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Mistress of the Art of Death #5
Death and the Maiden
The much-anticipated final installment in Ariana Franklin’s popular Mistress of the Art of Death historical mystery series, finished by the author’s daughter after her death.
England. 1191. After the death of her friend and patron, King Henry II, Adelia Aguilar, England’s vaunted Mistress of the Art of Death, is living comfortably in retirement and training her daughter, Allie, to carry on her craft—sharing the practical knowledge of anatomy, forensics, and sleuthing that catches murderers. Allie is already a skilled healer, with a particular gift for treating animals. But the young woman is nearly twenty, and her father, Rowley, Bishop of Saint Albans, and his patron, the formidable Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, have plans to marry Allie to an influential husband . . . if they can find a man who will appreciate a woman with such unusual gifts.
When a friend in Cambridgeshire falls ill, Allie is sent to Ely, where her path will cross with Lord Peverill, a young aristocrat who would be a most suitable match for the young healer. But when Allie arrives, all is chaos. A village girl has disappeared—and she’s not the first. Over the past few months, several girls from the villages surrounding Ely have vanished. When the body of one of the missing is discovered, Allie manages to examine the remains before burial. The results lead her to suspect that a monstrous predator is on the loose. Will her training and her stubborn pursuit of the truth help her find the killer...or make her the next victim?
A richly detailed, twisty thriller, Death and the Maiden is historical mystery at its finest—and a superb final episode in Ariana Franklin’s much-loved, much-acclaimed series.
England. 1191. After the death of her friend and patron, King Henry II, Adelia Aguilar, England’s vaunted Mistress of the Art of Death, is living comfortably in retirement and training her daughter, Allie, to carry on her craft—sharing the practical knowledge of anatomy, forensics, and sleuthing that catches murderers. Allie is already a skilled healer, with a particular gift for treating animals. But the young woman is nearly twenty, and her father, Rowley, Bishop of Saint Albans, and his patron, the formidable Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, have plans to marry Allie to an influential husband . . . if they can find a man who will appreciate a woman with such unusual gifts.
When a friend in Cambridgeshire falls ill, Allie is sent to Ely, where her path will cross with Lord Peverill, a young aristocrat who would be a most suitable match for the young healer. But when Allie arrives, all is chaos. A village girl has disappeared—and she’s not the first. Over the past few months, several girls from the villages surrounding Ely have vanished. When the body of one of the missing is discovered, Allie manages to examine the remains before burial. The results lead her to suspect that a monstrous predator is on the loose. Will her training and her stubborn pursuit of the truth help her find the killer...or make her the next victim?
A richly detailed, twisty thriller, Death and the Maiden is historical mystery at its finest—and a superb final episode in Ariana Franklin’s much-loved, much-acclaimed series.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2020
283 people are currently reading
6959 people want to read
About the author
Ariana Franklin
18 books1,084 followersAriana Franklin was the pen name of British writer Diana Norman. A former journalist, Norman had written several critically acclaimed biographies and historical novels. She lived in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband, the film critic Barry Norman.
Note:
The Death Maze (UK) is published as The Serpent's Tale in the US.
Relics of the Dead (UK) is published as Grave Goods in the US.
The Assassin's Prayer (UK) is published as A Murderous Procession in the US.
Note:
The Death Maze (UK) is published as The Serpent's Tale in the US.
Relics of the Dead (UK) is published as Grave Goods in the US.
The Assassin's Prayer (UK) is published as A Murderous Procession in the US.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
July 4, 2020
3.5 stars
I was so excited about this book and couldn't wait to delve in. I read all of the books in the Mistress of the Art of Death series and loved them all. The idea of getting a conclusion to the series left me in great anticipation. Death and the Maiden was not at all what I was expecting however. For that reason, this review is a bit difficult to write.
Franklin's character Adelia is a spitfire. She demands her presence to be known and she's unwilling to let anything deter her from the path she has created for herself. Furthermore, her relationship with Rowley is a show stopper. Franklin let the drama that played out between them carry the reader from page to page wanting more. I had expectations for this book to carry on with that tradition. There's where I made a crucial mistake (I probably should have considered the title a bit more!). Norman changes direction and makes Allie the main protagonist. Adelia and Rowley take a backseat to the main action. Perhaps if I went into the story expecting this, I would have enjoyed the book more.
With all of that said, the plot of the story is okay. Adelia, after hurting her ankle, sends Allie to help a friend in need of medical assistance. Rowley, feeling Allie needs to find a husband, agrees to the journey with the intentions of making sure she finds a suitor at her destination. When Allie arrives at the village, a young girl has gone missing. Allie will need to use all the lessons she has been taught by Arianna to determine what is going on in the village.
Although the story was good, I felt it sort of dragged on at times and it took longer to read than I expected. While not a page turner, Death and the Maiden is still an enjoyable read. My recommendation to others is to read this as a stand alone OR go into it with no expectations in relation to the other books in the series. This may help you enjoy the book more!
I was so excited about this book and couldn't wait to delve in. I read all of the books in the Mistress of the Art of Death series and loved them all. The idea of getting a conclusion to the series left me in great anticipation. Death and the Maiden was not at all what I was expecting however. For that reason, this review is a bit difficult to write.
Franklin's character Adelia is a spitfire. She demands her presence to be known and she's unwilling to let anything deter her from the path she has created for herself. Furthermore, her relationship with Rowley is a show stopper. Franklin let the drama that played out between them carry the reader from page to page wanting more. I had expectations for this book to carry on with that tradition. There's where I made a crucial mistake (I probably should have considered the title a bit more!). Norman changes direction and makes Allie the main protagonist. Adelia and Rowley take a backseat to the main action. Perhaps if I went into the story expecting this, I would have enjoyed the book more.
With all of that said, the plot of the story is okay. Adelia, after hurting her ankle, sends Allie to help a friend in need of medical assistance. Rowley, feeling Allie needs to find a husband, agrees to the journey with the intentions of making sure she finds a suitor at her destination. When Allie arrives at the village, a young girl has gone missing. Allie will need to use all the lessons she has been taught by Arianna to determine what is going on in the village.
Although the story was good, I felt it sort of dragged on at times and it took longer to read than I expected. While not a page turner, Death and the Maiden is still an enjoyable read. My recommendation to others is to read this as a stand alone OR go into it with no expectations in relation to the other books in the series. This may help you enjoy the book more!
December 24, 2020
Oh dear. I mourned when I heard that Ariana Franklin had died: I LOVED “Mistress of the Art of Death” and it’s bold, transgressive heroine Adelia. I loved the three books that followed after, all tightly plotted, dramatic tales that expanded our knowledge of Adelia and her Olde English world. . Presuming that this was a book based on the author’s notes, written by her daughter, I snapped it up — but oh, what a disappointment. Ms. Norman is clearly a historian (and I honestly didn’t mind having to look up the meaning of a barrow-load of obscure medieval words!) but a novel needs to have a plot, and this one did not. This was a mystery tale in which there was no detecting. An abducted young woman is found purely by accident, and no reason for her ordeal is ever provided. The perpetrator remains a cipher. Adelia herself is reduced to a one-dimensional caricature — she GIGGLES repeatedly throughout the tale. (Adelia would NEVER have been a giggler.). Adelia’s daughter Allie (another forensic investigator in training) is supposed to be 22 or 23 years old but behaves like an emotionally labile 13 year old. They call each other “darling” so often I felt I had fallen into a contemporary British sit-com. I wanted to like this book in the worst way . . . But I didn’t. Too bad.
October 15, 2020
Terror in the Fens of medieval times!
Young maidens are missing and drowned in the Fens of 1191. No one in authority is putting things together. The Fens! Truly some of my favorite medieval mysteries have been set here!
