The Painted Lady by Edward Marston
This book talks about a beautiful woman, an unrequited love, and an excuse for murder. Araminta Jewell is one of the beauties of her day; a witty, resourceful, dazzling young lady who manages to resist all the blandishments that come her way. Even her marriage to the staid and ugly Sir Martin Culthorpe has not discouraged the rakes of London; for them she has assumed an almost iconic status. Before she wed, a special club had been set up - the Society for the Capture of Araminta's Maidenhood - with the first man to bed her standing to win a sizeable wager. Though she is now a wife, she is still pursued with unflagging zeal. It is during her first sitting for a portrait painted by the fashionable French artist Jean-Paul Villemot that the architect Christopher Redmayne meets the lovely Lady Culthorpe, although he has heard much about her through his dissipated brother Henry, one of her most ardent pursuers. Before the portrait can be finished and revealed, however, Sir Martin is murdered. Joining forces with Henry and his good friend the puritan Constable Jonathan Bale, Christopher embarks on a quest to discover the killer's identity. But with each new day bringing a fresh batch of suspects, and the matter of whether Sir Martin was killed because of his shady business dealings or for the exquisite prize of his wife still unclear, Christopher knows this will be far from an easy case to crack. In his latest Restoration mystery, Edward Marston, the master of historical detail, scratches below the respectable facade of seventeenth century London to reveal the dark and often debauched depths beneath.
'Consummate story-telling, a love of period and astute characterisation and plotting are the hallmarks of all his books.. The past is brought to life with brilliant colours, combined with a perfect whodunit. Who needs more?' Guardian
Edward Marston was born and brought up in South Wales. A full-time writer for over thirty years, he has worked in radio, film, television and the theatre. Prolific and highly successful, he is equally at home writing children's books or literary criticism, plays or biographies and the settings for his crime novels range from the world of professional golf to the compilation of the Domesday Survey. He is also a former Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780749081621 |
| ISBN 10 | 0749081627 |
| Title | The Painted Lady |
| Author | Edward Marston |
| Series | Christopher Redmayne Mystery |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Allison & Busby |
| Year published | 2007-01-18 |
| Number of pages | 279 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |