Review: Uncrowned Queen by Nicola Tallis

Synopsis: The first comprehensive biography in three decades on Margaret Beaufort, the mother of the Tudor Dynasty.

In 1485, Henry VII became the first Tudor king of England. His victory owed much to his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Over decades and across countries, Margaret had schemed to install her son on the throne and end the War of the Roses. Margaret's extraordinarily close relationship with Henry, coupled with her role in political and ceremonial affairs, ensured that she was treated -- and behaved -- as a queen in all but name. Against a lavish backdrop of pageantry and ambition, court intrigue and war, historian Nicola Tallis illuminates how a dynamic, brilliant woman orchestrated the rise of the Tudors.

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Well .... no. Not the first comprehensive biography - but certainly one of a few including the recent works by Lauren Johnson and Elizabeth Norton.

Tallis provides the reader with a very accessible biography of a woman who put aside her ego and loyalty to play the long game - that was putting her son Henry on the throne of England.

Much of Margaret's life is covered: her childhood, marriages, birth of her only child; in addition to a history of events of her time leading up to the coronation of Henry as Henry VII. Tallis focuses on the cultural, social and religious aspects of Margaret's life, including he role as patron to both educational and religious establishments, and her role as counsellor and confidante of her son Henry.

There is nothing new here that has not been covered off in previous biographies and histories but as mentioned, it accessible to the lay reader.

Review: The Reader's Room by Antoine Laurain

Synopsis: When the manuscript of a debut crime novel arrives at a Parisian publishing house, everyone in the readers’ room is convinced it’s something special. And the committee for France’s highest literary honour, the Prix Goncourt, agrees.

But when the shortlist is announced, there’s a problem for editor Violaine Lepage: she has no idea of the author’s identity. As the police begin to investigate a series of murders strangely reminiscent of those recounted in the book, Violaine is not the only one looking for answers. And, suffering memory blanks following an aeroplane accident, she’s beginning to wonder what role she might play in the story …

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Laurain is fast becoming one of my favorite authors of fiction.

We are introduced to Violaine shortly after her hospitalisation following her accident.  As she recovers, she is alarmed to discover that her memory is not what it was ... little things are unfamiliar to her - she notes that her brain has forgotten her vices and sins.

But return to work Violaine does as a newly discovered crime novel and its mysterious author are about to make history, and possibly for all the wrong reasons.

Both the police and Violaine are in a race to discover the identity of the author - the police, to solve the crimes being perpetrated in a manner outlined in the novel, and Violaine, so she can present the author at a notable literary event!

Soon the indirect narrative style merges to become one and the mystery surrounding both the novel and the crimes is revealed.

If you have read Laurain's "French Windows", you will love this one. Laurain's books are not so much crime thrillers but gently unraveling mysteries that don't let you go - even after you have finished them. I have read a number now and cannot but recommend Laurain - take the plunge and explore this French author for yourselves.

Review: Louis Mie and the Trial of Hautefaye by LM Twist

Synopsis: In the birth of a new French Republic, a man must risk his honor, his marriage and even his life in a battle between his ideals and his ambition.

France, 1870. A frenzied mob brutally murders a man they believe to be a Prussian spy and a threat to the cult of Emperor Napoleon III. Louis Mie, a republican lawyer, finds himself entangled in a web of political intrigue and moral dilemmas when he is tasked with defending one of the murderers: a political show trial that could send his career to new heights.

But as Louis delves deeper into the high-profile case, he quickly realizes that defending the enigmatic Leonard Piarrouty is far more complex than he ever imagined. And now his entire life is about to fall apart as his obsession with his work takes his strained marriage to the brink of collapse.

In a gripping race against time, Louis must confront the blurred lines between justice, loyalty, and the pursuit of power, risking everything to unearth the truth: secrets that ruthless men will kill to protect.

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The narrative alternates between the events that led to the trial (both the crime and the appointment of Louis Mie for the defence) and the actual "present day" of the trial and the outcome. The past narrative also includes details of Louis' life leading up to the trial.

The author notes that this is a "fictional account" of events, being a novel of speculation and interpretation, especially with regards to the main character - Louis Mie. This for me was a little disappointing, although I do understand that it is hard to surmise what an historical figure may be thinking or feeling - and without it, the main character may appear a little one dimensional.

The novel deals with the themes of mob violence, suspicion and paranoia, fear and panic in an enclosed community during the height of war; it details the violence and torture quite openly.

Myself, I would have preferred a more non-fictional account that than a fictional one; but kudos to the author for tackling such an obscure historical event, which is what drew me to this tome originally.

If you are after something different in the historical fiction genre - and are not particularly squeamish - then this might be a tome worth tackling.

