Winner of the Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year at the British Book Awards 2006.
I was privileged to visit Kate in her Carcassonne retreat and be shown the numerous locations she used throughout this novel; the exact tower, steps, house, street etc that feature in the action in this exciting tale. It’s a time-slip adventure, a grail-tale, a history lesson, and a thumping good read that effortlessly links medieval France with the present through two strong heroines. I loved it.
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Labyrinth a small number of Lovereading members were lucky enough to be invited to review this title - 'The spellbinding “Labyrinth" by Kate Mosse is one of the books that got me hooked on historical fiction...' - Claudia Stach. Scroll down to read more reviews.
A brand new two-part adaptation of Kate Mosse’s Labyrinth starring John Hurt and Jessica Brown Findlay was shown over Easter weekend 2013. Click on the screen below to view the trailer.
When Dr Alice Tanner discovers two skeletons during an archaeological dig in southern France, she unearths a link with a horrific and brutal past.
But it's not just the sight of the shattered bones that makes her uneasy; there's an overwhelming sense of evil in the tomb that Alice finds hard to shake off, even in the bright French sunshine. Puzzled by the words carved inside the chamber, Alice has an uneasy feeling that she has disturbed something which was meant to remain hidden...
Eight hundred years ago, on the night before a brutal civil war ripped apart Languedoc, a book was entrusted to Alais, a young herbalist and healer. Although she cannot understand the symbols and diagrams the book contains, Alais knows her destiny lies in protecting their secret, at all costs.
Skilfully blending the lives of two women divided by centuries but united by a common destiny, LABYRINTH is a powerful story steeped in the atmosphere and history of southern France.
We have asked a select number of members and browsers to review Labyrinth. You can read their reviews below.
Claudia Stach - 'The spellbinding “Labyrinth" by Kate Mosse is one of the books that got me hooked on historical fiction...anyone who sticks with the book gets richly rewarded with two tales about two young women, a quest, heroes and villains, faith and love. I think I might have to re-read “Labyrinth” this summer…'Click here to read the full review.
Edel Waugh - This was an incredibly good story full of rich detail, told in the present and the past. Once I began the story I could not leave it so I finished it in one sitting.' Click here to read the full review.
Cherrill Deans - 'I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The background is supremely well researched and the novel itself is packed with action and suspense, passion and intrigue.' Click here to read the full review.
Nicola Crisp - 'The descriptions of the mediaeval locations are wonderfully detailed, making it easy to imagine that you are really there...A great book for lovers of historical fiction, or of mysteries. I have already recommended this book to several of my friends.' Click here to read the full review.
Joy Bosworth - 'This book had me hooked as soon as it arrived in the 12th century... It really was beautifully written – without the often self-conscious effect of the author striving for great prose.' Click here to read the full review.
J B Johnston - 'Labyrinth is set in and around the region of Carcassonne and it is obvious from Kate Mosse’s writing that this is a region she is familiar with. The historical content is fascinating and if you love historical mysteries then this is the book for you.' Click here to read the full review.
Kathy Howell - 'This is a wonderful read...I really enjoyed this book and will make sure that I read other books by Kate Mosse.' Click here to read the full review.
Kym Nicholls - 'What kept me fascinated with ‘Labyrinth’ was a fierce determination to figure out its secrets. The book overflows with mystery, teeming with characters determined to keep their motives and loyalties hidden.' Click here to read the full review.
Jayne Burton - 'I was drawn to Labyrinth due to Carcassonne being it's main setting - somewhere I am very familiar with - and I wasn't disappointed.' Click here to read the full review.
Barbara Gaskell - 'Transport yourself to Mediaeval France in this gripping mystery...When I visited Carcassonne I felt I was transported back in time and reading Kate Mosse’s book, with her evocative prose, made me want to live there in the 13th Century.' Click here to read the full review.
Kath Thornton - 'It is a story full of strength, love, passion, betrayal ,faith, the Holy Grail, is rich in history and well worth reading right to the end.' Click here to red the full review.
Carolyn Huckfield - 'This is an amazing novel that tells stories from both medieval and modern day France. The links between these stories are based around conspiracies through the years, one to protect, the other to destroy, the ancient works that make up the Grail.' Click here to read the full review.
Richard Hamlin - 'Labyrinth is a rewarding novel; it needs patience at the beginning but once it gathers pace it delivers a gripping and absorbing read.' Click here to read the full review.
Suzanne Marsh – Ireadnovels - 'I totally loved reading Labrinth by Kate Mosse. Labyrinth is full of supernatural ingredients. A brilliant historical thriller.' Click here to read the full review.
Lucinda Fountain - 'Whether by inspiration or intent, the way in which Kate Mosse cleverly combines exquisite historical detail with a contemporary twist is truly magical.' Click here to read the full review.
Manisha Natha - 'I enjoyed the story that was set in the 13th Century but found the present day stuff a lacking something.' Click here to read the full review.
Clare Topping - 'The author alternates between the stories of the twentieth and thirteenth centuries, with tales of kidnap, torture and murder along with some descriptions of the persecution of the Cathars.' Click here to read the full review.
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Praise for Kate Mosse:
'Labyrinth is a reader's holy grail, mixing legend, religion, history, past and present in a heart-wrenching, thrilling tale. Eat your heart out, Dan Brown, this is the real thing' - Val McDermid
'Admirably bold...intriguing...passionate' - The Sunday Times
'This is a spellbinding adventure story about destiny, betrayal and secrets' - REAL
Author
About Kate Mosse
Kate Mosse was our Guest Editor in November 2012 - click here - to see the books that inspired her writing.
Kate Mosse is a number one international bestselling novelist, playwright and non-fiction writer. The author of several novels and short-story collections – including the multimillion-selling Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel) and Gothic fiction The Winter Ghosts and The Taxidermist’s Daughter, which she is adapting for the stage – her books have been translated into thirty-seven languages and published in more than forty countries. She has also written four works of non-fiction – including An Extra Pair of Hands (Wellcome Collection, 2021) - four plays, contributed essays and introductions to classic novels and collections. A champion of women's creativity, Kate is the Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and a regular interviewer for theatre and fiction events. She is the Founder of the global campaign - #WomanInHistory – launched in January 2021 to honour, celebrate and promote women’s achievements throughout history and from every corner of the world. Kate divides her time between Chichester in West Sussex and Carcassonne in south-west France. The first two novels in The Burning Chambers series, The Burning Chambers and The City of Tears, are out now.
