Day of Wrath

出版者:St.Martin's Minotaur

作者:Collier, Iris

页数:320

出版时间:2002-5

价格:$ 24.95

装帧:Hardcover

isbn号码:9780312290207

具体描述

Book Description

Nicholas Peverell returns to his manor house in Sussex after visiting King Henry VIII at court and finds that his loyal steward has been murdered - strangled and thrown from the manor house tower. Nicholas immediately decides to launch an investigation.

He also has to deal with the unrest among the monks at his priory - King Henry is trying to reform the church and the plight of the monks is as yet unsure - could they somehow be involved in the murder?

Nicholas's problems are further exacerbated when beautiful and talented local girl Jane Warrener tells him she overheard talk of a conspiracy against the king. It is her notion that his steward's murder had something to do with it. Perhaps he overheard the conspirators, and they killed him off before he could betray their plans....

If this is the case, and with King Henry's untimely announcement of his intention to visit Peverell Manor on his way to Portsmouth in just a few days, Nicholas has no time to lose if he is to hunt down the murderous traitors and save the life of his king.

From Publishers Weekly

Nicholas Peverell, adviser to King Henry VIII, returns home to find that thieves have apparently murdered his steward in this middling debut mystery from British historian Collier. Preoccupied by the king's plan to seize Peverell Manor for revenue, as well as the growing tensions between the throne and the papacy over Anne Boleyn, Peverell is startled when Jane Warrener, an attractive, independent and assertive commoner, presents an alternative theory. Jane suggests that the steward may have known too much about a conspiracy to slay the king. Despite his grief over the recent loss of his wife and son, Peverell finds himself falling for Jane, and he abets her desire to break free of society's restrictions by enlisting her as his assistant. When he learns that the attempt on the king's life may come during a visit to the manor, the inquiry gains even more urgency as he tries to juggle it along with his own misgivings about the king's policies and caprices. The identity of the murderer doesn't come as much of a surprise, while the sleuthing consists of little more than checking motives and alibis. Unfortunately, the fast-paced plot lacks the ingenious twists that would make up for the reduced suspense in knowing that Henry VIII wasn't assassinated. Authentic period detail jars with anachronistic dialogue. An attractive jacket, depicting Henry VIII in the foreground and a body in the background, will hook historical mystery fans, though any sequel will need to be stronger to retain their loyalty.

From Booklist

Lord Nicholas Peverell returns to his Sussex manor after visiting King Henry VIII to find the gates locked and the servants preoccupied. Once inside, he learns that his trusted steward, Matthew, is dead. Although the servants think it is an accident, Nicholas suspects murder and begins an investigation. With King Henry coming to his estate for a visit in a few days, he needs to resolve the situation. As if this weren't enough, a beautiful and talented musician, Jane Warrener, tells him about a possible conspiracy against the king, and the monks at his priory are involved in suspicious activities. Collier, who read history at Cambridge, has created an interesting plot full of historical detail. The court intrigue and the budding romance of the widowed Nicholas and Jane will charm readers who enjoy a romp in merrie old England.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Barbara Bibel

About Author

Iris Collier is the daughter of a professional musician and was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she read history. She taught creative writing in Chichester for a number of years and now lives in Boxgrove, England, where she researches and writes history books and thrillers. She is very interested in the rich history of England, and in particular, the history of the local priory at Boxgrove, where she gives guided tours. Boxgrove Priory and its environs provided much of the background and inspiration for Day of Wrath, her first historical crime novel.

Iris is married to a former diplomat, and has traveled a great deal throughout her married life. She has two grown children and one grandson.

Book Dimension

Height (mm) 237 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Width (mm) 137

用户评价

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《Day of Wrath》这本书，就像一场酣畅淋漓的洗礼。它没有给我任何轻松的时刻，从头到尾都充满了张力，让人欲罢不能。我最喜欢的是它那种毫不避讳地展现现实的力量，那些残酷的真相，那些艰难的选择，被作者以一种极为真实的方式呈现出来。人物的刻画，堪称一绝。他们不是符号化的角色，而是拥有丰富内心世界的个体，他们的动机、他们的情感，都显得那么的真实而复杂。我常常被他们的困境所牵动，为他们的每一个决定而紧张。故事的发展，更是充满了悬念，每一次以为要看到结局了，又会有新的挑战出现，让你完全猜不到下一步会发生什么。这本书给我带来的，不只是一次阅读体验，更是一种心灵的震撼。它让我重新审视了许多我曾经认为理所当然的事情，也让我对生命有了更深刻的认识。读完之后，我感觉自己仿佛经历了一场深刻的蜕变。

这本《Day of Wrath》，简直是把人性中最原始、最赤裸的部分呈现在了读者面前。我从来没有读过这么一本，能够如此直接地触及内心深处的恐惧和绝望的书。作者的文字，就像手术刀一样精准，剖析着每一个人物的灵魂，让你不得不直视那些黑暗的、难以启齿的角落。情节的推进，不是那种你死我活的简单模式，而是充满了策略、背叛和绝地反击，每一个转折都出乎意料，又在情理之中。我特别欣赏的是，作者并没有刻意去美化任何角色，他们都有自己的挣扎，自己的私心，但同时，他们身上又闪耀着不屈的光芒。那种在绝境中依然坚持信念的勇气，是这本书最打动我的地方。读这本书的时候，我感觉自己仿佛也置身于那个充满压迫和危险的环境中，感同身受。这本书所带来的冲击力是巨大的，它不是让你看完就忘掉的书，它会让你在很长一段时间里，都在回味那些令人窒息的片段，思考那些关于生存、关于选择、关于人性的终极问题。

怎么形容《Day of Wrath》呢？它是一次挑战，一次深入人心的探索。作者的笔力非凡，他能够将最复杂的情感和最极端的情境描绘得如此生动，让你身临其境。这本书的叙事方式很特别，它不是直接告诉你发生了什么，而是通过人物的视角，通过那些细腻的心理描写，让你自己去感受，去体会。我喜欢这种“留白”式的叙事，它给了读者足够的空间去想象，去解读。人物的塑造更是出彩，他们身上的每一个细节，每一个选择，都充满了人性的张力。我能够感受到他们内心的挣扎，他们的痛苦，以及他们为了生存而付出的代价。这本书所传达的，并非是简单的善恶对决，而是关于选择的复杂性，关于在绝望中寻找希望的坚韧。它让我思考了很多，关于勇气，关于牺牲，关于人性的底线。读完之后，我感到一种沉甸甸的满足感，以及对这个世界更深刻的理解。