling her plot’s rollicking momentum.”

The Rap Sheet

“Fans of Westerson’s complicated crime-solver will not be disappointed by this latest entry in the Crispin Guest series and its blend of personal and political plotlines.”

Criminal Element

“Westerson, a Californian who has mastered medieval history, again uses her knowledge to create a taut historical thriller. Her readers will eagerly await the next installment in the saga of Crispin and his times.”

Times Dispatch

“This entertaining series featuring Crispin Guest never disappoints […] Westerson whips history and mystery into a delicious blend.”

The Historical Novel Society

“The plot twists and winds through the streets of Old London […] The story is rich in detail, so it’s not a book to skim or speed read […] SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST is a good, solid, well-written murder mystery […] Ms. Westerson’s historical details and knowledge of medieval London are spot on.”

Between the Book Covers

“Jeri Westerson’s writing is magical in that she literally transports you into a different time and place. She is masterful with all the small details of a setting establishing the sights, sounds, and smells of London in the late 1300s for the reader.”

Reviews by Teri

“Crispin Guest is our medieval James Bond. Bold, determined and oh-so-sexy, he has a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time… Lively action and heart-stopping suspense, twisting plot turns and a compelling cast of characters easily make this one of Jeri Westerson’s best books yet!”

C.W. Gortner, author of The Tudor Conspiracy

Cup of Blood (#7)

“Steeped in vivid historical detail, focused on a heroic protagonist and structured toward a shocking and shattering climax, CUP OF BLOOD cements Westerson’s bona fides as a master of medieval murder.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch

“I enjoy the journey the Guest novels invite the reader to take with each new installment. Westerson has a knack for writing characters with whom we can readily identify and for bringing 14th century London to life. Her characters, real and imagined, live and breathe. This is historical fiction with a difference, using a 20th century literary convention (noir) to add a new dimension to history. I so look forward to the next one in the series.”

Kings River Life Magazine

“The complex, swift-moving plot unfolds against a realistically detailed atmosphere of 14th-century London […] It would be hard to improve on this exceptional historical mystery. Whether you’re approaching the Crispin Guest series as a seasoned veteran or as a newcomer, this latest entry is great fun to read.”

Reading the Past

The Silence of Stones (#8)

“[The] tortured protagonist is never dull, and his newest adventure leads to a swift and satisfying conclusion.”

Kirkus

“THE SILENCE OF STONES is a captivating, action-filled book with two mysteries solved from different sides, which also provides a lesson in honor. Westerson is one of those authors who is always a pleasure to read.”

It Is Purely My Opinion

“This is a satisfying and fast-paced tale, complete with Westerson’s typical dry humor and thorough research.”

Historical Novel Society

A Maiden Weeping (#9)

“I have read and loved every other book in the Crispin series, which is set in late 14th-century London, and this one was no different.”

Historical Novel Society

“I read the first three books in this series several years ago, swallowing them whole while on a cruise, and being absolutely enthralled.”

Reading Reality

Season of Blood (#10)

“Fans will welcome [Westerson’s] hero’s return in his 10th reliquary adventure.”

Kirkus

“Fans of 20th-century noir will relate to Crispin, who doesn’t say no to a drink and is a sucker for damsels in distress.”

Publishers Weekly

“If you like historical mysteries where you really feel (and occasionally taste and smell) just how different the past is from our own present, Crispin Guest is a master at bringing his world to life — and solving its suspicious deaths.”

Reading Reality

“This is another excellent addition to both the Crispin Guest series and to the canon of medieval mysteries overall. Highly recommended.”

Historical Novel Society

The Deepest Grave (#11)

“Typical of the series, the story is well plotted and comes with a deeply satisfying resolution. Another winner.”

Booklist

Traitor’s Codex (#12)

“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.”

Publishers Weekly

Sword of Shadows (#13)

“History, mythology, and mystery mix in a rollicking adventure that offers a fresh perspective on the famous Arthurian legend.”

Kirkus

“This latest in the always enjoyable, crisply written series delivers an agreeable mix of adventure and atmosphere.”

Booklist Online

Spiteful Bones (#14)

“Westerson’s acclaimed series mixes historical detail with a deep dive into the character of a flawed but honorable hero."

Kirkus

"Jeri Westerson’s newest Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mystery book is the fourteenth in a long list of well-written and engaging adventures with rich characters and steeped in the Medieval setting."

Kings River Life

The Deadliest Sin (#15)

"An appropriate end to Westerson’s series. Long-time fans will be eager to see if Crispin can triumph over the past, and anyone who enjoys medieval mysteries can follow it easily."

Library Journal, STARRED review

"Readers who have followed Guest through 14 mysteries will be sad to see him go but pleased with his ultimate fate."

Kirkus

"Westerson wraps up the series’ major loose ends in a manner sure to satisfy fans."

Publisher's Weekly