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Languedoc #1-3
Labyrinth / Sepulchre / Citadel
Please Note That The Following Individual Books As Per Original ISBN Supplied Individually by Publisher and As Per Cover Image In this Listing shall be Dispatched Collectively :
Kate Mosse Trilogy 3 Books Collection Set (Sepulchre, Citadel, Labyrinth)
Sepulchre-
1891. Seventeen-year-old Léonie Vernier and her brother abandon Paris for the sanctuary of their aunt's isolated country house near Carcassonne, the Domaine de la Cade. But Léonie stumbles across a ruined sepulchre - and a timeless mystery whose traces are written in blood.
Citadel-
1942, Nazi-occupied France. Sandrine, a spirited and courageous nineteen-year-old, finds herself drawn into a Resistance group in Carcassonne - codenamed 'Citadel' - made up of ordinary women who are prepared to risk everything for what is right. And when she meets Raoul, they discover a shared passion for the cause, for their homeland, and for each other.
Labyrinth-
July 1209: in Carcassonne a 17-year-old girl is given a mysterious book by her father which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Although Alais cannot understand the strange words and symbols hidden within, she knows that her destiny lies in keeping the secret of the labyrinth safe . . .
Kate Mosse Trilogy 3 Books Collection Set (Sepulchre, Citadel, Labyrinth)
Sepulchre-
1891. Seventeen-year-old Léonie Vernier and her brother abandon Paris for the sanctuary of their aunt's isolated country house near Carcassonne, the Domaine de la Cade. But Léonie stumbles across a ruined sepulchre - and a timeless mystery whose traces are written in blood.
Citadel-
1942, Nazi-occupied France. Sandrine, a spirited and courageous nineteen-year-old, finds herself drawn into a Resistance group in Carcassonne - codenamed 'Citadel' - made up of ordinary women who are prepared to risk everything for what is right. And when she meets Raoul, they discover a shared passion for the cause, for their homeland, and for each other.
Labyrinth-
July 1209: in Carcassonne a 17-year-old girl is given a mysterious book by her father which he claims contains the secret of the true Grail. Although Alais cannot understand the strange words and symbols hidden within, she knows that her destiny lies in keeping the secret of the labyrinth safe . . .
2389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2022
381 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Kate Mosse
92 books3,378 followersKate Mosse is an international bestselling author with sales of more than five million copies in 42 languages. Her fiction includes the novels Labyrinth (2005), Sepulchre (2007), The Winter Ghosts (2009), and Citadel (2012), as well as an acclaimed collection of short stories, The Mistletoe Bride & Other Haunting Tales (2013). Kate’s new novel, The Taxidermist’s Daughter is out now.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
Kate is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize) and in June 2013, was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to literature. She lives in Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2024
Three of my absolute favorite historical fiction books, and it helps that they all takes part in my favorite places in the world, where I find peace every year and where my heart lives when I'm not there.
The books are so good. Very well researched and extremely well written
The books are so good. Very well researched and extremely well written
July 20, 2025
Having enjoyed the Joubert Chronicles and having been recommended Labyrinth many years ago, l finally started the Languedoc Trilogy with high hopes.
I ended up disappointed. Whilst the writing itself was initially pretty good as in the JC, there was too much of it, particularly in Citadel! Overall l felt the three books were overwritten; I could skim whole paragraphs and not lose the gist of the narrative. Most of my examples below relate to Citadel as it was (obviously) the last one l read, and my least favourite of the three, but the comments apply to all three books, though Citadel was by far the worst offender.
In my opinion there was too much (often unnecessary) detail - a description of pulling the trigger on a rifle was unnecessarily drawn out for example, and we didn’t need to know the make and model of a particular car that was a favourite of the Gestapo; there were whole paragraphs about various events which were fairly superficial (and this sometimes included conversation that wasn’t particularly engaging) which could have been dealt with in one sentence. There were huge tracts at the end of Citadel that could easily have been cut without affecting the story arc. I felt many explanations of (sometimes complex) events and histories were overblown - for example, the history of Tarot reading in Sepulchre which could have been much more concise. Most of this added little to the narrative but much to the length of each books.
I don’t like too many “teasings” in novels - oblique references to things that are clearly going to become obvious and/or significant later. While a captivating tactic in a mystery story, there were too many in this trilogy for me, especially as it’s a complex tale.
I was also irritated by the overuse of italicised French/German/Latin phrases. We get it! - Mosse speaks these languages fluently but there’s no need, for example, to randomly slip veille in when “old man” would have done perfectly. Ditto with citronelle. Up to a certain point it is a pleasing construct, but it became tedious after a while, given that so many examples were unnecessary. The Americanisms in Sepulchre were jarring too - Meredith had a cell, or she was “beat”.
The same comment applies to the overall weaving of facts into the story. Mosse quite clearly has a stupendous knowledge but not all of it was necessary, nor added anything to the telling; it sometimes felt like showing off to be honest.
As for the three major love interests - no thanks. I felt the sexual episodes were jarring and the immediate attraction between Sandrine and Raoul/Meredith and Hal/ Alice and Will clichéd.
I read the first two books quite quickly, and mostly enjoyed them even with the niggles, but l really struggled with Citadel, especially towards the end - the climax of which was fanciful at best. About three quarters of the way through l couldn’t wait to finish reading it - l’d lost impetus and interest. By this point it was a trial rather than a pleasure.
