Author:Candace Robb
Political skullduggery, passion and ambition clash in this intriguing, evocative and compelling novel by much loved author Candace Robb. Vividly conjuring up the medieval world, it's the perfect treat for fans of Ellis Peters, S J Parris, Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.
'Robb deftly interweaves a complex story of love, passion and murder into the troubled and tangled fabric of Welsh history, fashioning a rich and satisfying novel' -- Publishers Weekly
'This compelling historical mystery lives up to the standard set by the master medievalist Ellis Peters' -- Booklist
'Entertaining and informative' -- ***** Reader review
'A must-read' -- ***** Reader review
'Very exciting and captivating' -- ***** Reader review
'Superb' -- ***** Reader review
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POLITICS, PASSION AND AMBITION COMBINE WITH MURDEROUS RESULTS...
1369: a pilgrimage wends its way to the sacred city of St David's. Owen Archer, ex-soldier and sometime spy, accompanies the party to recruit archers for the Duke of Lancaster, who prepares to fight the French. But he and Geoffrey Chaucer have another, covert, mission: to ascertain whether the Duke's steward at Cydweli is betraying him to Welsh rebels.
Trouble precedes them: a body in the Duke's livery is left at the city gates. And when Owen rides on to Cydweli he finds the household of the steward and his beautiful young wife rocked by the theft of money from the exchequer and riven by tension, culminating in another violent attack.
He must work fast to investigate charges of treachery, infidelity and murder if he is to prevent further deaths.
Robb deftly interweaves a complex story of love, passion and murder into the troubled and tangled fabric of Welsh history, fashioning a rich and satisfying novel
—— Publishers WeeklyThis compelling historical mystery lives up to the standard set by the master medievalist Ellis Peters
—— BooklistPacks a terrific punch and comes complete with pace and panache . . . Hayman doesn't write for the faint-hearted . . . Taut, deft and with a delicate sense of place, this is supremely accomplished storytelling
—— Daily MailCostume drama at its best. The ethos of turn-of-the-century Vienna...is very seductive. Tallis has done his research to good effect, and it seems that the only really fictional element in the whole novel is the crime itself. The elegance of the highbrow conversations between the main characters is winning...All this makes for pleasant reading, while the descriptions of the elaborate good manners and old-fashioned moral code are soothing. And yet there is an edge to what might otherwise be cloying...luxuriously enjoyable
—— TLSTallis's mysteries seduce a legion of fans with well-crafted intrigues and sumptuous atmospheres. This latest adds to its rich mix a terrific cameo from the tyrant of the opera: Gustav Mahler
—— i, Independent...it's dark and satisfying and beautifully read by David Jason
—— Kati Nicholl , Daily Express'A highly entertaining whodunnit...Franklin is an adept storyteller who disseminates her research into the period with clarity and lightness of touch'
—— THE TIMESSeamlessly weaving real and fictitious characters with vivid descriptions of medieval life from limb-amputation to ice-skating, The Death Maze is a rich banquet of a book.
—— GUARDIANCaptivating...this excellent adventure delivers high drama.
—— NEW YORK TIMESMesmerizing...A colourful cast of characters, both good and evil, enhance a tale that will keep readers on edge until the final page.
—— PUBLISHERS WEEKLYThis is history as it ought to have been.
—— The SpectatorAgainst the well-researched background of intrigue and rebellion we are plunged into the uncertain 12th century, in this accomplished and engrossing historical mystery.
—— Good Book GuideThe deserved winner of this year's Ellis Peters Historical Dagger is a cunningly plotted tale set in medieval Cambridge. A serial killer is at large, and the Jews are blamed. Henry I offers protection because he needs the money. He sends a medical examiner - a master of the art of death - to find the killer. Great stuff
—— THE OBSERVERGruesome and compelling
—— Evening StandardNorwegian star Jo Nesbo has obliterated most of his Scandinavian rivals in the bestseller stakes, with The Leopard published in paperback this week... The uncrowned king of Norwegian crime fiction is Jo Nesbo. Books such as The Redbreast (2000) and his imposing novel The Snowman have propelled Nesbo to the heights. Apart from its narrative finesse, his work also provides a coolly objective guide to fluctuations in Norwegian society. There is also a universal feeling that his work is more strikingly individual than that of most of his Scandinavian colleagues... Harry is a lone wolf, a chronic alcoholic separated from his wife and child but in touch with the zeitgeist of his country. And Nesbo gives us a sharp picture of Norwegian society in flux, crammed with relevant detail - as you might expect from an ex-freelance journalist, particularly where the role of the media is described
—— Barry Forshaw , IndependentNesbo has a skill for dispatching his victims with increasing inventiveness, and he barely lets you draw breath before delivering a virtuoso torture and death scene in the opening chapter
—— ShortlistThe plot is intriguing, and Nesbo's writing is as taught as ever
—— Sunday TimesIt's fascinating to discover, from the incident details, what it is like to live for much of the time in a world under snow... Nesbo writes beautifully
—— Jessica Mann , Literary ReviewThere are passages [which are] so anatomically gruesome...that they can only be properly read through the gaps between protecting fingers
—— ProspectNorwegian star Jo Nesbo has obliterated most of his Scandinavian rivals in the bestseller stakes, with The Leopard published in paperback this week...The uncrowned king of Norwegian crime fiction is Jo Nesbo. Books such as The Redbreast (2000) and his imposing novel The Snowman have propelled Nesbo to the heights. Apart from its narrative finesse, his work also provides a coolly objective guide to fluctuations in Norwegian society. There is also a universal feeling that his work is more strikingly individual than that of most of his Scandinavian colleagues...Harry is a lone wolf, a chronic alcoholic separated from his wife and child but in touch with the zeitgeist of his country. And Nesbo gives us a sharp picture of Norwegian society in flux, crammed with relevant detail - as you might expect from an ex - freelance journalist, particularly where the role of the media is described
—— Independent