- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (Dec 18 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0060525355
- ISBN-13: 978-0060525354
- Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 16.1 x 3.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 630 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,521,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This engaging medieval suspense debut is alternately playful and sober in its exploration of the power maneuvers and backstabbing of the royal families of England and France. The story, set in the early 1200s, is narrated by Princess Alais Capet, a bored and somewhat bitter member of the French nobility, long passed over for both matrimony and higher status. Ala‹s is approached by Queen Eleanor, who asks her to retrieve a secret and highly personal cache of letters hidden in England's Canterbury Cathedral. Eleanor won't explain the importance of the letters, but in return for salvaging them, she promises to divulge family secrets that Ala‹s could use to her advantage. Alais, frustrated by the slow and tiresome life at the French court, agrees to run the errand, but when she reaches Canterbury, she finds not only the letters missing but a trail of dead bodies in her wake. Just as she is about to depart for home, she's abducted and taken prisoner by King John, an inept and insecure leader who views Alais as an important pawn in his attempts to strengthen his tenuous grip on the throne. Healey's well-researched historical drama many of the characters and circumstances are based on real-life models delights in poking fun at the stuffiness and misbehavior that characterized the royal families of the time. The pace may be a little too leisurely for some readers, but Alais's tart, wry perspective makes this age-old story fresh and absorbing.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Debut novelist Healey brings medieval history to life in magnificent fashion as she adds a new twist to an old legend. An elderly Eleanor of Aquitaine requests that her former ward, Alais Capet, the sister of the king of France, travel to Canterbury and retrieve a cache of letters Eleanor had hidden in the cathedral there years earlier. Alais is reluctant, but Eleanor dangles an irresistible carrot in front of her: a promise of information about the whereabouts of Alais' illegitimate child. The French princess undertakes the dangerous task, only to be kidnapped by a desperate King John. Alais must unravel an intricately tangled web of family intrigue and deception that could lead either to a reunion with her lost son or to her own destruction. Plagued by infidelity and mistrust, petty jealousy and political rivalry, the infamously dysfunctional Plantagenets plot and scheme against one another in this electrifying journey into the past. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Lady Eleanor was my stepmother, and the dearest friend of my childhood. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Lady Eleanor was my stepmother, and the dearest friend of my childhood. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed,
By Sprout (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Canterbury Papers: A Novel (Paperback)
I enjoyed the protagonist and the plot, but certain things frustrated me about this novel. Ultimately I think a stronger editor's hand was needed in relation to two specific aspects: 1) the bit about her being psychic was never used productively, it simply seemed extraneous and could have profitably been cut; 2) the ending. Following the resolution of the mystery, the author wrapped everything up in a conventional manner that was, ultimately, not that interesting and actually kind of cliched.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Medieval Adventure,
By
This review is from: The Canterbury Papers: A Novel Of Suspense (Hardcover)
Princess Alaïs is bored and disillusioned with life in the court of her brother the King of France. When Eleanor of Aquitaine dangles the promise of information that Alaïs desperately wants, Alaïs agrees to travel to Canterbury to retrieve a packet of Eleanor's potentially embarrassing letters. Her simple quest turns into something more dangerous as her rooms are ransacked and she is snatched away from the protection of her attendant knights.How can she gain possession of the elusive letters and why are so many people suddenly interested in her jeweled pendant? Alaïs has to figure out whom she can trust as her path collides with King John, mysterious monks, and the Knights of Templar. Dangerous secrets about her stormy past with the royal family of England just might hold the key. You don't have to be an expert on medieval times to appreciate The Canterbury Papers, but Healey thoughtfully includes a brief overview of royal politics of the time and a summary at the end separating the fiction from the facts. The book has a historically accurate feel, and it is obvious that Healey put a lot of time into her settings and characterizations. This charming mystery surprised me - I didn't expect to be as captivated as I was. Alaïs is a strong character with wit and passion. Healey throws in a charming romance, which does a great job of lightening the tone set by endless court intrigue and family betrayals.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional Historical Mystery,
By
This review is from: The Canterbury Papers: A Novel Of Suspense (Hardcover)
Princesse Alais was betrothed at a young age to Prince Richard and therefore grew up in the court of Henry and Eleanor, as their "stepdaughter" and companion to the princes. Many years have passed since Alais' hopes and dreams were dashed with the sudden end of her betrothal to her beloved Richard. Prince Henry has died, King Henry has died and so has King Richard. Alais lives in Paris, attached to the court of her brother the King and dissatisfied with her life, wanting a change.It is in this state of mind that a letter from Queen Eleanor reaches her, requesting her help. John is now King of England and, not surprisingly, unrest is whispering it's way from one end of the kingdom to the other. Eleanor fears that certain letters she wrote years ago could harm John's rule, if they come to light. She wants Alais to cross the channel, visit Canterbury Cathedral and recover the letters. In return, Eleanor offers Alais certain information. She has not misjudged her stepdaughter. Alais will face the risks for this information. What transpires is a suspenseful web, with John, his enemies, a special pendant and Alais' history all interwoven, told from Alais' point of view with humor and emotion. The result is an exceptional historical mystery from a first-time author that I want to hear from again--and soon!
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