I’m still waiting for a historical novel to feature the Cistercian monastery at Dore Abbey. Sleeper’s Castle came close.
I had no idea the Scudamore family had such deep roots in Herefordshire – they received lands there from William the Conqueror, and it was Sir John Scudamore who married Alys Glyndŵr in the early 1400s. They lived at Kentchurch, between Garway Hill and Ewyas Harold, and there’s a possibility that Alys’ father spent his final years in hiding there too.
The first in a trilogy that receives rave reviews but, despite the presence of The Shrander and K-Ship captain Seria Mau Genlicher, the ever present male gaze left me a bit cold. I won’t be continuing down the wormhole to read Nova Swing or Empty Space.
I’m still willing to give Climbers a try though, if I ever find a copy in the library…
Falco and Helena head east, to the kingdom of Nabatea and the Decapolis. Officially they are searching for a missing water organ player from snake charmer Thalia’s troupe; unofficially Falco is unexpectedly and unwillingly working for Imperial spymaster, and arch enemy, Anacrites.
The unofficial mission disappears almost as soon as they get to Petra, where they stumble across a dead body and fall in with with a touring group of theatricals.
Falco’s thespian side is unleashed as he, Helena and Nabatean priest/minder Musa try to work out who the murderer is.