Adelia Aguilar is not the woman I remembered her to be. Admittedly she is now older and retired, but still as oblivious and yet at the same time as frenetic as usual.
Adelia has been training her daughter Allie in her craft, so when the call comes for help with an old friend's illness, she reluctantly sends Allie to Ely. Partly at the urging of Allie's father and her love, Rowley, Bishop of Saint Albans. He is worried about Allie's future and that she won't have the protection of a patron like Adelia did. (Of course the ugly spectre of healers being accused of witchcraft stands in the background)
One of the most interesting characters is Lady Penda of Elsford with her wolf cloak and skill with the bow. What we learn about her towards the end speaks for itself.
One interesting part of the piece was the Interdict imposed by the Bishop and the dire effect that has on innocent communities. As Father Edwards explains to his flock, it's an “order of the bishop of Ely ... that, henceforth, I am no longer allowed to celebrate mass or perform the viaticum, or, I fear, offer sepulture [burial] in this churchyard . . .” This is a massive punishment with all sorts of consequences for the faithful.
I had wondered about the culprit and wasn't surprised when my thoughts bore fruit. Still the getting to who was committing these awful crimes had a few likely contenders tossed in, so I was kept guessing almost to the end.
Ariana Franklin was one of my favorite medieval mystery writers. Unfortunately she died in 2011. I was excited to see this novel by her daughter finishing out the series.
It's an intriguing read, somewhat missing the cut and thrust of personalities I was looking for, or maybe that I had been used to. Despite this, a sterling read!
A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
Young maidens are missing and drowned in the Fens of 1191. No one in authority is putting things together. The Fens! Truly some of my favorite medieval mysteries have been set here!
Adelia Aguilar is not the woman I remembered her to be. Admittedly she is now older and retired, but still as oblivious and yet at the same time as frenetic as usual.
Adelia has been training her daughter Allie in her craft, so when the call comes for help with an old friend's illness, she reluctantly sends Allie to Ely. Partly at the urging of Allie's father and her love, Rowley, Bishop of Saint Albans. He is worried about Allie's future and that she won't have the protection of a patron like Adelia did. (Of course the ugly spectre of healers being accused of witchcraft stands in the background)
One of the most interesting characters is Lady Penda of Elsford with her wolf cloak and skill with the bow. What we learn about her towards the end speaks for itself.
One interesting part of the piece was the Interdict imposed by the Bishop and the dire effect that has on innocent communities. As Father Edwards explains to his flock, it's an “order of the bishop of Ely ... that, henceforth, I am no longer allowed to celebrate mass or perform the viaticum, or, I fear, offer sepulture [burial] in this churchyard . . .” This is a massive punishment with all sorts of consequences for the faithful.
I had wondered about the culprit and wasn't surprised when my thoughts bore fruit. Still the getting to who was committing these awful crimes had a few likely contenders tossed in, so I was kept guessing almost to the end.
Ariana Franklin was one of my favorite medieval mystery writers. Unfortunately she died in 2011. I was excited to see this novel by her daughter finishing out the series.
It's an intriguing read, somewhat missing the cut and thrust of personalities I was looking for, or maybe that I had been used to. Despite this, a sterling read!
A HarperCollins ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
January 3, 2021
I tried to go into this with an open mind, I really did. I get that there is no way Samantha Norman can 100% match Ariana Franklin's writing but I really struggled with this novel.
While Adelia, Gyltha, and Rowley somewhat resembled their characters from the previous four books, they seemed quite different from Franklin's work. The way Rowley was written was probably the closest resemblance to the original character out of the three. Norman's version of Adelia is uncharacteristically fussy and whenever she speaks, it doesn't sound much like Adelia. Gyltha also has lost her iron will that we strongly associate her with. The characters are weakened and dulled out versions from Franklin's work.
What I loved about this series is the writing. Franklin has a way of drawing you in with the language she uses. The images she created were vivid and alluring, even during the most mundane moments. Death and the Maiden lacks the magic that we've grown to love and instead we get the dullest descriptions and imagery. Not a lot happens either.
Mistress of the Art of Death remains my favourite in the series, it was gripping and fear inducing. This is a dark series that sheds light on the psyche of complicated individuals and the reader goes on a riveting adventure to come to understand these characters. Here we don't see very much of that or any at all as a matter of fact. I struggled with what a lot of readers struggled with in this book, the why. Even during the climax, I felt nothing. I wasn't scared or in anticipation like I was with the other novels. The frightful and tension filled moments were brushed over and summed up in a couple of sentences. Norman rushes over potentially interesting parts to drag out uneventful moments.
This is supposed to be the end of a series, so I expected it to end with a bang. Instead, it ends with a whimper. This book ends rather abruptly. I was at the last 10 pages of this book and wondering how Norman was seriously going to wrap things up with only a couple of pages left. By the time I reached the epilogue, barely anything was solved. I didn't understand why the villain did what they did. The nice thing about Franklin's writing is that she gives us a glimpse of the mind of the villain throughout the novel. Norman fails to deliver a crucial part of a mystery novel, the motive. I narrowed the list of suspected pretty early on and I'm not surprised who it turned out to be. What I took issue with is how Allie has a bad feeling about two characters in the book and I didn't understand why she felt this way. Nothing about the way they acted or the things they said really made me feel uneasy or suspicious. In fact, I'd like to know more about them. They barely showed up in the book to make me notice how they gave Allie a strange vibe.
For a four hundred page novel and a novel that we've waited years to read, I'd expect that we get a proper send off for characters that we've grown to love. Adelia and Rowley don't get a proper ending, in fact the last scene that we see them in is an unmemorable scene and the characters surely deserved better. I understand that this book focuses on Allie but Adelia and Rowley was where it all started and it is disappointing for us to be left hanging like this.
Overall, I'm left discontent and disappointed. I wanted so much more from this novel but sadly I didn't get it.
While Adelia, Gyltha, and Rowley somewhat resembled their characters from the previous four books, they seemed quite different from Franklin's work. The way Rowley was written was probably the closest resemblance to the original character out of the three. Norman's version of Adelia is uncharacteristically fussy and whenever she speaks, it doesn't sound much like Adelia. Gyltha also has lost her iron will that we strongly associate her with. The characters are weakened and dulled out versions from Franklin's work.
What I loved about this series is the writing. Franklin has a way of drawing you in with the language she uses. The images she created were vivid and alluring, even during the most mundane moments. Death and the Maiden lacks the magic that we've grown to love and instead we get the dullest descriptions and imagery. Not a lot happens either.
Mistress of the Art of Death remains my favourite in the series, it was gripping and fear inducing. This is a dark series that sheds light on the psyche of complicated individuals and the reader goes on a riveting adventure to come to understand these characters. Here we don't see very much of that or any at all as a matter of fact. I struggled with what a lot of readers struggled with in this book, the why. Even during the climax, I felt nothing. I wasn't scared or in anticipation like I was with the other novels. The frightful and tension filled moments were brushed over and summed up in a couple of sentences. Norman rushes over potentially interesting parts to drag out uneventful moments.
This is supposed to be the end of a series, so I expected it to end with a bang. Instead, it ends with a whimper. This book ends rather abruptly. I was at the last 10 pages of this book and wondering how Norman was seriously going to wrap things up with only a couple of pages left. By the time I reached the epilogue, barely anything was solved. I didn't understand why the villain did what they did. The nice thing about Franklin's writing is that she gives us a glimpse of the mind of the villain throughout the novel. Norman fails to deliver a crucial part of a mystery novel, the motive. I narrowed the list of suspected pretty early on and I'm not surprised who it turned out to be. What I took issue with is how Allie has a bad feeling about two characters in the book and I didn't understand why she felt this way. Nothing about the way they acted or the things they said really made me feel uneasy or suspicious. In fact, I'd like to know more about them. They barely showed up in the book to make me notice how they gave Allie a strange vibe.
