1
of
1
Rizzio
Darkland Tales
Series: Darkland Tales
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 4,852 ratings, 682 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Hardback
$2999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Rizzio
$2999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Rizzio is perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a gripping, suspenseful plot and rich characterisation. Fans of political intrigue, historical dramas centred on royalty, and expertly woven crime elements will find this novel especially rewarding. It suits those interested in 16th-century Scottish history and the complex dynamics of power and gender.
From the multi-award-winning Denise Mina comes a radical new take on one of the darkest episodes in Scottish history the bloody assassination of David Rizzio in Mary, Queen of Scots' chambers in Holyrood Palace.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
'a tour de force work of art' The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year
It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded and 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, Lord Darnley, wants it done in front of her, and he wants her to watch it done...
Denise Mina brilliantly portrays the sexual dynamics and politics of power between men and women, monarch and subjects, master and servants. The period is masterfully researched yet lightly drawn, the characterisation quick, subtle, and utterly convincing. This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, secrets and lies, one that explores the lengths that men and women will go to in the search for love and power.
Series: Darkland Tales
View all-
Columba's Bones
The Isle of Iona, 825. In a bloody, brutal raid, Abbot Blathmac is slain on the steps of his monastery for refusing to give away the location of the sacred relics of St Columba, the missionary who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Following a night of rampage and mayhem, one Viking wakes up the next morning to find himself alone,...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Columba's Bones
The Isle of Iona, 825. In a bloody, brutal raid, Abbot Blathmac is slain on the steps of his monastery for refusing to give away the location of the sacred relics of St Columba, the missionary who first brought Christianity to Scotland. Following a night of rampage and mayhem, one Viking wakes up the next morning to find himself alone,...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Queen Macbeth
Shakespeare fed us the myth of the Macbeths as murderous conspirators. But now Val McDermid drags the truth out of the shadows, exposing the patriarchal prejudices of history. A thousand years ago in an ancient Scottish landscape, a woman is on the run with her three companions: a healer, a weaver, and a seer. The men hunting her will kill...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Hex
IT'S THE 4TH OF DECEMBER 1591. On this, the last night of her life, in a prison cell several floors below Edinburgh's High Street, convicted witch Geillis Duncan receives a mysterious visitor, Iris, who says she comes from a future where women are still persecuted for who they are and what they believe. As the hours pass and dawn approaches,...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Queen Macbeth
A thousand years ago in an ancient Scottish landscape, a woman is on the run with her three bosom companions: a healer, a weaver, and a seer. If the men hunting her find them, they will kill her because she is the only one who stands between them and their violent ambition. She is no lady: she is the first...Hardback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Nothing Left to Fear from Hell
Shortlisted for The Winston Graham Historical Prize A battle lost. A daring escape. A long walk into obscurity. The ultimate failure... In the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Culloden, a lonely figure takes flight with a small band of companions through the islands and mountains of the Hebrides. His name is Charles Edward Stuart: better known today as Bonnie...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Nothing Left to Fear from Hell
A battle lost. A daring escape. A long walk into obscurity. The ultimate failure.... In the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of Culloden, a lonely figure takes flight with a small band of companions through the islands and mountains of the Hebrides. His name is Charles Edward Stuart: better known today as Bonnie Prince Charlie. He had come to the...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Rizzio
'a tour de force work of art' The Wall Street Journal, Best Books of the Year It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded and that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Rizzio
It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded—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...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Rizzio has been praised as a "tour de force work of art" by The Wall Street Journal and described as "guaranteed to keep you invested" by The Radio Times. Stuart Kelly of Scotland on Sunday highlights its vital role in retelling history, while the New York Times recognises Denise Mina as a major voice in crime fiction. The Daily Telegraph calls her possibly "Britain's finest living crime novelist." Reviewers commend the book’s suspense, vivid imagery, and compelling characterisation, making it both a gripping historical thriller and a rich exploration of power and intrigue.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781846975677
Publisher: Birlinn General
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 02 September 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 10.0mm
Width: 132.0mm
Height: 206.0mm
Weight: 214g
Pages: 128
About the Author
Denise Mina was born in East Kilbride in 1966. Her first book, Garnethill, won the CWA Dagger for Best First Crime Novel. She has won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year twice, and the MacIlvanney Prize twice. She is a presenter of TV and radio programmes, and appears regularly in the media.
