Blood Royal

A riveting true story of royal murder and detection in 15th-century Paris, by the New York Times–bestselling author of The Last Duel.

“Jager’s book skillfully proves that a well-told work of history may resemble nothing so much as a detective story punctuated with footnotes.” —David Lehman, author of The Perfect Murder

On a chilly November night in 1407, Louis of Orleans was murdered by a band of masked men. The crime stunned and paralyzed France since Louis had often ruled in place of his brother King Charles VI, who had gone mad. As panic seized Paris, an investigation began. In charge was the Provost of Paris, Guillaume de Tignonville, the city's chief law enforcement officer—and one of history's first detectives. As de Tignonville began to investigate, he realized that his hunt for the truth was much more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

A rich portrait of a distant world, Blood Royal is a gripping story of conspiracy, crime and an increasingly desperate hunt for the truth. And in Guillaume de Tignonville, we have an unforgettable detective for the ages, a classic gumshoe for a cobblestoned era.

“Few works of fiction will grab readers’ attention as well as Jager’s . . . riveting story of a 1407 murder mystery that split the royal family of France. . . . An impressive combination of mystery, crime story, and social and political history.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“An outstanding crime tale that also provides a good survey of both the glittering facade and the seamier aspects of medieval Paris.” —Booklist