TBR Challenge: Mistress of the Art of Death; Ariana Franklin

I picked this title to read for the TBR Challenge over at Keishon's blog Avid Reader. Link to Ms. Franklin's site is in the title above. This title was published in the US by Putnam's Sons in 2007. The image here is of the audio edition becaue the cover is brighter & sharper than the others I found. I read the book. Image from Audioeditions.com MOTAOD is set in 1171 Cambridge England. I was captured by the jacket sleeve description and the cover image. I absolutely love historical mysteries, especially ones that start with a bang and capture my interest right off the bat. Which happens less often than you might think.

Beginning in the previous year several children have been brutally murdered. The convenient scapegoat was the local Jewish population, who have since been locked in the sheriff's castle for their own protection. The King is in a politically and financially delicate situation. He needs the Jews released because they are, in effect, the nation's bankers. He's also responsible for the safety of the population, and perhaps he should try to see that justice is served. Er. So how to exact justice without unduly roiling the peasants or the Church? Because, you know, the murder of Thomas a Becket caused Henry no end of problems. This is an actual event: four of Henry's men behead Becket in church during the vespers service. The aftermath of Becket's murder has a direct impact on Adelia & her investigation into the deaths, which is why I raise this point here. Hmm. Now that I think of it, one of Adelia's suspects shares a name with one of the known participants in Becket's murder. Nice touch. Icky though. *shiver*

Arriving in England from Salerno Italy are Adelia Aguilar, a female physician specializing in death and decomposition; Simon Menahem, an elderly man in the employ of the King of Sicily & her escort and a tall, imposing Muslim named Mansur who happens to be Adelia's servant. Along the main road to Cambridge Adelia has the great good fortune to come across Prior Geoffrey, an Augustinian with significant power and influence in the region. In rescuing Prior Geoffrey from an enlarged prostate, Adelia wins herself an ally who is able to set her up in Cambridge and set the trio off on the right foot. Also playing meaningful roles are Gyltha the housekeeper (and Geoffrey's former paramour) and her nine year old grandson Ulf. Oh yes, remember too the smelly dog Safeguard.

Anyhow. First, this is not history lite. Second, I will warn you that the end section of the book is exceptionally gruesome without being explicit. Third, the relationship between Adelia and Sir Roland Picot the King's tax collector is prickly- yet also disarming & realistic. A nice touch. I like them together, they balance each other. All of the characters are drawn in with a very sharp attention to detail, very realistic and rounded. I admit to figuring out the identity of the 'bad guy', but it took me a good while and I really wasn't 100% sure until the end.

An excellent book. I plan to collect this author.

March Synopsis

I only finished two reviews this month, although I read three books. There just isn't time enough in the day to finish everything that needs to be done.


Sword of Shame, Medieval Murderers

A Rose for the Crown, Anne Easter Smith

The Sword of Shame; Medieval Murderers

I found this completely by accident, it was shelved in the science fiction section (???). This title is an anthology of medieval set mysteries centered around a sword and what happens to those who own it or come across it over the course of several centuries. Individual stories are written by Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Susanna Gregory and Philip Gooden. Not all of whom I have been able to find in my local bookstores. Jacket image found on Amazon.com. The photo of the authors found on Michael Jecks' website.

The sword was crafted by a Saxon sworsmith before the invasion of William the Conqueror. Very soon afterward the sword affects the fate of the swordsmith's family. It is then passed on and sold and traded and so on. We watch the sword as its form changes and as it touches the lives of its owners. It moves from Britain to Italy and back to London over time.

Can an inanimate object be evil? Without specific intent by the smith or anyone else involved in crafting it? As an example, in some stories an object is specifically made as a ritual object and over time with use and intent it becomes imbued with atmosphere or awareness. This sword, which I don't think ever has a specific name despite being inscribed, somehow manages to involve itself in shady goings on. But does it influence it's owners in a negative manner?

All of the stories are well written, but as is usual with anthologies of any type, possibly excepting those edited by Datlow and Windling, some appealed more than others.