Book Review: Mistress of the Art of Death

Reviewed By: Shirley - RAM

Mistress of the Art of Death     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Ariana Franklin
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical   Forensics   Woman Main Character
Series: Mistress of the Art of Death
Bantam Books

In the Twelfth Century Salerno Italy was the center of medical studies for the western world. Women were trained along with men, and a very few doctors went on to specialize in the causes of death. As young children in Cambridge England are disappearing and their bodies later found showing signs of torture, King Henry II asks Salerno for help. A team is sent, secretly, consisting of a woman doctor, Adelia Aguilar, her Arab servant, and a Jew, Simon, who is an experienced investigator.

England is a much different place than Italy. Women doctors are considered witches, and the church discourages healing unless by prayer. But their medical skills bring the local prior to their side, and he helps them become established in the community. Adelia and her companions Mansur and Simon present a great team, working undercover to find the monster attacking children.

Franklin paints stroke by stroke a picture of 12th century England; the buildings, the people, the clothing, the food, the smells, the weather. She shows the conflict between church and state, between Christian and Jew. This is a well researched and superbly written book. Franklin is a great story teller.

Shirley - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Shirley - RAM

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