The Apothecary Rose by part-time Seattle-resident English author Candace Robb (
SYKM,
Wikipedia), who studied medieval history, is the 1st in her Owen Archer series of historical mystery adventure thrillers starring the eponymous Welsh spy set throughout medieval Britain during the mid-14th century, this installment a twisty murder mystery taking place in York, England where Our Hero™ must go undercover to unravel the tangled web and all that, free courtesy of publisher Diversion Books, who are e-printing it from its original 1993 edition out from St. Martin's Press.
Currently free @
Amazon &
iTunes (both available to Canadians and North America, and possibly elsewhere). Apparently Simon & Schuster's Cornerstone Digital imprint still has the rights to this in most other places in the world.
If it happens you like this one and would like to read more, you're in luck, as Diversion have already reprinted the first 9 books in the series, which are couponable @
Kobo and reasonably low-priced to begin with.
And this has been the (late!) selected 3rd (non-repeat) free ebook thread of the day.
It had some rather stiff competition from the other offerings today, but much as I like cool-looking cryptography-enhanced defictionalizations of made-up-stuff-made-real and reworked retro tales giving a parallel perspective on the times in hindsight, ultimately, my love of intrigue-laden historical mysteries with actual historical research in them and somewhat unusual settings/characters (I admit to a certain fondness for the Welsh and their spirited revival of
their keyboardsmash language*) won out.
Plus, this has quoted blurb praise from fellow Canadian Charles de Lint (
ISFDB,
Wikipedia), which is always good for bonus points, and Seattle is like right across the border so she's practically almost a local author.
Enjoy!
Description
In the year of our Lord 1363, two suspicious deaths in the infirmary of St. Mary’s Abbey catch the attention of the powerful John Thoresby, Lord Chancellor of England and Archbishop of York. One victim is a pilgrim, while the second is Thoresby’s ne’er-do-well ward, both apparently poisoned by a physic supplied by Master Apothecary Nicholas Wilton.
In the wake of these deaths, the archbishop dispatches one-eyed spy Owen Archer to York to find the murderer. Under the guise of a disillusioned soldier keen to make a fresh start, Owen insinuates himself into Wilton’s apothecary as an apprentice. But he finds Wilton bedridden, with the shop being run by his lovely, enigmatic young wife, Lucie.
As Owen unravels a tangled history of scandal and tragedy, he discovers at its center a desperate, forbidden love twisted over time into obsession. And the woman he has come to love is his prime suspect.
Lovingly detailed, beautifully written, THE APOTHECARY ROSE is a captivating and suspenseful tale of life, love, and death in medieval England.
* Well, that and the
sheep jokes.