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The Riddle Of St Leonard's
The Riddle Of St Leonard's
Nov 1, 2024 5:41 AM

Author:Candace Robb

The Riddle Of St Leonard's

Let Candace Robb take you back in time to Medieval York in this enthralling, authentic and gripping mystery, full of incident and intrigue. Fans of Ellis Peters, S J Parris, Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell will love this!

'Gripping and believable... you can almost smell the streets of fourteenth-century York as you delve into an engrossing plot' -- Prima

'Robb is uncommonly good at period atmosphere, immersing the reader in the everyday horrors of the plague... she distinguishes herself by putting together an engrossing puzzle' -- Publishers Weekly

'Hugely, but subtly, detailed... complex, ambiguous and gripping' - Historical Novels Review

'An excellent and enjoyable read' -- ***** Reader review

'A ripping good yarn!' -- ***** Reader review

'A most addictive read' -- ***** Reader review

'A fascinating, realistic and vivid read' -- ***** Reader review

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AN UNEXPLAINED SPATE OF DEATHS CAUSES SUSPICION...ARE THEY ACCIDENTAL OR METICULOUSLY PLANNED?

1369: The much loved Queen Philippa lies dying at Windsor, and the plague has returned to the city of York. In an atmosphere of fear and superstition, rumours spread that a spate of deaths at St Leonard's Hospital in York is no accident. The hospital is in debt and has suffered thefts: Sir Richard de Ravenser, Master of the Hospital, returns from Winchester painfully aware that scandal could ruin his own career. Anxious to avert a crisis, he requests the services of Owen Archer, spy for the Archbishop.

With plague rife and the city's inhabitants besieging his wife, the Apothecary, for new cures, Owen Archer is unwilling to become involved. There is too little to link the victims to each other: the riddle seems unsolvable.

But careful enquiries reveal a further riddle, connected to one of the victims. Is this where the truth lies?

Reviews

Complex, classy crime

—— Mirror

One of the best writers in this genre ... And nobody does it better

—— The Sunday Telegraph

The thing about Lee Child's books is that you can't put the damn things down... there's something about his writing that's addictive. The Enemy is no exception...Superb

—— Independent on Sunday

Lee Child fans will love this prequel to the bestselling Jack Reacher novels. At last Child shares the events that shaped the maverick hero of his last six novels into an ass-kicking, irreverent good guy. If you're one of the few people who haven't sampled the sublime thrill of a Child novel, this blast from the past is the best place to start

—— Scottish Daily Record

An unforgettable hero...may be the best Reacher book yet

—— Newsweek

Packs a Dirty Harry wallop...Lean, dynamic storytelling

—— New York Times

Possibly Child's best Reacher novel yet

—— Yorkshire Post

Another great book for him, gives us hero Jack Reacher's back-story. Hurrah

—— Kate Atkinson , Daily Telegraph

Lee Child writes a good story, twisting it into labyrinthine folds and keeping his readers guessing right to the end. He has obviously done his research

—— Irish Times

Utterley irresistible, proof that there is no substitute...

—— Observer

This is history as it ought to have been.

—— The Spectator

Against 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 Guide

The 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 OBSERVER

Gruesome and compelling

—— Evening Standard

Norwegian 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 , Independent

Nesbo 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

—— Shortlist

The plot is intriguing, and Nesbo's writing is as taught as ever

—— Sunday Times

It'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 Review

There are passages [which are] so anatomically gruesome...that they can only be properly read through the gaps between protecting fingers

—— Prospect

Norwegian 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
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