Captain Alatriste returns in a swashbuckling tale of intrigue, romance and regicide.
Captain Alatriste’s affair with the beautiful actress Maria de Castro is rankling not only his long-term mistress but also the King of Spain. With loyal companion Inigo distracted by the affections of Angelica, Alatriste becomes embroiled in a series of tussles outside his lover’s house. Ambushed by arch-nemesis Malatesta, a skirmish ensues that leads to the death of Maria’s other lover – the monarch himself.
But behind this tale of sexual jealousy lurks a darker truth. As it becomes clear that both Alatriste and Inigo have been cunningly honey trapped – and that the dead man was an impostor. With a puppet king waiting dutifully in the wings, Alatriste must use all his cunning and swordsmanly guile to prevent the murder of the real king – and his implication in a crime for which he has been perfectly framed.
Captain Alatriste’s affair with the beautiful actress Maria de Castro is rankling not only his long-term mistress but also the King of Spain. With loyal companion Inigo distracted by the affections of Angelica, Alatriste becomes embroiled in a series of tussles outside his lover’s house. Ambushed by arch-nemesis Malatesta, a skirmish ensues that leads to the death of Maria’s other lover – the monarch himself.
But behind this tale of sexual jealousy lurks a darker truth. As it becomes clear that both Alatriste and Inigo have been cunningly honey trapped – and that the dead man was an impostor. With a puppet king waiting dutifully in the wings, Alatriste must use all his cunning and swordsmanly guile to prevent the murder of the real king – and his implication in a crime for which he has been perfectly framed.
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Reviews
A tale of swashbuckling daredevilment, a good read
Perez-Reverte is a master at creating a world from the past.
