Mistress Of The Art Of Death
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  • Published: 27 January 2011
  • ISBN: 9781446454763
  • Imprint: RH AudioGo
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 12 hr 55 min
  • Narrator: Diana Bishop
  • RRP: $24.99

Mistress Of The Art Of Death

Mistress of the Art of Death, Adelia Aguilar series 1

Formats & editions
Audiobook
27 Jan 2011
Paperback
1 Jul 2011
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Murder, mystery and malice in medieval Cambridge.

Winner of Best Historical Crime Novel 2007

In Cambridge a child has been hideously murdered and other children have disappeared. The Jews, made scapegoats by the all-powerful Christian clergy, have been forced to retreat into the castle to avoid slaughter by angry townspeople.

Henry, King of England, is displeased. The Jews provide a large part of his revenue and therefore the real killer must be found, and quickly. A renowned investigator, Simon of Naples, is recruited and he arrives in town from the continent accompanied by an Arab and a young woman, Adelia Aguilar.

There are few female doctors in twelth century Europe, but Adelia is one of them, having qualified at the great School of Medicine in Salerno. What's more, her speciality is the study of corpses; she is, in fact, a mistress of the art of death, a skill that must be concealed in case she's accused of witchcraft.

Adelia's investigation takes her deep into Cambridge, its castle and convents and in a medieval city teeming with life, Adelia makes friends and even finds romance. And, fatally, the attention of a murderer who is prepared to kill again...
  • Published: 27 January 2011
  • ISBN: 9781446454763
  • Imprint: RH AudioGo
  • Format: Audio Download
  • Length: 12 hr 55 min
  • Narrator: Diana Bishop
  • RRP: $24.99
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About the author

Ariana Franklin

Ariana Franklin was born in Devon and, like her father, became a journalist. Having invaded Wales dressed in combat uniform with the Royal Marines for one of their military exercises, accompanied the Queen on a royal visit, missed her own twenty-first birthday party because she had to cover a murder, she married, almost inevitably, another journalist. At this point she decided that staying married was a good idea so she abandoned her career in national newspapers and settled down in the country to bring up two daughters, study medieval history and write. Ariana was the author of the acclaimed, award-winning Mistress of the Art of Death series. She passed away in 2011.

portrait photo of Ariana Franklin

Also by Ariana Franklin

Winter Siege
The Assassin's Prayer
Relics of the Dead
The Death Maze
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Praise for Mistress Of The Art Of Death

Entertaining, well researched and well written

JOANNE HARRIS

Great fun! Franklin succeeds in vividly bringing the 12th century to life with this cracking good story. Expertly researched, a brilliant heroine, full of excellent period detail

Kate Mosse, author of LABYRINTH

...A morbidly entertaining novel that outdoes the competition

NY Times

A skilful blend of historical fact and gruesome fiction

Publishers Weekly

Terrific... Wonderfully plotted. It's a historical mystery that succeeds brilliantly as both historical fiction and crime-thriller

Diana Gabaldon, WASHINGTON POST

Delightfully original

LITERARY REVIEW, June 2007

Brilliant...A ripper, peopled with vivid characters.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

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