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Roberta Gellis is the author of the wonderful mystery series about Magdelene, a madam in 12th century England, as well as many historical novels. In this stand alone historical mystery she sets her tale at the court of the Duke of Ferrara. The Duke's son, Alfonso, is recently married to Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of the Pope and sister of the warrior Cesare. The Duke insists that Lucrezia keep ladies-in-waiting that he has appointed for her and pay their upkeep. Lucrezia refuses, and so many of the ladies have no means of support. One who does have a substantial income is Bianca Tedaldo, and when Bianca is poisoned, her bequests to other of the ladies-in-waiting seems one possible reason. Lucrezia's husband Alfonso says in public that Bianca was his mistress and that Lucrezia poisoned her. Horrible rumors had surrounded Lucrezia about the death of her previous husband, ruining her relationships with people in Rome. She does not want the same thing to happen to her in Ferrara, so she sets out to find who murdered Bianca and clear her name. She is restricted in how much she can do by being a woman, but still asks the right questions of the right people. Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of Poisons is an excellent book by an excellent author. The characters of Lucrezia, her ladies-in-waiting, her husband Alfonso, and his brothers Sigismondo and Gulio are well delineated. Even better is the sense of time and place. One comes away feeling that one has a good idea of what the life of a an upper-class Ferraran of the early 16th century was like, and of the culture of the place. The scene of the masked ball at which one of the main suspects in Bianca's death is murdered is particularly stunning. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Mary A. Axford, November 2003
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