I adore Anna Mazzola’s writing and the Book of Secrets is another cracker, possibly her best yet!

Set in Rome in 1659 and told from multiple points of view, it is the story of how Stefano Bracchi, the youngest son of a merchant and a hard working though as yet junior lawyer takes on a commission from the Governor of Rome. It is a commission that he knows could make or break him and it is the biggest challenge of his career. It is also his chance to show his disdainful father that he is equal to the task.

But the road to success is paved with a lot of fault lines. A man has been found dead and the whispers are that his body did not decay as others have done and that his complexion remained ruddy for days after death. For a city that is just recovering from the plague, this suggests a threat of another kind may be on the horizon and the authorities are keen to understand what is going on before the whispers send the citizens into fear with the threat of another epidemic.

As Stefano begins his investigation we learn quite a lot about the role and place of women in Rome at the time. Anna is no more than her husband’s chattel. He can, under the law, beat her and abuse her as he pleases. The fact that she is heavily pregnant makes no difference. Her job is to cook, clean and obey her husband in all things and if his temper leads to a number of very bad beatings, then that’s simply to be borne. Anna tries to speak to her priest about this, because she fears she will lose her baby, but he sends her home with a flea in her ear.

Girolama is a healer, a midwife and a fortune teller. She tailors her money making activities according to the wealth of her clients, who are exclusively female. Well versed in the science of herbal healing, she makes potions, face creams and healing brews, the recipes for which she keeps in a locked book, the eponymous ‘Book of Secrets’. Many women have good reason to be grateful to her and the knowledge of her business is whispered by and among women seeking discreet help for their ills.

Anna Mazzola’s book is based on fact and I love the way that she blends fact and fiction together to bring the city and the people alive. This is a patriarchal and hierarchical society, ruled by noblemen and susceptible to stories of witchcraft and anything they don’t understand or can’t control.

When similar deaths come to light in Stefano’s investigations, each showing the same kind of post mortem traits, Stefano’s investigations lead him, via a tortuous route, to Girolama and her friends.

Stefano has no proof for what he thinks has happened, but the authorities want to make an example of these women, for could they not, in fact, be engaged in sorcery? And so they open up a prison which was previously closed down for being in too poor a condition for prisoners, and put the women in there. The conditions are dreadful. Dark, damp and riddled with rats they are kept in isolation and treated with violence, kept in need of food and clean water and essentially tortured for the truth.

This is not treatment with which Stefano is entirely comfortable, but he needs to succeed in his mission and intervening is not in his best interests if the truth is to come out. Though the descriptions of what these women undergo are not graphic, nor does Mazzola shield us from what happens to them and it does not stop the reader from becoming enraged with such inhumanity.

I could not help but admire Girolama’s courage and steadfastness in the face of such terrible treatment. Although I understood Stefano’s conflicted feelings, it was hard to forgive his complicity. Because Anna Mazzola has shown us the women’s backgrounds and personal stories, it is very hard not to understand what drove them to take action. This is a sisterhood which has come together to grant each other something that the men of Rome will not – some control over their lives.

You care about these women because they are so beautifully drawn and as the trial looms, the tension is palpable and my heart was thumping right up to the utterly gripping denouement.

Verdict: A story which brings both the people and 17th century Rome to life. A terrific blend of fact and fiction, Mazzola has struck a chord that resonates today. Dark, vivid, visceral and utterly compelling, I loved the story and adored the writing

Anna Mazzola’s new novel – her fifth and the fourth that I’ve read – is set in Italy and takes as its inspiration the real life story of a group of women accused of selling poison in 17th century Rome.

It’s 1659 and Stefano Bracchi, a junior magistrate at the Papal Court, has been commissioned by the governor of Rome to investigate some unusual deaths that have taken place in the city. The plague that recently swept through Rome took many lives, but this is something different. These deaths are all men and for some unexplained reason, the bodies haven’t gone through the normal process of decay.

Meanwhile, Anna is trapped in an abusive marriage and searching for a way of escape. Her maid introduces her to a woman who says she can help, but the sort of help she provides is not quite what Anna was expecting! As Stefano begins to close in on the people responsible for the mysterious deaths, Anna finds herself caught in his net, but will he be able to prove that she has done anything wrong?

