The Mosaic Of Shadows by Tom Harper
Murder and intrigue in the palaces and trading halls of Byzantium. Reaching its peak in 1025, under Basil II, Byzantium has perpetuated the legacy of the Roman empire since the fall of the West. However, in its now weakened position, it faces serious threats from the Turks. In response to these threats Alexios Komnenos, the dynamic young successor to the imperial throne, has petitiond the Pope for support for his armies. His request is met by the Pope's preaching of the first crusade. Meanwhile, in Constantinople, a soldier has died from a bolt through his chest whilst standing only inches away from the emperor. In secrecy, Demetrios the Apokalyptor is commissioned to investigate the murder before the assassin can strike again. His search leads him through the slums of Constantinople where he finds Thomas, a Frankish youth who is recently orphaned. On discovering that it was Thomas who fired the bolt, Demetrios decides to protect Thomas and use him to discover the identity of the foreigner, known only as 'the monk', who commissioned Thomas to kill. Believing that there must be foreign involvement, Demetrios takes his quest into the cut-throat world of Italian and Frankish merchants vying for large slices of the transcontinental trade which passes through Byzantium. Little does he expect to find a thread that will lead him into the heart of a conspiracy spanning two continents and decades of history.
Murder in the Byzantine Empire in the 11th centuryDemetrios Askiates, the revealer of mysteries, is approached by the court of the emperor Komnenos, and asked to investigate the death of a soldier killed by a crossbow arrow who was standing next to the emperor. It is vital to catch the assassin before he strikes again and finds a far more important victim. Demetrios' search takes him to the slums of Constantinople and he comes upon Thomas, a Frankish youth recently orphaned, and it was he that fired the bolt. Demetrios needs to find the person, known only as 'the monk', who set up the kill, and to do this he enters the world of Italian and Frankish merchants who deal with Byzantium. It is an intriguing story full of exciting things and should sell well.
Tom Harper (real name Edwin Thomas) won the CWA debut award in 2001 for The Blighted Cliffs. This is his second novel.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781844130276 |
| ISBN 10 | 1844130274 |
| Title | The Mosaic Of Shadows |
| Author | Tom Harper |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Cornerstone |
| Year published | 2004-02-05 |
| Number of pages | 288 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |