Showing titles in Renaissance

Roma, primavera 1501. Salaì, apprendista pittore, scapestrato e sciupafemmine, scrive a un ignoto destinatario lo sgrammaticato resoconto del suo viaggio nell'Urbe. Il giovane è arrivato da Firenze al seguito del patrigno, un vecchio frustrato e squattrinato dalla testa zeppa di strane invenzioni che non funzionano mai: Leonardo da Vinci. Ufficialmente Leonardo è venuto nella Città Santa per studiare dal vivo l'antica architettura romana. In realtà è stato chiamato per un'indagine delicatissima: dovrà scoprire chi sta spargendo voci calunniose e infamanti sul pontefice.

October, 1604. Former ship's surgeon turned country physician Gabriel Taverner is surprised to receive an urgent summons from his old naval captain. Now docked in Plymouth harbour, having recently returned from the Caribbean, Captain Colt believes his ship is haunted by an evil spirit and has asked Gabriel to investigate. Dismissive of the crew's wild talk of mysterious blue-skinned ghosts, Gabriel is convinced there must be a rational explanation behind the mass hallucinations.

In 1642, a pregnant Hester Prynne is found guilty of adultery, shunned by her neighbors, and forced to wear a scarlet letter 'A' on her dress. Meanwhile, Hester's husband - long thought to be lost at sea - has returned to Boston under the assumed name 'Roger Chillingworth' and plots to uncover her lover's identity. After her daughter Pearl is born, Hester is frequently visited by both Reverend Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, but always refuses to name her lover.

1752, Midsummer. Following a desperate summons from her mother, Tabitha Hart departs London for her home village of Netherlea - only to discover that her mother has drowned. Determined to discover the truth about the Widow Hart’s death, Tabitha consults her almanack and uncovers a series of cryptic notes describing her mother’s terror of someone she names only as ‘D’. Teaming up with young writer Nat Starling, Tabitha begins a race against time to unmask ‘D’ before more deaths follow.

During the sweltering Roman summer of 1492, Rodrigo Borgia has risen to power as pope. Rodrigo’s eldest son Cesare, forced to follow his father into the church and newly made the Archbishop of Valencia, chafes at his ecclesiastical role and fumes with jealousy and resentment at the way that his foolish brother has been chosen for the military greatness he desired. Maddalena Moretti comes from the countryside, where she has seen how the whims of powerful men wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary people. But now, employed as a servant in the Vatican Palace, she cannot help but be entranced by Cesare Borgia.

"Meč magistra medicíny" je prvním dílem série "Kronika katů Mydlářů". Příběh proslulého kata, magistra Jana Mydláře, tu vypráví jeho syn, který po něm toto řemeslo zdědil. Historický román se odehrává v rudolfínské Praze a z jeho hrůzostrašných, tajemných a krví obestřených historií vystupuje pohnutý životní příběh magistra medicíny a kata Jana Mydláře. Příběh vypráví syn proslulého kata, který zdědil jeho neblahé řemeslo. Být katem bylo ponižující, řemesla si nikdo nevážil, katům se nedostávalo pochopení, byli celoživotními psanci.

A Roma il paesaggio è mutato per sempre. Sulla città svetta l’immenso tamburo della più grande cupola della cristianità, un monumentale “cielo di pietra”, opera di Michelangelo e della sua profonda devozione religiosa. Ma in basso, per le vie della città, abusi e violenze non sembrano destinati a placarsi. Il cardinal Morone, accusato ingiustamente di eresia, è stato rinchiuso nelle prigioni di Castel Sant’Angelo e i due viziosi nipoti di papa Paolo IV, Carlo e Giovanni Carafa, continuano a sfogare le loro pulsioni in un crescendo di depravazione e crudeltà.

Jean Le Viste står nära kungen i 1400-talets Frankrike, men han har köpt sin adelstitel. För att ge sin sal den karaktär som anstår en hög adelsman, ger han konstnären Nicolas des Innocents i uppdrag att rita tapeter som ska pryda dess väggar. Nicolas tvekar inför den krävande uppgiften, men blir bedårad och inspirerad av Jean Le Vistes unga dotter Claude.

