The Papal Assassin

The Papal Assassin is the first book in S. J. Martin's Papal Assassin Series. She previously published five book in her Breton Horse Warrior Series. The second book in the new series, The Papal Assassin's Wife, was published last month on December 5, 2022. I am looking forward to reading it because the Papal Assassin was wonderful.

The publisher's summary:

It is 1088, King William the Conqueror is dead, and his two eldest sons are about to go to war for the throne of England. It is a turbulent time in Europe, and Chatillon, at the heart of it all, must decide which of William's sons the Pope should support. Should it be the eldest, Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy or William Rufus, who has already crowned himself King of England?

Piers De Chatillon, the tall, handsome master swordsman, powerful Papal envoy and assassin, has finally married the beautiful young Isabella Embriaco. He intends to turn her into a top political courtesan, assassin and spy. She will be trained to bring him valuable information by moving through the noble beds of Europe and removing those men who cause him problems. His dangerous lifestyle will repeatedly put her life at risk as she becomes a pawn in a deadly game.

Chatillon, involved in the imminent war between the two brothers, disregards the warnings of his friends to take care. They know a brutal Saracen pirate is out for revenge and will try to kill Chatillon and his new wife. Chatillon sends Isabella to Ghent on her first mission to kill an old enemy of his, not realising she is now carrying his child. Meanwhile, the Saracen assassins follow close behind her, and Chatillon is over a hundred leagues away in Normandy, too far away to save her.

This was a great read. From the first pages to the ending I was unable to put the book down. The Eleventh Century is a favorite period of mine so it made this fast paced historical mystery extra special. I heard that some of the characters from the Breton Horse Warriors Series are included in this new series. I will have to read at least one of those novels to see if I would like the series.

Piers is the consummate politician. Having worked in government for most of my life, I appreciate seeing someone with the skillset to get things done. He has a dark side but so do our current crop of leaders and if I'm honest, every great leader in history has had this too. Yes, I studied political science. I was amazed at Piers' successes and was rooting for him all along. He is a fascinating character and with the comeuppance he received from an enemy toward the end, I can see him having a soft side in future novels.

This is a lovely start to a new series. I am excited about it's future.