The Service of the Dead by Candace Robb
Paperback Publication Date: May 9, 2017
Pegasus Books
Paperback; 256 Pages
Series: Kate Clifford Mysteries, Book One
Genre: Historical/Mystery/Thriller
Expertly recreating the
social and political upheavals of late medieval Europe, Candace Robb introduces
a new series starring Kate Clifford, a woman forged on the warring northern
marches of fourteenth century England.
Political unrest permeates
York at the cusp of the fifteenth century, as warring factions take sides on
who should be the rightful king--Richard II or his estranged, powerful cousin
in exile, Henry Bolingbroke. Independent minded twenty-year-old Kate Clifford
is struggling to dig out from beneath the debt left by her late husband.
Determined to find a way to be secure in her own wealth and establish her
independence in a male dominated society, Kate turns one of her properties near
the minster into a guest house and sets up a business. In a dance of power, she
also quietly rents the discreet bedchambers to the wealthy, powerful merchants
of York for nights with their mistresses. But the brutal murder of a mysterious
guest and the disappearance of his companion for the evening threatens all that
Kate has built. Before others in town hear word of a looming scandal, she must
call upon all of her hard-won survival skills to save herself from ruin.
Praise for The Service
of the Dead
“Robb’s deft hand
creates a realistic political and commercial climate as King Richard II’s reign
draws to a close in 1399. Comparable to Sara Poole’s Poisoner mysteries and
Ariana Franklin’s Adelia Aguilar series, with its strong political setting and
multiple plot strands.” - Booklist
“A historical novel
that deftly captures politics and interactions between different social
interests in late medieval England…against the backdrop of social pressures and
military actions, Kate’s character and world shine and draw readers into her
choices and challenges.” - California Bookwatch
“Kate Clifford is a
wonderful creation, hard-nosed in some respects, compassionate and caring on
the other. I look forward to the next installment of this delightful series!” - Historical
Novels Review
“The novel resonates
with its compelling portrayal of an England on the brink of crisis.” - Publishers
Weekly
“The Service of the
Dead is a tasty brew of political intrigue, larceny, and murder set within the
walls of medieval York. Candace Robb’s latest historical mystery is steeped in
the atmosphere of the late fourteenth century, and in Kate Clifford she’s given
us a no-nonsense heroine and sleuth who is not only smart, but fierce when
those she cares about are threatened. You’re going to love her.” - Patricia
Bracewell, author of the Emma of Normandy Trilogy
“The Service of the Dead by Candace
Robb is a strikingly well-crafted novel that is a compelling page-turner from
beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library historical
fiction collections.” - Midwest Book Review
A Twisted Vengeance by Candace Robb
Publication Date: May 9, 2017
Pegasus Books
Hardcover; 400 Pages
Series: Kate Clifford Mysteries, Book Two
Genre: Historical/Mystery/Thriller
As the fourteenth century
comes to a close, York seethes on the brink of civil war―and young widow Kate
Clifford, struggling to keep her businesses afloat, realizes that her mother is
harboring a dangerous secret…
1399. York is preparing for
civil war, teeming with knights and their armed retainers summoned for the
city’s defense. Henry of Lancaster is rumored to have landed on the northeast
coast of England, not so far from York, intent on reclaiming his inheritance―an
inheritance which his cousin, King Richard, has declared forfeit.
With the city unsettled and
rife with rumors, Eleanor Clifford’s abrupt return to York upon the mysterious
death of her husband in Strasbourg is met with suspicion in the city. Her
daughter Kate is determined to keep her distance, but it will not be
easy―Eleanor has settled next door with the intention of establishing a house
of beguines, or poor sisters. When one of the beguines is set upon in the night
by an intruder, Kate knows that for the sake of her own reputation and the safety
of her young wards she must investigate.
From the first, Eleanor is
clearly frightened yet maintains a stubborn silence. The brutal murder of one
of Eleanor’s servants leads Kate to suspect that her mother’s troubles have
followed her from Strasbourg. Is she secretly involved in the political
upheaval? When one of her wards is frightened by a too-curious stranger, Kate
is desperate to draw her mother out of her silence before tragedy strikes her
own household.
