Now that the Marjory trilogy is finished, I am developing a sequel to The Purloined Dagger. It will be another mystery featuring the main characters from the first book.
R. M. Shepherd writes historical fiction with themes of love, adventure, and mystery. She has an avid interest in England and Scotland during the sixteenth century. The intelligent and spirited women in her novels challenge society's norms. The stories also explore hardships caused by religious strife during the Protestant Reformation. The Purloined Dagger takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I and is told as a locked-room mystery with a hint of romance. Her Marjory trilogy (A Pearl
R. M. Shepherd writes historical fiction with themes of love, adventure, and mystery. She has an avid interest in England and Scotland during the sixteenth century. The intelligent and spirited women in her novels challenge society's norms. The stories also explore hardships caused by religious strife during the Protestant Reformation. The Purloined Dagger takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I and is told as a locked-room mystery with a hint of romance. Her Marjory trilogy (A Pearl to Cherish, In the Shadowy Vale, and Led Forth from the Shadows) explores the lives of a man and woman whose love for each other was caught up in the political and religious strife during the reign of Edward VI. Two non-fiction works, John Knox: Sounding God’s Trumpet and He Strikes at the Root, explore the major themes of English Protestant theology in the Edward VI era from the perspective of the notorious Scottish preacher John Knox. Shepherd most recently was an interior designer engaged in designing offices, retail stores, and schools. She was previously employed as a computer systems analyst and data analyst in the roles of project manager and team leader for energy industry companies. She is now retired and spends her time writing.
A strong-willed English woman, Marjory resents religious and societal restrictions, seeking instead to choose her own destiny.
Marjory remains sheltered in Geneva when patriotic Scottish nobles, rebe
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The queens of Scotland and England are executing Protestants. Fearing imprisonment for their religious beliefs, newlyweds Marjory and John flee Scotland. They undertake a dangerous journey through Fra
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No longer cloistered, Marjory must now struggle with ordinary household duties and attacks on her Catholic beliefs. Fiery preacher John becomes a friend of the family and convinces her to become a Pro
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A treasured family dagger disappears from a locked office. Can a young widow and a battle-hardened sheriff overcome their differences and solve the mystery?
Sir William intends to use his heirloom da
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A treasured family dagger disappears from a locked office. Can a young widow and a battle-hardened sheriff overcome their differences and solve the mystery? Sir William intends to use his heirloom dagger in a ceremony to handfast his daughter Avrill to Cedric, the son of a friend from the past. But his knife disappears from a locked office, so Sheriff James is called solve the mystery. William's sister Ellen joins the search. As they investigate, family secrets are exposed, and one mishap after another threatens both families. This is a locked-room mystery occurring against the background of political and religious strife when Elizabeth I was the queen of England. The story provides twists and turns and a surprise ending.
