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A Jagiellon Mystery #2
Midnight Fire
In the summer of 1545, Caterina Konarska undertakes the long journey from Bari to Kraków in search of a cure for her ailing son Giulio. In Poland, she finds a court far different from the lively, cultured place she remembers from twenty-five years ago. The old king lies on his deathbed, and the once-charming Queen Bona has aged into a bitter, lonely woman—isolated from power and estranged from the heir, Zygmunt August.
Haunted by memories of a crime she solved long ago, Caterina approaches the queen with caution. Bona promises medical assistance for Giulio, but at a price: Caterina must travel with her son to Vilnius where, in exchange for a medical consultation with a royal physician, she will attempt to dissuade Zygmunt August from marrying his scandal-ridden mistress, Barbara Radziwiłł.
Caterina agrees, but she soon learns that Zygmunt August listens to no one, especially when it comes to his love life. And when a puzzling murder shakes the Vilnius court, the duke immediately suspects his mother’s agents. Caterina is thrust into yet another investigation, but as bodies and clues pile up, she realizes that in trying to clear the queen’s name, she has placed her and Giulio’s lives in grave danger.
The second Jagiellon Mystery, Midnight Fire explores the nature of duty and sacrifice and the unpredictable ways in which personal and political events can trigger buried traumas, with explosive and deadly consequences.
"A compelling mystery written in an elegant and readable style. Midnight Fire takes readers on a highly satisfying journey into the heart of the 16th century Polish-Lithuanian court where no one is safe. A treat for those looking for something refreshingly new and smart." - Wendy Long Stanley, author of The Power to Deny
Haunted by memories of a crime she solved long ago, Caterina approaches the queen with caution. Bona promises medical assistance for Giulio, but at a price: Caterina must travel with her son to Vilnius where, in exchange for a medical consultation with a royal physician, she will attempt to dissuade Zygmunt August from marrying his scandal-ridden mistress, Barbara Radziwiłł.
Caterina agrees, but she soon learns that Zygmunt August listens to no one, especially when it comes to his love life. And when a puzzling murder shakes the Vilnius court, the duke immediately suspects his mother’s agents. Caterina is thrust into yet another investigation, but as bodies and clues pile up, she realizes that in trying to clear the queen’s name, she has placed her and Giulio’s lives in grave danger.
The second Jagiellon Mystery, Midnight Fire explores the nature of duty and sacrifice and the unpredictable ways in which personal and political events can trigger buried traumas, with explosive and deadly consequences.
"A compelling mystery written in an elegant and readable style. Midnight Fire takes readers on a highly satisfying journey into the heart of the 16th century Polish-Lithuanian court where no one is safe. A treat for those looking for something refreshingly new and smart." - Wendy Long Stanley, author of The Power to Deny
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 3, 2020
20 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
P.K. Adams
5 books57 followersI am a Boston-based historical fiction author with a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree from Yale University. I am a life-long lover of history, and my goal is to bring stories of lesser-known historical figures and places to the attention of wider audiences. I have a blog where I share my writing journey, review historical fiction, host guest blogs from fellow authors in the genre, and advocate for making more non-famous women the subjects of historical novels. When not writing, I can be found drinking tea, practicing yoga, reading …. although usually not at the same time.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 15, 2020
Midnight Fire is book two of the Jagiellon mystery series set in Poland during the 1500s.
Set twenty-five years after Book One, Caterina returns to Poland after a married life in Italy. She comes seeking medical assistance for her ailing son, and hopes that one of the queen’s physicians may be able to help.
Queen Bona is pleased to be reunited with Caterina, but her best doctors are with her own son in Lithuania. This is because the queen and her son are currently estranged over his relationships with his mistress. However, the queen is happy for Caterina to visit the royal doctors but she does ask Caterina to act as her envoy in imploring her son, the Duke, to see sense over his desire to marry his mistress. It is a delicate matter, but Caterina agrees for the sake of her own son’s health.
