The Papal Assassin's Curse

The Papal Assassin's Curse is the third book in a new series by S. J. Martin. Called the Papal Assassin's Series, the stories take place in the early Middle Ages in France and Rome. It was published on March 26, 2023.

The publisher's summary:

Piers De Chatillon, antihero, paid assassin, wealthy and powerful, now seems to have everything.  A beautiful, loving wife, thriving twin boys and the friendship of some of the most feared warriors in Europe.  Nonetheless, he has made dozens of enemies along the way, and one of them is prepared to risk everything to destroy him.

Europe in 1096 was a turbulent place.  Duke Robert's invasion of England has failed and he is trying to hold on to Normany while both of his brothers plot to take it.  Piers De Chatillon, as Papal Envoy, is trying to steer a ship through these troubled waters just as his uncle, Pope Urban, calls for a crusade to liberate the Holy Land. Duke Robert foolishly leads this crusade leaving Normandy in the hands of his brother, William Rufus.  At the same time, Chatillon receives an assassination request that shocks him.  He is offered a fortune to kill a king.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Ibn Hud, known as Sheikh Ishmael, one of he most brutal and feared pirates in the Mediterranean, is launching a plan to tear the hears out of Chatillon's world.  The pirate intends to snatch Pier's wife and children while Piers is on his way to Rome with the Crusaders.  Will Pier's friend, Edvard, and the Irish warlord, Finian Ui Neil be able to stop them, or will Chatillon lose everything?

This installment of the series was fantastic. Chatillon's wife and two sons are kidnapped by the Shiek Ismael at the beginning of the second third of the story and are to be sold as slaves. The Shiek's men separate Chatillon's wife Isabella from her sons and they travel in different directions on the European continent so as to impede efforts by Chatillon to save them. The chase was riveting and I think I felt as much fear as Isabella. My imagination went wild because I could see myself in her shoes. There are several maps at the back of the book of France and ports in the Mediterranean. It would have been helpful to place them at the beginning of the book because I didn't know they were there until I finished the book. 

The first third of the book was about Chatillon's friend and Irish warrior Finian Ui Neill. Finian's relative Padraig comes to visit and brings along Pierre. Padraig is friendly with Chatillon's wife and children but Pierre is anti-social and quick tempered. He is only allowed to stay with the family because he is with Finian's cousin.  I did not know where the story was going until Isabella was kidnapped. Looking back, it seems odd that so many pages were devoted to Padraig and Pierre's visit. 

The story ended with a cliffhanger and we won't know the outcome of the kidnapping until The Papal Assassin's Wrath is published in June 2023. I am way too excited for this release.