Blood Ties: The Continuing Tale of the French Executioner - Tapa blanda

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EVENTS: C.C. Humphreys' background as an actor and performer has proved useful experience for several public events we have set up. We opened with a LAUNCH (which included a reading and signing) at Canada House, London on 6th February 2003 - where we sold 10 books. Chris also took part in a successful panel discussion called 'Crime Through Time' at HEFFERS, Cambridge on 18th February 2003. This included a signing - and several dealers turned up for Chris tosign copies of both BLOOD TIES and The French Executioner. Chris has done a stock signing tour of around 10 central London stores (meeting the booksellers) and his local bookshop in Finchley is setting up window and instore displays with showcards and signed copies of BLOOD TIES. Chris will be appearing atthe 2003 DAPHNE DU MAURIER FESTIVAL of Arts & Literature, in Fowey, Cornwall, held between Monday 12th and Friday 16th May, for a 1 hour talk, a question and answer session and a signing. He has also been requested to attend both BODIES IN THE BOOKSHOP and CRIMESCENE - both in July 2003. REVIEWS: THE HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW are featuring BLOOD TIES (and The French Executioner)on their next front cover, and the issue will include a gushing review - "I grabbed Blood Ties in both hands and devoured it cover to cover ... If you like Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series, you'll love The French Executioner and Blood Ties. In my mind, Cornwell is good, but Humphreys is better" Barry Forshaw has also reviewed BLOOD TIES and this will appear in the next editionof CRIMETIME: "This quirky and unusual storyline is dispatched with consummate skill ... and the conflict between father and son ... has an intelligence and sophistication that transcends the straightforward thrills usually to be found in this kind of saga. On the strength of Blood Ties and The French Executioner, there is no doubt that Humphreys is a writer to watch." THE GOOD BOOK GUIDE, 1st March 03, featured a review: "Humphreys established himself as aquality purveyor of historical crime fiction with a heady blend of historical detail and vigorous action, and this sequel delivers as much convincingly wrought detail and mercurial action" DEADLY PLEASURES has reviewed BLOOD TIES in Issue 37, and a further review is due to be published in DEADLY PLEASURES/SHOTS/JANUARY MAGAZINE by reviewer Carol Heys, who says BLOOD TIES is: "Well-written, pacey and compelling ... This historical tale is an action-packed adventure with lots of violence, gory fights and loss of human life but there are love stories woven into the plot to give it further interest. An excellentand very fast-paced read" TELETEXT, 6th February 03 called BLOOD TIES "gleefully macabre ... Humphreys super-dense narrative and casual slaughter of key characters for dramatic kicks reveals a newcomer in a hurry to topple BernardCornwell" LBC will be interviewing Chris on 21st March 03 and the interview will be broadcast several times throughout the Friday evening - reaching an audience of around 1 million listeners. BLOOD TIES has also been reviewed in PRIZES GALORE! - February 03; "A brilliant sequel to The French Executioner" and on TANGLED-WEB.CO.UK which featured BLOOD TIES with a summary of the book online from 21st February 03. STARBURST included the book in their 'Publishing Round Up' in their April 03 edition and at the same time plugged The FrenchExecutioner. BLOOD TIES was also reviewed, on 1st March 03, in NUNEATON EVENING TELEGRAPH, RUGBY EVENING TELEGRAPH, LEAMINGTON SPA EVENING TELEGRAPH, andCOVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH: "From the siege of Sienna to the shores of Canada, Blood Ties paints a picture of a world obsessed with witchcraft and religious dogma ... C C Humphreys has created a fast-paced story ... I found myself

Reseña del editor

Years have gone by since the events surrounding the death of Anne Boleyn. But her missing hand and all that it represents to the dark world of 16th century Europe still draws the powerful to seek it out.

Jean Rombaud - the French executioner of the first novel - has grown old, both in age and spirit. Wearied by the betrayal of a son and the scorn of a wife, he fights in the seemingly never-ending siege of Siena. Meanwhile, Gianni Rombaud has forsaken everything his ageing father stands for and now kills heathen for the Inquisition in Rome. Then he is summoned by Cardinal Carafa himself. His masters no longer merely want his dagger in the hearts of Jews, they want the hand of the dead queen..

But, only three people know where it is buried, and one of them is Gianni's father...