While in Vilnius, an attempt to poison Barbara Radziwiłł, the duke’s mistress, fails, but a servant girl dies instead. Caterina’s reputation for solving mysteries is well-known, and the duke asks her to find the culprit to prevent a second attempt. Once more, Caterina finds herself embroiled in solving a murder case for the Polish royal household.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought that I would; compared with book one in the series, this one had less characters, which helped. Another factor may have been that I was already familiar with many of the names. The mystery was easy to follow with more emphasis on the historical elements than a complex case with twists, so this would probably suit historical fiction lovers more than avid crime fiction readers.
Set twenty-five years after Book One, Caterina returns to Poland after a married life in Italy. She comes seeking medical assistance for her ailing son, and hopes that one of the queen’s physicians may be able to help.
Queen Bona is pleased to be reunited with Caterina, but her best doctors are with her own son in Lithuania. This is because the queen and her son are currently estranged over his relationships with his mistress. However, the queen is happy for Caterina to visit the royal doctors but she does ask Caterina to act as her envoy in imploring her son, the Duke, to see sense over his desire to marry his mistress. It is a delicate matter, but Caterina agrees for the sake of her own son’s health.
While in Vilnius, an attempt to poison Barbara Radziwiłł, the duke’s mistress, fails, but a servant girl dies instead. Caterina’s reputation for solving mysteries is well-known, and the duke asks her to find the culprit to prevent a second attempt. Once more, Caterina finds herself embroiled in solving a murder case for the Polish royal household.
I enjoyed this story more than I thought that I would; compared with book one in the series, this one had less characters, which helped. Another factor may have been that I was already familiar with many of the names. The mystery was easy to follow with more emphasis on the historical elements than a complex case with twists, so this would probably suit historical fiction lovers more than avid crime fiction readers.
October 5, 2020
Author P.K. Adams has crafted another elegant and enlightening historical mystery, Midnight Fire, which is “A Jagiellon Mystery Book 2”. I have read the first book in the series, Silent Water, and as I did with that book, I found it fascinating to again immerse myself in the history of a country that is rather distant to me. The rule of the Jagiellon dynasty in Poland between 1386 and 1572 spans the late Middle Ages and early Modern Era in European history. For Poland, this was a period of transformation from a feudal system to “Golden Liberty.”
Many of the characters from the first book have returned in Midnight Fire. Contessa Caterina Sanseverino Konarska, who solved the disturbing murders in the first book in 1519, is once again traveling from Italy to Krakow, Poland. It is now the summer of 1545 and she seeks to meet with Queen Bona Sforza to plead for medical help for her unwell son. Queen Bona also has a problem. Her son, Zygmunt August who rules Lithuania, wants to marry Barbara Radziwill instead of a more politically advantageous arranged marriage to a Hapsburg. Queen Bona promises to help Caterina if Caterina will meet with August.
Once in August’s Vilnius court, Caterina makes little headway in dissuading the passionate August to drop his Radziwill lover and obey his mother. Caterina does encounter unusual murders and the fact that the killer used poison seems to point to planned royal assassinations.
The writing, the history, the description of the times is all splendid. Although this may sound like a complex book, the writing is clear and elegant and filled with vivid descriptions of life, food, activities, passions and interest in the courts of Poland. The politics are complex and so are the feelings of the characters. Queen Bona is older now, her husband the King is frail and dying. Her son no longer listens to her. Caterina has also experienced changes over the years. Her sweet husband has grown distant and Caterina wonders what the next age of her life will bring. The tumultuous times mirror the lives of the characters.
I highly recommend this book and series. Author Adams continues to focus on strong historical women, and I have delighted in meeting these women. Queen Bona and Barbara Radziwill and learning of their lives, 500 years in the past.
Many of the characters from the first book have returned in Midnight Fire. Contessa Caterina Sanseverino Konarska, who solved the disturbing murders in the first book in 1519, is once again traveling from Italy to Krakow, Poland. It is now the summer of 1545 and she seeks to meet with Queen Bona Sforza to plead for medical help for her unwell son. Queen Bona also has a problem. Her son, Zygmunt August who rules Lithuania, wants to marry Barbara Radziwill instead of a more politically advantageous arranged marriage to a Hapsburg. Queen Bona promises to help Caterina if Caterina will meet with August.