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Seymour has always idolized her elder sister Jane. As a child was groomed to be queen, to marry her cousin King Edward, and since his death she has been determined to restore her family's claim to throne. After spending time at Queen Mary's court, Jane has now returned home to Hanworth Park to the delight of Catherine and their brother Ned. To their surprise, Jane brings with her Lady Catherine Grey, sister of Jane Grey, the ill-fated nine-day queen, and heiress to the throne after Princess Elizabeth.

Elizabeth den Første krones i 1558 og følges tæt af sin barndomsven og tilbeder Sir Robert Dudley. Mens hans søger magten ved hoffet, lever hans hustru en trist og forsømt tilværelse, og dronningens nærmeste begynder at se skævt til ham.

1569 Costretta a fuggire dall'Olanda per sottrarsi alla persecuzione spagnola, Freida Ortelius è decisa a ricominciare da capo a Londra e a tenere al sicuro la sua famiglia a qualunque costo.

It's 1569. Elizabeth I sits on the English throne, the Reformation inflames the continent, and whispers of war abound. But in Troixden, just north of France, the Lady Annelore isn't interested in royal politics. Times are hard, taxes are high, and the people in her duchy need her help just to survive. Her widowed father is a good man easily distracted by horses, and her newly knighted childhood friend...well, he has plans of his own. Then Annelore receives a call she can't ignore.

As she is seventh in line to the throne, sixteen-year-old Lady Margaret Clifford knows her marriage should be an important one. Which is why she is shocked to learn her father has agreed to entertain a proposal from a mere knight. Sir Andrew Dudley is a court favorite and joins the ranks of the Duke of Northumberland's family who are attempting to secure politically advantageous marriages. With the boy-king Edward VI failing to secure a marriage of his own and produce an heir, it is clear the Dudleys are plotting a path to the throne.

Elena Morandi has gained a fragile foothold in a master tailor's workshop, despite the profession being barred to women. But then Antonio della Fontana, a powerful man from her past, crosses her path and threatens everything she has built. Fontana has every corner of the city in his pocket and Elena knows all too well of his past abuses, but driven to fight for justice, she hatches a daring plan to get retribution for herself, a lost friend, and his other victims.

As one of the owners of London’s most infamous and scandalous gambling hall, The Underworld, Luke Reese looks like a man who has it all. But underneath his swagger lies a pain which no amount of liquor, women or card games can ease. Because, nine months ago, Luke’s son was stolen by his half-brother, Lord Dursley. Luke knows the agony of growing up without a family, and he will not allow his son to suffer the same fate. So when evidence leads him to Coventry and a mysterious governess named Georgina, Luke doesn’t hesitate in tracking her down.

As joint owner of London’s most notorious gambling hall, The Underworld, Cole Hewitt spends his days surrounded by wealth – and looks every inch the debonair. But, unknown to most, he was born a bastard – and knows better than anyone the fine line between the elite and the slums. When he falls for the beautiful Lady Gemma Amberson, sister to the Duke of Kent, Cole knows that his past means he will never be considered worthy of her. But Cole has no intention of being cast aside again.

As lady-in-waiting and confidante to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Henry VII, Joan understands royal patronage is vital if she and her husband, Sir Richard, are to thrive in the volatile atmosphere of court life. But Tudor England is in mourning following the death of the prince of Wales, and within a year, the queen herself. With Prince Henry now heir to the throne, the court murmurs with the sound of conspiracy. Is the entire Tudor project now at stake or can young Henry secure the dynasty?

The bestselling author and historian Lisa Hilton picks up the mythical ‘City of Ladies’ where the medieval writer Christine de Pisan left off, continuing a conversation about gender and greatness that began more than six hundred years ago. In 1405 Christine de Pisan took up the pen to defend...

At the King's Command has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher...

The Maiden's Hand has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher...