LUCREZIA BORGIA AND THE MOTHER OF POISONS

Author: Roberta Gellis ISBN: 0765306611 9/2004 HISTORICAL/MYSTERY Publisher: TOR/FORGE
Time Period: Late Medieval

"Poisoner!" The bellowed accusation strikes into silence all those in Lucrezia Borgia's audience chamber. Lucrezia has fled Rome to a loveless marriage with Alfonso, heir to the duke of Ferrara, to escape the rumors that she is utterly depraved---incestuous, a lecher, a poisoner. To her delight she is warmly welcomed in Ferrara, by the duke, by his court, by the people, indeed by everyone except her husband. And then, after only six weeks of basking in the warmth of general approval, Alfonso rushes into her apartment and accuses her of poisoning Bianca Tedaldo, one of her ladies in waiting and mistress to Alfonso. Immediately, Lucrezia sees the nightmare of her life in Rome recurring. The whispers behind her back, the signs to ward off evil, people making out their wills when she invites them to share a meal. To deny the charge is useless. Lucrezia knows all too well the futility of claiming innocence even when the claim is clearly and plainly true. The only way for her to retrieve her reputation is to discover who committed the crime and expose the true murderer.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

After reading Roberta Gellis’ LUCREZIA BORGIA AND THE MOTHER OF POISONS, I no longer have to wonder why Gellis has so many fans. You can add another to that increasing number of loyal readers now, by one: Me!

The mysterious death of a lady at court—by poison, of course—is the basis for this mystery/detective novel set during the late medieval period. Having the bad rep of a master poisoner already, it is no surprise that all eyes look upon Lucrezia as the prime suspect in the murder. Preceded by a bad reputation, newly married and pregnant, Lucrezia, however, is determined to find the person responsible in order to clear her name as well as do the victim, who happened to be one of her court ladies, justice.

There’s not really much romance involved in the story, but it does deal with Lucrezia’s efforts to connect with her third and final husband, Alfonso d'Este. Their relationship sort of titters and totters back and forth throughout the book (which isn’t surprising since the brooding Alfonso proves to be rather unpredictable most of the time), but Lucrezia’s handling of him during his mood swings and periodic outbursts only enhances the personality of her character, as Gellis aligns Lucrezia's portrayal with that of modern historical experts. (For those who want to know, the majority of modern historians think that Lucrezia has had a bad rap throughout history, basically taking the blame for the dirty dealings and deeds of her father and brothers. She actually died at a young age, a charitable, religious, and very much beloved woman, both by her husband and the people of her country.)

I admire so much not just how Gellis stayed true to the historical period in both the settings and mannerisms, but also to the portrayal of Lucrezia’s personality and her dealings with her family and others that surrounded her. This is where Gellis excels, and her writing, as well as the story, reminds me somewhat of the Justin de Quincy medieval detective novels written by Sharon Kay Penman.

In short, there’s more history than mystery here (I figured out whodunit pretty quickly), but for those who enjoy intriguing stories of real people, places, and events set into fictional accounts that incorporate some elements of truth, then LUCREZIA BORGIA AND THE MOTHER OF POISONS will prove to be a fine fit. Odds are, if you weren’t a Gellis fan before you read this book, you probably will be when you’re finished.

Nancy Davis