Once in August’s Vilnius court, Caterina makes little headway in dissuading the passionate August to drop his Radziwill lover and obey his mother. Caterina does encounter unusual murders and the fact that the killer used poison seems to point to planned royal assassinations.
The writing, the history, the description of the times is all splendid. Although this may sound like a complex book, the writing is clear and elegant and filled with vivid descriptions of life, food, activities, passions and interest in the courts of Poland. The politics are complex and so are the feelings of the characters. Queen Bona is older now, her husband the King is frail and dying. Her son no longer listens to her. Caterina has also experienced changes over the years. Her sweet husband has grown distant and Caterina wonders what the next age of her life will bring. The tumultuous times mirror the lives of the characters.
I highly recommend this book and series. Author Adams continues to focus on strong historical women, and I have delighted in meeting these women. Queen Bona and Barbara Radziwill and learning of their lives, 500 years in the past.
November 4, 2020
Having read and enjoyed Silent Water, I felt fortunate to obtain an advanced review copy of P.K. Adams' Midnight Fire, the second book in her Jagiellon mystery trilogy. Out next week, this is one novel you don't want to miss if you are a fan of cosy mysteries and long to time travel to the Polish Golden Age.
P.K. Adams is a talented writer who breathes atmosphere and colour to a period that few historical novelists have dared to tread. Employing artful descriptions and an engrossing prose, she effortlessly merges an absorbing mystery with her cultural and historical knowledge of 16th century Poland. Once again the astute and introspective Caterina Konarska who almost lost her life in Silent Water, is thrown into the intrigues of the fascinating Jagiellonian court to become our key detective; a treat.
More king than her husband, it is Bona Sforza who in this year of 1545 remains the iron-fisted ruler of both Poland and Lithuania. Officially, her son, Zygmunt August, rules as second king and has setup his court in Vilnius, Lithuania. Many years have passed since Bona first arrived in Poland for her marriage, and now, much like Catherine de Medici — an Italian queen in a foreign land – Bona’s origins have begun to paint her in negative light. It is no secret that she is strongly opposed to her son’s desire to marry his scandalous Lithuanian lover, Barbara Radziwiłł, and there are those, like the estranged Zygmunt himself, who believe she is ruthless enough to kill to prevent this marriage. Much maligned, Bona’s political instinct is to see that her son marries a Habsburg, forging a powerful alliance with that empire. In a court where her supporters have dwindled to a few, who can she trust to impose her will and prevent Zygmunt from marrying Barbara?
Newly arrived in Kraków after a long journey from Bari in Italy, Caterina who remembers the prestigious and progressive Polish court, is seeking to consult one of Queen Bona’s physicians in the hope that he can cure her son, Giulio’s mysterious recurring fevers. Bona advises her to travel to the Vilnius court to see one of her Italian physicians. Much like the readers who have encountered Caterina’s sleuthing and her sharp mind in the first book, Bona recognises a capable woman in Caterina and doesn’t miss the opportunity to entrust her with a delicate mission of dissuasion targeting Zygmunt – the nature of which she hopes will save her son from a disastrous marriage.
History tells us that Caterina will not succeed. Today we can gaze at the delightful 19th century Jan Matejko painting depicting Zygmunt August as he cradles Barbara Radziwiłł in Vilnius, the two enraptured in a loving embrace. We know that the couple eventually wed, albeit in secret. Then again there is Józef Simmler’s haunting The Death of Barbara Radziwiłł that captures a heart-wrenching scene. Here, an ashen Barbara lies in bed, her lifeless arm dangling to the floor, while a powerless and broken-hearted Zygmunt looks on, knowing he has lost her forever. The painting is a stark reminder that only five months after her coronation, Barbara will find death at only 30 years of age.
Doomed, the lovers certainly were. While this book, with its string of ghastly murders linked to Barbara Radziwiłł, and its showcasing of Caterina’s solid detective work, remained a well-paced and engaging mystery, it was the impending tragedy looming over the young couple which captivated my attention - the unsaid narrative. All its elements are present as though fate conspired to tear the lovers apart: the rampant scorn and gossip of the court; the attack on Barbara’s life; and the forbidding attitude towards August and Barbara’s relationship from various political parties, not least from the Habsburgs and Queen Bona herself. As it turned out, when the undercurrents of politics could not part the lovers, it was a fateful illness which administered the last blow.
For cultural immersion, there is much to enjoy about this novel. I loved following Caterina into Vilnius, and delighted in her vivid observations of the court subjects – both their striking character and attire. During Caterina’s visit to a Turkish bath in Vilnius or when she enters the Radziwiłł palace, the evocative writing was highly effective for transporting the reader into the world of 16th century Lithuania.
P.K. Adams can also be praised for crafting mood, one that is pregnant with danger and gloom. The insidious shadow of death permeates, even beyond the murders that Caterina is called upon to solve in Vilnius. There is first, the memory of the young murderess, Helena Lipińska, who met an unjust fate in the first novel. While her tragic end plagues Caterina with guilt, it is Bona Sforza’s lady-in-waiting, Lucrezia, who seems more affected by it, and whose spiritual decay seems to progress throughout the story. Emerging through Caterina’s investigation, is the foreshadowing of Queen Bona’s future murder and her betrayal by a court subject twelve years later.
The novel seems to remind the reader of impending and inevitable death, whether spiritual or physical. In this, the author employs a haunting metaphor – Queen Bona had received five desert camels as a gift but kept them in a tight pen in a cold environment where such animals do not thrive. At the beginning of the novel, we learn that two of the camels have perished, leaving only three who appear desperately ill already. After seeing the animals, Caterina makes an allusion to Queen Bona’s unbending will and her denial of the forces of nature: “there is no cheating nature, no taming its laws. In the end, nature always prevails.” Proving her right, at the end of the novel, only two camels remain. Meanwhile Lucrezia is herself more sickly looking than ever, a hint that like the camels, it is only just a matter of time until her soul finally breaks. And last, Queen Bona, as history would have it, could not escape her own murder.
A highly recommended, satisfying mystery.
P.K. Adams is a talented writer who breathes atmosphere and colour to a period that few historical novelists have dared to tread. Employing artful descriptions and an engrossing prose, she effortlessly merges an absorbing mystery with her cultural and historical knowledge of 16th century Poland. Once again the astute and introspective Caterina Konarska who almost lost her life in Silent Water, is thrown into the intrigues of the fascinating Jagiellonian court to become our key detective; a treat.
More king than her husband, it is Bona Sforza who in this year of 1545 remains the iron-fisted ruler of both Poland and Lithuania. Officially, her son, Zygmunt August, rules as second king and has setup his court in Vilnius, Lithuania. Many years have passed since Bona first arrived in Poland for her marriage, and now, much like Catherine de Medici — an Italian queen in a foreign land – Bona’s origins have begun to paint her in negative light. It is no secret that she is strongly opposed to her son’s desire to marry his scandalous Lithuanian lover, Barbara Radziwiłł, and there are those, like the estranged Zygmunt himself, who believe she is ruthless enough to kill to prevent this marriage. Much maligned, Bona’s political instinct is to see that her son marries a Habsburg, forging a powerful alliance with that empire. In a court where her supporters have dwindled to a few, who can she trust to impose her will and prevent Zygmunt from marrying Barbara?
Newly arrived in Kraków after a long journey from Bari in Italy, Caterina who remembers the prestigious and progressive Polish court, is seeking to consult one of Queen Bona’s physicians in the hope that he can cure her son, Giulio’s mysterious recurring fevers. Bona advises her to travel to the Vilnius court to see one of her Italian physicians. Much like the readers who have encountered Caterina’s sleuthing and her sharp mind in the first book, Bona recognises a capable woman in Caterina and doesn’t miss the opportunity to entrust her with a delicate mission of dissuasion targeting Zygmunt – the nature of which she hopes will save her son from a disastrous marriage.
