The Rook (novel)/Plot

## This article contains the plot of the novel; there are spoilers in here

A young woman in her thirties wakes up in a park surrounded by bodies who are all wearing latex gloves. She is unable to remember anything about herself or how she or the bodies got there. She finds an envelope in her coat pocket addressed, "To You". Inside is a letter that telling her that the body of the person reading this previously belonged to a "Myfanwy Thomas", who worked in a secret government organization and was targeted by an unknown assassin. The letter offers the young woman (who we call Myfanwy, and call the version of herself before her memories were lost "Thomas") a choice; she can take up the life of the woman before her and discover the identity of the would-be killer, or set out with a new identity.

Myfanwy initially chooses to take up a new identity but quickly encounters major problems and chooses to take up Thomas' life and discover who wants her dead. Thomas has left her with a binder that outlines the organization known as the Checquy Group, which combats the supernatural and unnatural threats against Great Britain. Many of the members possess supernatural powers; only the ones with such powers are allowed to hold positions of real authority. Myfanwy finds that her specific power is control over other people's bodies through touch, and that her predecessor never truly fully explored it. Thomas was a member of the inner court of the Checquy, a Rook, which allowed her to research the workings of the organization. Myfanwy uses the binder heavily throughout the book, especially when it comes to trying to decide who she can and cannot trust. She quickly discovers that while Thomas was skilled at organization and management, she was very timid and shy when it came to interpersonal relationships. This was at least partially a result of how she was inducted into the Checquy as a nine-year-old girl, when she was interrogated in a manner that we are not shown.

Myfanwy does show skill at her job and finds she's able to do more with her powers than Thomas was, this is implied to be the result of Thomas' developing psychological blocks on her powers due to the traumatic experiences that activated them, and to her treatment in the aftermath which Myfanwy has not 'inherited'. This makes her stand out more with the other members of the Checquy, especially when Myfanwy uses them to dispatch a large patch of semi-sentient mold and a large cube of carnivorous flesh. She also discovers that many recent troubles are due to a group known as the Grafters, a group of Belgians who were seemingly destroyed in the 1600s after failing to conquer the Isle of Wight. The group was seen as monstrous because of its knowledge of genetic and surgical modification techniques. They were considered a dire threat by the Checquy.

Myfanwy discovers that her fellow Rook, Rook Gestalt, is working for the Grafters although Gestalt isn't the one who had tried to kill her. She publicly accuses Gestalt of treason at a Checquy social event and this leads to senior members of the Cheqcuy Group being attacked by some of the non-powered members, the Retainers. Two of the Gestalt bodies are captured, with two escaping. This exacerbates Myfanwy's fears for herself, as well as for her sister Bronwyn, who has tracked her down but is unaware of Myfanwy's true identity as a supernatural operative. Myfanwy initially suspects Bishop Alrich, a vampire, is the culprit, but eventually discovers that it is actually Bishop Grantchester, the council member whom Thomas replaced as Rook when he was promoted. Grantchester attempts to have Myfanwy's mind wiped again, but she kills the Grafter attempting to do so and two of Gestalt's bodies in the process. Grantchester escapes, but the remaining Grafter threats are killed, and the remaining Gestalt bodies either taken captive or killed.

Myfanwy finds one of the founders of the Grafters in her office, wanting to discuss a potential merger of his group with the Chequy Group. With some misgivngs Myfanwy agrees to start discussions with the remaining members of The Court. She decides to remain with the court but will not be telling anyone else about her memory loss.