For a four hundred page novel and a novel that we've waited years to read, I'd expect that we get a proper send off for characters that we've grown to love. Adelia and Rowley don't get a proper ending, in fact the last scene that we see them in is an unmemorable scene and the characters surely deserved better. I understand that this book focuses on Allie but Adelia and Rowley was where it all started and it is disappointing for us to be left hanging like this.
Overall, I'm left discontent and disappointed. I wanted so much more from this novel but sadly I didn't get it.
September 18, 2020
I discovered the first Mistress of the Art of Death novel shortly after it was released, and I've followed the series eagerly since then. The series author, Ariana Franklin, died in 2011, so I knew I had no hope of another title. I was grateful for what she had written and resigned that there would be no more. Now, however, there is one more novel in the series, this one written by Franklin's daughter Samantha Norman. I don't know how much of Death and the Maiden is built on material Franklin left behind and how much of it originates with Norman—whatever the balance, this title brings us one more adventure with the series' characters, who remain very much the individuals they were, despite the change in authors.
The greatest strength of Death and the Maiden is the integrity with which Norman presents these characters who originated with Franklin. Its greatest weakness is the mystery lying at the novel's heart. The mystery is solved at the novel's end, but there's little sleuthing by main characters Adelia and Allie and almost no forensic observation, which was a unique part of the series' other titles. What we get, instead is a novel that lets us see the series' older characters—particularly Adelia and Rowley—aging, and the younger—Adelia and Rowley's daughter Allie, coming into her own.
This book will be a rewarding read for those already familiar with the series, but new readers would do better to start with one of the earlier titles. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
The greatest strength of Death and the Maiden is the integrity with which Norman presents these characters who originated with Franklin. Its greatest weakness is the mystery lying at the novel's heart. The mystery is solved at the novel's end, but there's little sleuthing by main characters Adelia and Allie and almost no forensic observation, which was a unique part of the series' other titles. What we get, instead is a novel that lets us see the series' older characters—particularly Adelia and Rowley—aging, and the younger—Adelia and Rowley's daughter Allie, coming into her own.
This book will be a rewarding read for those already familiar with the series, but new readers would do better to start with one of the earlier titles. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
June 2, 2020
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
I really wanted to love Death and the Maiden. I had read the Mistress of the Art of Death series originally, and re-read them in preparation for reading this. I was so excited about the prospect of a new book in the series!
I came away feeling a little insulted, honestly.
One of the brilliant things about the series is that you get the WHYs. I didn't get that here. I knew pretty early on who the villain was. I am not bothered by that, it happens a lot that you can pick out the rogue; however, what is usually revealed is the WHY of them being so horrible. The WHY is as much the story as the overall story itself. I thought the placed red herrings were weak, and the first chapter unnecessary. Allie is a good character and I understand why Samantha Norman focused on her as the main character, but with the other information missing from the story, Allie wasn't enough to save the book for me.
I didn't love the softening of Adelia. Because let's be honest, Adelia wasn't so old that she would have softened out of her original character. - she would have been her determined, clinical self, and she would never have not gone to Gyltha. Norman tries to reinstate that determination later in the book, but it's too late, the damage is done.
I really wanted to love Death and the Maiden. I had read the Mistress of the Art of Death series originally, and re-read them in preparation for reading this. I was so excited about the prospect of a new book in the series!
I came away feeling a little insulted, honestly.
One of the brilliant things about the series is that you get the WHYs. I didn't get that here. I knew pretty early on who the villain was. I am not bothered by that, it happens a lot that you can pick out the rogue; however, what is usually revealed is the WHY of them being so horrible. The WHY is as much the story as the overall story itself. I thought the placed red herrings were weak, and the first chapter unnecessary. Allie is a good character and I understand why Samantha Norman focused on her as the main character, but with the other information missing from the story, Allie wasn't enough to save the book for me.
I didn't love the softening of Adelia. Because let's be honest, Adelia wasn't so old that she would have softened out of her original character. - she would have been her determined, clinical self, and she would never have not gone to Gyltha. Norman tries to reinstate that determination later in the book, but it's too late, the damage is done.
June 11, 2021
England, 1191. Ariana Franklin (deceased) & Samantha Norton ‘s ( her daughter) Death and the Maiden (Mistress of the Art of Death#5) is the final novel of this superior series. Henry II, patron of Amelia Aguilar “England’s vaunted mistress of the death”, has died, and Ms. Aguilar is retired and teaching her daughter, Allie, anatomy, forensics, and the ability the pursue and capture murderers. Allie’s father, Rowley, bishop of St. Albans, thinks the time has come for Allie to marry, but will she be able to practice what her mother is teaching her?
Then a friend of Amelia’s who lives in the Fens becomes sick, but Amelia was unavailable to go. Allie goes instead. Allie discovers while treating her mother’s friend that a young woman is missing. Then another goes missing. The suspense kept this reader up very late one night. Then WOW! what an ending!
The author, SN, dedicated this final novel of this incredible series to her mum, AF! Beautifully done! 5 stars!
Then a friend of Amelia’s who lives in the Fens becomes sick, but Amelia was unavailable to go. Allie goes instead. Allie discovers while treating her mother’s friend that a young woman is missing. Then another goes missing. The suspense kept this reader up very late one night. Then WOW! what an ending!
The author, SN, dedicated this final novel of this incredible series to her mum, AF! Beautifully done! 5 stars!
December 15, 2020
CWs: rape (on page), murder
— once the mystery got going it was more interesting but that didn't happen for a good two thirds of the book and it dragged so much until then
— really i was only here for the adelia/rowley scraps but none of the characters really felt like the characters as they'd been in the previous four books
— allie was supposedly 22, but felt so much younger
— i guessed who did it, i mean it was a "she might try pull this as a plot twist" guess, but i still guessed (the red-herringness of the other potential suspects was just so blatant)
— anyway, thanks for confirming rowley survived
— once the mystery got going it was more interesting but that didn't happen for a good two thirds of the book and it dragged so much until then
— really i was only here for the adelia/rowley scraps but none of the characters really felt like the characters as they'd been in the previous four books
— allie was supposedly 22, but felt so much younger
— i guessed who did it, i mean it was a "she might try pull this as a plot twist" guess, but i still guessed (the red-herringness of the other potential suspects was just so blatant)
— anyway, thanks for confirming rowley survived
April 25, 2023
Samantha Norman, daughter of Arianna Franklin/Diana Norman, has added this new book to the Mistress of the Art of Death series. It’s lovely that she has decided to do this, and certainly did it justice here. I enjoyed the book very much. She writes knowledgeably of the times and the landscape. My only quibble with this book is that it wrapped up very quickly after the reveal of the murderer. I would have liked a bit more about motivation/reactions. I hope Samantha Norman will continue this series.
November 16, 2020
I’m going to start by just saying this since no one else has, how do you get the main character’s name wrong? Over and over in the series Adelia’s full name is Vesuvia Adelia Rachel Ortese Aguilar. Vesuvia because her foster parents found her as an infant abandoned on Mount Vesuvius. In this book she is Rachel Adelia Ortese Aguilar. How do you miss a giant, glaring error like that?
