Skip to main content

The Lady Agnès Mystery - Volume 1: The Season of the Beast and The Breath of the Rose by Andrea Japp: A Book Review

The Lady Agnès Mystery - Volume 1: The Season of the Beast and The Breath of the Rose
Author: Andrea Japp
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: Gallic Books
Release Date: July 13, 2015
Pages: 670
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: 1304: The Church and the French Crown are locked in a power struggle.

      In Normandy, monks on a secret mission are murdered.

     Young noblewoman Agnès de Souarcy fights to retain her independence but must face the Inquisition, unaware that she is the focus of an ancient quest.

     My Review: When Lady Agnes’s husband dies, Agnes knows that her half-brother may take away her dower leaving her with nothing. Agnes fights to keep her manor and her lands. However, when a corpse is found on her property the signs point to Agnes as the murderer. Soon she finds herself amidst the French Inquisition. During her trial, she finds out that there is a prophecy that involves her. She is the key player in the power struggle over the fight between the French Crown and the Church. As her enemies try to get rid of her, Agnes must survive the Inquisition at all cost so she can fulfill her destiny.

     Agnes is a very strong woman. She fights for her independence from her half-brother so she can keep her dowry. Throughout the Inquisition, she faces a lot of trials that make her a stronger woman. She does not bow down to her Inquisitors. Instead, she uses her intelligence and outsmarts them. Her intelligence and stubbornness infuriates her inquisitors because she is a thorn in their side. She was supposed to be broken and compliant, but instead she is not. She never breaks her will. She does face some sadness, but she never gives up hope or her will to survive.

     Overall, this book is about a woman’s determination and strength as she faces her obstacles. The message of the book is that there is hope. I did find the story to be slow-paced for it was not until halfway through the book did it pick up. As for the mystery, it is still unsolved and it ends in a cliffhanger. Still, I found Agnes’s trials during the French Inquisition to be fascinating enough to where I really did not care about the mystery. Her trial was raw, poignant, painful, and sad. When she survived, it was very triumphant. I am interested in reading the next book in the series. I would like to read more about Agnes’s story and maybe the murder mystery will be resolved. I recommend this book to anyone interested in mysteries, historical fiction, and the French Inquisition.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) by John Edward Mullen: A Book Review

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) Author: John Edward Mullen Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Western  Publisher: Murders in Time Press Release Date: 2022 Pages: 300 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the winter of 1892, the once-vibrant gold-mining town of Bodie, California is in serious decline.        Nell Doherty, an 18-year-old young woman with a wooden leg, dreams of leaving and becoming a Pinkerton detective.       When a tragic shooting presents her with an opportunity to prove she has the skills needed to work for the Pinkertons, Bodie’s justice of the peace deputizes Nell — over the loud objections of the majority of the town’s residents.      Can she prove them all wrong?       Nell digs in and investigates the shooting, with the help of Rags, her half-Irish, half-Chinese be...

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick: A Book Review

The King’s Jewel Author: Elizabeth Chadwick Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Sphere Release Date: 2023 Pages: 456 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Wales, 1093.      The warm, comfortable family life of young Nesta, daughter of Prince Rhys of Deheubarth, is destroyed when her father is killed and she is taken hostage. Her honour is further tarnished when she is taken as an unwilling concubine by King William's ruthless younger brother Henry, who later ascends the throne under suspicious circumstances.      But it is Nesta's marriage that will really change the course of her life. Gerald FitzWalter, an ambitious young knight, is rewarded for his unwavering loyalty to his new King with Nesta's hand. He is delighted, having always admired her from afar, but Nesta's only comfort is her return to her beloved Wales. There, she cannot help but be tempted by the handsome, charismatic and danger...

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) by Angela Hunt: A Book Review

The Woman from Lydia (The Emissaries #1) Author: Angela Hunt Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: 2023 Pages: 330 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Synopsis: Widowed Euodia, known to her neighbors as "the Lydian woman," seeks to make a fresh start by moving to the foreign city of Philippi. She finds new purpose after meeting Paulos, apostle to the Gentiles, who opens her eyes to helping those in need, particularly women and those who have been enslaved.        Retired Roman soldier Hector has settled in Philippi with dreams of a future filled with wealth and status, pooling his army earnings with Lucius, his fellow comrade-in-arms turned business partner. His hopes are dashed, however, when Paulos robs their youngest enslaved girl of her lucrative ability to foretell the future, rendering her worthless to Hector's ambition.     ...