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Alchemy

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Alchemy

By: S. J. Parris
Narrated by: Daniel Philpott
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About this listen

The new historical crime thriller, a Sunday Times bestseller, perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom and Hilary Mantel

Prague, 1588.

A COURT IN TURMOIL

The court of the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II, is a haven for scientists, astrologers and alchemists. The dream – to discover the philosopher’s stone and attain immortality. But now there are rumours of heresy.

A MURDERED ALCHEMIST

Giordano Bruno is sent to Prague as a spy for Elizabeth I. He arrives to find the palace in uproar – an alchemist has been murdered.

AN UNFORGIVING ENEMY

Ordered by the emperor to uncover the killer, Bruno must negotiate the jostling factions at court, as well as the religious tensions brewing in the city. And his hunt to track down a murderer soon proves as elusive as the elixir of life itself…

‘The clever twists and turns of Alchemy are assuredly plotted and Prague, a city in religious and political turmoil, makes for a powerful setting’ The Times

‘Over the past dozen years, S. J. Parris’s novels… have been among the most enjoyable of all historical thrillers’ Sunday Times

‘Breathless pace and acutely observed detail make for a story that confounds and surprises’ Observer

©2023 Stephanie Merritt (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Historical Historical Fiction Horror Medieval Mystery Supernatural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Middle Ages Crime Murder

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All stars
Most relevant
A brutal and scheming Prague, provides hero Bruno with many challenges. The introduction of a Jewish element reliant on the whim of a ruler helps point to the continuing age old problems. A mix of many nationalities, a child, a lion, and light relief in the form of Bruno's assistant maintains interest. The mystery is complex and listeners are kept intrigued for most of this 14+ hour novel. Bruno's difficulty in deciding his next steps at the end of the novel will tantalise. The performer of the audio-book does well, especially as the number of foreign accents abound. Followers of this series will be very pleased; new listeners might want to start at the first of the series.

Great Side-kick Light-Relief

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I love the way historical fact is woven into the fiction, and the writing is so clear you can easily picture the characters and settings and get lost in the story. Brilliant. Can’t wait for the next!

Another great story about Bruno

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Loved the story and the quality of the reader. Nice lessons in history/historical elements. Enjoyed the evocation of Prague.

Well constructed story

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Giordano has moved to Prague. This was an interesting setting for a story of intrigue between Jews, catholics and alchemists. Excellent performance.
I got help with the geography of Prague by downloading a sample of Alchemy on kindle. I hoped it would include a character list.

The best yet

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Loved the political background, the sense of life of the common folk, the cleverness of the plot and how we were able to able to discover the clues at the same time as the protagonists. Kept me intrigued throughout and got to like the characters more and more. Great story.

Clever unwinding of the plot.

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