The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton

August 24, 2024

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton

A young girl named Boroka is sent to work at the castle of Countess Erzsebet Bathory, one of the wealthiest and most influential women in Hungary. The countess employs dozens of women and girls as seamstresses, laundresses, and kitchen help, as well as running a school for the education of daughters of the gentility. But before long, Boroka begins to notice that an unusually large number of girls are falling ill of a mysterious illness.

Known as the Blood Countess, Erzsebet Bathory is believed to have lured young women to her castle to murder them in order to bathe in their blood. But she may have received a bad rap, since the accusations against her may have been an attempt to bring down her politically powerful family and destroy their influence. Legends about her evil deeds were recorded long after her death through oral tradition passed down by locals. Vlad the Impaler was accused of some of the same misdeeds as the countess. A well-researched novel about a lesser known historical figure.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Erzsebeth Bathory, the Blood Countess - this is the portrait that is featured in the story

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

May 17, 2024

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

When Charles II came to the throne of England, one of his first acts was to hunt down and punish the 59 men who had signed the order of execution for his father, Charles I.  Two of the men, Edward Whalley and his son-in-law, William Goffe, escaped to America, setting off the greatest manhunt of the 17th century.

Well-researched historical fiction about a turbulent period in English history: the restoration of the monarchy, the hunt for the regicides, the Black Death, the London fire. (But really, when hasn't English history been turbulent?) POV changes from the fugitives Whalley and Goffe, to Richard Nayler who was charged with hunting them down, and Goffe's wife Frances. The audiobook was outstanding - I listened to it while I was planting my garden and baking. FYI, Nayler is a fictional character synthesized from a group of regicide hunters, but the other characters were real people. Whalley and Goffe were never captured, and their final resting places are unknown. This is historical fiction at its best. Recommended for fans of accurate and well-researched historical fiction.

William Goffe

Edward Whalley

Before Versailles by Karleen Koen

February 11, 2023

Before Versailles by Karleen Koen

Louis XIV, later known as the Sun King, became king of France at the age of 21. He was surrounded by a court of dashing young men and beautiful young women. Louis married a Spanish infanta who spoke little French and preferred praying and embroidering to dancing and socializing, leaving Louis and his brother Philippe (known as Monsieur) to hunt, feast, party and engage in romantic intrigue. Louis is at first attracted to his brother's wife, Henriette, but realizes that it is taboo for him to take his brother's wife as his mistress. Louis' first mistress, Louise de la Valliere, came to court to be a lady in waiting to Henriette, and Louis was soon attracted to the lovely modest girl.

The story takes place over four months of Louis' reign. Very good historical fiction, well researched, recommended especially for readers who enjoy historical fiction about royalty.

Louise de la Valliere, first mistress of Louis XIV

Death in Delft by Graham Brack

November 19, 2021

Death in Delft by Graham Brack

When three girls from vastly different backgrounds go missing in the normally quiet city of Delft, only one body is found buried in a shallow grave. The archbishop sends Master Mercurius, a cleric from the university, to investigate. With the help of the artist Vermeer, Mercurius works to track down the killer before another child goes missing.

This is the first book in a new series, with a likeable protagonist, although even the negative characters are sympathetic. Mercurius has a secret of his own that he very much wants to keep hidden. He is a kindly, intelligent man. There is a good mixture of historical and fictitious characters. The artist Vermeer is a particularly good character, with his large family. I hope he appears in future books.

Vermeer's painting of Delft in the 17th century

The King's Witch by Tracy Borman

September 1, 2021

The King's Witch by Tracy Borman

Frances Gorges is a young noblewoman skilled as an herbalist. She is summoned to the bedside of the dying Queen Elizabeth I to help ease her suffering. But upon Elizabeth's death, King James I becomes king. James has a mortal fear of witchcraft and suspects witchcraft whenever he comes up against anything he doesn't understand. As a healer who uses natural medicines versus the traditional medicine practiced by the court physicians, Frances becomes an easy target for Lord Cecil, the holder of the Privy Seal. James is an unpopular king, and plots and traitors abound. Frances becomes involved in an illicit affair with one of the traitors and must watch every step.

This is the first book in a trilogy about Lady Frances Gorges, an obscure historical figure (as many women are in history). The author is a historian, so the story is well-researched. No witches actually appear in the story, only the suspicion of witchcraft.

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

 July 18, 2022

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

Jayne Swift trained as a physician but in 17th century England, women are not allowed to use the title of doctor.  When civil war breaks out, she strives to remain neutral and treat the injured on both sides.  Her resolve is complicated by a mysterious man named William Harrier - he seems to pop up everywhere.  Who is this man and what is his role?  Is he a spy?  Which side is he on?  It becomes increasingly difficult for Jayne to remain neutral with her father and younger brothers fighting for the Royalists, and her older brother fighting for the Parliamentarians.

This is a well-researched historical novel set in the 17th century at the time of the English Civil War.  I was drawn in for the first half of the book.  Unfortunately, the war scenes, political arguments, and medical treatments become repetitious as the book goes on.  Although the reader understands that Jayne is supposed to be progressive in her medical treatments, some of her practices are suspiciously 21st century.  

I am a fan of the author's previous crime novels which are excellent, but not so fond of her historical fiction.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

 October 17, 2020

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

Samuel Pipps is the most valuable agent employed by the Gentlemen 17 who run the United East India Company.  His cases are read by the public like the adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  But after successfully completing a mission in Batavia on the island of Java, he is suddenly arrested and imprisoned in a dungeon before being transported to Amsterdam to stand trial for an unknown offense.  His bodyguard and associate Arent Hayes is determined to not only find out what Sammy stands accused of, but also to discover and thwart the unknown force that is threatening to destroy the ship they are sailing on.

The second title by the author of The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, this is another historical mystery but with less of a fantasy overtone than Turton's first book.  Almost all of the story takes place on an Indiaman, a type of 17th century sailing ship, and without a diagram of the ship, it was difficult to figure out exactly where the players were located at any given time.  It is a clever mystery although the ending felt rushed and therefore a little unsatisfactory.

Sailors were a superstitious lot in the 17^th century – they may still be, although my husband was in the Navy and while there were lots of bad habits, they didn’t seem to indulge in much superstition.  But it seems like just about everyone was extremely superstitious in the 17th century.  Superstition, religion, and social standing ruled everyone's lives.

I have an uncommon last name, and I was startled to find that it was used in this book – it was a little disconcerting every time I saw it in print. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in return for a review.