The Mistress of the Art of Death series is one of my all-time favorites and I was so sad when Ariana Franklin passed away. I had resolved myself to never finding out the cliffhanger from A Murderous Procession, then I found out Franklin’s daughter had used her notes to write a conclusion and I couldn’t have been happier. When this book came available for preorder I immediately did so. Then I was given the opportunity through a Facebook group to review it in exchange for a digital ARC from William Morrow and NetGalley. I literally screamed when I saw I could get an early copy. I reread the entire series in the week waiting for the ARC. I started reading this ARC as soon as I got it, but then in chapter 2 I started to wonder if I should just wait for the print book due to glaring inconsistencies. The name thing completely threw me and before that it was implied King Henry knew he was requesting a Mistress, not a Master of the Art of Death, in the first book which was not true. Then Mansur was referred to as Adelia’s stepbrother when he was only referred to as her protector in the rest of the series, and then a minor character was given the same name as the first murderer. At that point I decided to put the ARC down since the cliffhanger was solved and wait for the hardback publication hoping these errors, especially the name, would be corrected. They were not, but I still enjoyed the book once I forced myself past the inconsistencies.
In this book Adelia and Rowley are minor characters taking a backseat to their daughter Allie, as the title implies. While I was disappointed, I was just happy to know that Rowley was alive. Later in the book Norman does get the details of previous books correct, but there were still other problems. First, Ulf magically has a sister that is never explained. Second, I was not a fan of the author changing which character’s point of view sometimes mid paragraph without any warning or break. Other than that, the writing was reminiscent of Franklin’s and I really enjoyed it. I did like the mystery, but it followed the premise of the first book pretty closely. In the beginning I thought Allie’s affinity and ability with animals was going to be ignored as it is implied she is a doctor like her mother, but that isn’t the case. I didn’t like that Adelia and Rowley were meant to be semi-elderly about 17 years after the end of the last book which puts Adelia in her early to mid 40s. I did like that Gyltha and Ulf stayed true to their characters. The new characters, specifically Hawise and Penda, stayed true to the history of the series and you could see how they developed from their immediate family. The character development was actually one of the high points of this book.
***After this there may be minor spoilers***
First, I am not satisfied with Mansur’s death being unexplained besides he died in Gyltha’s arms. He and Gyltha just went to the Fens and left Adelia? I don’t buy that, nor do I buy that Henry would have let Rowley and Adelia just be. I expected some reference to crimes they had solved out of the scope of the series, but there was none. Just them seeming elderly which is entirely out of both of their characters for the age they should be.
While I liked the story, I figured out pretty early on who the killer was. That didn’t bother me, because I still questioned if I was right. What I didn’t like about the end was that it just ended. This series was built on understanding the killer’s motives and reasoning behind their crimes. Even when the book ended with a cliffhanger to the next, you still understood why the killer did what he did. You do not get that with this book, and this is heralded the conclusion to the series. The book just ends and then is wrapped up with a quick excuse in the epilogue that does nothing to explain the motives, just how the killer’s death is not questioned. I feel like the readers that were heartbroken at the death of Ariana Franklin and the unexpected end of the series deserved more than a quick wrap up. Especially with a book as well written as this was. To say I was left wanting more from the ending is an understatement.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morris and Harper Collins Publishing, Samantha Collins and The Scene of the Crime Facebook group for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review of the book.
The Mistress of the Art of Death series is one of my all-time favorites and I was so sad when Ariana Franklin passed away. I had resolved myself to never finding out the cliffhanger from A Murderous Procession, then I found out Franklin’s daughter had used her notes to write a conclusion and I couldn’t have been happier. When this book came available for preorder I immediately did so. Then I was given the opportunity through a Facebook group to review it in exchange for a digital ARC from William Morrow and NetGalley. I literally screamed when I saw I could get an early copy. I reread the entire series in the week waiting for the ARC. I started reading this ARC as soon as I got it, but then in chapter 2 I started to wonder if I should just wait for the print book due to glaring inconsistencies. The name thing completely threw me and before that it was implied King Henry knew he was requesting a Mistress, not a Master of the Art of Death, in the first book which was not true. Then Mansur was referred to as Adelia’s stepbrother when he was only referred to as her protector in the rest of the series, and then a minor character was given the same name as the first murderer. At that point I decided to put the ARC down since the cliffhanger was solved and wait for the hardback publication hoping these errors, especially the name, would be corrected. They were not, but I still enjoyed the book once I forced myself past the inconsistencies.
In this book Adelia and Rowley are minor characters taking a backseat to their daughter Allie, as the title implies. While I was disappointed, I was just happy to know that Rowley was alive. Later in the book Norman does get the details of previous books correct, but there were still other problems. First, Ulf magically has a sister that is never explained. Second, I was not a fan of the author changing which character’s point of view sometimes mid paragraph without any warning or break. Other than that, the writing was reminiscent of Franklin’s and I really enjoyed it. I did like the mystery, but it followed the premise of the first book pretty closely. In the beginning I thought Allie’s affinity and ability with animals was going to be ignored as it is implied she is a doctor like her mother, but that isn’t the case. I didn’t like that Adelia and Rowley were meant to be semi-elderly about 17 years after the end of the last book which puts Adelia in her early to mid 40s. I did like that Gyltha and Ulf stayed true to their characters. The new characters, specifically Hawise and Penda, stayed true to the history of the series and you could see how they developed from their immediate family. The character development was actually one of the high points of this book.
***After this there may be minor spoilers***
First, I am not satisfied with Mansur’s death being unexplained besides he died in Gyltha’s arms. He and Gyltha just went to the Fens and left Adelia? I don’t buy that, nor do I buy that Henry would have let Rowley and Adelia just be. I expected some reference to crimes they had solved out of the scope of the series, but there was none. Just them seeming elderly which is entirely out of both of their characters for the age they should be.
While I liked the story, I figured out pretty early on who the killer was. That didn’t bother me, because I still questioned if I was right. What I didn’t like about the end was that it just ended. This series was built on understanding the killer’s motives and reasoning behind their crimes. Even when the book ended with a cliffhanger to the next, you still understood why the killer did what he did. You do not get that with this book, and this is heralded the conclusion to the series. The book just ends and then is wrapped up with a quick excuse in the epilogue that does nothing to explain the motives, just how the killer’s death is not questioned. I feel like the readers that were heartbroken at the death of Ariana Franklin and the unexpected end of the series deserved more than a quick wrap up. Especially with a book as well written as this was. To say I was left wanting more from the ending is an understatement.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morris and Harper Collins Publishing, Samantha Collins and The Scene of the Crime Facebook group for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review of the book.
November 11, 2020
4.5 stars for this long-awaited book.
I loved it! But reading it was a bittersweet experience. I really was not ready to say goodbye to Adelia, Rowley; I had just gotten to known their grown-up daughter, Allie, and now it's over!
However, the basic mystery was great. I figured out one clue, but that didn't do me a lot of good in pinpointing the 'big baddie'. I wasn't exactly surprised, though, when he was revealed. I thought the resolution was most fitting and very satisfying.
I thought the author did a good job of filling in the missing years between the end of the previous book (A Murderous Procession) which is set in 1176, and this one, set in 1191. We no longer have Henry II with us (he died in 1189), but Queen Eleanor has a few choice appearances. Rowley and Adelia are showing their age, other friends have died. It was marvelous to catch up with what all had been going on.
Now I need to track down the earlier books and settle down for a long overdue re-read.
I loved it! But reading it was a bittersweet experience. I really was not ready to say goodbye to Adelia, Rowley; I had just gotten to known their grown-up daughter, Allie, and now it's over!
However, the basic mystery was great. I figured out one clue, but that didn't do me a lot of good in pinpointing the 'big baddie'. I wasn't exactly surprised, though, when he was revealed. I thought the resolution was most fitting and very satisfying.
