The Serpent's Tale

November 12, 2007
Set in 12th-century England, Franklin’s mesmerizing second historical delivers on the promise of her first, Mistress of the Art of Death
(2007). When Rosamund Clifford, Henry II’s mistress, is poisoned, Dr. Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar must draw on her formidable forensic skills to try to uncover the killer. The prime suspect is Henry’s estranged wife, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who once plotted to overthrow the king. Adelia reunites with Rowley Picot, now a bishop as well as the father of Adelia’s child, and the two set out on a dangerous journey, during which they brave a blizzard and Eleanor’s band of ruthless mercenaries. Franklin, the pen name of Diana Norman, brings medieval England to life, from the maze surrounding Rosamund’s tower to the royal court’s Christmas celebration, with ice skating on the frozen Thames. A colorful cast of characters, both good and evil, enhance a tale that will keep readers on edge until the final page.

February 25, 2008
Franklin reintroduces the second coming of Adelia Aguilar, a character who first appeared in Mistress of the Art of Death
. Kate Reading captures her brilliantly through a wonderful and eerie reading. She has a voice made for narration; steady and firm in her pitch-perfect delivery, she draws upon the foggy atmosphere created by Franklin and sets the tone vividly with her classical British accent. Reading has such a firm understanding of the story that each word becomes as crucial as the last, creating a dramatic entertainment for the listener. Her characters, including the evil Queen Eleanor, a distressed King Henry II and of course Aguilar herself, are all well-rounded, with Reading perfecting a variety of gritty dialects to fit accordingly. Reading has a knack for this genre of story; with an inherent ability to captivate her audience from start to finish. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 12).