Review: Follow the Money by Bob DeGeorge

Synopsis: Welcome to San Jose, the hi-tech capital of Silicon Valley, where the streets are lined with silicon instead of fruit trees. But beneath the shiny facade of this city lies a dark and dangerous underbelly that can easily turn the so-called 'safest large city in America' into a lie. Seasoned San Jose Police Department police detectives Rex Johnson and Kat Sanchez know this all too well as they navigate through the treacherous world of crime in their city.

From sex crimes to financial fraud, they've seen it all. But their latest case is unlike anything they've encountered before. As they dig deeper into a seemingly simple counterfeit check scam, they uncover a tangled web of Asian Organized Crime, led by a ruthless Vietnamese crime boss who will stop at nothing to become the ultimate kingpin of San Jose.

As their investigation heats up, so does the danger. With their families at risk and a psychopathic criminal mastermind on their trail, Rex and Kat must race against time to take down this crime boss before it is too late for them and the city they have sworn to serve and protect.

Follow Detectives Rex and Kat as they navigate through the dangerous streets of San Jose in this thrilling tale of crime, corruption, and survival. If you enjoyed books like John Connely's 'Bosch' series, then you won't want to miss this first in the series gripping crime novel set in the hi-tech world of Silicon Valley.

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Just not for me - it felt like a (poor) serialisation more attuned to the TV than print. Too much going on that it just felt ... off. I quickly lost all interest, skimming through the chapters to at least make it to the end. I wish I hadn't bothered - I should have set it aside after the first few chapters and moved onto something else.

Will not be pursuing book two.

Review: Raiders of the Hidden Ark by Graham Addison

Synopsis: The mystery surrounding the Ark of the Covenant’s location is among the world’s greatest and most enduring. One of the Bible’s most sacred and powerful objects has not been seen for over 2,500 years. The missing Ark has inspired many quests and even a famous film.

Perhaps the most remarkable of the quests to find the Ark is the Parker expedition. Its story seems stranger than fiction and includes aristocrats, poets, psychics, secret cyphers in the Bible, a deadly curse, bribery, gun-running, riots, and madness. It sounds unbelievable but the Parker expedition is real. Rudyard Kipling, who knew several expedition members, wrote ‘Talk of fiction! Fiction isn’t in it’.

In 1908, a Finnish scholar convinced a group of young Englishmen from wealthy and titled families he had uncovered secret cyphers in the Bible showing where the Ark was hidden. They were educated at Eton, had fought in elite units of the British military and socialised with European royalty and rich Americans. One had thwarted an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria, another had helped spark the Boer War, and most of the funding came from the family of one of the richest men to have ever lived in Australia. They headed for Jerusalem on a private yacht to dig for the Ark. With them were a Swiss psychic, a Finnish poet, and a Swedish captain who had experienced the darkest heart of colonial madness in the Belgian Congo.

During the course of their years of digging for the Ark the Parker expedition unwittingly ‘scattered sparks in the religious tinder-heap’ that is Jerusalem. Its impact still has echoes today. They caused riots and disorder resulting in headlines around the world and a parliamentary enquiry.

Previously untold in English in its entirety, Graham Addison has uncovered many new details during his research. He skilfully weaves these together in the amazing story of the individuals who sailed on a private yacht bound for Jerusalem in 1909 to retrieve the Ark. He examines who the adventurers were, why they went, what really happened while they were in Jerusalem and what happened to them afterwards.

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About as laborious and tedious as the dig itself and as dry as the earth being dug. I kept putting it aside, not wanting to continue with it - that is how engaged I was. But I dragged myself forward and persevered till the end - but my initial opinion remained unchanged - I should have skipped it from the very beginning!

Review: Fortune's Child by James Conroyd Martin

Synopsis: Theodora: actress, prostitute, mistress, feminist. And Byzantine Empress of the civilized world.

Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress.  How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography?

From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men.

Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well.

By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heart-rending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated.

Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.

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Book One in the story of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin. And one funnily enough that I thought that I had read before as I was familiar with both set-up and narrative style.

Anyway, this is a wonderful retelling of Theodora's life up to the point that she became Empress. We have the narrative of Theodora telling her story to her biographer and friend,the eunuch Stephen, whom she had only recently released for a 5 year stint in prison. As Stephen reflects upon his release "... scruples can be elusive when freedom is the prize ...." - and so he accepted the commission.

Palace politics and the fate of women in general are seen through Theodora's eyes as well as Stephen's - both found a connection due to the lives they led or had forced upon them.  Both strove for something more - and their drive to succeed is a common trait.

Stephen's story is told in the first person narrative, whilst Theodora's is told in the third person. Both individual stories converge in Antioch and the journey to Constantinople - then two become one.

As historical fiction goes, this is rather good. It is well researched, whilst not being subjected to a dry history lesson. Both Stephen and Theodora elicit empathy from the reader, whilst all the while the reader cannot but hope that Theodora achieves her goals.

