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Rizzo, by Denise Mina (2021)

Premise: A novella reconstructing the events of an attempted palace coup in in the court of Mary Queen of Scots in 1566, revolving around the assassination of her private secretary, David Rizzio.

Review: I really enjoyed this, and, I think, all the more for its brevity. Cont.

“...The women were already drawing lots for you when you left."

Only the ladies?

”No.”

—

This series is actually pretty queer from the start, but I wasn‘t expecting it so assumed all these bits were an accident or a joke.

Counting this one as a book with a map—Scotland and France, that is. This was an excellent installment of the Royal Diaries. To me, the most effective historical fiction is one that makes me want to research what really happened! Which is why I appreciate that the authors of Royal Diaries put the history at the end of the story. After reading the Cleopatra Royal Diary, I thought maybe I just didn‘t like it because I‘m an adult now. Nope.

The second I finished The Lymond Chronicles I wanted to start over at the beginning, but considering these books took over my life for months it was… daunting.

Turns out David Monteith is one of the few solo narrators I can get into. Listening to his performance is a lot like watching a Shakespeare play for the first time. Just because you follow while reading doesn‘t mean you GET IT.

Zakiya! Thank you so much for this lovely #jolabokaflodswap package! I can‘t wait to dig into this book and the chocolates. (I see you Crunchy Mint and I‘m coming for you first.) Happy Jolabokaflod!

I, Penelope Taberner Cameron, tell this story of happenings when I was a young girl.
#firstlinefridays
@ShyBookOwl

I heard Stephanie Merritt discussing Bruno Giordano on Backlisted, so I decided to read bk 2 in this her series of Tudor crime stories with the former monk, now spy for Walsingham, at the centre of the plot. In this one, Bruno is a guest of the French ambassador as a murder of one the queens lady in waiting is murdered with religious symbols. As a plot to topple Elizabeth gains support, Bruno investigates. Definitely scratches that shardlake itch.

I read this (gasp) thirty-five years ago in high school and decided to revisit it. I was really pleased with how well it holds up! Meticulously detailed, so you have to really commit to understanding the finer points of Scottish history, but well-written. And it's hard to be bored when there are so many moments that feel like they were ripped from a modern soap opera.

An interesting “look” into the life of Mary Queen of Scots through the eyes of her fictional young court jester. The authors skillfully created a story from what little is known about the people in Queen Mary‘s court in a very credible way. Full of intrigue and suspense. Worth a read.

mollie & I on the site of the disappeared Fotheringhay castle where Mary queen of Scot‘s was beheaded. memorial by the river nene at the base of the mount & the beautiful church with its unusual architecture was built by her son James1 her remains are no longer there & the castle was destroyed by him. The masonry & staircase which she walked down to her death is in the talbot hotel in oundle where we married,I walked down it in my wedding dress