Author:Manda Scott,Philip Stevens
Brought to you by Penguin.
From the Sunday Times bestselling author Manda Scott, a high-octane, stirring and exciting historical adventure full of intrigue and action. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Robert Harris and Conn Iggulden.
TO SAVE ROME HE MUST PLACE HIS TRUST IN ANOTHER.
Sebastos Pantera, known to his many enemies as the Leopard and something of a lone wolf, is the spy the Emperor Nero uses only for the most challenging and important of missions. His next mission: to find the most dangerous man in Rome's empire and bring him to bloody justice.
His prey is cunning, subtle and ruthless. Saulos has pledged to bring about the destruction of Rome and her provinces and now fate, good luck and planning have given him the means to do so.
The brilliance of Saulos' plan will be difficult to combat, but Pantera has a new ally: a king in the making who could change the future of his people - a man he can finally trust. If they work together, they could bring a province back from the edge of ruin.
But first, they must attempt the impossible; an assault on an invulnerable fortress, where failure means death to them both.
"Intricately woven, cleverly plotted. Miss this at your peril!" -- BEN KANE
"Intelligent, historical...I was bereft when I turned the final page." -- ROBERT LOW
"A dazzling, wonderfully crafted tale. Spellbinding." -- GILES KRISTIAN
© Manda Scott 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
Religious and political tensions, passion and intrigue, superb action sequences and real and imagined characters are seamlessly woven together to create a fascinating and exciting story on a truly epic scale
—— LAURA WILSON , GuardianA dramatic new version of the past...grippingly sustained
—— JANE JAKEMAN , IndependentRome: The Coming of the King is an intricately woven, cleverly plotted and exceedingly well-written book. Miss it at your peril!
—— BEN KANEStunningly good. Rome: The Coming of the King gives the reader the extraordinary sense of living within another time and place - smelling its smells, tasting its tastes, thinking its thoughts and dreaming its dreams … A quite exceptional historical novel
—— ANDREW TAYLORFrom the deserts and the people who roam them, to the cities and the kings who rule them, MC Scott deftly recreates the dangerous world of a country dominated by Rome. Superbly written and immaculately researched, Rome: The Coming of the King left me desperate to know what happens next!
—— DOUGLAS JACKSONPatterson is in a class by himself.
—— VANITY FAIRDazzling. Adams takes the fascination history of a convict ship and brings it to life in a captivating story filled with intrigue and dark secrets. An immensely satisfying tale of guilt, innocent and second chances
—— Emma Rous , author of The Au PairWell-written, engaging and thoroughly compelling. I love it when forgotten histories are brought to light, and touch the reader so that they immediately want to know more
—— Elizabeth ChadwickA gripping exploration of female solidarity in a time of crisis and claustrophobia. Hope Adams sets the grubby injustices of a misogynistic legal system against the beauty of creating a work of art and, through that art, stitching together an unlikely community
—— Caroline Lea, author of The Glass WomanHope Adams has skilfully patched a murder mystery into a historical event . . . Masterful plotting, well-drawn characters, and a plausible balance of despair for what was left behind and optimism for what lies ahead add up to an immensely satisfying read
—— GuardianAdams disguises a social-history lesson on women's rights as a gripping period drama and we're here for it
—— CosmopolitanA fabulous, page-turning novel that kept me gripped. Bringing together murder, convicts and patchwork quilting - all aboard a ship bound for Australia - it's impossible not to become engaged with these women and their individual plights - especially once everyone becomes a suspect
—— Jane Harris , author of The ObservationsA ship of convict women - all with their secrets - on the way to a new life in a new land, but facing danger all the way - this is a locked room mystery to end all locked room mysteries!
—— Sophia Bennett , author of The Windsor KnotA fine story of suspense, sisterhood and society, reflecting the harshness of women's lives and their desperation to survive in a world that has scant regard for their wellbeing
—— Daily MailA page-turning murder mystery and a richly-drawn tale of women caught up in a male-dominated world, hoping for a better life. Descriptions of the poorer class of women in Victorian England are moving and evocative, the period details terrifically well-researched. I felt I was on that transport ship with those women, facing the storms and living their joys and sorrows
—— Carol DrinkwaterCombines historical fiction with tremendously gripping entertainment. Who on a ship of convicted women sailing from London to Tasmania is a murderer?
—— Amanda Craig , author of The Golden RuleA truly engrossing historical 'locked room' thriller
—— Essie FoxA must-read for lovers of fearless historical fiction, and an examination of the shocking treatment of women in our not-too distant past
—— Alma Katsu , author of The DeepNerves fray, alliances form, and love blooms in this fast paced, well-written novel. This is a great page-turner!
—— Mystery and Suspense MagazineA historical episode artfully adapted in a tale that offers glimmers of hope for women discarded by society
—— KirkusWonderful, evocative, moving and suspenseful
—— Marika Cobbold , author of On Hampstead HeathA vivid, cleverly-crafted mystery that will keep the reader turning the pages
—— Erica James , bestselling author of Letters from the PastIt's a fantastically exciting story, and a wonderful novel. There is so much more going on, on the Rajah, in this unity of women, than a simple love story
—— Antonia HoneywellTransforms an actual 19th-century sea voyage of female convicts into a striking drama. The ship's young matron chooses a group to sew a presentation quilt, but near their destination, someone stabs one of the quilters. Evocative sketches of those on board reveal the realities of poor women's lives - readers will be rewarded
—— Publisher's WeeklyA murder mystery with a great twist at the end . . . Gripping
—— iDangerous Women is a successful blend of two genres: a historical novel, inspired by real events, and a murder mystery with a great twist at the end. By the time I was halfway through I was completely gripped, and couldn't put it down
—— Wendy CopeAn enthralling narrative . . . lays bare the painful lives of these women, far from their homes and loved ones, and feeling the brutal weight of the law
—— Northern Life MagazineThis atmospheric narrative excels in its depiction of the relationship between female prisoners - largely petty criminals - and the tragic backstories that have brought them together
—— Mail on SundayPacked with atmosphere . . . a terrific read
—— Choice Magazine 'Book of the Month'A very fine novel - and, like the quilt it celebrates, a work of love
—— Mick HerronUtterly compelling and as finely wrought as the patchwork quilt that inspired the story
—— Minette Walters , author of the bestselling The Last HoursFascinating. Gives women without one a voice - a storming read
—— Helena PielichatyA compelling, immersive book that deftly weaves its beauty and pathos. I'm still thinking about it
—— Hilary McKayAn enthralling story, inspired by true events
—— BestA secret murder on a convict ship transporting women to Australia in 1841 . . . this is an intriguing story, with its root embedded in facts
—— Andrew TaylorIntriguing . . . [Hope Adams] can stitch a great story
—— Jewish ChronicleIn vivid detail, Hope Adams illuminates life in convict quarters on a stinking, storm-soaked ship, and delves into the lives of individual women and the small tragedies that have condemned them to be sent far away, with little hope of return
—— Jewish ChronicleA well-paced page-turner illuminating a forgotten story that reminds us how far we have come
—— Jewish ChroniclePulls you into the heart of its story, while celebrating redemption, rehabilitation and the good in people. All set to the backdrop of a truly fascinating slice of history
—— Phase Eight Book ClubHistorical events and characters are cleverly blended into a thought-provoking tale
—— CandisAdams disguises a social-history lesson on women's rights as a gripping period drama
—— Cosmopolitan