Praise for A Twisted
Vengeance
"Lovers of Shakespeare’s Richard II will find
Robb’s intricate sequel to 2016’s The Service of the Dead a particular treat,
as it charts the course of Richard’s downfall and his cousin Henry of
Bolingbroke’s rise through the fears and uncertainties of the residents of the
city of York in July 1399. These anxieties are worsened by a series of strange
deaths connected to the extended family of Kate Clifford, a fierce young widow
struggling to cope with not only her own household of jostling servants and the
recently arrived illegitimate children of her late husband but also the return
of her quarrelsome mother, Eleanor, from Strasbourg with religious women in
tow. The character of Clifford is compelling and finely drawn, and for those
readers who are patient enough to manage an unusually large number of secondary
characters, the answers to a series of mysteries, starting with the reason for
an intruder’s attack on a beguine (or poor sister) in the middle of the night,
are highly satisfying." - Publisher's Weekley, STARRED
REVIEW
About the Author
Candace Robb did her graduate work in medieval literature and
history, and has continued to study the period while working first as an editor
of scientific publications and now for some years as a freelance writer.
Candace has published 13 crime novels set in 14th century England, Wales, and
Scotland. The Owen Archer series is based in York and currently extends over 10
novels beginning with THE APOTHECARY ROSE; the most recent is A VIGIL OF SPIES.
The Margaret Kerr trilogy explores the early days of Scotland’s struggle again
England’s King Edward I, and includes A TRUST BETRAYED, THE FIRE IN THE FLINT,
and A CRUEL COURTSHIP.
Writing as Emma Campion,
Candace has published historical novels about two fascinating women she
encountered while researching the Owen Archer mysteries, Alice Perrers (THE
KING’S MISTRESS) and Joan of Kent (A TRIPLE KNOT).
Candace was born in the Blue
Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has lived
most of her adult life in Seattle, Washington, which she and her husband love
for its combination of natural beauty and culture. Candace enjoys walking,
hiking, and gardening, and practices yoga and vipassana meditation. She travels
frequently to Great Britain.
For more information, please visit Candace Robb's website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Tuesday, July 4
Review at Laura’s Interests (The Service of the Dead)
Review & Guest Post at Books of All Kinds (The Service of the Dead & A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Laura’s Interests (The Service of the Dead)
Review & Guest Post at Books of All Kinds (The Service of the Dead & A Twisted Vengeance)
Thursday, July 6
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (The Service of the Dead)
Interview at Dianne Ascroft’s Blog
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (The Service of the Dead)
Interview at Dianne Ascroft’s Blog
Tuesday, July 11
Review at Rainy Day Reviews (The Service of the Dead)
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Review at Rainy Day Reviews (The Service of the Dead)
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, July 12
Review at 100 Pages a Day (The Service of the Dead)
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective (The Service of the Dead)
Review at 100 Pages a Day (The Service of the Dead)
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective (The Service of the Dead)
Monday, July 17
Review at Laura’s Interests (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews (The Service of the Dead)
Review at Laura’s Interests (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews (The Service of the Dead)
Wednesday, July 19
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at The True Book Addict (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Queen of All She Reads (The Service of the Dead & A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at The True Book Addict (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Queen of All She Reads (The Service of the Dead & A Twisted Vengeance)
Thursday, July 20
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Just One More Chapter (The Service of the Dead)
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Just One More Chapter (The Service of the Dead)
Friday, July 21
Review at Rainy Day Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Rainy Day Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews (A Twisted Vengeance)
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views (A Twisted Vengeance)
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we are giving away a copy of The Service of the Dead and A Twisted Vengeance to one lucky winner!
To enter please see the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US only.
– Only one entry per household
. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Kate Clifford Series Blog Tour
To enter please see the Gleam form below.
Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on July 21st. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US only.
– Only one entry per household
. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
Kate Clifford Series Blog Tour
Welcome to my stop on the
Virtual Tour, presented by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, for the
Kate Clifford Mystery Series by Candace
Robb. Please leave a comment or question
for Candace to let her know you stopped by.
You may enter her tour wide giveaway below. I’m still in the process of reading both
books featured in the tour and will be posting my review as quickly as
possible.
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