The Alchemist of Netley Abbey

Abbess of Meaux #8

by Cassandra Clark

Desperate to return home to Meaux after the traumatic events in London and Salisbury, intrepid nun, Hildegard, and her charismatic but untouchable abbot, Hubert de Courcy, set out with their two monks militant through the New Forest on the long journey north at last.
Fate, however, intervenes.
Even before they escape the labyrinthine paths of the Royal Forest Hubert is in need of urgent medical attention and they are forced to seek shelter at the mysterious Netley Abbey. Although welcomed inside the precincts, all is not as it seems. A motley group of pilgrims are waiting to take ship to France. Guests secretly come and go. Who are they? Are they spies, assassins, or something even more threatening to the safety of King Richard’s realm? And why are they here in this remote and beautiful place?
A Welsh alchemist reputed to have mysterious powers adds his own sinister desires to the brew and when a valuable book disappears and two deaths follow, who is to blame?
As usual Hildegard is entangled in a web of intrigue and defies all dangers to discover the truth.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Mystery

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2017

About the author

I'm mad about the middle ages and love writing this series of medieval whodunits featuring nun sleuth Hildegard of Meaux. When I started with Hangman Blind I thought Hildegard would become an abbess but then she joined the Cistercians who only allowed women to be prioresses so she's had to put up with that. It surprises me that I'm writing historical novels at all, especially ones involving crime, as before this I wrote contemporary plays and romance. I'm doubtful about putting too much violence in the stories as there is already so much in the world and I don't like the idea of adding to it, even if only in the imagination, but then, it's part of that world too so it cannot be avoided. I would love to write a book shadowing every year of Richard II's reign with a different, multi-layered mystery for Hildegard to solve. She's about 32 now, with two children living in different households as was the custom then, so by the time poor Richard is murdered, she's going to be quite old. I wonder if she and Hubert will ever be together? Who knows? It's a question readers often ask me but we'll have to wait and see.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another page turner. Set in an abbey in South of England this time in really hot Summer. I really wish number 6 and 7 of the series were available ad paper copy. I do not have Kindle so had to miss them out. Frustrating.

[Pamela Swearingen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Mystery!

I enjoyed this story and the story with in the story. The resolution to the mystery I didn't figure out until the end!

[Beverley Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I really enjoyed this book. Living not too far from Netley I could picture some of the scenes with ease. Look forward to reading more by this author.

[ELzabeth Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Never fails, the main characters are fascinating. I have read all of the previous books and always hope that there will be more to come?

[CJ Seiter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read all of the previous books in this series and rating them highly, this one just fell flat. Plot moves slowly with very little suspense or action.

[geoff Bridgman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

Again a cracking story,am well hooked on her books and so much enjoy reading them.Can wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone.

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit more plodding than others. It seemed to take forever and then boom! It was over. I love this series and look forward to every new installment but this one was just okay to me.