The Book of Secrets is written from the alternating perspectives of Stefano, Anna and a third character – Girolama, a Sicilian woman with a knowledge of herbs, potions and fortune telling, who is said to possess the ‘book of secrets’ of the title. Because we see the story unfold through all three of these characters, there’s very little mystery involved in the book; we know what Girolama and her friends are doing to help the women of Rome, we know how Anna deals with her violent husband and we know how Stefano’s investigation is progressing. However, what I found interesting about this book was not so much the plot as the characters and the way each of them reacts to the situation in which they find themselves.

Our sympathies are naturally with Anna, a desperate woman who takes the only way out she feels is open to her, while Girolama is a more morally ambiguous character – she has the best intentions and her work does a lot of good, but at the same time she seems largely unconcerned that her actions may occasionally cause harm to innocent people. The Rome of 1659 is a male-dominated society and many of the women in the book are victims of men, but Stefano Bracchi is another nuanced character; as he begins to round up Anna, Girolama and their associates for interrogation at the Tor di Nona prison, he becomes torn between compassion for their suffering and the desire to keep his superiors happy for the sake of his career.

Before starting this book, I knew nothing about Girolama Spana and the case this novel is based on. Although Anna Mazzola hasn’t stuck to the historical facts and has invented or expanded parts of the story, she does explain her choices in her author’s note at the end of the book. The Clockwork Girl is still my favourite of her novels, but this is another fascinating one.

Set in seventeenth century Rome, the year 1659 home of the Catholic Church and Papacy. The city has just come through terrible times of pestilence and the plague. But now there have been whispers of men dying, their corpses upon viewing rosy ruddy cheeks and looking strangely preserved after death. The governor of Rome Baranzone has orders from the Pope to find out what is behind this, if anything?
Stefano Bracchi the youngest son of a merchant, keen to make his mark in the world, show what he is made of and can achieve is tasked to the Job, appointed inquisitor. A papal inquiry. Stefano accepts the challenge.

I found this book a fascinating read, I was immediately drawn into it and its mixed characters. Some you like, others utterly awful.
The Governor Baranzone is an unlikeable character, he knows exactly how to prod Stefano’s weaknesses and insecurities.
The women Stefano rounds up are sent to the rank Tor Di Nona to be questioned.
The book highlights the plight of women during that era in time. Absolutely ruled by their husbands and if they found themselves in an abusive relationship they had nowhere to go, no one to help.
Women inferior to men, inferior to middle and higher class women. One rule for one, another rule for another.
The book is fictitious, but it was interesting to know that there were women mentioned in the book who did exist, and this book is a fictional twist of that story from the authors perspective. I found myself researching said characters after reading the book and acknowledgments.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

A gripping historical novel that offers a unique glimpse into the struggles faced by women in the 17th century society which is dominated by men and women are viewed as possessions. While there is an element of mystery involved it is very much a side story. The descriptions of the time and place are vivid and compelling and very well researched. It is a dark topic that is not as well known as some other similar era's in history as it is based on a true story. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I started reading The Book of Secrets one morning in a busy hotel breakfast room. I was fully prepared for the general commotion to be to intrusive for reading, but I was eating alone and therefore prepared to give it ago. I needn't have worried though, Anna's writing instantly absorbed me and as I travelled back to 17th century Rome, the noise around me faded away.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and I read quite a bit of it, but there is something about Anna's books that sets them apart from others in the genre. The Book of Secrets looks at historical feminist activism through a unique lense that shows women have been working together, looking after each other, in the name of the sisterhood for centuries.

Having read the author note at the end of the book, I can only admire how Anna has taken the only known parts of a story and stitched them together into something that is not only believable, but also compelling.

An intense and atmospheric story of female solidarity!

An outstanding book! It is fast-paced, intriguing and the story is very compelling. What stayed with me the most is the hard and heartbreaking life that the women had and that they were treated as possessions of their husbands, permitted by law and society. I really felt for them.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Set in the mysterious gothic world of 17th century Italy
Inspired by the prosecution of a real group of women living in Rome.
It’s a story of sorcery and survival with a devastating conclusion.
Very atmospheric and mystical, meticulously researched, transporting you to another place and time
Thanks @annamazzolawriter, @orionpublishing & @netgalley for the atmospheric read

Why does one man’s life count for more than a cartload of women’s?”
This is a key theme of the story that transfixed and absorbed me while reading this novel. This was an absolutely fabulous historical mystery set in Rome, where similarly to Britain, suspicion of witchcraft and female wiles were rampant. A very thought provoking read based on a real case. many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

In mid 17th century Rome corpses are arousing interest because they don’t seem to have decomposed enough and the authorities need to find out why. Could it be some sort of poisoning or witchcraft ?
Young lawyer Stefano Bracchi is given his first job as an inquisitor and is told to find out the truth quickly.
At the same time, a young pregnant woman lives in fear every day that her brutal husband may finally kill her and her unborn child and so she decides to take matters into her own hands. Here begins a vivid tale which shows how low-born women of that time were subjugated by certain men and the inequalities these women experienced in the eyes of the law.
Based on true historical events, Mazzola has written historical fiction which celebrates strong women whilst showing that sadly the power of some men over women in the 1600s is still reflected and relevant in today’s society. “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC

This book. I don’t know where to start. It’s an amazing read about a difficult subject, and so very skillfully handled. This is my first read by this writer, but it certainly won’t be my last.

I love Anna Mazzola's writing and it shines so brightly in this new historical mystery. An engaging and captivating read.

Set in 17th-century Rome, The Book of Secrets is a gripping historical crime novel based on a true story.

Despite the fact there are very few mysteries for the reader to unravel (the use of multiple perspectives means we know more than any one character), I found the storytelling fast-paced and compelling. The prose is fluid and easy to read, and the charactesr are vivid and well-imagined. Through three different perspectives, Mazzola explores themes of crime and conscience, and what justice really means in a fundamentally unjust society.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, The Book of Secrets is a compulsive and thought-provoking read.

I couldn't put this book down and read it in two days. What a fabulous novel from Anna Mazzola. I love anything set in medieval Italy so I was eager to read her latest book, but this story based on true accounts was especially mesmerising. There are profound questions at its core. What is justice? Who is evil? Who deserves mercy and who can dispense retribution? It centres around an investigation into a group of women suspected of poisoning men. But how can a patriarchal society possibly dispense justice in a system that is so unfair? I just loved everything about this novel, from the real feeling of walking through the streets of medieval Rome to the thoughts of all the main characters. It gave no easy answers and told raw truths about the lives of women in that era. Definitely a novel worth reading.

There is evidence throughout history of people being scared of anything which could be perceived to be different or 'unnatural'. Factor in any situation that might challenge either agreed science of religion and you have a double whammy. Make the perpetrator of this unnatural and dark arts female, and you are well on your way to a proclamation of witchcraft. Afterall, it couldn't be that women just had a talent for healing, could it? Put all of that into the context of seventeenth century Italy, where a woman's lot was to merely serve her husband, and any independence of thought or behaviour is immediately quashed, by violent means if necessary, and it is no wonder that, on occasion, a woman may decide to seek an alternative future.

That's my polite way of saying 'murdering their husbands', which, in a round about and somewhat diluted fashion, is the premise of Anna Mazzola's new novel, The Book of Secrets. Men across Rome, some of significant status, others less so, are dying in suspicious circumstances. easy to dismiss as the plague, there is something unusual about their bodies. Something unexpected and unnatural. They do not suffer the usual passage of rigor and decay, leading those in power to suspect a touch of foul play. But suspecting it is one thing, proving it another, and prosecutor Stefano Bracchi is given the unenviable task to finding out what really happens. It brings him into the world of Girolama, owner of the eponymous 'Book of Secrets', and her friends, a band of women who seek to support each other through their many 'challenges'. Whether or not this involves murder, remains to be proven.