Also by Denise Mina
View all-
The Second Murderer
Denise Mina reimagines Raymond Chandler's famed and troubled detective Philip Marlowe in this gritty thriller set in 1940s Los Angeles. "This is Marlowe." "Mr. Philip Marlowe?" she asked. I glanced at the clock. It was exactly eleven am, as if she had been waiting by the phone for an appointed hour, following someone else's orders to the letter. "What, d'you...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Exile
In London, a body is found on the banks of the Thames. Maureen O'Donnell has 12 hours to catch a killer... A body is found on the banks of the Thames. Maureen O'Donnell now has twelve hours to catch a killer... The last time Maureen O'Donnell saw Ann Harris, she was staying in the Glasgow Women's Shelter, drunk and with...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Three Fires
In Three Fires, award-winning author Denise Mina re-imagines the 'Bonfire of the Vanities', a series of fires lit throughout Florence at the end of the fifteenth century inspired by the fanatical Girolamo Savonarola. Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar living in Florence at the tail end of the fifteenth century. An anti-corruption campaigner, his hellfire preaching increasingly spilled over into...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Good Liar
What will it take to tell the truth when your life depends on a lie? This is the question a blood spatter expert grapples with when she realises she sent the wrong person to prison. The 20th novel from NYT bestseller and Costa-shortlisted crime writer Denise Mina, for fans of Tana French and Elly Griffiths. ** FROM THE NY TIMES...Paperback$2800Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Three Fires
In Three Fires, award-winning author Denise Mina re-imagines the 'Bonfire of the Vanities', a series of fires lit throughout Florence at the end of the fifteenth century, inspired by the fanatical Girolamo Savonarola. Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar living in Florence at the tail end of the fifteenth century. An anti-corruption campaigner, his hellfire preaching increasingly spilled over into...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Rizzio
It's Saturday evening, 9 March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party, secure in her private chambers. She doesn't know that her Palace is surrounded—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...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Good Liar
What will it take to tell the truth when your life depends on a lie? This is the question a blood spatter expert grapples with when she realises she sent the wrong person to prison. The 20th novel from NYT bestseller and Costa-shortlisted crime writer Denise Mina, for fans of Tana French and Elly Griffiths. 'Authentic, compelling and written with...PaperbackSold Out -
Confidence
Deception. Theft. Murder. All you need is confidence. A brand new escapist thriller from the award-winning author of Conviction. FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR 'Such a delight- playful, fast-paced, and entirely compulsive' Ann Cleeves 'Denise Mina is crime writing royalty' Val McDermid 'Denise Mina is the cream of the crop, an author who pushes the crime novel in...PaperbackSold Out -
The Dead Hour
When a woman is murdered, journalist Paddy Meehan must put her reputation - and her life - on the line to crack the case. Discover the second novel in the pulse-racing Paddy Meehan series, from award-winning author Denise Mina. 'Mina can chill your blood and break your heart in the same sentence' - Mark Billingham Journalist Paddy Meehan is called...PaperbackSold Out -
The Field of Blood
A child disappears and the police believe two boys are responsible, but rookie journalist Paddy Meehan isn't so sure... The first novel in the addictive Paddy Meehan series, from award-winning author Denise Mina. The most exciting crime writer to have emerged in Britain for years - Ian Rankin In Glasgow, a child goes missing, taken from the front garden of...PaperbackSold Out -
The Last Breath
Paddy Meehan's former boyfriend was killed before he could expose a dark secret, and Paddy is determined to find the culprit. Read the third novel in the Paddy Meehan series, from award-winning author Denise Mina. 'One of the most original voices in crime fiction' — Daily Mail Paddy Meehan finally has it all - a flat of her own in...PaperbackSold Out
More from Historical Fiction
View all-
New ReleaseThe Parisian Chapter
