THE ETERNAL CITY IS NO PLACE FOR MERCY 'Matthew Plampin should rank with the best' Sunday Times 'Plampin is heartbreakingly good' The Times 'Gripping, immersive, at times very funny and beautifully written, this is historical fiction of the highest quality' Elizabeth Fremantle Rome, 1650. The streets are teeming as thousands of pilgrims flood in for the Holy Jubilee, but behind the gilded façade of the Vatican, power is unravelling. Donna Olimpia Maidalchini has long kept Pope Innocent X under her thumb, but as loyalties shift, her enemies close in. And her most dangerous opponents may be those she deems too weak to matter. Two destitute nuns arrive, fleeing the ruined city of Castro and each carrying secrets that could destroy them. Meanwhile, the assistant to the famed Spanish artist Diego Velázquez is drawn into a perilous conspiracy - one that could bring Italy to its knees, and against which his own desperate ambitions seem to count for nothing. As the sweltering summer heat rises, survival, not salvation, becomes the ultimate goal - and in this world of sin, saints almost never survive. Gold title - A MASTERPIECE IN HISTORICAL FICTION - perfect for readers of Hilary Mantel, Sarah Perry or The Girl with the Pearl Earring.
- RECEIVES SUPERLATIVE REVIEWS. In the words of The Times, 'Matthew Plampin's work possesses a depth and vitality that other, more widely lauded fiction cannot match.' - Last book MRS WHISTLER shortlisted for HWA Gold Crown. - EXTRAORDINARY, THRILLING PLOTTING. The book weaves a canny, intriguing story connecting characters from high to low - the pope to the most destitute - in a web of conspiracy, rebellion and unexpected connection. - PERFECT FOR FANS OF THE TV SHOW CONCLAVE. - Excavates in shining detail a murky period in history. A must read for those interested in the art world and Diego Velasquez.
Competition: Mirror and the Light;Girl with the Pearl Earring;Ghost Ship;The Mercies;Sparrow;Fyneshade. Hilary Mantel;Rose Tremain;Philippa Gregory;Maggie O'Farrell;CJ Sansom;Mary Renault;Kate Mosse;Kiran Millwood Hargrave;Pat Barker;Kate Griffin;Ken Follett.