Silvano and Chiara are two teenagers with a difference. Silvano has been accused of a murder he did not commit. Chiara has been ousted from her family as a young woman with no marriage prospects. For these two very different reasons they are forced to seek refuge in a neighbouring convent and friary. And when they meet they are instantly aware that they are both outsiders, ill at ease with monastic life. Then a grisly murder - followed by another, and then another - strikes fear into the close-knit community. Chiara and Silvano cling together within the terrifying spiral of murder as they, and the friends they have made, attempt to solve the deadly mystery. This remarkably rich mystery thriller, with all the pace and action of a 'whodunnit', is set in the incredibly atmospheric environs of a friary in 14th-century Italy. Amidst all the action of the murder mystery, the author depicts in fascinating and intricate detail the lives and tasks of the friars and nuns, whether it be crushing pigments to create paints for the fresco artists in nearby Assisi, or the daily and nightly ritual of the religious services. All the historical detail is carefully researched. A huge cast of characters with romantic teen heroes, combined with the thriller-murder element, ensure a pacy, richly enjoyable read.
Les mer
A thrilling, atmospheric murder mystery set in 14th-century Italy - a teenage Name of the Rose
'A spirited thriller that prances off the page with its author's lively enjoyment of the subject ... beautifully produced, it is a pleasure to handle as well as to read' The Times 'Once begun, this cannot easily be put down. Hoffman at her best' Times Educational Supplement 'Has all the elements needed to weave a satisfying web of intrigue, tinged with religion and high art. This is a pacy and highly enjoyable read ... Hoffman handles the drama with admirable skill' Guardian
Les mer
Mary Hoffman has been shortlisted for a Costa Book Award (Troubadour) and the Guardian Fiction Prize (Falconer's Knot), and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal (City of Secrets; Troubadour) Author of the incredibly popular Stravaganza sequence
Les mer

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781408821558
Publisert
2013-07-04
Utgiver
Vendor
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Høyde
198 mm
Bredde
129 mm
Aldersnivå
03, Y
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
304

Forfatter

Biographical note

Mary Hoffman is an acclaimed children's writer and critic. She is the author of the bestselling picture book Amazing Grace. Her Stravaganza sequence for Bloomsbury is so popular it has 80 current stories on Fanfiction.net. Her previous books for Bloomsbury also include: The Falconer's Knot (shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Award and winner of the French Prix Polar Jeunesse 2009) and Troubadour (nominated for the 2010 Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Costa Book Award). Mary has three grown-up children and lives with her husband in West Oxfordshire. To follow Mary's musings, go to http://maryhoffmansmusings.blogspot.com