History tells us that Caterina will not succeed. Today we can gaze at the delightful 19th century Jan Matejko painting depicting Zygmunt August as he cradles Barbara Radziwiłł in Vilnius, the two enraptured in a loving embrace. We know that the couple eventually wed, albeit in secret. Then again there is Józef Simmler’s haunting The Death of Barbara Radziwiłł that captures a heart-wrenching scene. Here, an ashen Barbara lies in bed, her lifeless arm dangling to the floor, while a powerless and broken-hearted Zygmunt looks on, knowing he has lost her forever. The painting is a stark reminder that only five months after her coronation, Barbara will find death at only 30 years of age.
Doomed, the lovers certainly were. While this book, with its string of ghastly murders linked to Barbara Radziwiłł, and its showcasing of Caterina’s solid detective work, remained a well-paced and engaging mystery, it was the impending tragedy looming over the young couple which captivated my attention - the unsaid narrative. All its elements are present as though fate conspired to tear the lovers apart: the rampant scorn and gossip of the court; the attack on Barbara’s life; and the forbidding attitude towards August and Barbara’s relationship from various political parties, not least from the Habsburgs and Queen Bona herself. As it turned out, when the undercurrents of politics could not part the lovers, it was a fateful illness which administered the last blow.
For cultural immersion, there is much to enjoy about this novel. I loved following Caterina into Vilnius, and delighted in her vivid observations of the court subjects – both their striking character and attire. During Caterina’s visit to a Turkish bath in Vilnius or when she enters the Radziwiłł palace, the evocative writing was highly effective for transporting the reader into the world of 16th century Lithuania.
P.K. Adams can also be praised for crafting mood, one that is pregnant with danger and gloom. The insidious shadow of death permeates, even beyond the murders that Caterina is called upon to solve in Vilnius. There is first, the memory of the young murderess, Helena Lipińska, who met an unjust fate in the first novel. While her tragic end plagues Caterina with guilt, it is Bona Sforza’s lady-in-waiting, Lucrezia, who seems more affected by it, and whose spiritual decay seems to progress throughout the story. Emerging through Caterina’s investigation, is the foreshadowing of Queen Bona’s future murder and her betrayal by a court subject twelve years later.
The novel seems to remind the reader of impending and inevitable death, whether spiritual or physical. In this, the author employs a haunting metaphor – Queen Bona had received five desert camels as a gift but kept them in a tight pen in a cold environment where such animals do not thrive. At the beginning of the novel, we learn that two of the camels have perished, leaving only three who appear desperately ill already. After seeing the animals, Caterina makes an allusion to Queen Bona’s unbending will and her denial of the forces of nature: “there is no cheating nature, no taming its laws. In the end, nature always prevails.” Proving her right, at the end of the novel, only two camels remain. Meanwhile Lucrezia is herself more sickly looking than ever, a hint that like the camels, it is only just a matter of time until her soul finally breaks. And last, Queen Bona, as history would have it, could not escape her own murder.
A highly recommended, satisfying mystery.
October 9, 2020
A charming mystery
This mystery takes place in 1540 in Poland and Lithuanian Duchal court. Fascinating look at court intrigue and politics. Very good read
This mystery takes place in 1540 in Poland and Lithuanian Duchal court. Fascinating look at court intrigue and politics. Very good read
January 3, 2022
Drugi tom, którego akcja dzieje się ćwierć wieku po wydarzeniach z pierwszej części. Pojawiają się morderstwa ale ich opis przypomina bardziej pióro A. Christie niż modne aktualnie krwiste kryminały. Dla mnie to plus. Nie lubię jak z książki wycieka krew i wypadają części ciała. Sprawne pióro autorki, historyczny klimat i współczesny język bohaterów, to pomysł na udane popołudnie na dworze Jagiellonów.
October 12, 2020
I really loved how different this book is. I learned a lot and I genuinely didn't guess who did it. A precise, intentional pace leads the reader through compelling twists and turns in a fascinating time period to a satisfying end. Immersive. Read it!
January 7, 2022
Otrucia na dworze, misja od Królowej Bony, szpiedzy i skrytobójcy. A to wszystko w Polsce Jagiellonów. Wciąga.
