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It is the spring of 1335 and Muhamed V, Emir of Grenada, has discovered that his young kinsman is still alive, so he sends for Yusuf. Isaac, the blind physician of Girona, is sad that he had to go for several reasons, not the least of which is the difficulty of training a new assistant. Raquel, his daughter, who can help when needed, is preparing for her marriage and Judith, Isaac's wife, is busy with their three-month-old son. Berenguer de Cruilles, Isaac's friend and patient, and also the Bishop of Girona, agrees that sending Yusuf back will cause a hardship on Isaac, but if they don't allow him to return, the muslims of Grenada may well attack. During this time, Ramon Foraster seeks Isaac's help for the nightmares he has been having, He doesn't realize it, but they started when he and his son first saw Sibilla, an impoverished cousin to the daughter-in-law of a wealthy wool merchant of the city. And then a man, claiming to be related to Ramon, an orphan, turns up, and Ramon gets sicker. Meanwhile, things are not all virgins and honey in Granada. Yusuf is allowed to visit his mother once a day but otherwise seems to be kept captive in the castle, despite the luxurious living conditions. He is not used to the scheming that goes on in the court of the Emir. The eighth book in the series, CONSOLATION FOR AN EXILE, is just as fresh and exciting as the first, AN ANTIDOTE FOR AVARICE. Spain in the middle ages is not a common location for crime fiction but medieval scholar Medora Sale (writing is Caroline Roe) makes it an intriguing place, with the mixture of several religions, an old schism in the Church, and the everyday life of the middle-class Jewish family at the heart of the series. And don't worry, there are both maps and a list of characters at the front of the book.
Reviewed by Barbara Franchi, October 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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