The Ground is Burning by Samuel Black

Sixteenth century Italy is renowned for it's outburst of creativity in painting, sculpture and architecture but it took place against a background of terrifying violence.   Samuel Black has brought all of this together to create a fascinating novel which is told in first person by three of the most famous figures of the time.   First there is Nicolo Machiavelli the Florentine civil servant who wrote the cynical guide to power and it's execise entitled "The Prince" which he dedicated to Black's second character Cesare Borgia.   Cesare, the son of the Pope, is a Cardinal but wishes to leave holy orders to become Commander of the Papal Army.   However, this post is held by his older brother and as the story opens Cesare is arranging his brother's murder in order to replace him.   Having gained the position he coveted he recruits Leonardo da Vinci as a cartographer and military engineer although he also commisions him to paint a portrait of Dorotea, a young noblewoman he has kidnapped and seduced.   The story is told in a series of first person monologues, a style that took me some time to come to terms with but was well worth the perseverance.   This is a marvellous story of a terrifying era that had everything - sex, violence, treachery, torture, great art and more sex and Samuel Black brings it to life through the eyes of three of it's most colourful characters.   The main colour, of course, being blood!

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

In 1791 at the age of thirty six and at the peak of his success as the star of Vienna's musical world Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died.   Six weeks before his death he had told his wife that he had been poisoned.   His sister, Maria Anna known as Nannerl, arrives in Vienna determined to discover the truth.   There she discovers that there was more to her brothers life than his dedication to music, he had become entwined with the growing secret society known as the Freemasons.   The Freemasons were regarded in Court circles as a subversive organisation connected to the French philosophical movement known as The Enlightenment and so to the revolutionaries who had recently overthrown the French Monarchy.   This association had lead to Mozart coming to the attention of Count Pergen the head of the Austrian secret service and he seems determined to frustrate Nannerl's enquiries into her brother's death.   Did Mozart die as a result of a Masonic plot?   His last opera "The Magic Flute" is certainly full of Masonic symbolism but there are other forces at work at the Court of the Austrian Emperor not least agents of the King of Prussia.   Matt Rees has used Mozart's tragic death to construct an excellent mystery story which kept me enthralled and which I can heartily recommend.

20th January 2013

Poseidon's Spear - Christian Cameron

The last couple of decades have brought forward a generation of truly first class historical novelists and in the front rank of this phalanx is Christian Cameron.  His latest novel continues the adventures of Arimnestos of Plataea who has already seen more action than most men have had hot dinners.   Arimnestos is a real man in the sense that he has faults, he makes mistakes and some times his actions are less than honourable but despite all this he still comes across as the classic Homeric hero.   As the book opens Arimnestos is returning home lauded as a hero of the battle of Marathon but finds that his beloved wife Euphoria has died in childbirth.   Distraught he attempts suicide by throwing himself into the sea but is picked up by a Carthaginian ship and enslaved by it's sadistic captain Dagon.   I will not attempt to summarise his escape and following adventures but rather recommend that one reads this excellent book.   The two preceeding volumes of Arimnestos' adventures are Killer of Men  and Marathon and whilst Poseidon's Spear can be read alone I would suggest that more pleasure will follow reading the entire series.   Christian Cameron has written nine novels of which I have read eight and "every one a little gem" as Arthur Askey used to say.   I eagerly await the further adventures of Arimnestos.

The Baker Street Phantom by Fabrice Bourland

Gallic Books brings us yet another hugely entertaining novel of mystery by a French author this time set in London. Well translated by Morag Young, Fabrice Bourland tells the story of two young Canadians who arrive in London and set up a detective agency. The first client to engage the services of the cerebral Singleton and the more physical Trelawney is non other than Lady Conan Doyle, widow of the creator of Sherlock Holmes, with an intriguing tale of premonitions, poltergeists and very real murders. Bourland conjures a fascinating tale of spirits brought into existance by the thoughts of the public who have read about them

Holy Warrior by Angus Donald

Richard the Lionheart sets out for the Holy Land to fulfill his vow to liberate Jerusalem from the Saracens. In his train rides Robert, Earl of Loxley aka Robin Hood. This Robin Hood has no resemblance to Errol Flynn or the dashing social engineer of legend, he is a battle hardened warrior with both eyes fixed firmly on the main chance and would not be going on crusade at all were it not for an oath sworn to the Templar knight Sir Richard at Lea in return for support against the Sherrif of Nottingham. However, he is on the road with a strong party of men-at-arms and his comrades from Sherwood Little John, Will Scarlett and the narrator of the story Alan Dale and an excellent story it is too. Original, convincing and never slacking it's pace it kept this reader turning the pages and, what is more, waiting keenly for the sequel.

The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear

This is the seventh Maisie Dobbs novel and I am pleased to say that the high standard Miss Winspear set in the previous six is well maintained here. A young American cartographer of British descent volunteers for the British Army in 1914 but in 1916 is listed as missing in action. However, in 1932 his body, along with the rest of his team,is found beneath a field in France and his familly are anxious to trace the writer of letters found with his body. Close examination of the Post Mortem report reveals to Maisie that he was not killed by enemy action but struck down from behind. Using her many contacts in high places, the shoe leather of her assisstant Billy and her gift for organising the facts of the case Maisie brings those responsible to justice. Miss Winspear has given us another well plotted and well written detective story which is sure to please her growing legion of fans but the thing is that the Maisie Dobbs novels are more than just detective stories. Maisie has a life outside of her investigations and it is peopled by interesting and well rounded characters who are brought into the story for their interaction with Maisie and not just devices for pushing along the plot. I am sure that this accounts in large part for the popularity of these novels.

The Kingdom of the Wicked by Anthony Burgess

This ambitious novel covers the period from the death of Tiberius to the suicide of Nero, one of the most flamboyant, colourful, outrageous and deadly episodes in the history of the world. It is hardly surprising that novellists have returned time and again to explore these characters and their actions and that they have attracted the attention of some of our finest writers. Burgess goes one step further and blends in the story of the founding of the Christian religion especially how Saul of Tarsus, better known these days as St.Paul, managed to inject a nasty streak of bigotry into what was a message of love. Well researched, well planned and well written as one has come to expect from Burgess.