Mistress of the Art of Death

Audiobook

Published 2007 by Penguin Audio.

ISBN:: 978-1-57794-205-4

Four savage murders . . . an elusive killer . . . and one extraordinary woman who can reveal the secrets of the dead. In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. The Catholic townsfolk blame their Jewish neighbors, so to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of the king. Hoping scientific investigation will help catch the true killer, King Henry II calls on his cousin, the King of Sicily-whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest "master of the art of death," the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno, an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a "mistress of the art of death." In a backward …

Four savage murders . . . an elusive killer . . . and one extraordinary woman who can reveal the secrets of the dead. In medieval Cambridge, four children have been murdered. The Catholic townsfolk blame their Jewish neighbors, so to save them from the rioting mob, the Cambridge Jews are placed under the protection of the king. Hoping scientific investigation will help catch the true killer, King Henry II calls on his cousin, the King of Sicily-whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest "master of the art of death," the earliest form of medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno, an expert in the science of anatomy and the art of detection. But her name is Adelia; the king has been sent a "mistress of the art of death." In a backward and superstitious country like England, Adelia faces danger at every turn. As she examines the victims and retraces their last steps, she must conceal her true identity in order to avoid accusations of witchcraft. As Adelia's investigation takes her along Cambridge's shadowy river paths, and behind the closed doors of its churches and nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again. . . .

9 editions

Jim Fulner reviewed Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Review

3 stars

This book was well written, but it wasn't entirely believable. A 13th century female sarisan doctor to the dead is called to England to investigate the deaths of a number of children accused of being murdered by Jews.

Follows all the usual twists and turns of an episode of CSI.

The author seems to have an incredibly heretical view of the Church seemingly accusing every single priest and religious as being sexual deviants.

In addition, there is an unnecessarily graphic description of intercourse during the final chapters.

If I hadn't already purchased the sequel, I probably wouldn't bother reading it.

This book was well written, but it wasn't entirely believable. A 13th century female sarisan doctor to the dead is called to England to investigate the deaths of a number of children accused of being murdered by Jews.

Follows all the usual twists and turns of an episode of CSI.

The author seems to have an incredibly heretical view of the Church seemingly accusing every single priest and religious as being sexual deviants.

In addition, there is an unnecessarily graphic description of intercourse during the final chapters.

If I hadn't already purchased the sequel, I probably wouldn't bother reading it.

Subjects

Henry in fiction
Women forensic pathologists in fiction
Detective and mystery stories
Fiction
Suspense fiction
Historical fiction
Women forensic pathologists
Adelia Aguilar (Fictitious character)
Large type books
Murder
Adelia Aguilar (Fictional character)
Crimes
Women physicians
Investigation
Antisemitism
Middle Ages
Physicians, fiction
Jews, fiction
Great britain, fiction
Fiction, mystery & detective, general
Fiction, crime