A novel by Denise Steele

The Mystery of the Magna Carta

A time-travelling historical adventure with four different endings, written for the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.

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The Mystery of the Magna Carta book cover, illustrated by Denise Steele: a boy with a lantern climbing a spiral stair, a cat at his heels, beneath a red banner
Cover illustration by Denise Steele

Painter, dancer and author

Denise Steele is not only a painter and dancer — she is also an author. Her debut novel, The Mystery of the Magna Carta, is a gripping historical-fiction adventure completed for the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta in June 2015 — a book that engages, educates and intrigues in equal measure.

The Mystery of the Magna Carta books on display
The Mystery of the Magna Carta on display

The story

A journey back to 1215

We join Percy, a young girl from San Francisco, as she travels through time to Wraysbury, England in the 1920s. There she meets Dennis, the village historian, and together they go back to 1215 to find answers to the enduring mysteries of the Magna Carta. Percy and Dennis sort through legend, myth, rumour and fact — with the help of Jeeves, her inimitable kitty, who always gets them out of trouble.

The adventure has four different endings: three exploring the traditional legends that surround the Magna Carta, and one brand-new surprise ending drawn from the author's own research.

  • 1215 The year Percy and Dennis travel back to
  • 1920s Wraysbury, England, where the adventure begins
  • 4 Different endings: three legends and one surprise
  • 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta, marked by the book in June 2015

A story is a painting in words, and every painting hides a story — with The Mystery of the Magna Carta, Denise invites you to solve one.

Signed by the author

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$18.99signed, plus postage

Every copy bought here is signed by Denise. Choose the personal dedication edition and she will inscribe it to whoever you name.

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