A thrilling novella following a young Giordano Bruno, set in the time of Elizabeth I, from the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author

Naples, 1568

A rebellious young monk…
Novice monk Giordano Bruno struggles to follow the strict rules of religious life. He has questions – about God, life, the universe – which could prove deadly… especially at a time when the Inquisition is gaining power and influence.

A secret society…
One night, Bruno’s mentor invites him to a hidden location outside the city where a group of like-minded men meet to discuss forbidden subjects – a secret society. Bruno is captivated – even more so when he meets Fiammetta della Porta, the niece of the society’s wealthy leader, who initiates him into the ways of love.

An enemy who could destroy everything…
But Bruno has enemies, and he has been followed to his assignations. Not only is the heretical society at risk of exposure, but Bruno and his new lover are in grave danger. Keeping his secrets has become a matter of life or death…

Please note that this story, along with two other Giordano Bruno novellas, will be published as a 3-in-1 collection called The Dead of Winter, coming out in Hardback, ebook and audio in November 2020.

Praise for S.J. Parris

‘A delicious blend of history and thriller’ The Times

‘An omnipresent sense of danger’ Daily Mail

‘Colourful characters, fast-moving plots and a world where one false step in religion or politics can mean a grisly death’ Sunday Times

‘Pacy, intricate, and thrilling… Full of historical detail and rich with atmosphere’ Observer

‘Twists and turns like a corkscrew of venomous snakes’ Stuart MacBride

‘Impossible to resist’ Daily Telegraph

‘It has everything – intrigue, mystery and excellent history’ Kate Mosse

‘Parris writes with confident ease of Tudor London’ The Times

‘Full of surprises’ TLS

The Academy of Secrets: A Novella

The Academy of Secrets: A Novella