Rare book authenticator Carys Jones wanted nothing more than to be left alone to pursue her obsession with ancient manuscripts. But when her biggest client is committed to an asylum, he gives Carys an offer she cannot refuse. In exchange for his entire library of priceless, Dark Age manuscripts, Carys must track the clues hidden in a previously unknown journal, clues that lead to a tomb that … could rewrite the history of Western civilization.
But there are people who would do anything to stop Carys from finding what she seeks—for reasons both noble and evil. The hunt takes Carys to places she never thought she’d go, physically and emotionally; first to Wales, her estranged father’s homeland, then to bed with Dafydd, a mysterious Welshman who agrees to help her with the search, and finally, deep inside her own psyche, when the monk who wrote the journal 1,500 years ago appears and assists her in her search.
more
greed, suspense, supernatural, Wales, murder, family-dynamics, friendship
A rare sixth century codex, an American obsessive collector who seems to have gone round the bend, a gifted scholar masquerading as a housekeeper, a true villain and his despicable henchman who call England home. That’s pretty much the ancillary cast, because the main characters are the rare book authenticator and the visible presence of the writer of the book; a monk who followed and was at the death of the man who was to be known later as King Arthur.
Lots of stress and suspense, bloody murder, incognito travel from Boston to Wales, and a bit of romance are tightly woven into a plot that educates even as it entertains.
A riveting read!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Post Hill Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
I was interested in the book from the blurb and when I got to read it I was happy. I really enjoyed in the first part of the book where I had a feeling I read about new Indiana Jones. All that old books, twists and turns with danger were interesting, some parts connected with Native Americans were confusing, but this is fiction not a scientific research. This is my first book by by Kris Frieswick and I will look for other ones written by him too.
Kind of slow in a couple of spots but persevere it is a good read.
4 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
Carys Jones is a rare book authenticator who is happiest when immersed in manuscripts and books from the earliest centuries of Great Britain. She gets a request from a wealthy man’s son to examine and value his Dark Ages books and manuscripts for sale at auction.
While perusing his fabulous and extensive library, Carys comes across a journal she has never seen before. It is written in Latin and very early Welsh by a monk. It is the first hand account of something totally unbelievable. If this manuscript can be authenticated, it will change English history as we know it. The owner of the library offers Carys his vast and priceless collection if she will just pursue the information in the journal and prove it to be the truth.
But all is not well. Unknown to Carys, there are some English gangsters who want the monk’s manuscript. They are willing to kill to get their hands on it. And they aren’t the only ones. In a twisty turn of events, Carys finds herself in more danger. She then finds out the surprising truth behind the whole story. Will she get out of this latest fix?
This is a very well written and plotted novel. I liked Carys and can fully understand her love of old books and manuscripts for I love them too. There are too many books and too little time to read everything I still want to read. Darn it! This is my first Kris Frieswick novel, but it won’t be my last. I immediately went to Amazon to look for more of this author’s books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Post Hill Press for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.