Superbly crafter – This is the third of John Bentley’s historical novels set in medieval France. It deals with powerful personalities who take Huguenot prosperity and ritual as an affront to their Catholic faith.

First among these is the Queen Mother, Catherine de Medici, whose ambiguous scheming nature the author captures to perfection (as does the cover artist).

Her faithful servant the Duc de Guise is also well-drawn. Faithful adherence to historical fact, dealt with lightly, enhances the pleasure of reading this well-crafted novel. It is a delight to read and I recommend it highly.