Book Extract: A Brotherly Devotion By Jill Bray

Published January 13, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Jill Bray to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, A Brotherly Devotion.

YORK 1224: On a hot July night, Brother Clement is savagely murdered when returning from administering to Lady Maud de Mowbray.

Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is in his office when Abbot Robert visits to inform him of the murder, and request that he take responsibility for investigating the killing.

Simon is unsure whether the murder is a crime against the Abbey, or if it is a more personal matter against the monk.

Commencing their investigation, Simon and his deputy, Adam, ride out to see Lady Maud de Mowbray at Overton – the last person to see Brother Clement alive. When they encounter her son, Roger de Mowbray, they both take an instant dislike to him.

Lady Mowbray reveals to Simon that she intends to leave her money to the Abbey, and Simon can see this being a motive for the monk’s murder, if her son was aware of this.

The investigation gathers pace and a murder weapon is found.

A banquet is held at the castle to honour the Royal Justice – during which, one of the guests is exposed as the murderer and apprehended. But that will not be the end of the story for Simon and his family.

Jill has shared an extract from A Brotherly Devotion with us today. We hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

This extract is taken from Chapter 5 when Alexander visits Simon to ask for Katherine’s hand in marriage, only to be told that Simon has already promised her to Lord Fitzwarren and has received the King’s approval for the match.

*****

“Alexander, it is good to finally meet you. My daughter Katherine has told me about you.”

Alexander looked up expectantly and a little surprised. “So, you know why I am here then?”

Simon nodded. “Katherine spoke with me last evening.” He was about to continue when Alexander interrupted.

“So, you will know that I love her very much.” He began eagerly, his blue eyes sparkling and clearly nervous. “I have spoken with my own father, and he is agreeable to the marriage. I can assure you that I will take care of her and provide for her. After we are married, we will live with my family to start with, but in time I am hoping to renovate one of the properties on my father’s estate.”

Simon admired Alexanders’ enthusiasm, but he held up his hand to stop him from continuing. He had to put an end to this now, before it went too far. The last thing he wanted was to lead Alexander into thinking there was any chance of him marrying Katherine.

“Alexander, I appreciate everything that you are saying, and, in any other circumstances, I can assure you that I would be agreeable to your request.” Simon paused. “But I’m afraid that you cannot marry Katherine.” He added and watched as Alexander’s face changed as he absorbed the news. “Katherine didn’t know this until yesterday, which is why she didn’t tell you, but I’ve already agreed to a betrothal for her to Lord William Fitzwarren. It is a match that I am in favour of and, due to my position, I have sought the Kings approval for it, which he has given.”

Simon watched as the colour drained from the young man’s face, and it took on a grey pallor. He felt genuinely sorry for Alexander; he was a handsome young man from a good family and normally he would have been happy to give his blessing for the betrothal, but it was too late for that now. Simon considered that Alexander must be aware that nothing more could be done by either of them. The King had approved the marriage, and an agreement had been reached with Lord Fitzwarren. It was far too late now for that to be changed. As Katherines’ father he had made a good and respectable match for her. But looking at the young man in front of him he could see that Alexander’s feelings for his daughter were true and honest; and Simon felt it wrench at his soul; he understood the heartache of loss all too well and wished he didn’t have to be the bearer of such sadness.

“I wish she had told me earlier that you were seeing each other. If I had known, then I would not have made the arrangements for her betrothal.” He tried to offer some solace to Alexander.

“And Katherine had no idea that she was to be betrothed?” Alexander breathed.

“As I said, she did not know about it, until last evening. I was awaiting a reply from the King to give his agreement to the match, before I told her.”

He watched as Alexander nodded slowly, his head bowed, before he asked. “And there is nothing I can do to change this?”

Simon shook his head regretfully. “Nothing, I’m afraid.” He could almost feel the young man’s distress. “It has all been agreed and I am not in a position to go back on my word. I am sorry.”

*****end of extract*****

About Jill Bray –

Jill lives on the Island of Guernsey now, but is originally from Yorkshire. She has a love of early medieval history which led her to study the subject at Huddersfield College in the 1980’s.

Working in Leeds at the time, meant that she had access to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society on their late night opening and following research, she wondered what the lives of the people she read about were actually like. This started a love of writing historical fiction, but her initial stories were never sent to a publisher.

Life and work then intervened and writing was put to one side. It was only following a workshop held by the Guernsey Literary Festival in 2024 on writing historical fiction, that her love of writing was reignited.

Her first novel ‘A Brotherly Devotion’ was published in July 2025.

Say hello to Jill via her website and on Facebook and X.

Click to buy A Brotherly Devotion on Amazon UK and Amazon US.