Mistress of the Art of Death | 
The start of a really great historical series set in the 12th century. Adelia Aguilar is a female doctor trained in the ‘art of death‘, a forensic scientist.
This is an amazingly written book and unique in the medieval murder mystery genre. All the characters are interesting and well thought out. There is real tension, real stakes, which make it an engaging and urgent read.
#AdventRecommends @emilyrose_x
pickA 'who dunnit' with a historical twist this book is worth a read, but I did spot the murderer well ahead of time. Though in some ways it's satisfying to be proved right it would have been nice to have a surprise reveal.
A little slow to get going, initially I did not warm to Adelia but once it got into the flow I was hooked. Franklin makes you care deeply about her characters and rips your heart out along the way but it's definitely worth a read.
bailedWas hankering for more historical fic, so I pulled this off my tbr shelf. A forthright woman "doctor to the dead" in the 12th century, called upon to solve some murders. I gave it ~50 pages, and it's OK but not grabbing me. It feels anachronistic, more focused on the crime aspect than on the historical context or character development. Crime fic isn't generally my bag, but I thought the historical setting might do it for me this time. Alas, no.
Ain't like the old days when his ma and uncle Stephen were warring with each other,' she'd said. 'Hangings? A baron'd come galloping up - didn't matter which side he was on, didn't matter which side you was on - he'd hang you just for scratching your arse.'
Quite right, too,' Adelia had said: 'a nasty habit.' The two of them were beginning to get on well.
Photo: wikipedia image of Canterbury Cathedral.
Picked up this historical crime as a bit of a distraction.
pickSo funny story, went to read this one for #BookspinBingo and 20 pages in, realized I already have! I it was great!
pickI started this at the end of last October and I picked it back up again to finish it. I definitely had to be in the mood for this one. It's detailed and atmospheric plus it's clever but brutal. This is set in the England of Henry II and children are being brutally murdered. Jews are being blamed but the king wants the truth. So he summons two doctors from Salerno. 🎃 #spookyreads
#Top20Series #20Series20Days #Day2
I borrowed this picture from @ShariEstaLeando because I no longer own these books, but they are absolutely memorable. The main character is a female doctor in medieval England. Fascinating stories, the series was cut short by the death of the author. And she left a major cliffhanger! I‘m not ranking series as I do this challenge, but this is one I highly recommend.
pickI am saddened to have discovered this author post mortem, but I did get to enjoy the whole series in one shot. Sad to be left hanging. Sad that there will be no more of this superb historical research and novelization. 😭I really enjoyed this series, which I happened upon in a used book store! The triumphs and the woes of a bibliophile! 📚📚📚
October 1st!
I wanted to read this one last year and didn't get to it. I'd like to start it today. 🕸
pickLove. Love. Love this book! It's a historical fiction murder mystery with a female forensic detective!! It checks all my boxes. Fighting against the patriarchy, Adelia is racing to solve the murders of the town's children. To see my full review go to https://www.goodreads.com/reading_in_the_meadow
I promised myself that any souvenirs I bought would be both something I find to be beautiful and something I will consistently use. New bookmarks fill both categories quite nicely.
And a little notebook to keep specifically recommendations for my book clubs in. So now I will have six TBR lists to keep track of!
Bleh. I knew Vegas was going to be hot, but bleh.
pickEnjoyed enough to give the second book a try.
My seester distracting me from reading with wine
House/dog sitting. Not technically allowed on the furniture......
Evening reading.....with wine.
Apparently Lane got jealous while Daddy was trying to read his book today... “Daddy, want to read Mommy‘s spooky book with me? Once upon a time there was a spooky ghost and lots of monsters...”