January 5, 2021
The 2nd book in this mystery series follows Caterina as she returns to Poland 25 years later than the 1st book. Our sleuth is sharp and witty but still feels real. The level of historical detail built into these stories is mind-blowing and the glimpses of character were sweet and insightful. A clever and twisty mystery! I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by the author but all thoughts are my own.
November 4, 2021
A second murder mystery set in medieval Poland.
This second in a series of murder mysteries featuring Caterina, A former ladies maid to Queen Bona of Poland finds a middle aged Catalina roped into investigating several poisonings when she goes on a quest to find medical help for her sickly ten year old son. The.plot, historical setting and characters are easy to follow. The mystery as it unfolds makes sense and the few loose threads are fully admitted and sensible.
This second in a series of murder mysteries featuring Caterina, A former ladies maid to Queen Bona of Poland finds a middle aged Catalina roped into investigating several poisonings when she goes on a quest to find medical help for her sickly ten year old son. The.plot, historical setting and characters are easy to follow. The mystery as it unfolds makes sense and the few loose threads are fully admitted and sensible.
June 4, 2021
I was very excited to see a sequel to Silent Water from P.K. Adams!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all her books, and would seriously recommend them.
This one did not disappoint.
An exciting, well researched, historically brilliant book that reminds me of the best of Ellis Peters.
Definitely a MUST read title!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all her books, and would seriously recommend them.
This one did not disappoint.
An exciting, well researched, historically brilliant book that reminds me of the best of Ellis Peters.
Definitely a MUST read title!
September 9, 2021
Most novels about the sixteenth century written in English take place in Italy, France, or England—with the occasional foray into Spain or Portugal. P. K. Adams’ Jagiellonian Mystery series is a welcome exception. Set at the glittering Italianate court of King Zygmunt I of Poland/Lithuania and his son, Zygmunt August, these books map fictional plots onto real historical incidents to create fast-paced, fluid stories that are as much about the tensions of a culture in transition as what drives a person to commit murder.
In Midnight Fire, the heroine, Caterina Konarska (formerly Sanseverino) returns to Zygmunt I’s court twenty-five years after the events of Silent Water, the first book in the series. Caterina and her husband undertake the long journey from Italy in search of a cure for their young son, Giulio, who suffers from mysterious fevers that have stumped the doctors in Bari.
In Kraków Caterina discovers a court far different from the one she left a quarter-century before. The old king is dying; his wife, Bona Sforza of Milan and Bari, struggles to hold on to power; and their son, Zygmunt August, threatens to cause an international scandal by marrying his beautiful but disreputable Lithuanian mistress, Barbara Radziwiłł.
Queen Bona offers Caterina a deal: persuade Zygmunt August to give up Barbara, and Bona will arrange an appointment for Giulio with Poland’s premier physician. Seeing no alternative, Caterina accepts. But as she sets off for Vilnius with her son, she has no idea of the danger she faces or the layers of treachery she will encounter in Zygmunt August’s Renaissance palace.
Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction.
In Midnight Fire, the heroine, Caterina Konarska (formerly Sanseverino) returns to Zygmunt I’s court twenty-five years after the events of Silent Water, the first book in the series. Caterina and her husband undertake the long journey from Italy in search of a cure for their young son, Giulio, who suffers from mysterious fevers that have stumped the doctors in Bari.
In Kraków Caterina discovers a court far different from the one she left a quarter-century before. The old king is dying; his wife, Bona Sforza of Milan and Bari, struggles to hold on to power; and their son, Zygmunt August, threatens to cause an international scandal by marrying his beautiful but disreputable Lithuanian mistress, Barbara Radziwiłł.
Queen Bona offers Caterina a deal: persuade Zygmunt August to give up Barbara, and Bona will arrange an appointment for Giulio with Poland’s premier physician. Seeing no alternative, Caterina accepts. But as she sets off for Vilnius with her son, she has no idea of the danger she faces or the layers of treachery she will encounter in Zygmunt August’s Renaissance palace.
