Mistress of the Art of Death
by Ariana Franklin
"CSI meets the Canterbury Tales"...
Mistress of the Art of Death is the first title in a new mystery-suspense series that takes place in medieval England. The heroine, Adelia, is summoned to England from Italy by King Henry II to solve an ongoing series of murders that left unsolved will cause major political strife for the king and a war between the townspeople.
Children are being murdered in Cambridge and the Catholic townsfolk are blaming their Jewish neighbors. Henry II, whose main concern is law and order and his income from taxes, sends for help from his cousin, the King of Sicily. From the University of Salerno comes a "Master of the Art of Death" or the medieval equivalent of a medical examiner.
The surprise is that this medical graduate is a "Mistress" which causes Adelia great deal of strife in trying to accomplish the task set before her by the King. With excellent attention to period detail, we follow the heroine through the dense web of events, evidence and conspiracies that both help and hinder her investigation.
Throughout the course of the novel we also experience her frustrations with the less educated and cultured people of England who view her from perspectives varying from witch to savior. As well as a good bit of action and adventure, Adelia's emotional growth and relationships both old and new are folded into the story. This cleverly crafted plot, complete with realistic detail, will immerse the reader in the life and times of this medieval heroine.
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