This is the first paperback edition (2004) of James Patterson's and Andrew Gross' 'The Jester' originally published in 2003 by Headline Book Publishing. Cover design is by www.blacksheep-uk.com; cover photography copyright Image State. Storyline: Arriving home disillusioned from the Crusades, Hugh DeLuc finds his village ransacked and his wife abducted. Dark riders came in the dead of night, like devils, wearing no colours but black crosses on their chests. Knights they may be, but honour and chivalry are not part of their code. They search for a relic, one worth more than any throne, and no man can stand in their way. Until Hugh, disguised as a Jester, is able to infiltrate the castle where he believes his wife is being held. And when a man is fighting for freedom-and for everything he holds dear-he will prove a formidable opponent. The Jester is a breathtaking, pulse-pounding adventure, sure to bring enjoyment to readers who like their novels full of a fight between good and evil.