I had been looking forward to reading this trilogy and although l really wanted to like it, l didn’t. This area and its history is clearly a passion of Mosse, and the books a labour of love, so l feel bad about being so critical. To balance it out though, l liked the interweaving of the plot(s), the quality of some of the earlier writing (my comments above notwithstanding) and was impressed by the obvious research that has gone into this book.
Overall, three stars.
I ended up disappointed. Whilst the writing itself was initially pretty good as in the JC, there was too much of it, particularly in Citadel! Overall l felt the three books were overwritten; I could skim whole paragraphs and not lose the gist of the narrative. Most of my examples below relate to Citadel as it was (obviously) the last one l read, and my least favourite of the three, but the comments apply to all three books, though Citadel was by far the worst offender.
In my opinion there was too much (often unnecessary) detail - a description of pulling the trigger on a rifle was unnecessarily drawn out for example, and we didn’t need to know the make and model of a particular car that was a favourite of the Gestapo; there were whole paragraphs about various events which were fairly superficial (and this sometimes included conversation that wasn’t particularly engaging) which could have been dealt with in one sentence. There were huge tracts at the end of Citadel that could easily have been cut without affecting the story arc. I felt many explanations of (sometimes complex) events and histories were overblown - for example, the history of Tarot reading in Sepulchre which could have been much more concise. Most of this added little to the narrative but much to the length of each books.
I don’t like too many “teasings” in novels - oblique references to things that are clearly going to become obvious and/or significant later. While a captivating tactic in a mystery story, there were too many in this trilogy for me, especially as it’s a complex tale.
I was also irritated by the overuse of italicised French/German/Latin phrases. We get it! - Mosse speaks these languages fluently but there’s no need, for example, to randomly slip veille in when “old man” would have done perfectly. Ditto with citronelle. Up to a certain point it is a pleasing construct, but it became tedious after a while, given that so many examples were unnecessary. The Americanisms in Sepulchre were jarring too - Meredith had a cell, or she was “beat”.
The same comment applies to the overall weaving of facts into the story. Mosse quite clearly has a stupendous knowledge but not all of it was necessary, nor added anything to the telling; it sometimes felt like showing off to be honest.
As for the three major love interests - no thanks. I felt the sexual episodes were jarring and the immediate attraction between Sandrine and Raoul/Meredith and Hal/ Alice and Will clichéd.
I read the first two books quite quickly, and mostly enjoyed them even with the niggles, but l really struggled with Citadel, especially towards the end - the climax of which was fanciful at best. About three quarters of the way through l couldn’t wait to finish reading it - l’d lost impetus and interest. By this point it was a trial rather than a pleasure.
I had been looking forward to reading this trilogy and although l really wanted to like it, l didn’t. This area and its history is clearly a passion of Mosse, and the books a labour of love, so l feel bad about being so critical. To balance it out though, l liked the interweaving of the plot(s), the quality of some of the earlier writing (my comments above notwithstanding) and was impressed by the obvious research that has gone into this book.
Overall, three stars.
August 27, 2025
Captivating
I decided to read this trilogy after visiting Carcassonne earlier this year. With the 2 parts of the city clearly in mind I have found the trilogy absolutely captivating. The history embedded in the 1st book which resonated with the information imparted by knowledgeable guides at Carcassonne it self made it all feel so real although it is essentially an historical novel. The second book set in recent times which is informed by the history of the first book and then the gut-wrenching third book which left me breathless with anxiety and anticipation as the main protagonists fought so gallantly to outwit the evil all around them. I wont give away the ending if you are reading this with the thought to take on the trilogy, but just to say it was true to the style of the whole work. I have finished it, quite a task but I feel bereft as though I have lost something important in my life. Perhaps Audric Ballard, the constant throughout, represents that.
Whatever I read next I know it will not touch me as much. There are few books that can do that but this trilogy meets that challenge.
I decided to read this trilogy after visiting Carcassonne earlier this year. With the 2 parts of the city clearly in mind I have found the trilogy absolutely captivating. The history embedded in the 1st book which resonated with the information imparted by knowledgeable guides at Carcassonne it self made it all feel so real although it is essentially an historical novel. The second book set in recent times which is informed by the history of the first book and then the gut-wrenching third book which left me breathless with anxiety and anticipation as the main protagonists fought so gallantly to outwit the evil all around them. I wont give away the ending if you are reading this with the thought to take on the trilogy, but just to say it was true to the style of the whole work. I have finished it, quite a task but I feel bereft as though I have lost something important in my life. Perhaps Audric Ballard, the constant throughout, represents that.
Whatever I read next I know it will not touch me as much. There are few books that can do that but this trilogy meets that challenge.
January 8, 2025
Amazing, engrossing trilogy!
These books are so well written! The characters are alive and compelling. The character of Audric Bailliard is woven
throughout the trilogy and serves as a wonderful means to tie the books together in a meaningful story.
These books are so well written! The characters are alive and compelling. The character of Audric Bailliard is woven
throughout the trilogy and serves as a wonderful means to tie the books together in a meaningful story.
July 5, 2025
Just badly written predictable slop. Unlikable characters, odd descriptions at times and the only thing historical about it is that it is set in the past.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews