MURDER MOST FOUL ... OR VENGEANCE MOST JUST?

An electrifying retelling from Elizabeth Fremantle - the fierce and fearless story of Beatrice Cenci: prisoner, rebel, saint... or sinner?

'An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust ... A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending' Melanie Cantor

'A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy' Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of London

'Fremantle never misses. Sinners is a fierce and searing feminist retelling of Beatrice Cenci's life and murder trial' Flora Carr, author of The Tower

'Dark, passionate and atmospheric, we predict another screen adaptation' Woman & Home

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In sixteenth-century Rome, Beatrice Cenci - youngest daughter of a powerful nobleman - is destined for a life of gilded insignificance. Wealth talks within the city's grand palazzos, and women must remain silent.

Then her brother is found murdered by a rival family, and Beatice's domineering, tyrannical father insists they flee to La Rocca.

But La Rocca, an ancient and forbidding fortified castle perched on a cliff, is no sanctuary. The villagers are suspicious of the newcomers, considering their arrival an ill omen. Mysterious and terrible events begin to occur within the castle walls even as Beatrice's father's paranoia grows.

Isolated and afraid, she befriends the castle's keeper, Olimpio.

Yet their secret attraction is dangerous. Were their affair to be discovered, neither might survive. And betrayal lurks behind every corner. In desperation Beatrice devises a plan, one that will see her risk everything for an even greater love . . .

Inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine, Sinners is the story of a trapped woman determined to live a free life, no matter the cost.

Because for Beatrice Cenci - saint, sinner, hunter, prey - a woman caged is a terrible thing.

--

'I couldn't put this book down!' 5* Reader Review

'I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book!' 5* Reader Review

'This was one of the most powerful writing I have read in a historical novel in a while' 5* Reader Review


Praise for Elizabeth Fremantle:

'MAGICAL, THRILLING, WONDERFUL, EXCELLENT. HEARTPOUNDINGLY TENSE AND ABSOLUTELY ENGROSSING. CLEVER, AMAZING AND INSPIRING' DAILY MAIL

'Electric' Good Housekeeping

'Rich in atmosphere and period detail . . . An enticing read' Stylist

'Beautifully written and finely observed' RACHEL HORE, author of A PLACE OF SECRETS

'An enthralling tale of power and passion, loyalty and betrayal' ELIZABETH WILHIDE, author of ASHENDEN

About the Author
Elizabeth Fremantle is the critically acclaimed author of four Tudor historical novels: Firebrand (formerly Queen's Gambit), Sisters of Treason, Watch the Lady and The Girl in the Glass Tower. As E.C. Fremantle she has written two historical thrillers: The Poison Bed and The Honey and the Sting. Her most recent novel, Disobedient, is a feminist retelling of the life of seventeenth-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. She lives in London.

Reviews
An evocative tale of misplaced love and lust at a time when, saint or sinner, no one wins. A gripping read which gallops to a crescendo of an ending * Melanie Cantor *
A sensationally powerful novel with a rollercoaster of a story that has the dark logic of Greek tragedy. It confronts head-on the moral ambiguities and psychological conflict of a woman driven to patricide and it brings to life the brutal and luxurious world in which the murder takes place * Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of London *
I was spellbound by this wonderful book and had to neglect everything else to finish it. Truly, it's one of the best historical novels I have read in a long time. Elizabeth Fremantle evokes so beautifully and convincingly the Italy of the late sixteenth century; her characters are compellingly drawn and her prose is magnificent. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough * Alison Weir, acclaimed historian and novelist *
A dark and brilliant historical novel that reads like a cross between a murder mystery, a true crime drama, and a Jacobean tragedy. You can almost feel the heat and the horror of the sixteenth century. One of the best historical novels I have read in a very long time * Garth Russell, acclaimed historian of Queen James *
A transporting historical thriller - 16th century Rome, a heroine (kind-of) and a murder trial * Erin Kelly, bestselling author of He Said, She Said *
Elizabeth Fremantle never misses. Sinners is a fierce and searing feminist retelling of Beatrice Cenci's life and murder trial. Fremantle's writing cuts through to the quick * Flora Carr, author of The Tower *
I devoured this book, carried along on the wave of our heroine's rage. This is a masterclass in writing feminist historical fiction. Absolutely brilliant * Louise Hare, bestselling author of This Lovely City *
Dark, passionate and atmospheric, we predict another screen adaptation * Woman & Home *



Book Information
ISBN 9780241705179
Author Elizabeth Fremantle
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Michael Joseph Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 504g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 152mm * 31mm