Looking forward to reading book two.

Review: One True Word by Snæbjörn Arngrímsson

Synopsis: After a day of simmering tension on a trip to an uninhabited island, Júlia snaps and leaves her husband Gíó marooned in the middle of a freezing fjord in the depths of the Icelandic winter, with night drawing in.

When she regrets her decision and returns, he is nowhere to be found. The police launch a manhunt, but soon their suspicion falls on his wife. She spins them a story to hide her involvement, but she can feel the net closing in.

Is Gíó alive or dead? In hiding or hunting her down? And can Júlia get to the truth before it destroys her?

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Another Icelandic noir that I am putting right up there was one of my favourite reads for the year (Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's "The Creak on the Stairs" was my first Icelandic thriller - aside from the Icelandic Sagas of old.).

Not only is the reader compelled to finish this mystery, but also impelled by the unreliable first person narrative of Julia and the investigation into the disappearance of "husband" Gíó. 

The concise chapters move back and forth as Julia recounts current events and those from her past in an effort to draw the reader into her mindset. But we know her version of events is unreliable as she constantly lets us know that she is a habitual liar, who lies easily and unaffectedly.

"I enjoyed the way lying tasted"

"I have a habit of lying"

Julia constantly yet not consistently puts forward her version of events and whilst the police net is closing in around her, a decided lack of proof sees Julia embark on her own quest .... for freedom ... for survival.  This is another point she makes quite clear to the reader - she is a survivor!

Is this mystery solved .... well, that is for each reader to decide.

Review: The Adventures of the Murdered Midwife by Liese Sherwood-Fabre

Synopsis: Arthur Conan Doyle provided few details on Holmes' boyhood. His ancestors were country squires, his grandmother was the sister of the French artist Vernet, and he had a brother named Mycroft - seven years his senior.

Recently, a cache of documents has been discovered detailing, in Sherlock's own hand, his early forays into criminal investigation.Only weeks into his first year at Eton, Sherlock's father calls him and his brother back to Underbyrne, the ancestral estate.

The village midwife has been found with a pitchfork in her back in the estate's garden, and Mrs. Holmes has been accused of the murder.

Can Sherlock find the true killer in time to save her from the gallows?

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After a few false starts with other authors taking on Holmes, I actually found myself enjoying this take on the young Sherlock. What begins as simply a case of proving his mother innocent of a crime,young Sherlock, and indeed the Holmes clan, embark on solving the actual crime as the body count rises.

The author provides an insight into the young Holmes, fresh from being dragged away from his first year at Eton, to join older brother Mycroft (dragged away from Oxford Uni much to his chagrin) and uncle Ernest in collectively solving these local crimes.

For me, however, it is Mrs Holmes who is the stand out - she is obviously the one whom young Sherlock will emulate - and you can feel the author's guiding hand in his development as a detective. As Sherlock himself says "... mother always taught me a detached mind produced better results ...". We also are treated to the first glimpses of the skills Holmes will develop and use in his latter years - disguises, consorting with all class of people, powers of observation and evidence collection, a little criminal activity, and his one-up-manship against the local constabulary.

All in all, this is a fine start to a new series and one I am looking forward to investing in.

Review: Lotharingia by Lara Byrne

Synopsis: Against the backdrop of the Investiture Controversy, a young woman is forging her own special destiny.

AD 1062. One day warrior Countess Matilde will rule like a man, and inherit her mother's mysterious relics, but she cannot escape the marriage arranged for her.

When her enigmatic overlord King Heinrich rescues her from her abusive husband, friendship blossoms into forbidden love. But her personal journey has only just begun.

A medieval tale of love, political intrigue, and relic hunting.

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A fictional account of the early life of Matilda of Canossa, a formidable women who stood up for what she believed in, in the face of opposition from more powerful political players. And that is where my interest started and stopped.

By the author's own words, the plot is entirely fictitious and is her own creative attempt to tie up "historical" loose ends, to provide both herself and the reader a semblance of a satisfactory explanation / conclusion to historical events that actually presented none and to fill in gaps in the historical chronology.

Unfortunately, it read more like a medieval Dan Brown novel than what could have been a more considered and structured historical novel of a woman at the centre of one of the most important political and religious events of not only her time but of our own.

To throw in relic hunting and an undocumented illicit love affair in order to explain things or tie up loose ends is really doing your subject a great disservice - and just didn't work on so many levels.

I will be labeling this one as alternate historical fiction - as that is what it represents, especially for those of us who have actually taken the time to get to know Matilda and invest in her story a little more seriously. I won't be pursuing the second in this series.

If you are truly interest in Matilda, then invest in "The Military Leadership of Matilda of Canossa 1046-1115" by David J. Hay or even "Tuscan Countess: The Life and Extraordinary Times of Matilda of Canossa" by Michele K. Spike