Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the
Art of Death #1)
by Ariana Franklin
A chilling,
mesmerizing novel that combines the best of modern forensic thrillers with the
detail and drama of historical fiction.
In medieval
Cambridge, England, four children have been murdered. The crimes are
immediately blamed on the town's Jewish community, taken as evidence that Jews
sacrifice Christian children in blasphemous ceremonies. To save them from the
rioting mob, the king places the Cambridge Jews under his protection and hides
them in a castle fortress. King Henry I is no friend of the Jews-or anyone,
really-but he is invested in their fate. Without the taxes received from Jewish
merchants, his treasuries would go bankrupt. Hoping scientific investigation
will exonerate the Jews, Henry calls on his cousin the King of Sicily-whose
subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest
"master of the art of death," an early version of the medical examiner.
The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University
of Salerno. But her name is Adelia-the king has been sent a mistress of the art
of death.
Adelia and her
companions-Simon, a Jew, and Mansur, a Moor-travel to England to unravel the
mystery of the Cambridge murders, which turn out to be the work of a serial
killer, most likely one who has been on Crusade with the king. In a backward
and superstitious country like England, Adelia must conceal her true identity
as a doctor in order to avoid accusations of witchcraft. Along the way, she is
assisted by Sir Rowley Picot, one of the king's tax collectors, a man with a
personal stake in the investigation. Rowley may be a needed friend, or the
fiend for whom they are searching. As Adelia's investigation takes her into
Cambridge's shadowy river paths and behind the closed doors of its churches and
nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again . .
You can download this book from :
You can download this book from :
The Serpent's Tale (Mistress of the Art of Death
#2)
by Ariana Franklin
Ariana Franklin
combines the best of modern forensic thrillers with the drama of historical
fiction in the enthralling second novel in the Mistress of the Art of Death
series, featuring medieval heroine Adelia Aguilar.
Rosamund Clifford,
the mistress of King Henry II, has died an agonizing death by poison-and the
king's estranged queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, is the prime suspect. Henry
suspects that Rosamund's murder is probably the first move in Eleanor's
long-simmering plot to overthrow him. If Eleanor is guilty, the result could be
civil war. The king must once again summon Adelia Aguilar, mistress of the art
of death, to uncover the truth.
Adelia is not
happy to be called out of retirement. She has been living contentedly in the
countryside, caring for her infant daughter, Allie. But Henry's summons cannot
be ignored, and Adelia must again join forces with the king's trusted fixer,
Rowley Picot, the Bishop of St. Albans, who is also her baby's father.
Adelia and Rowley
travel to the murdered courtesan's home, in a tower within a walled labyrinth-a
strange and sinister place from the outside, but far more so on the inside,
where a bizarre and gruesome discovery awaits them. But Adelia's investigation
is cut short by the appearance of Rosamund's rival: Queen Eleanor. Adelia,
Rowley, and the other members of her small party are taken captive by Eleanor's
henchmen and held in the nunnery of Godstow, where Eleanor is holed up for the
winter with her band of mercenaries, awaiting the right moment to launch their
rebellion.
Isolated and
trapped inside the nunnery by the snow and cold, Adelia and Rowley watch as
dead bodies begin piling up. Adelia knows that there may be more than one
killer at work, and she must unveil their true identities before England is
once again plunged into civil war . . .
You can download
this book from :
Grave Goods (Mistress of the Art of Death #3)
by Ariana Franklin
Combining the best
of modern forensic thrillers with the drama of medieval fiction, New York
Times' bestselling author Ariana Franklin returns with the third title in the
Mistress of the Art of Death series.
England, 1176.
Beautiful, tranquil Glastonbury Abbey- one of England's holiest sites, and
believed by some to be King Arthur's sacred Isle of Avalon- has been burned
almost to the ground. The arsonist remains at large, but the fire has uncovered
something even more shocking: two hidden skeletons, a man and a woman. The
skeletons' height and age send rumors flying- are the remains those of Arthur
and Guinevere?
King Henry II
hopes so. Struggling to put down a rebellion in Wales, where the legend of
Celtic savior Arthur is particularly strong, Henry wants definitive proof that
the bones are Arthur's. If the rebels are sure that the Once and Future King
will not be coming to their aid, Henry can stamp out the insurgence for good.
He calls on Adelia Aguilar, Mistress of the Art of Death, to examine the bones.
Henry's summons
comes not a moment too soon, for Adelia has worn out her welcome in Cambridge.
As word of her healing powers has spread, so have rumors of witchcraft. So
Adelia and her household ride to Glastonbury, where the investigation into the
abbey fire will be overseen by the Church authorities'in this case, the Bishop
of St. Albans, who happens also to be the father of Adelia's daughter.
You can download
this book from :
A Murderous Procession (Mistress of the Art of
Death #4)
by Ariana Franklin
Adelia is back in
this thrilling fourth installment of the Mistress of the Art of Death series.
In 1176, King
Henry II sends his daughter Joanna to Palermo to marry his cousin, the king of
Sicily. Henry chooses Adelia Aguilar, his Mistress of the Art of Death, to
travel with the princess and safeguard her health. But when people in the
wedding procession are murdered, Adelia and Rowley must discover the killer's
identity . . . and whether he is stalking the princess or Adelia herself.
You can download this book from :
You can download this book from :
No comments:
Post a Comment