It's Mailbox Monday! Mailbox Monday gathers together for readers the books that came into the house last week. (feel free to share yours) Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
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SWORD OF SHAME by The Medieval Murderers (Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson and Philip Gooden). 2nd of five in series featuring these author's characters. Here's a description:
From its first arrival in Britain with the Norman forces of William the Conqueror, violence and revenge are the cursed sword's constant companions. From an election scandal in 13th-century Venice to the battlefield of Poitiers in 1356, the sword of shame brings bad luck and disgrace to all who possess it in this compelling collection of five interlocking mysteries.
It has 416 pages and was published in 2006.
GRAVEN IMAGE by Barbara Reichmuth Geisler. 2nd of 2 in series featuring Dame Averilla, the infirmaress at the Benedictine abbey near Shaftesbury in 12th century Norman England. Here is a description:
A young woman is murdered, and the people of the town decide that Master Levitas, the Jewish moneylender and goldsmith, is responsible. While this plot provides the backbone of the novel, it is an extraordinarily rich book with multiple storylines. The language and descriptions give a strong sense of the period, and the characters are fascinating. The abbess. Emma, is slowly growing into her position of authority and attempting to cope with the abbey's severe Financial problems. Several of the nuns are adjusting to changes in their responsibilities, and some English residents of Shaftesbury are still grappling with the loss of lands and wealth under the Normans. (While this book can be read independently, t highly recommend reading Other Cods first. which takes place one year earlier and provides full introductions to many of the characters) The precarious position of Jews in medieval England is vividly portrayed. A fascinating subplot involves Master Hugo, a renowned artist who has come to the Abbey to undertake a commission, the young boy who travels with him, and Hugo's relationship with Levitas.
It was published in 2005 and has 411 pages.
THE VILLA OF MYSTERIES by David Hewson. This is 2nd of 8 in series featuring Nic Costa and Gianni Peroni, police detectives in present day Rome. Here is a description:
In Rome’s crowded Campo dei Fiori, a woman rushes up to two carabinieri lounging in their sunglasses and uniforms, insisting that her sixteen-year-old daughter has just been abducted. Detective Nic Costa sees the scene unfold and intervenes. Because Costa knows what the two officers don’t: that in the morgue at Rome’s police headquarters, a forensic pathologist is examining the strange, mummified corpse of another girl, whose disappearance and death bear haunting similarities….Police pathologist Teresa Lupo is Nic’s colleague, friend, and his only equal when it comes to breaking the rules to get results, whatever the cost. Now, after years of living with the dead, Teresa insists that her superiors move quickly to save a life. Poring over the body of the girl in the morgue, she has found too many similarities between the girls, including a unique, leering tattoo. Lupo is sure that the vanished girl is headed for a bizarre ancient Bacchanalia involving virgins and sacrificial murder–a ritual that is only days away.As Nic and Teresa claw at the case from two sides–and as Nic finds himself at once puzzled and beguiled by the missing girl’s seductive mother–a chilling picture is beginning to emerge…of secret relationships and sexual depravity, organized crime and unimaginable corruption. With the clock ticking down on a young girl’s life, Nic and Teresa are about to make the most horrifying discovery of all—in a pit of human darkness, where an age-old malevolence still endures, evil has consumed innocence…and a very modern vengeance has begun.
It was published in 2005 and has 480 pages.
These were via paperbackswap.com.
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Aw, the last day of the three day weekend. How sad and how soon. Back at it again tomorrow.
I finished A RULE AGAINST MURDER by Louise Penny last night. Stayed up too late to finish it but then again the fireworks would have kept me up anyway. I liked how it had more of Gamache's wife in it because she's an interesting character and truer to life, she had nothing really to do with the crime solving end. I also like the character of Clara but she's becoming much like Murder She Wrote in that wherever she is there's a murder. We learn more about Gamache's past.
Next up: I'm not sure. I should read the next Deryn Lake because it's been a while and I know Mom is waiting for it but I also have some books out from the library that need to be attended to. I'll be holding auditions today.
Steve wants to buy a monster 2002 white Suburban from a friend for a screaming deal but I'd be the one driving it so I'm leary. I don't like driving big hulking monsters and forget about parallel parking ever again. What I'd like to do is get with him today and give it a test drive. (sigh).
Working on each entry is taking longer than I thought on my newsletter because I'm looking at so many sources for info and trying to exhaust all resources before sending an email to authors. Yesterday, I had a small screen going on the monitor of the first season on Bones to keep me company.
Enjoy the Monday ! (though it doesn't feel like one)
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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