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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.
Author photo © Mary Jane Russell
An absorbing re-creation of the 12th Century ...this is a fast-moving story of humbler folk caught up in cruel battles . (The Independent). Original, atmospheric and genuinely moving ...captures the imagination and does not let go . (Giles Kristian). It's 1141 and freezing cold. Gwil, a battle-hardened mercenary, is horrified to stumble across a little girl close to death. She has been attacked, just one more victim in a winter of atrocities. Clutching a sliver of parchment, she is terrified - but Gwil knows what he must do. He will bring her back to life. He will train her to fight. And together, they will hunt down the man who did this to her. But danger looms wherever they turn. As castle after castle falls victim to siege, the icy Fens ring with rumours of a madman, of murder - and of a small piece of parchment with a terrible secret to tell, the cost of which none of them could have imagined ...
Run, run, girl. In the name of God, run. 1141. A mercenary watches from the icy reeds as a little girl with red hair is attacked by his own men. He is powerless to stop them. But a strange twist of fate brings them together again. Sheltering in a church, he finds the girl freezing cold, close to death, clutching a sliver of parchment. And now he is certain of what he must do. He will bring her back to life. He will train her to fight. And he will protect her from the man who calls himself a monk, who lost a piece of parchment he will do anything to get back ...An epic account of the brutal winter when Stephen and Matilda tore England apart in their battle for its crown - when atrocities were inflicted on the innocent, but bravery found a home in an old solider and a young girl.
One of our Great Reads you may have missed in 2011. The anatomist Adelia Aguilar accompanies a young Princess Joanna, daughter of Henry II, and her huge entourage on a thousand mile, corpse-filled journey across Europe to marry the King of Sicily. It’s the fourth in an excellent medieval detective series and sadly the last as the author recently died. The Lovereading view... Another fabulous historical mystery featuring Adelia Aguilar from The Mistress of the Art of Death series. Franklin always provides plenty of rich historical detail as well as believable, scandalous, roguish characters. Brilliant. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
Another fabulous historical mystery featuring Adelia Aguilar from The Mistress of the Art of Death series. Franklin always provides plenty of rich historical detail as well as believable, scandalous, roguish characters. Brilliant. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
March 2010 Book of the Month. This is the third in a seriously good medical crime series starring a feisty heroine, anatomist Adelia Aguilar. The first (a must read), Mistress of the Art of Death, won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Historical First Novel prize, the Ellis Peters Award, and this is even better. It concerns the discovery of two skeletons at Glastonbury whom some believe are Arthur and Guinevere, but some are prepared to kill to keep their identity secret. It is riveting stuff. Highly recommended. Comparison: C J Sansom, Cassandra Clark, Susanna Gregory. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
Ariana Franklin was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library 2009 - the prize awarded for an author's body of work. A very special historical murder mystery and a wonderful follow-up to her prize-winning Mistress of the Art of Death. Featuring the same sleuth who here needs to discover whether Eleanor of Aquitaine ordered the murder of her husband, Henry II’s mistress. This is glorious stuff both in historical detail and classic whodunit genre. Comparison: C J Sansom, Cora Harrison, Cassandra Clark. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
Recent winner of the CWA’s Ellis Peters’ Historical Dagger award, a tale of murder in mediaeval Cambridge. A very special book for although I did pick out the killer and his helper about half way through, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment – besides I had to find out if I was right! In Cambridge someone is kidnapping and killing very young children. Help is summoned from Italy to attempt to solve the crimes. The Jewish community is suspected and the investigators include a female doctor who has to be very careful not to be accused of witchcraft. Bringing this dangerous period very much to life, this is a brilliantly researched historical thriller that draws you into its malicious world effortlessly. I am delighted to discover that it is the beginning of a series. Comparison: C J Sansom, Susanna Gregory, Alys Clare. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
Winner of the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award 2007.A medieval thriller about a serial killer, this is just as brutal as any modern day psycho thriller and the lead character is an absolute joy. Adelia Aguilar is a doctor, not a common female occupation at this time, and she specialises in the study of corpses, hence the title of the book. She is a feisty, intelligent, sexy heroine who gives as good as she gets. An unputdownable read. Mistress of the Art of Death series:1. The Mistress of the Art of Death2. The Death Maze3. Relics of the Dead4. The Assassin's Prayer
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