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Genre/Form: | Historical fiction Suspense fiction Thrillers (Fiction) Fiction Mystery fiction Romans, nouvelles, etc Investigation |
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Named Person: | Henry, King of England; Henry, King of England |
Material Type: | Fiction |
Document Type: | Book |
All Authors / Contributors: |
Ariana Franklin |
ISBN: | 9780399154140 0399154140 9780593056486 0593056485 9780425219256 0425219259 |
OCLC Number: | 70803419 |
Awards: | CWA Ellis Peters Award, 2007. |
Description: | 384 pages : map ; 24 cm |
Responsibility: | Ariana Franklin. |
More information: |
Abstract:
Reviews
WorldCat User Reviews (1)
Excellent historical mystery with well-developed characters
In 1171, Simon Menahem of Naples, Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, and Adelia's servant Mansur are summoned from their homes in sunny Salerno to the chilly clime of Cambridge, England, to uncover the monster who has brutally murdered four small children, all of whose deaths have been blamed...
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In 1171, Simon Menahem of Naples, Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar, and Adelia's servant Mansur are summoned from their homes in sunny Salerno to the chilly clime of Cambridge, England, to uncover the monster who has brutally murdered four small children, all of whose deaths have been blamed on the town's Jewish population. King Henry II is displeased to have lost so much revenue since the Jews have been sequestered in the sheriff's castle for protection for the past year, and he has asked his cousin to send experts. Simon is the King of Sicily's chief investigator, and Adelia is Salerno's top "doctor of death" (the medieval equivalent of a forensic pathologist). The two friends must fight prejudice and suspicion to solve the crimes before the killer takes any more lives, including their own.
Why is it often so much more difficult to review a really good book? I've been working on this review on and off for nearly a week, and all I can think of is, "It's really good. If you like historical mysteries with well-written characters, you'll love this book. Don't let the odd Greek-chorus-like opening and closing put you off. Those parts don't last very long, thankfully." I don't know what else to say that doesn't give anything away.
For readers' advisors: character, story, and setting doorways. Lots of historically based swearing. Not a cozy mystery because of the suspense and the horrific damage done to the children. Some nudity and one mild (and improbable, given the injuries sustained just prior) sex scene.
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Tags
All user tags (10)
- character doorway (by 2 people)
- first in series (by 2 people)
- historical fiction (by 2 people)
- mystery (by 2 people)
- setting doorway (by 2 people)
- story doorway (by 2 people)
- 12th century england (by 1 person)
- historical setting (by 1 person)
- sexual abuse (by 1 person)
- sexual content (by 1 person)
- 1 items are tagged with12th century england
- 2 items are tagged withcharacter doorway
- 2 items are tagged withfirst in series
- 2 items are tagged withhistorical fiction
- 1 items are tagged withhistorical setting
- 2 items are tagged withmystery
- 2 items are tagged withsetting doorway
- 1 items are tagged withsexual abuse
- 1 items are tagged withsexual content
- 2 items are tagged withstory doorway
Similar Items
Related Subjects:(15)
- Henry -- II, -- King of England, -- 1133-1189 -- Fiction.
- Women forensic pathologists -- Fiction.
- Cambridge (England) -- Fiction.
- Aguilar, Adelia (Fictitious character) -- Fiction.
- Middle Ages -- Fiction.
- Crimes -- Fiction.
- Femmes pathologistes judiciaires -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.
- Henry -- II, -- King of England, -- 1133-1189.
- Aguilar, Adelia (Fictitious character)
- Women forensic pathologists.
- England -- Cambridge.
- Women physicians -- Fiction.
- Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.
- Aguilar, Adelia (Fictional character) -- Fiction.
- Antisemitism -- Fiction.
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