"The Queen's Man" and "Cruel as the Grave" depict the period after King Henry II's death, as Eleanor, about age 70, rules the Angevin empire with one son (Richard) in captivity, and another son (John) hovering at the edge of power.The third novel in the series, "The Dragon's Lair", is set during the same period, but Penman shifts the locale to northwest England and north Wales.