#raisingreaders
pickSet in medieval times in Cambridge england. Children are being murdered and the Jewish community are being blamed. The King Henry the 2nd calls in an expert. As a woman she would be burned as a witch. Her and her companions have to solve the mystery before more children die but keep their identity a secret
pickI really loved this change of pace in a Murder mystery. It takes place in medieval times and I really enjoyed that it wasn‘t focused so much on the killer‘s motivations but rather Adelia, the medical examiner, and the hunt for the killer. I also enjoyed that everyone was a suspect and I couldn‘t figure out exactly who it was until the end. I look forward to finding and reading the next 3 in this series.
pick#2018Book47
This novel is a little slow at the beginning, as sometimes happens with historical fiction. But once the main character (A female doctor during the time of Henry II? Shocking!) begins to investigate the horrific deaths of several young children, the pace really picks up. Though this is historical fiction, it reads more like a modern-day thriller, so if you enjoy just one of those genres, you'll probably like this book.
pickOf all of the genres I enjoy, historical mysteries are one of my least read. Yet, when I do read one, I find them thrilling & satisfying. Franklin's book is no exception. If you like strong, diverse characters, I highly recommend it.
"She spoke of diseased donkeys & his unnatural preference for them..." Burn!
Two things:
-Adelia occasionally uses, "God's rib" as a curse & it's fantastic.
-I love the dynamic between Adelia, Simon & Mansur. Especially the banter between Adelia & Simon.
If there was ever an argument for why you should learn a foreign language, being able to cuss out someone who pisses you off is good enough for me.
I hate when stores put stickers on the book's cover and then they leave residue behind when you take them off!
pickHow did I love this let me count the ways:
1. Engaging heroine doctoring in a time when women could not be doctors by edict of the church.
2. Mystery with many facets and red herrings.
3. Time period which I would not typically choose to read about but felt like a character of it's own.
4. Supporting cast that brought all things, intrigue, humor, romance ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Last Saturday: piping all day in sleet & rain. Today: snowed in, sick, & miserable. Sore throat remedies, anyone? Main character Adelia would know what to prescribe, but she has weightier matters to resolve 😣
Help me find a new home for these books! I will ship internationally.
http://bookmooch.com/m/inventory/tessavi1
#bookmooch
#riotgrams This is the only book I have with a skull 😊
This came across my desk at work - I completely forgot how much I loved this book! It's Medieval England, and the King receives the assistance of a young woman recently trained in the medical field. She has to be #brave to put up with the innuendos and the exclamations of incredulity thrown at her. Yet, she solves the mystery. There are 4 books to the series; sadly, the author passed away before the series could be completed. #augustgrrrl
My first order from Thriftbooks.com came in today 😊 Overall pretty satisfied with the conditions. There a few paper backs that I probably wouldn't have picked if I was buying in a used store but now I understand the acceptable vs. good ratings. Six books for less than 20 with free shipping not too bad. Has anyone else used the site?
I absolutely #DontRememberBuyingThis, but I own a lot of books, so that's not really a surprise. Also, it appears as though I was unsuccessful in my attempts to fully remove the price sticker from its poor placement on the cover. #AprilBookShowers
Finally able to get back to this Xmas gift, and it's wonderful.
Trying to finagle a way to read despite having a working lunch scheduled today.
I didn't end up posting for #ReadJanuary yesterday, so today is going to be #2for1. My weaknesses for fantasy and historical fiction mean I found lots of great fonts on my shelves, and these are all #publishedinthe2000s. The Kim Harrison is too well loved to show off the spine. 😄 #fortheloveoffonts
Adelia is investigating a horrific crime, I was not expecting the humor included through how she interacts with others. I am enjoying her as a character! I can just imagine them loudly proclaiming how tasty everything is so she can't talk about the case! lol!
#booktober #bestsidekick. A bit unorthodox, but I loved Mansur as Adelia's sidekick in this series. Loved these books, and when the author died, she left an incredible cliffhanger.
panthere were bits and pieces that were good, but overall I was bored and couldn't understand what was actually going on. I'm sure this is a wonderful read for some people out there, but not for me.
so far I have a love hate relationship with this book. it has its moments of genius and then moments where I would rather do anything but read it.
This was picked by a vote to be my TBR List book for October, included for its Gothic cover and title, suitably dark and Halloween-ish. I'm only through the first chapter so far, but enjoying it.
"Man hovers between Paradise and the Pit. Sometimes rising to one, sometimes swooping to the other. To ignore his capacity for evil is as obtuse as blinding oneself to the heights to which he can soar."