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and The Librarians of Rue de Picardie comes a charming and cinematic novel following a young woman from Montana who lands a job in the American Library in Paris, where she discovers the power of storytelling and writes her own Parisian chapter.'Stirring and rich with detail' New York Times...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseInferno
AD 60. Nero Claudius Caesar is Emperor. He is feared for his temper. He is known to be intoxicated by the power he wields. And why not? The Roman Empire stretches from the wilds of Britain to the deserts of Parthia. Nero is god of all he surveys. Yet dangerous traitors lie close at hand. Generals commanding legions. Senators whispering...Paperback$3100Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Circle of Days
From the master of epic fiction comes the deeply human story of one of the world's greatest mysteries: the building of Stonehenge. A FLINT MINER WITH A GIFT Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his...Hardback$4499Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Soldier's Daughter
The heart-stopping new blockbuster by the bestselling author of The Fallen Woman. Violet Nash has grown up in the shadows of her father Charlie's shattered dreams. It's been years since he walked away from the battlefields of France, a WWI hero but his heart in tatters, only to see it broken all over again in the worst way possible. In...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Girl with the Suitcase
The enthralling new novel from the 10-million-copy, No. 1 bestselling author. London 1941 When Mary meets a glamorous stranger named Elizabeth, she realises their lives couldn't be more different. But when an air raid forces them to take shelter underground, Mary's life is set to change forever. After waking up in hospital, injured but alive, the nurse mistakes her for...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Lost Bookshop
Evie Woods' stunning new novel The Story Collector is available now. The Echo of Old Books meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets. ‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’ On a quiet street in...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
All the Diamonds in Paris
Kristin Harmel is firmly in the top echelon of WW2 storytellers - HEATHER MORRIS A master storyteller - SANTA MONTEFIORE The best at sweeping historical drama - KELLY HARMS A dazzling diamond of a novel - HAZEL GAYNOR * Paris, 1942: Anabel Martinet is a jewel thief, descended from a family that has spent centuries stealing from the unkind and...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Listeners
‘By turns a beautiful love story, a fascinating glimpse into the horrors of history and a haunting tale of loyalty and courage. A marvel of storytelling’ CHRIS WHITAKER, bestselling author of All the Colours of the Dark The Avallon Hotel offers unrivalled luxury in the wild Appalachian Mountains, its curative sweetwater washing away the troubles of high society. June 'Hoss'...Paperback$3600Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Song of Achilles
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a brilliantly crafted retelling of the ancient Greek epic of Achilles and Patroclus, transforming the classical myth into a profoundly moving love story. Set against the richly depicted backdrop of Greece during the heroically tumultuous age, the narrative follows Patroclus, an awkward and exiled young prince, who is taken to the court...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Cardinal
Step into the thrill and intrigue of Tudor England in the rich, compelling new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Alison Weir. Alison Weir makes history come alive as no one else BARBARA ERSKINE AN EXTRAORDINARY RISE TO POWER. A TRAGIC FALL FROM GRACE. It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to...Paperback$3300Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Mythos
Mythos by Stephen Fry is a compelling retelling of the classic Greek myths, reimagined with a wit and elegance that only Fry can deliver. This volume transports the reader to a world where mortals intertwine with the divine, and the timeless tales unfold in a spellbinding narrative that captures the imagination. From the cosmogony—the birth of the cosmos—to the exploits...Paperback$2200Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
15% offThe Four Winds
Kristin Hannah is a classic storyteller and The Four Winds sees her at the top of her game - Matt Haig Powerful and compelling - Delia Owens, number one international bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing A story of love, family, unbreakable bonds, bravery and hope. I loved this book so much! - Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The...Paperback$1700Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