I thought the author did a good job of filling in the missing years between the end of the previous book (A Murderous Procession) which is set in 1176, and this one, set in 1191. We no longer have Henry II with us (he died in 1189), but Queen Eleanor has a few choice appearances. Rowley and Adelia are showing their age, other friends have died. It was marvelous to catch up with what all had been going on.
Now I need to track down the earlier books and settle down for a long overdue re-read.
January 21, 2021
Loss of the author who began the series made the difference for me.
October 16, 2024
"Death and the Maiden" - written by Ariana Franklin and Samantha Norman and published in 2020 by HarperCollins. This fifth in the series finishes up the story of Adelia, mostly focusing on the daughter she and Bishop Rowley had, Allie, who travels to the Fens and is caught up in a serial murder mystery (they don't call it serial murder in 1191!). I was disappointed in this story, the found family that Adelia had collected was largely gone, and the murder plot and investigation were weak. I appreciate that Norman had to complete this book from her mother's notes after her death, a daunting task. The first four books were wonderful though, highly recommended.
December 13, 2020
Although I found this book to be very slow I enjoyed the read. I would recommend other readers to read this book series in order.
May 18, 2020
The final novel in the Mistress of the Art of Death series featuring Adelia Aguilar is soon to be released. Death and the Maiden by Samantha Norman completes the series begun by her mother Diana Norman (writing as Ariana Franklin).
The first books are set during the reign of Henry II, and the main character, Adelia Aguilar is a medical doctor trained in Salerno, Italy. In the first books, her friend Mansur takes the role as doctor with Adelia as his assistant. Because she is a woman, Adelia must rely on this subterfuge in order to practice her skills: investigative, medical, and logical.
In Death and the Maiden, Adelia is older and Henry II has died, but Adelia has been training her daughter Allie to succeed her in her medical (and investigative) capacity, and it is Allie who becomes the main protagonist in this book. Adelia and Rowley make welcome appearances, but the story revolves around Allie.
When Adelia injures her ankle, Allie is allowed to go to Ely without her to care for their friend Gyltha, who is ill. As Gyltha recovers, Allie enjoys the sense of independence, but she but she is also concerned about the disappearances of several young women in the area. A handsome young lord from a neighboring estate adds a hint possible romance (which would greatly appease Rowley, who is eager to see his daughter married). But then Hawise, a young woman who has been a friend during Allie's stay, disappears and the suspense mounts.
Hopefully, Samantha Norman will take the opportunity to write further of the adventures of Allie, even if Adelia and Rowley stay a bit in the background.
Read in May. Blog review scheduled for Oct. 1, 2020
NetGalley/Harper Collins/William Morrow
Historical Mystery. Oct. 20, 2020. Print length: 416 pages.
The first books are set during the reign of Henry II, and the main character, Adelia Aguilar is a medical doctor trained in Salerno, Italy. In the first books, her friend Mansur takes the role as doctor with Adelia as his assistant. Because she is a woman, Adelia must rely on this subterfuge in order to practice her skills: investigative, medical, and logical.
In Death and the Maiden, Adelia is older and Henry II has died, but Adelia has been training her daughter Allie to succeed her in her medical (and investigative) capacity, and it is Allie who becomes the main protagonist in this book. Adelia and Rowley make welcome appearances, but the story revolves around Allie.
When Adelia injures her ankle, Allie is allowed to go to Ely without her to care for their friend Gyltha, who is ill. As Gyltha recovers, Allie enjoys the sense of independence, but she but she is also concerned about the disappearances of several young women in the area. A handsome young lord from a neighboring estate adds a hint possible romance (which would greatly appease Rowley, who is eager to see his daughter married). But then Hawise, a young woman who has been a friend during Allie's stay, disappears and the suspense mounts.
Hopefully, Samantha Norman will take the opportunity to write further of the adventures of Allie, even if Adelia and Rowley stay a bit in the background.
Read in May. Blog review scheduled for Oct. 1, 2020
NetGalley/Harper Collins/William Morrow
Historical Mystery. Oct. 20, 2020. Print length: 416 pages.
January 2, 2021
The Mistress of the Art of Death series is one of my absoute favorites. It's like comfort food when I feel down. I pick up one of the books and immerse myself into the incredible narratives that Franklin has woven.
Her daughter Samantha Norman has tried pick up her mother's mantle and complete the series after Franklin's passing. Unfortunately, she fails miserably and I wish with all my heart that this book had never been written. It is mind-nimbingly boring and so poorly written that it does a disservice to the fantastic books that came before. Norman has wittled away all the things the reader has come to love about the characters in the series (and even killed off a few for no reason) leaving them hollow and unpalatable. The heart beat of this series has been the unique views and fierce independence of the protagonist, Adelia, in a period of history that oppressed and held back women. Norman completely dispenses of this, leaving Adelia and her daughter (Allie) as simpering, limp and listless creatures.
The meandering plot focuses primarily on Allie mooning over a love interest (Adelia would NEVER put a man before the mission). There are some murders that happen in the background, but so little attention is given to them that they seem inconsequential. Honestly, nothing happens at all in solving these murders until the last 30 pages of the book, which wraps up so predictably I actually yelled "are you serious?" at my Kindle.
If you love the first 4 books, do yourself a favor and skip this book.
Her daughter Samantha Norman has tried pick up her mother's mantle and complete the series after Franklin's passing. Unfortunately, she fails miserably and I wish with all my heart that this book had never been written. It is mind-nimbingly boring and so poorly written that it does a disservice to the fantastic books that came before. Norman has wittled away all the things the reader has come to love about the characters in the series (and even killed off a few for no reason) leaving them hollow and unpalatable. The heart beat of this series has been the unique views and fierce independence of the protagonist, Adelia, in a period of history that oppressed and held back women. Norman completely dispenses of this, leaving Adelia and her daughter (Allie) as simpering, limp and listless creatures.
The meandering plot focuses primarily on Allie mooning over a love interest (Adelia would NEVER put a man before the mission). There are some murders that happen in the background, but so little attention is given to them that they seem inconsequential. Honestly, nothing happens at all in solving these murders until the last 30 pages of the book, which wraps up so predictably I actually yelled "are you serious?" at my Kindle.
If you love the first 4 books, do yourself a favor and skip this book.
September 7, 2020
I was hoping to be pulled into this story, but I found it hard to get into and hard to read. I will admit that I haven't read the ones that preceded this so I didn't have any attachment to any of the characters, which may have been part of the problem.
The first thing that I found difficult about reading this was the language. It is pretty close to trying to read Beowulf in the Old English - tons of lofty, archaic vocabulary. It doesn't keep you from understanding the story but does make you pause each time you come upon one of these words, impacting the flow the story.
Also, the ending was quite predictable. If you go w/ the villain being the person you least suspect, or least the person you hope it is not, you'll be right.
The first thing that I found difficult about reading this was the language. It is pretty close to trying to read Beowulf in the Old English - tons of lofty, archaic vocabulary. It doesn't keep you from understanding the story but does make you pause each time you come upon one of these words, impacting the flow the story.
Also, the ending was quite predictable. If you go w/ the villain being the person you least suspect, or least the person you hope it is not, you'll be right.
August 25, 2020
I loved this series and was very excited to finish the series albeit with another author. The problem is that you want to exact same voice and that was missing for me. The setting is the same with the unusual vocation of Adelia and the relationship between her and Rowley but the tone of the story felt less detailed. One of my favorite things was how Adelia got around the fact that she was an intelligent woman doing men's work and the intricate details of the autopsy or medical knowledge during the time. Putting their daughter Allie into the family business is a great way to continue the story with a different perspective. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
March 25, 2024
Audiobook
I don't know why people gave this such a low rating because the daughter had to finish it up. I thought she did a great job. I know others said they knew right away who the baddie was - I had a list of 4 and the culprit was actually the 2nd one I thought it was. I'm sad this is the last Ariana Franklin book. 4 stars.
I don't know why people gave this such a low rating because the daughter had to finish it up. I thought she did a great job. I know others said they knew right away who the baddie was - I had a list of 4 and the culprit was actually the 2nd one I thought it was. I'm sad this is the last Ariana Franklin book. 4 stars.
July 23, 2021
A nice wrap for the series from a manuscript left unfinished. It was nice to visit a final time with the familiar characters and to meet a few new ones.
Thank you, Susan Norman, for finishing your mother’s last book for us.
Thank you, Susan Norman, for finishing your mother’s last book for us.
April 17, 2023
Part of me wishes I had not read this last book and just imagined my own ending. The story was fine but it just wasn’t the ending I wanted I suppose.
January 15, 2022
When author Ariana Franklin (Diana Norman) passed away in 2011, she had published four books in the Mistress of the Art of Death series. Beginning in 2007 with the stunning Mistress of the Art of Death novel, it was followed by The Serpent’s Tale, Grave Goods, and A Murderous Procession. Fans, including me, of this superbly written series were bereft at the loss of such talent and resigned to lingering storylines being left unresolved.
This series features Adelia Aguilar, a young woman who, with her man servant Mansur, answers the summons from King Henry II of England for a forensic specialist doctor to come from Salerno, Italy to England and help solve an ongoing string of brutal child murders. Because the stories take place in the High Middle Ages, the latter 1100s, Adelia, as a woman, must keep her skills hidden and the credit given to Mansur. However, Henry II knows just how talented and knowledgeable Adelia is and decides to refuse her return to her native land. There is the character of Sir Rowley, who also serves the King, at first as his tax man and then as a bishop. Rowley becomes involved with Adelia, both personally and professionally, and they form a formidable team all the way around.
The books have great story, characters, adventure, mystery, and history. The history of this time period, latter 1100s, is fascinating, and Franklin knew how to bring it to life with a brilliance of sufficient detail and precise language. Some of the history interspersed with the stories included Henry II and his Queen, Eleanor, Adelia’s limitations as a woman in Medieval Times, the intricacies of politics and religion ruling everyone, and the methods of both healing and examining the dead. The murder mysteries within all this context were clever and quite dark, but following the line of investigation that Adelia pursued in these dark tales was thrilling.
So, when the decision was announced that there would be a fifth and final book in the Mistress of Death series written by Samantha Norman, Ariana Franklin’s daughter, there was great excitement. But, fans also recognized that Samantha Norman had big shoes to fill, even with the help of her mother’s notes. Death and the Maiden, the fifth and last book in the series was released in June of 2021, but I have only just read it. I sometimes drag my feet when I know a book is the last one by an author, as if I can make it last longer. I know that there are some mixed reviews on whether Samantha Norman successfully accomplished the task of standing in for her mother and giving us a book to tie up loose ends. I think she has. Oh, there are some quibbles I have, but overall I think that Death and the Maiden gives great satisfaction to the readers of this series.
Oh, those quibbles I mentioned. They mostly involve some questionable character choices. First, the fact that this last book revolves around Adelia’s and Rowley’s now grown daughter Allie. It could have been a disastrous choice to not feature Adelia as the lead here, but somehow it seemed right that the next generation through her daughter was stepping up to show what the future might hold for all of them. The only fault I had with this approach is that Norman kept referring to Adelia and Rowley as if they were old now, or certainly aging characters. Of course, in 1191, the 40s could be considered aging. I just think Norman made a few too many references to these two vital characters feeling their age. Again, the argument could be made that life in the Middle Ages was hard and that people aged faster, and as a result the life expectancy was fairly young compared to today. So, the matter of these choices made by the author may have bothered me a bit, but they did nothing to ruin my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I think that Allie was definitely up to the task as main character.
So, what happens in this last book? King Henry II is dead, Queen Eleanor is in France, and King Richard I is on the throne of England. The previous book, A Murderous Procession, takes place in 1176 when Allie is a child. She is now all grown up and studying under the tutelage of her mother in the art of forensic science and in healing. Adelia and Allie live comfortably near their friend Emma of Wolvercote Manor, and Rowley visits when he can get away from his busy duties as Bishop of Saint Albans. Life is, well, predictable, until a Gyltha’s sister Penda arrives from the Fens (Ely) with news that Gyltha is on her death bed, and if Adelia doesn’t accompany her back to Ely, Gyltha will surely soon die. Unfortunately, Adelia has just broken her ankle and can’t travel. Since Allie has been training under her, Adelia sends Allie with Penda. Adelia will have to wait out her ankle healing to join them in Ely.
Allie arrives in the village of Ely after a grueling four-day ride on horseback at an especially dark time. Not only is Gyltha gravely ill, but there have been teenage girls disappearing from the community and turning up much later in the river, dead. The locals attribute the deaths to accidental drownings, but, like her mother Adelia, Allie has the detective’s nose for sniffing out evil and feels that there’s something off about the disappearances and deaths. However, the first order of business is getting Gyltha well. Well-versed in the healing methods with which Adelia has been successful, Allie proves herself an able stand-in in treating Gyltha, and it’s not long before the beloved old wise woman is on the mend.
With Gyltha’s recovery comes time for Allie to enjoy her surroundings of the Fens, the place she lived when a young child. She’s happy to be back, yet she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right in the peaceful setting. There are distractions from Allie’s concerns though, and the biggest one is Lord Peverill, who seems interested in Allie, which is rather what Rowley and Penda had planned before Penda took her away to the Fens. Penda is also teaching Allie archery skills, which Allie is quite enjoying. And, Allie has made a good friend in Hawise, Gyltha’s granddaughter. In fact, Allie is feeling a sense of independence she’s never felt while she was under her mother’s scrutiny.
When a friend of Hawise’s goes missing and turns up dead at the river’s edge, Allie has a chance to examine the girl’s body before it’s taken away. What Allie discovers is that the girl was strangled and raped before ending up in the river. Surmising that it must be someone local who has kidnapped and murdered the girls, Allie and others realize how dangerous the situation has become. As Allie waits for Adelia and Rowley to get to the Fens, she is forced to do some digging on her own, as yet another girl disappears. Before this tale is over, the suspense will be as thick as the fog over the fens on an early winter morning.
Although I am sad to see this series end, I am well pleased with how it ended. It is easy for me to imagine the lives of these favorite characters beyond the pages of Death and the Maiden. I think Samantha Norman deserves high praise for giving readers a final farewell and well written last journey. This series will always be one of my favorites with his setting of England during Henry II’s reign into Richard I’s. For further historical fiction set during these two reigns, check our Sharon Kaye Penman’s five book series beginning with When Christ and His Saints Slept. The Middle Ages have so drama from which to draw stories and so much world-forming history to connect those stories to. I recommend starting at book one in the Mistress of the Art of Death series so that the history and characters can unfold chronologically. Enjoy.
This series features Adelia Aguilar, a young woman who, with her man servant Mansur, answers the summons from King Henry II of England for a forensic specialist doctor to come from Salerno, Italy to England and help solve an ongoing string of brutal child murders. Because the stories take place in the High Middle Ages, the latter 1100s, Adelia, as a woman, must keep her skills hidden and the credit given to Mansur. However, Henry II knows just how talented and knowledgeable Adelia is and decides to refuse her return to her native land. There is the character of Sir Rowley, who also serves the King, at first as his tax man and then as a bishop. Rowley becomes involved with Adelia, both personally and professionally, and they form a formidable team all the way around.
The books have great story, characters, adventure, mystery, and history. The history of this time period, latter 1100s, is fascinating, and Franklin knew how to bring it to life with a brilliance of sufficient detail and precise language. Some of the history interspersed with the stories included Henry II and his Queen, Eleanor, Adelia’s limitations as a woman in Medieval Times, the intricacies of politics and religion ruling everyone, and the methods of both healing and examining the dead. The murder mysteries within all this context were clever and quite dark, but following the line of investigation that Adelia pursued in these dark tales was thrilling.
So, when the decision was announced that there would be a fifth and final book in the Mistress of Death series written by Samantha Norman, Ariana Franklin’s daughter, there was great excitement. But, fans also recognized that Samantha Norman had big shoes to fill, even with the help of her mother’s notes. Death and the Maiden, the fifth and last book in the series was released in June of 2021, but I have only just read it. I sometimes drag my feet when I know a book is the last one by an author, as if I can make it last longer. I know that there are some mixed reviews on whether Samantha Norman successfully accomplished the task of standing in for her mother and giving us a book to tie up loose ends. I think she has. Oh, there are some quibbles I have, but overall I think that Death and the Maiden gives great satisfaction to the readers of this series.
Oh, those quibbles I mentioned. They mostly involve some questionable character choices. First, the fact that this last book revolves around Adelia’s and Rowley’s now grown daughter Allie. It could have been a disastrous choice to not feature Adelia as the lead here, but somehow it seemed right that the next generation through her daughter was stepping up to show what the future might hold for all of them. The only fault I had with this approach is that Norman kept referring to Adelia and Rowley as if they were old now, or certainly aging characters. Of course, in 1191, the 40s could be considered aging. I just think Norman made a few too many references to these two vital characters feeling their age. Again, the argument could be made that life in the Middle Ages was hard and that people aged faster, and as a result the life expectancy was fairly young compared to today. So, the matter of these choices made by the author may have bothered me a bit, but they did nothing to ruin my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I think that Allie was definitely up to the task as main character.
So, what happens in this last book? King Henry II is dead, Queen Eleanor is in France, and King Richard I is on the throne of England. The previous book, A Murderous Procession, takes place in 1176 when Allie is a child. She is now all grown up and studying under the tutelage of her mother in the art of forensic science and in healing. Adelia and Allie live comfortably near their friend Emma of Wolvercote Manor, and Rowley visits when he can get away from his busy duties as Bishop of Saint Albans. Life is, well, predictable, until a Gyltha’s sister Penda arrives from the Fens (Ely) with news that Gyltha is on her death bed, and if Adelia doesn’t accompany her back to Ely, Gyltha will surely soon die. Unfortunately, Adelia has just broken her ankle and can’t travel. Since Allie has been training under her, Adelia sends Allie with Penda. Adelia will have to wait out her ankle healing to join them in Ely.
Allie arrives in the village of Ely after a grueling four-day ride on horseback at an especially dark time. Not only is Gyltha gravely ill, but there have been teenage girls disappearing from the community and turning up much later in the river, dead. The locals attribute the deaths to accidental drownings, but, like her mother Adelia, Allie has the detective’s nose for sniffing out evil and feels that there’s something off about the disappearances and deaths. However, the first order of business is getting Gyltha well. Well-versed in the healing methods with which Adelia has been successful, Allie proves herself an able stand-in in treating Gyltha, and it’s not long before the beloved old wise woman is on the mend.
With Gyltha’s recovery comes time for Allie to enjoy her surroundings of the Fens, the place she lived when a young child. She’s happy to be back, yet she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right in the peaceful setting. There are distractions from Allie’s concerns though, and the biggest one is Lord Peverill, who seems interested in Allie, which is rather what Rowley and Penda had planned before Penda took her away to the Fens. Penda is also teaching Allie archery skills, which Allie is quite enjoying. And, Allie has made a good friend in Hawise, Gyltha’s granddaughter. In fact, Allie is feeling a sense of independence she’s never felt while she was under her mother’s scrutiny.
When a friend of Hawise’s goes missing and turns up dead at the river’s edge, Allie has a chance to examine the girl’s body before it’s taken away. What Allie discovers is that the girl was strangled and raped before ending up in the river. Surmising that it must be someone local who has kidnapped and murdered the girls, Allie and others realize how dangerous the situation has become. As Allie waits for Adelia and Rowley to get to the Fens, she is forced to do some digging on her own, as yet another girl disappears. Before this tale is over, the suspense will be as thick as the fog over the fens on an early winter morning.
Although I am sad to see this series end, I am well pleased with how it ended. It is easy for me to imagine the lives of these favorite characters beyond the pages of Death and the Maiden. I think Samantha Norman deserves high praise for giving readers a final farewell and well written last journey. This series will always be one of my favorites with his setting of England during Henry II’s reign into Richard I’s. For further historical fiction set during these two reigns, check our Sharon Kaye Penman’s five book series beginning with When Christ and His Saints Slept. The Middle Ages have so drama from which to draw stories and so much world-forming history to connect those stories to. I recommend starting at book one in the Mistress of the Art of Death series so that the history and characters can unfold chronologically. Enjoy.
January 2, 2021
Ariana Franklin aka Diana Norman penned one of the most fabulous series of all time before her death in 2011. Imagine my joy when this, the last of that beloved series, surfaced on my Amazon page. "Death and the Maiden" is the second novel that Norman's daughter Samantha finished for her mother, ("The Siege Winter" being the first) and the writing is seamless, with nothing to distinguish one author's style from the other. No easy feat, since Ariana Franklin was an amazingly talent!
"Death and the Maiden" opens with Adelia Aguilar, "mistress of the art of death", enjoying a semi retirement and the company of her and Bishop Rowley's only child Allie, nearly grown in this installment. In spite of the year, 1191, Adelia is an expert forensic scientist, herbalist, and healer, and she is training Allie to be the same.
Rowley, on the other hand, wishes to see his daughter married.
Into this impasse comes news of a dear friend who has fallen ill. When circumstances prevent Adelia from going immediately to her, Allie is off in her stead. Unfortunately the bearer of this bad news failed to deliver bad news of another sort - several girls gone missing, and several deaths. Will Allie live long enough to set her friend on the road to recovery? Will she, as her father hopes, succomb to marriage?
I'll never tell! But I will tell you I am so very thrilled to have discovered this novel and a wonderful new talent in Samantha Norman. I'll be watching for more!
"Death and the Maiden" opens with Adelia Aguilar, "mistress of the art of death", enjoying a semi retirement and the company of her and Bishop Rowley's only child Allie, nearly grown in this installment. In spite of the year, 1191, Adelia is an expert forensic scientist, herbalist, and healer, and she is training Allie to be the same.
Rowley, on the other hand, wishes to see his daughter married.
Into this impasse comes news of a dear friend who has fallen ill. When circumstances prevent Adelia from going immediately to her, Allie is off in her stead. Unfortunately the bearer of this bad news failed to deliver bad news of another sort - several girls gone missing, and several deaths. Will Allie live long enough to set her friend on the road to recovery? Will she, as her father hopes, succomb to marriage?
I'll never tell! But I will tell you I am so very thrilled to have discovered this novel and a wonderful new talent in Samantha Norman. I'll be watching for more!
October 8, 2020
Death and the Maiden is last book in Ariana Franklin incredible series.
Written by Franklin's daughter Samantha Norman. This final installment we see that Adelia’s daughter Allie, comes into her own. Allie is a medical examiner is difficult enough without adding in the complication of being a woman.
In a series of events, several young women go missing and turn up dead, Allie has no choice but to risk her own safety to solve the horrible crimes. With engaging twists and turns and a predator at lose, this a book to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
A wonderful conclusion to truly great series
Sadly this author has passed away 2011.
Written by Franklin's daughter Samantha Norman. This final installment we see that Adelia’s daughter Allie, comes into her own. Allie is a medical examiner is difficult enough without adding in the complication of being a woman.
In a series of events, several young women go missing and turn up dead, Allie has no choice but to risk her own safety to solve the horrible crimes. With engaging twists and turns and a predator at lose, this a book to keep you reading long past your bedtime.
A wonderful conclusion to truly great series
Sadly this author has passed away 2011.
September 27, 2023
I'm very sad to see this series come to an end.
Although this book is nowhere near as good as the other books in this series, I do appreciate the author's daughter giving closure to the series in respect and memory of her mother.
Rest in peace, Ariana Franklin.
Although this book is nowhere near as good as the other books in this series, I do appreciate the author's daughter giving closure to the series in respect and memory of her mother.
Rest in peace, Ariana Franklin.
Want to read
January 29, 2020Is this real!? I need to start my reread of this series! So good!!!
November 2, 2020
The world lost a great author with the passing of Diana Norman, aka Ariana Franklin, in 2011. She wrote mostly historical fiction and mysteries, but her greatest success was the Mistress of the Art of Death series, the final entry of which is DEATH AND THE MAIDEN. Franklin's daughter, Samantha Norman, appropriately has dedicated this book to Franklin: “This is for my mum.” It is most ironic and moving that the principal character in all of the prior installments takes a backseat here as the majority of the action is led by her daughter.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN is set in the year 1191 in England during the time of King Henry II. Penda, an old friend of the Aguilar family, travels from the Fens to Wolvercote where the Aguilars reside to request that Adelia return with her to help her gravely ill sister, Gyltha. With Adelia on the shelf due to an ankle injury that has left her hobbled, her daughter Allie goes in her place.
Upon arrival, Allie meets Hawise, who says that her friend Martha is just the latest in a series of young women who have gone missing only to turn up days later as apparent drowning victims. Allie is more than eager to share her mother's sidebar love of mystery-solving during her visit, and this sounds like just the sort of thing for her. Thankfully, Adelia has passed on much of what she knows to Allie as she has attempted to groom her for a career in the medical profession. Martha's body turns up shortly thereafter, giving Allie an opportunity to examine the corpse.
Allie has always found it difficult to deal with corpses, but words of wisdom from her mother get her through it: “Never look at a corpse and see the body of a person; see the cadaver of a pig.” She also reflects on another piece of advice that can assist in her investigation: “Use your eyes, Allie. See the wider picture first in case you miss something important.” Fortunately, letters from Adelia arrive that provide additional support. In one of these notes, she promises to travel there as soon as possible so she can help Allie in person.
Things take a far more personal turn when Hawise goes missing and is feared to be the next victim of the killer who has been terrorizing the area. Adelia eventually does arrive in the last act of the story, and her assistance allows Allie to focus more on the problem at hand and hopefully will let her do whatever it takes to find Hawise before she turns up dead. Additionally, Allie’s father, Rowley, appears and sheds some light on one of the clues in the case. Each body is found with D.V. carved into the flesh. It is assumed that these are the initials of the murderer, but Rowley indicates that it stands for Deus vult, a Latin phrase used as an old Crusader's cry that means “God wills it.” At the very least, this information may help narrow the field of suspects.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN is truly a love letter from Samantha Norman to her late mother and bears most of the trademark elements that helped make an Ariana Franklin novel so memorable. The atmosphere of the time period is spot-on, and the mystery infused within it is worthy of the others in this stand-out series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN is set in the year 1191 in England during the time of King Henry II. Penda, an old friend of the Aguilar family, travels from the Fens to Wolvercote where the Aguilars reside to request that Adelia return with her to help her gravely ill sister, Gyltha. With Adelia on the shelf due to an ankle injury that has left her hobbled, her daughter Allie goes in her place.
Upon arrival, Allie meets Hawise, who says that her friend Martha is just the latest in a series of young women who have gone missing only to turn up days later as apparent drowning victims. Allie is more than eager to share her mother's sidebar love of mystery-solving during her visit, and this sounds like just the sort of thing for her. Thankfully, Adelia has passed on much of what she knows to Allie as she has attempted to groom her for a career in the medical profession. Martha's body turns up shortly thereafter, giving Allie an opportunity to examine the corpse.
Allie has always found it difficult to deal with corpses, but words of wisdom from her mother get her through it: “Never look at a corpse and see the body of a person; see the cadaver of a pig.” She also reflects on another piece of advice that can assist in her investigation: “Use your eyes, Allie. See the wider picture first in case you miss something important.” Fortunately, letters from Adelia arrive that provide additional support. In one of these notes, she promises to travel there as soon as possible so she can help Allie in person.
Things take a far more personal turn when Hawise goes missing and is feared to be the next victim of the killer who has been terrorizing the area. Adelia eventually does arrive in the last act of the story, and her assistance allows Allie to focus more on the problem at hand and hopefully will let her do whatever it takes to find Hawise before she turns up dead. Additionally, Allie’s father, Rowley, appears and sheds some light on one of the clues in the case. Each body is found with D.V. carved into the flesh. It is assumed that these are the initials of the murderer, but Rowley indicates that it stands for Deus vult, a Latin phrase used as an old Crusader's cry that means “God wills it.” At the very least, this information may help narrow the field of suspects.
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN is truly a love letter from Samantha Norman to her late mother and bears most of the trademark elements that helped make an Ariana Franklin novel so memorable. The atmosphere of the time period is spot-on, and the mystery infused within it is worthy of the others in this stand-out series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
February 16, 2025
that'll be 1★ and a dnf from me. i did not enjoy it at all. it felt like it was trying to be a medieval dorothy sayers mystery, and maybe it succeeded—but i wouldn’t know because i had such a hard time paying attention.
by the time i got to 39%, i still had no idea what was going on or even that much about the main character. the plot felt murky, the pacing was sluggish, and nothing about the storytelling compelled me to stay engaged. maybe this is meant to be a cerebral read, something that requires a certain level of cleverness to appreciate, but if that’s the case, i clearly am not the right audience for it.
unfortunately, this one completely missed the mark for me.... but if any of that sounds good to you, this book can be found on kindle unlimited!! :)
by the time i got to 39%, i still had no idea what was going on or even that much about the main character. the plot felt murky, the pacing was sluggish, and nothing about the storytelling compelled me to stay engaged. maybe this is meant to be a cerebral read, something that requires a certain level of cleverness to appreciate, but if that’s the case, i clearly am not the right audience for it.
unfortunately, this one completely missed the mark for me.... but if any of that sounds good to you, this book can be found on kindle unlimited!! :)
July 16, 2021
Here's an unexpected last adventure with our Mistress of the Art of Death. Trouble is, Adelia's daughter Allie is having most of the adventures now. The authors are picturing Adelia in her later years: "she had grown old and weak and more in need in the meantime and that was nobody's burden but her own". This statement particularly haunting as Ariana Franklin did not live to finish this book, her daughter Samantha Norman completed it for her. "Death and the Maiden" kept me engaged- I love a well written historical mystery, love this particular set of characters and their times. I found the mystery to be predictable, and the unsolved dilemma (to marry or not to marry) one that holds less and less interest for me personally. Still, for someone who has enjoyed this series as much as I have, it was certainly a "must read".
November 3, 2020
The Mistress of the Art of Death series was one I really enjoyed. After Ariana Franklin’s death, her daughter has written the last book in this series. Perhaps because of the time between when I had last read the series, I wasn’t tempted to compare the writing styles or the stories and just enjoyed this book for what it is: a medieval mystery with some great characters. I loved getting to see Amelia and Rowley and their daughter Allie, now grown and following in her mom’s footsteps as a healer and forensic investigator.
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