Shortlisted for CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2010.

'Heresy has everything -- intrigue, mystery, excellent history and haunting sense of place. The beginning of a wonderful new detective series' Kate Mosse 'Fascinating ! The period is incredibly vivid and the story utterly gripping' Conn Iggulden (bestselling author of Bones of the Hills and The Dangerous Book for Boys) 'Heresy is a riveting read. Rich in both historical detail and ingenious twists, S J Parris has created a character in Giordano Bruno that will endure. A true rival to C J Sansom' Sam Bourne (bestselling author of The Righteous Men) 'Heresy is a must-read for every fan of historical thrillers. S. J. Parris transports the reader back to an extraordinary time in history by mobilizing fascinating details, suspense, and fully-drawn characters. Giordano Bruno turns out to be that rare hero, charismatic and nuanced enough to impel an encore, and to leave us asking for more from the gifted Parris' Matthew Pearl (author of The Dante Club) 'Parris paces her yarn perfectly' Daily Telegraph 'An atmospheric and well-written historical thriller' Guardian 'Parris succeeds where much historical fiction fails' Observer 'The places and people are vividly described with a merciful absence of period language, and the solution to this exciting, well-written tale comes as a real surprise' Literary Review

S.J. Parris is the pseudonym of Stephanie Merritt. Born in Surrey in 1974, she has worked as a critic and feature writer for a variety of newspapers and magazines as well as radio and television. She currently writes for the Observer.