Simon Aronov, conocido como el Cojo de Varsovia, ha encomendado al príncipe veneciano Aldo Morosini, anticuario y experto en joyas antiguas, la misión de recobrar las cuatro piedras preciosas robadas del pectoral del Sumo Sacerdote del Templo de Jerusalén, lo cual -según la tradición- permitirá al pueblo de Israel recuperar sus tierras ancestrales.
Tras descubrir las dos primeras, la Estrella Azul y la Rosa de York, el príncipe parte hacia Viena, donde se ha citado con Abonov para asistir a una representación excepcional de El caballero de la rosa que tendrá lugar en la Opera. Al levantarse el telón, cuando las luces se apagan, aparece una joven enmascarada. El Cojo dice a su invitado que ella lleva prendido en el vestido el ópalo de Sissi, una de las piedras robadas.
¿Quién es esta joven misteriosa, de sangre noble? Para averiguarlo y recuperar la fabulosa joya, el príncipe anticuario viajará a una de las regiones, mas bellas de Austria.
Éste es el tercer volumen de la apasionante serie Las Joyas del Templo, después de La Estrella Azul y La Rosa de York.
Juliette Benzoni, (Andrée-Marguerite-Juliette) was a French author and international bestseller in several genres, including historical romance, historical fiction, mystery and screenwriting. Named by the Media as the « Queen of History Novels » and « Daughter of Alexander Dumas».
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours: 1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series. 1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant. 1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
ne autre bonne suite où le tandem Aldo/Adalbert est efficace charmant tout à la fois. Cette fois, le mystère tourne autour d'une personne, une femme de noir vêtu fort intéressante, tout le contraire de cette petite garce d'Anielka. En voila une qui ne fait rien pour se faire aimer! Cette fois, nous suivons l'antiquaire vénitien et l'égyptologue français sur les terres qui composeront la future Autriche, à une époque où se profile une seconde grande guerre.
Résumé maison: Après la tumultueuse reprise du diamant juif, Aldo peut reprendre un peu de repos à Venise, où Anielka s'est d'ailleurs réfugié un peu plus tard, pour échapper à son père dangereux. Pire, la cousine d'Aldo est embarquée dans une machination qui échappe encore au prince. Simon Aranov l'invite alors en Autriche, où se joue un théâtre dramatique. Aldo découvre une jeune femme de noir vêtue et masquée au cours d'un Opéra, portant une Opale sous forme de broche. Il s'agit d'un joyau appartenant à la célèbre impératrice Élizabeth, ou "Sissi". Cette dernière se volatilise après l'Opéra. Aldo et Adalbert se mettre à sa recherche dans ce territoire inconnu qu'est l'austro-hongrie. Pendant ce temps, Aronov se tient informé de la progression inquiétante d'un personnage de plus en plus connu: Adolf Hitler.
Catégorisation: Roman fiction français, littérature adulte Note: 8/10
Все, що треба для прекрасного відпочинкового читання – венеційський князь-антиквар у розквіті сил, таємничий опал з нагрудника первосвященика єрусалимського храму, підступні, але дуже красиві дами і найліпший друг-єгиптолог (такий завжди знадобиться). Карколомних переслідувань теж вдосталь, хоча в нас ще двадцяті і машинки їздять повільно, зате в готелях чудово годують. І звичайно, з коханням усе непросто, але на те воно і серія. До речі, всі ниточки з попередніх частин підв’язані, віддаю належне (а Мусоліні вже літає над текстом). Читала в російському перекладі, видання 2002 року.