Chilling legacy of the mystical queen (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Chilling legacy of the mystical queen

9:26am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Reviews By Telegraph & Argus

Jeanne Kalogridis – The Devil’s Queen (Harper Collins, £7.99) ****

As a girl Catherine is in danger. Having survived, being from the influential De Medici dynasty, she is married young to Prince Henry to strengthen political ties between France and the Papacy. Dowry unpaid, her Papal Uncle dies, her husband prefers his mistress and Catherine is unable to produce that ever essential heir. However, the King of France loves her, giving Catherine enough time to use dark magic to ensure she conceives. Troubled by dreams and seduced by astrology, Catherine believes that her role is to save France from untold bloodshed, yet her misbegotten children will bring only strife...

Gemma Richards, 33, office worker, Bingley

Iain Gale – The Black Jackals (Harper, £7.99) ****

This book was the first I have read by this author, and I seriously look forward to reading another. The theme of this book is the British Army in Normandy in 1940, and this subject matter is close to my heart and subsequently I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The author’s description of the various battles and confrontations with the German opposition was done in a very detailed manner. If I had to come up with a criticism I would have preferred a more detailed map at the beginning of the book to enable the reader to know more exactly where certain battles were taking place, but irrespective of this I would highly recommend it.

Ian Watkinson, 61, manager, Apperley Bridge