SummarySet in lavishly described medieval England and France, The
Canterbury Papers is an enthralling and suspenseful debut
novel combining dark family secrets, duplicity, and a
missing heir to the throne. The wily Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of France and then of
England, sends her former ward, Alaïs, the sister of the
king of France, to retrieve a cache of letters hidden in
Canterbury Cathedral. Letters that, in the wrong hands,
could bring down the English king. In return, Eleanor
promises to reveal a long-held and dangerous secret
involving Alaïs -- a bargain the French princess is
powerless to resist. Within the fortnight the letters would be delivered to
Fontrevault Abbey. Then Eleanor would be happy, and I would
finally get the information she had promised. So engaged was I in the arduous task of rising that I
failed to hear the slight sound behind me that would have
signaled my fate. Instead I was taken completely by
surprise. The only thing I felt was a strong hand around my
neck, another around my waist, and -- before I could cry
out -- I smelled the thick, sweet scent of a mandrake-
soaked cloth. Unforgiving hands clapped it against my face,
and all went dark. Before Alaïs can complete her mission, she is abducted, an
event that sets in motion a dangerous plot. It will require
all of Alaïs's considerable strengths, along with help from
the very intriguing leader of the Knights Templar, to
unravel dark secrets, unmask evil villains, and escape with
her life. A vividly rendered, spine-tingling historical novel filled
with intrigue and peopled with compelling legendary
figures, The Canterbury Papers is an extraordinary tale
from a brilliant new writer.
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