Interview with the author at New Books in Historical Fiction.
October 9, 2020
Midnight Fire, Book 2 of the Jagiellon Mystery series, marks the suspenseful return of Caterina Konarska to Poland, where she goes seeking medical care for her ailing son. Queen Bona Sforza is delighted to see Caterina again and agrees to arrange the requested medical care, but in return she demands that Caterina travel to the Duchy of Lithuania to dissuade the heir to the throne from undertaking a disastrous marriage.
Faced with this near-impossible task, Caterina arrives in Lithuania just as a puzzling series of murders strikes the ducal court. Can she find the murderer before the heir's consort is killed? Will the murderer kill Caterina to stop her investigation?
Fans of Tudor-era and European historical fiction will love this book. I highly recommend Midnight Fire.
Merged review:
Midnight Fire, Book 2 of the Jagiellon Mystery series, marks the suspenseful return of Caterina Konarska to Poland, where she goes seeking medical care for her ailing son. Queen Bona Sforza is delighted to see Caterina again and agrees to arrange the requested medical care, but in return she demands that Caterina travel to the Duchy of Lithuania to dissuade the heir to the throne from undertaking a disastrous marriage.
Faced with this near-impossible task, Caterina arrives in Lithuania just as a puzzling series of murders strikes the ducal court. Can she find the murderer before the heir’s consort is killed? Will the murderer kill Caterina to stop her investigation?
Fans of Tudor-era and European historical fiction will love this book. I highly recommend Midnight Fire.
Faced with this near-impossible task, Caterina arrives in Lithuania just as a puzzling series of murders strikes the ducal court. Can she find the murderer before the heir's consort is killed? Will the murderer kill Caterina to stop her investigation?
Fans of Tudor-era and European historical fiction will love this book. I highly recommend Midnight Fire.
Merged review:
Midnight Fire, Book 2 of the Jagiellon Mystery series, marks the suspenseful return of Caterina Konarska to Poland, where she goes seeking medical care for her ailing son. Queen Bona Sforza is delighted to see Caterina again and agrees to arrange the requested medical care, but in return she demands that Caterina travel to the Duchy of Lithuania to dissuade the heir to the throne from undertaking a disastrous marriage.
Faced with this near-impossible task, Caterina arrives in Lithuania just as a puzzling series of murders strikes the ducal court. Can she find the murderer before the heir’s consort is killed? Will the murderer kill Caterina to stop her investigation?
Fans of Tudor-era and European historical fiction will love this book. I highly recommend Midnight Fire.
October 13, 2020
In the second book of the Jagiellon series, Caterina is reunited with Queen Bona after 25 years. Seeking a cure for her young son, Caterina has journeyed from Italy to Krakow hoping for an appointment with one of the Queen’s physicians.
As her son’s health improves, Caterina is caught up in the drama of the court and is once again expected by the Queen to solve a murder. It is no easy task, as witnesses are reluctant to answer questions about the Queen’s son. Then the first murder is followed by another, and Caterina walks an uneasy path, both through the court and the clues, with her life in danger at every turn.
In addition to being a clever “whodunit”, this novel dives into the history of Poland and Lithuania at the dawn of the Renaissance. Adams is adept at weaving the historical details in a way that doesn’t interfere with the narrative—I found that aspect appealing as well.
With its engaging descriptions, appealing characters and tightly-woven plot, this historical mystery is well-paced and well-written. Highly recommended.
As her son’s health improves, Caterina is caught up in the drama of the court and is once again expected by the Queen to solve a murder. It is no easy task, as witnesses are reluctant to answer questions about the Queen’s son. Then the first murder is followed by another, and Caterina walks an uneasy path, both through the court and the clues, with her life in danger at every turn.
In addition to being a clever “whodunit”, this novel dives into the history of Poland and Lithuania at the dawn of the Renaissance. Adams is adept at weaving the historical details in a way that doesn’t interfere with the narrative—I found that aspect appealing as well.
With its engaging descriptions, appealing characters and tightly-woven plot, this historical mystery is well-paced and well-written. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews