Jester Leaps in — Alan Gordon

A thrilling medieval mystery set amidst the political turmoil of 13th century Europe.

In 13th century Europe, political upheaval is the norm, and the Fool's Guild and its agents â€" jesters, jugglers, and knaves â€" work behind the scenes to manipulate events and maintain a balance of power. Theophilos, a Guild member known by many names, is still recovering from his last near-fatal mission, but finds himself with a new apprentice and wife, Viola.

As Theophilos recovers on the Dalmatian coast, the Guild approaches him with another mission. A crusade is launching from Venice, but some suspect the city has its own ulterior motives. Meanwhile, a pretender to the Byzantine throne is gathering European support, and all of the Guild's agents in Constantinople have mysteriously vanished.

Now, the newly married Theophilos and Viola must journey to Constantinople to gather intelligence, thwart the Guild's rivals, prevent a war, and perhaps â€" just perhaps â€" stay alive. Jester Leaps In is a gripping historical mystery filled with suspense, intrigue, and medieval spies, set against the rich backdrop of the Byzantine Empire and the Crusades of the 13th century.