The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: July 1, 2016

In the year 1543 of King Henry VIII’s turbulent reign, the daughter of a notorious alchemist finds herself suspected of cold-blooded murder... Bianca Goddard employs her knowledge of herbs and medicinal plants to concoct remedies for the disease-riddled poor in London’s squalid Southwark slum. But when her friend Jolyn comes to her complaining of severe stomach pains, Bianca’s prescription seems to kill her on the spot. Recovering from her shock, Bianca suspects Jolyn may have been poisoned before coming to her—but the local constable is not so easily convinced. To clear her name and keep her neck free of the gallows, Bianca must apply her knowledge of the healing arts to deduce exactly how her friend was murdered and by whom—before she herself falls victim to a similar fate...

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Mary Lawrence’s The Alchemist’s Daughter has been on my TBR longer than I care to admit. I received an ARC in 2015, but only got round to picking it up this summer. The premise intrigued me, but for one reason or another the book never demanded my immediate attention.

Interestingly, my sentiments have not been altered by actually reading the novel. I mean no offense, but the telling struck me as rather bland. The mystery unfolded in a loosely related series of events, but it lacked the tension and urgency I crave. I pieced it all together early on and spent most of the book waiting for the characters to catch up and the author to deliver her point. Unfortunately, the climax fell flat and I was left wondering why I’d bothered sticking it out.

Character development was thin beginning to end, but I was intensely frustrated with Bianca. The attitudes of Lawrence’s heroine struck me as anachronistic and I was frustrated by the depth of her scientific understanding which seemed to exceed the capacities of the day. I was also annoyed with how irrelevant the story felt when all the details came to light. I don’t want to give anything away, but Bianca Goddard and Jolyn Carmichael seemed removed from much of the drama and I couldn’t help feeling they were minor characters in the affair.

Looking back, the only aspect I truly appreciated was Lawrence’s descriptions of life in under Henry VIII’s rule. This is not Gregory’s glittering court or Mantel’s political pit of vipers. Bianca and her fellows live in London’s rat infested streets and though I know the graphic descriptions wont appeal to everyone, I personally applauded the author for daring to incorporate such vulgar realities into her narrative.

There are now three Bianca Goddard Mysteries and while I liked The Alchemist's Daughter well enough, I do not think I’ll be continuing the series. I’ll certainly recommend it to fans of Tudor era fiction, but personally I need a little more meat in my mysteries and don’t think I’ll find it here.

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Times like this required resourcefulness and calm. Unfortunately, both had escaped her. The thought of rats chewing her apart renewed her calls for help, and she banged and kicked the door until her thin leather boot wore through and her toes ached. She considered setting the door on fire, but what if it asphyxiated her before it burnt down? Well, at least she’d be dead when the rats gnawed her bones.

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The Sun King Conspiracy by Yves Jégo & Denis Lépée

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: March 1, 2016

Who can I trust in this nest of vipers? 1661 is a year of destiny for France and its young king, Louis XIV. Cardinal Mazarin, the Chief Minister who has governed throughout the King's early years, lies dying. As a fierce power struggle develops to succeed him, a religious brotherhood, guardian of a centuries-old secret, also sees its chance to influence events. Gabriel de Pontbriand, an aspiring actor employed as secretary to Moliere, becomes unwittingly involved when documents stolen from Mazarin's palace fall into his hands. The coded papers will alter Gabriel's life for ever, and their explosive contents have the power to change the course of history for France and the rising Sun King himself.

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*** Note: This title was previously published as The Sun King Rises.

Louis XIV

I’d love to say an appreciation of French history led me to The Sun King Conspiracy, but I’d be lying through my teeth. The reality is that the book has a genuinely gorgeous jacket and I, as we all know, am an unashamed cover slut. And when I say unashamed, I mean unashamed. I actually requested the previous incarnation of the title, The Sun King Rises, from Gallic Books last year for the same reason. Yeah…

As to the narrative itself, I hardly know where to begin. Historically the novel covers a lot of ground and I was thoroughly impressed with how Jégo and Lépée utilized both fact and period gossip within the fabric of their fiction. Louis XIV of France, Anne of Austria, Cardinal Mazarin, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, François d'Orbay, and Nicolas Fouquet feature prominently in Gabriel de Pontbriand’s story. The much celebrated Mancini sisters make notable appearances and there is even cameo by Charles II. The magnificence and magnitude of the stage Jégo and Lépée create matches the complexities of the conspiracy they construct. Some readers may find their approach somewhat overwhelming, but I personally loved every minute of it.

In terms of pacing, the novel never lets up which is saying something as various editions range between 415 and 496 pages in length. It’s got little on the unabridged edition of Les Miserables, but make no mistake, The Sun King Conspiracy is a beast. It is dense and atmospheric, but the story itself never stops moving. Hit after hit after hit, one twist after another, Jégo and Lépée kept me on the edge of my seat beginning to end. As before, their style and presentation may not be suitable for every reader, but I thought the velocity of the narrative one of its greatest features and greatly appreciated how it complimented the tension, depth, and intricacies of the plot.

That said, there were a few things that bugged. Not enough to downgrade to four stars, but they made a big enough impression that they deserve mention. There is a resolution, but Gabriel de Pontbriand’s story is by no means complete and that irked. I’m not sure if the book has a sequel or not, but it definitely needs one. I’d have also liked more definitive detail regarding the secrets the Brotherhood risks so much to protect. It’s a great story line, but comparatively, I felt it less developed than others in the narrative.

