The House at Bishopsgate

January 1, 2017

In 1611, married couple Celia and Paul Pindar return to London from Aleppo, Syria, where Celia had been kidnapped and forced into the Great Turk's harem. Weakened by her experience and with her marriage strained, Celia relies increasingly upon their beguiling companion, widow Frances Sydenham. Celia's old friend Annetta arrives at the house at Bishopsgate to find the couple under Frances's sway, and all of London clamoring to see the mysterious diamond Celia and Paul brought back from Syria: the Sultan's Blue. The jewel is highly sought despite the dark properties it is rumored to possess. Nothing is quite what it seems, and secrets abound. VERDICT Transporting readers back to 17th-century England, this exceptionally engaging third entry in Hickman's "Aviary Gate" series (The Aviary Gate; The Pindar Diamond) can be read and enjoyed on its own. Historical fiction fans and readers looking for a riveting tale with an aura of mystery will be enthralled.--Laurel Tacoma, Strayer Univ. Lib., Washington, DC

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Hickman's latest continues the series of novels following Paul and Celia Pindar (The Aviary Gate, 2008, The Pindar Diamond, 2010), a merchant and his wife living in the Mediterranean in the early seventeenth century. After years away from England, Paul and Celia return to a home and a life that are unfamiliar to them both. They bring with them the Sultan's Blue, a diamond said to have magical properties. In their new home, with new expectations, Celia hosts society ladies for visits and feels out of place. Paul searches for his missing friend, John Carew, and struggles with his relationships with Celia and his brother Rafe. Paul and Celia rely heavily on Frances Sydenham, a widow who assists in household operations and who seems to have an agenda of her own. When Celia's friend Annetta arrives from Venice, the household tensions reach a dramatic peak. With so many plotlines and rich detail, the novel feels unfocused and slow at times. This historical novel with elements of fantasy is a complex story about marriage, friendship, and desire.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)