Rizzio: Darkland Tales cover art

Rizzio: Darkland Tales

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Rizzio: Darkland Tales

By: Denise Mina
Narrated by: Katie Leung
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About this listen

From the award-winning Denise Mina comes a radical new take on one of the darkest episodes in Scottish history - the bloody murder of David Rizzio.

This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, seduction, secrets and lies, one that looks at history through a modern lens and explores the lengths that men - and women - will go to in the search for love and power.

It's Saturday evening, 9th March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party. Outside, Edinburgh is bustling. It’s full of the great and the good and the idiot sons of the rich, here for a Parliament that will take Scotland by the shoulders and turn it from England to face Europe.

Mary doesn't know that her palace is surrounded - that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband wants it done in front of her, and he wants her to watch it done....

©2021 Denise Mina (P)2021 W F Howes Historical Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Scotland Crime Murder

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Critic reviews

"Best seller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterisations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones." (Publishers Weekly)

"May be Britain's finest living crime novelist." (Daily Telegraph)

"The cream of the crop, an author who pushes the crime novel in new and exciting directions." (Ian Rankin)
All stars
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Some books don't hold your attention because they're too dull, too long, or just don't sound believable.

This isn't one. Although we know what's going to happen and when it's going to occur, fiction allows us to consider what the innermost thoughts may have been - and unlike the history books, to hear the story from a feminine perspective.

A Gem Fit for a Queen

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This is an interesting view of proceedings in the Mary, Queen of Scots story. Other than the undeniable facts, I am not sure how historically accurate this may be - would we ever know, unless we had been there - but it certainly gives a contemporary feel to imagined conversations.

The story is minus one star as it was very short to merit the cost of an Audible credit.

The narrator - Katy Leung is a Scot, her accent is good for the story - but my goodness she is monotone and her pronunciation of certain words is really not good. “The Earl of Mow Rae” - how American is that?! She also narrated Val McDermid’s ‘1979’ book which was also spoiled by her mispronunciation of words. I am totally flummoxed as to how a Scot could get it so wrong - and also so right in accent?!

Mary, Queen of Scots

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Well read in a strong Scottish burr.
Short character sketches no less vivid for their brevity. Tension and momentum perfectly managed.

Short and vivid recreation of a historical moment

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As ever, Denise Mina tells a brilliant story and she never veers away from harsh realities. Read well with a voice that took some time to adjust to as at first, the voice seems flat and monotone but after listening several times, this apparent lack of emotion in the narrators voice, serves the tale well. Thank you.

History told as her story.

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Gripping story of the shocking events that occured over a few days in the life of Mary Queen of Scots and Rizzio. The narrative is spare and immediate, and the narrator changes voices quietly, without intruding on the actual story telling A jewel of a book

A jewel of a book

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