Would I recommend the book? In a heartbeat. The Sun King Conspiracy is a thrilling tale of power, riddles, and treachery. Definitely something I’d recommend as a standalone or as a companion piece to Enchantress of Paris.

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“You are taking terrible risks, Monsieur Superintendent. A crown is a heavy burden to wear when one is not its owner… “

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The Time of Murder at Mayerling by Ann Dukthas

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 

Obtained from: Local Library 

Read: August 30, 2012 

Vienna, 1889. Glittering entertainments hide a world of sinister political intrigue at the court of the Hapsburgs. The world exploded with the horrifying news that the heir to the throne, handsome Archduke Rudolph, had shot his seventeen-year-old aristocratic mistress, Maria Vetsera, to death and then turned the gun on himself at the imperial hunting lodge at Mayerling. Or did he? Rumors of foul play soon began to surface as Vetsera's body was hurriedly buried in secrecy and the government suppressed any inquiry. Scholar Nicholas Segalla risks his own life to uncover the truth behind a spectacular cover-up and attempts to expose a murderer with a very intimate and surprising connection to the doomed prince.

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*** NOTE: Ann Dukthas is a pseudonym used by Paul Doherty.

Crown Prince Rudolph

I confess, this is not my first go round with The Time of Murder at Mayerling. I stumbled over it by accident in my youth and was so enthralled with the material that I've never forgotten it. Passing years have not dulled my interest, if anything they’ve enhanced it, which is how I found myself revisiting this old favorite.

The Time of Murder at Mayerling is the third installment of the Nicholas Segalla Time Travel Mystery series. It isn’t necessary to read them in order so long as once understands that Nicholas Segalla is immortal. He fashioned himself as the ultimate gentlemen's gentleman and was well-known in several royal courts throughout history. He’s gone to great lengths to hide his identity, but in the 1990s, Segalla befriended author Ann Dukthas and took to sharing the truth behind his adventures. The result is a delightful series of historicals that introduce young readers to some of the best-known intrigues of the past. 

I love the idea behind this series and think Dukthas' explanation regarding the deaths of the Crown Prince and Baroness Vetsera quite fun. My only disappointment is that there is no author’s note to explain the fiction or direct those interested in the research that went into the narrative’s construction. At twelve I didn't even notice the omission. I was, quite frankly, too caught up in the plot to give a damn where the history came from, but as an adult, it’s close to torture. 

Extensive independent study has given me rather strong views on Rudolph and Mary and while I don’t personally subscribe to the theories Dukthas used to create The Time of Murder at Mayerling, I can’t deny it captures the imagination. The manipulation of fact is brilliantly entertaining and leaves a remarkable impression on readers both young and old. 

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"The truth is far worse than any of the versions."

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Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 29, 2011

Venice, 1585.When 16-year-old Laura della Scala learns that her older sister, Beatrice, has drowned, she is given no time to grieve. Instead, Laura's father removes her from the convent where he forcibly sent her years earlier and orders her to marry Beatrice's fiancé, a repulsive old merchant named Vincenzo. Panicked, Laura betrays a powerful man to earn her way into the Segreta, a shadowy society of women who deal in only one currency—secrets. The Segreta seems like the answer to Laura's prayers. The day after she joins their ranks, Vincenzo is publicly humiliated and conveniently exiled. Soon, however, Laura begins to suspect that her sister's death was not a tragic accident but a cold-blooded murder—one that might involve the Segreta and the women she has come to trust.

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I was optimistic going into Cross My Heart and perhaps that is why I wasn't too impressed. I don't mean to be a buzz kill, the book is a wonderful young adult historic fiction, but unlike some authors, I don't think Gould's work will be as appealing to older readers of the genre. 

For one thing, the romance felt manufactured. Laura and Giacomo fall for one another after only a handful of meetings. Younger readers might overlook this in their enthusiasm for the intrigue of the Segreta and the darkly mysterious depiction of Venice, but I think older readers look for a little more substance. 

Laura, for all that she is the heroine of the book, suffers similar issues. Outwardly, she is interesting enough, but inside, she is dull as dishwater. I never got the sense that anything truly mattered to her. Not her relationship with her family, not her involvement with the Segreta and certainly not her relationship with the young artist. Gould's leading lady tends to go through the motions while the rest of the cast carries the story. 

To her credit, Gould did throw the occasional curve ball, but in the end I didn't feel it was enough. The mystery felt too contrived, the solution too convenient and outcome too neatly wrapped up. I don't believe this poses much of a problem for the target audience but  I feel older readers will have a tough time sinking their teeth into Gould's story. There just isn't enough here to chew. 

Decent, if not particularly memorable. Recommended to fans of Lisa Tawn Bergren's River of Time series. 

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Laura, men have always governed women - whether at home, when a husband gives orders to his wife, or through the complex machinations of the Grand Council. Men say they rule by the grace of God, but the source of their power is hypocrisy, vice and corruption. The Segreta is a tonic to this poison. By meeting here, we determine the fortunes of Venice. Men may be princes, priests, even the Doge, but the strings that control them are in our hands.

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