{{Short description|Historical mystery novel series by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer}} {{Infobox book series | name = ''John, the Lord Chamberlain'' series | books = {{plainlist| * ''One for Sorrow'' (1999) * ''Two for Joy'' (2000) * ''Three for a Letter'' (2001) * ''Four for a Boy'' (2003) * ''Five for Silver'' (2004) * ''Six for Gold'' (2005) * ''Seven for a Secret'' (2008) * ''Eight for Eternity'' (2010) * ''Nine for the Devil'' (2012) * ''Ten for Dying'' (2014) }} | image = One For Sorrow 1999 1st ed.jpg | image_caption = 1st edition, ''One for Sorrow'' (1999) | author = Mary Reed/Eric Mayer | country = United States | language = English | subject = | genre = Historical mystery | publisher = Poisoned Pen Press | pub_date = November 15, 1999 – present | media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback) | website = }} The '''''John, the Lord Chamberlain'' series''' is a series of historical mystery novels by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer. Also known as the "John the Eunuch" mysteries, the novels feature John, Emperor Justinian's Lord Chamberlain, a eunuch who solves mysteries in 6th-century Constantinople.<ref name="PW Picker 2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/43024-mysteries-of-history.html|title=Mysteries of History |first=Lenny |last=Picker |date=March 3, 2010 |accessdate=November 13, 2013 |website=PublishersWeekly.com }}</ref> ''Publishers Weekly'' praises the series' "Subtle, well-drawn characters, from the ascetic John to the capricious and enigmatic Justinian; deft descriptive detail revealing life in the late Roman Empire; and sharp dialogue make this another winner in this outstanding historical series."<ref name="Eight">{{cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-702-7 |title=Fiction Book Review: ''Eight for Eternity'', A John the Lord Chamberlain Mystery |date=February 8, 2010 |accessdate=November 20, 2013 |website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref>
==Novels== *''One for Sorrow'' (1999) {{ISBN|978-1890208196}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref name="One">{{cite web |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-890208-19-6 |title=Fiction Book Review: ''One for Sorrow'' |date=November 15, 1999 |accessdate=November 20, 2013 |website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref> *''Two for Joy'' (2000) {{ISBN|978-1890208370}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-890208-37-0|title=Fiction Book Review: Two for Joy by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author, Eric Mayer, Joint Author Poisoned Pen Press $23.95 (0p) ISBN 978-1-890208-37-0|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref> *''Three for a Letter'' (2001) {{ISBN|978-1890208820}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-890208-82-0|title = Fiction Book Review: THREE FOR a LETTER by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author, Eric Mayer, Joint Author . Poisoned Pen $24.95 (242p) ISBN 978-1-890208-82-0}}</ref> *''Four for a Boy'' (2003) {{ISBN|978-1590580318}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-031-8|title = Fiction Book Review: FOUR FOR a BOY: A John the Eunuch Mystery by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author . Poisoned Pen $24.95 (292p) ISBN 978-1-59058-031-8}}</ref> *''Five for Silver'' (2004) {{ISBN|978-1590581124}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-112-4|title=Fiction Book Review: FIVE FOR SILVER by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author . Poisoned Pen $24.95 (259p) ISBN 978-1-59058-112-4|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref> *''Six for Gold'' (2005) {{ISBN|978-1590581452}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-145-2|title = Fiction Book Review: Six for Gold: A John the Eunuch Mystery by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author . Poisoned Pen $24.95 (267p) ISBN 978-1-59058-145-2}}</ref> *''Seven for a Secret'' (2008) {{ISBN|978-1590584897}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-489-7|title=Fiction Book Review: Seven for a Secret by Mary Reed, Author, Eric Mayer, Author . Poisoned Pen $24.95 (296p) ISBN 978-1-59058-489-7|website=PublishersWeekly.com}}</ref> *''Eight for Eternity'' (2010) {{ISBN|978-1590587027}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref name="Eight"/> *''Nine for the Devil'' (2012) {{ISBN|978-1590589946}} (Poisoned Pen Press)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-59058-994-6|title = Fiction Book Review: Nine for the Devil: A John, the Lord Chamberlain Mystery by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer. Poisoned Pen, $24.95 (318p) ISBN 978-1-59058-994-6}}</ref> *''Ten for Dying'' (2014) {{ISBN|978-1464202278}} (Poisoned Pen Press) *''Murder in Megara'' (2015) {{ISBN|978-1464204081}} (Poisoned Pen Press) *''An Empire for Ravens'' (2018) {{ISBN|978-1464211102}} (Poisoned Pen Press)
==Fictional character biography== The life story of John the Lord Chamberlain (sometimes also known as John the Eununch) is told in disconnected episodes throughout all the books, but the series begins with John being a freed ex-slave who now serves the emperor Justinian as the Imperial Chamberlain.
John was born somewhere in Greece to a rich family and was sent to the Academy at Athens to learn under the scholar Philo (Bk 2) but grew impatient and left the academy to serve as a mercenary overseas, going as far as Britain (Bk 1). It's revealed that because one of his comrades drowned in a river, John is hydrophobic and is afraid of swimming.
Afterwards, John left and became a travelling performer with a theatrical group. On Crete, he falls in love with Cornelia, a gymnast (Bk 3). John and Cornelia consummate their relationship, but near the border with the Sassanian empire, John is abducted, castrated, and then sold off to the Imperial government as a eunuch. He first works under the Master of the Plate, Leukos (who is murdered by a corrupt innkeeper in Bk 1), but wins his freedom and eventually rises to the rank of Imperial Chamberlain after investigation into the death of a Byzantine magnate named Hypatius (Bk 4).
Although John enjoys the confidence of the emperor, his escapades and investigations makes him many enemies, from the page boy Hektor all the way to the empress Theodora (whose murder of a young Gothic prince has to be covered up by John in Bk 2). John however is not without allies, ranging from his colleagues Felix and Anatolius, all the way to his servants Hypatia and Peter, and much later his daughter by Cornelia, named Europa.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
== External links== {{Wikiquote|John, the Lord Chamberlain}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:John The Lord Chamberlain}} Category:Historical novel series Category:Mystery novel series Category:Fictional Turkish detectives Category:Novels set in the Byzantine Empire Category:Novels set in the 6th century Category:Cultural depictions of Justinian I Category:Cultural depictions of Theodora I Category:Works based on nursery rhymes