Saturday 14 April 2012

The Courtesan`s Lover - A Review

The Courtesan`s Lover
author
Gabrielle Kimm
ISBN 978-0-7515-4455-8
published in 2011 by Shere Books


Set in Naples Italy in 1564 the beautiful courtesan Francesca Felizzi, former mistress of the Duke of Ferrara, wears her silks, covers her bruises and believes power lies in the bedchamber.  Modesto her friend, pimp and guardian has himself found a friend after his traumatic childhood. He was castrated so that his singing voice would remain pure.

Keeping her family of twin nine year old daughters in a second house Francesca plays the duel role of doting mother and expensive whore. Safety for her and her family is a castle built on sand  as danger lies in the people she meets. Carlo the man who has paid for his younger brother to be entertained by Francesca begins to feel cheated.

The web becomes tighter as Luca, Carlos` father falls in love with Francesca believing her to be a respectable widow. Carlo decides to steal and sell the children. does he succeed? Will the diaries that Francesca has kept help save Carlo from death and will she use them to do so.  Will Luca forgive her history and love her anyway? What becomes of Modesto and what of the gentle brother of Carlo who`s first taste of love was with Francesca.

This book is well written and well researched. You do want to know what becomes of the children and Francesca and the story is spun in a captivating way.

About the Author

This book is Gabrielles` second novel her first is `His Last Duchess` she is an English Teacher.
http://www.gabriellekimm.co.uk/


 Reason For Rhyme    
by Anthony Reid

This is a new book by a new author.


http://www.lulu.com/shop/anthony-reid/reason-for-rhyme/paperback/product-18932731.html

Pinterest book board
http://pinterest.com/Londontourist/books/





Tuesday 10 April 2012

The Keyboard Calls

I have been busy reading blog posts the past week. There are so many and most are very interesting, I like Vintage cobwebs as she reviews and collects old childrens books as well as many other things. Goodreads are good but so are all the individual blogs and book shops.  I studied Criminal Justice at Uni and thought I had seen enough of acedemic books but I have been engrossed in The Pendle Witches trials from 16 C. Libraries are my stomping ground and I would like nothing more than to spend a year in the British Library.
I am working on my collection of short stories  about prisons  and need to stop getting sidetracked. I visited an old former prison in Dublin recently and you can almost hear the rope swing. Anyone with any interesting anadotes on spooky prisons I would love to hear them.