This was a fascinating story. This is not a period of history I know much about. I think we have all heard of the Spanish Inquisition, but this persecution, condemnation and slaughter of women, some innocent, some less so, has certainly not come to my attention before. Strangely, the fact that women were treated as little more than possessions in a society dominated by the patriarchy of the church is far less shocking than I might have expected, and the facts of how Girolama and her friends are treated, perhaps equally so. They are subjected to torture, isolation and near starvation. Left in conditions that are dank, damp and deemed too rotten for even your average prisoner to endure. Although not entirely comfortable with the task, it falls to Stefano to deliver this dark punishment, and the methods used to extract the truth, whilst not played out on the page, are dark and effective, making for an occasionally uncomfortable and enraging reading experience.

I had mixed feelings about both Stefano and Girolama. Stefano was trying to make his way in a world in which his father showed him little more than disdain which, if you consider time and place, would be a hard life to endure. Not as hard as it was for Girolama and her women by any stretch, but in context, there was perhaps a very small touch of humanity about him at times which made me not entirely condemn him. Girolama, although clearly guilty of some of the things she had been accused, was coming from a place of good, and ill, intent. Good towards the women whose lives she was ultimately saving, ill to those who would fall victim. I liked her, liked her resolve and her ferocity in the face of her would be torturer, but there were some aspects of her character which were questionable, and it was perhaps her complacency over the use of her gifts which was to lead her towards her downfall.

As always, the author writes with a fluidity and eloquence which delivers us right into the heart of the story. I was delivered a real sense of place and time, feeling the cold and damp that surrounded the imprisoned women and the stark contrast to the opulence of the lives lived by their accusers. She provides context to the crimes, narrating the backstory of many of the women who were affected by the investigation, leaving me with a kind of feeling of sorrow as they moved towards their inevitable fate. And yet there was that feeling of spirit and kinship that acknowledged that any sacrifice they made was done for noble reasons. The ending was tragic and yet right, in as much as the torture and persecution of a group of people ever could. The author may have employed a touch of artistic licence to her portrayal of this moment in Rome's dark past, but she has, yet again, delivered a story which captivates and entertains, enlightening me on a part of history I had been ignorant of. Readers of historical crime fiction will love it.

Rome,1659. In a city emerging from the plague, ruled by men, what would you do as a woman, in fear of her life, who knows it is her husband's right to beat her, even to death knowing he is unlikely to be prosecuted?

Based on true events, Anna Mazzola's 'The Book of Secrets' introduces us to women who have to risk all in order to survive. In particular, we meet tough, intelligent , Sicilian born midwife and apothecary Girolama who secretly makes and distributes poison via a network of women determined not to be crushed. And there is Stephano, who is charged with uncovering some suspicious deaths by the darkly nasty and manipulative Governor Baranzone. This compelling book of mystery, magic, and politics evokes the atmosphere and fear of the times whilst providing us with the protection from a group of redoubtable women.

I do love an Anna Mazzola book. None have quite hit the heights that The Clockwork Girl met, for me, but they're all still very enjoyable. She can do historical novels like very few.

I know nothing about 1600s Italy, and therefore Anna could have written anything and I'd have taken it as truth, but there's so much detail here that you can tell the extent of her research. And it's not just the detail in the crimes or the location, it's the detail in the clothes, the food, the smells, the beliefs, the actions, the love. Everything is so precise, yet it doesn't feel bogged don in detail like a historical non-fiction text might do, it only adds to the strength of the story.

There are a lot of characters, which, to begin with, were a little difficult to keep on top of. But I think some of that might be because I'm not used to reading a lot of Italian names, so I'm not as familiar with them. But it doesn't have a negative effect on the story, and it didn't last long. It's soon so expertly woven that the names feel as natural as anything.

It definitely started with a bang. Some books take their time to get into, and that's absolutely fine. But this was straight in, and when I looked down to see how far I was, I was only 9% in, and yet so much had happened, and I hope it continued like this - which it did.

It's not full of action, it's not that kind of book, and I think it's actually all the better for it. Anna has given time to her characters, to the environment they live and work in, to their relationships, more than a heavy plot and I am glad of that. I'm not saying the plot wasn't interesting or worth reading, of course it was, but for me it was almost inconsequential to what Anna has created in terms of character.

We have three main POVs: we have Stefano, who is the lead character, I would say; he's a new lawyer looking to prove that he can live up to his expectations. Then we have Anna, a married woman who is at the will of her violent husband. And then we have Girolama, a type of midwife, a fortune teller, who appears to be the mother figure for the women around her. The three POVs all work separately, but they also work very well off of each other to make this complex story work.

I suppose it is a whodunnit at heart, but it's a subtle one. For me, it's more about the power struggles and gender inequalities (which isn't surprising considering it's set in the 1600s), than the actual whodunnit aspect. it's definitely a historical novel, of course, but it ponders some other genres. Is it a story about magic? Or science? Is it about spirits or humanity? About truth or lies? About fear and bravery?

It picks up on the fact that in those days, men were seen as the stronger ones, the ones in charge. But for me, it's their attempts at showing their strength that weakens them, and in turn, makes the women the more powerful.

As hard as it is to believe, this is based on a true story, which makes it all that more fascinating.

It still hasn't eclipsed The Clockwork Girl for me, although it's probably the book that has come the closest. But that doesn't make it any less of a really fantastic, clever, enjoyable, thrilling read.

This is really good historical fiction. It is brings to life a very dark time in history where women were persecuted for just being women. This story gives these women their voice back, a chance to be heard and for people to understand. The characters and the story are really well told and very compelling.

A solid historical novel based around a trial of women accused of supplying poison - mainly to other women for the purposes of killing abusive men. Some facts have been changed slightly to suit the mystery genre, although it’s only really a mystery in the very beginning chapters. A decent twist is revealed at the last which felt very satisfying. Would recommend.

A stark and moving story of murder and justice in mediaeval Rome.

The book opens in Rome, 1659, in the months after plague has ravaged the city. Many people died, and are continuing to do so, however rumours are spreading about how certain men's corpses do not decay even after burial. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, emphasising the need for discretion, in order to maintain calm amongst the populace. He is teamed with medical expert Dottor Marcello, who will attempt to discover the causes of death.

Soon the pair are on the trail of a number of men who have all died after a short illness and showing the same absence of decay. Very quickly they identify a woman, and a group of her friends whose use of herbs and potions. but are they up to more sinister tricks?

"The Book of Secrets" is based on true events, but while the book is full of dark, mysterious and suspicious characters, most are fictitious. That doesn't prevent this from being a stark and disturbing story about how poorly women were treated in 17th century Rome, and the limited options they had. Readers probably won't take long to figure out what's going on and who is responsible, but this book is about the journey, not the destination, and the usual descriptive prose we expect from Anna Mazzola paints a dark picture of the times.

The personal journey Bracchi and Marcello take is no less poignant, as they struggle to do what is right. They learn first-hand the trials women of the lower classes experience at the hands of men. Bracchi especially has cause to reflect on his life and family, and the secrets and conspiracies which make up life in Rome.

The author has delivered another superb tale, and fans will no doubt love it. Heartily recommended.

As a historical fiction fan, one of the things I love about Anna Mazzola’s books is that I always learn something through her fictionalisation of real events.
‘The Book of Secrets’ takes us back to 17th century Rome shortly after the devastating plague that still haunts the citizens. However, men are still dying in mysterious circumstances. Are their deaths related to the plague, or something else? Is the rumour that the bodies do not immediately decay true? Enter Stefano Bracchi, the junior magistrate charged with solving the mystery. He has been asked to use discretion so as not to panic the citizens to the possibility of another epidemic; and he is forbidden from involving the nobility in his investigations. Bracchi, with his colleague Dottor Marcello, are led to a number of women whose husbands have died after a short illness showing the same absence of decay. The investigation becomes an inquisition.
We meet Girolama and her assistants, who provide aid to women in need with the use of herbs, potions and other means. And we meet Anna, one of the women who desperately needs their help.
Mazzola does not shy away from the shocking treatment and violence against women and their lack of agency. Nor does she protect the reader from the terrifying treatment of these women during Bracchi’s investigation.
Poignant and beautifully written, ’House of Secrets’ highlights the strength and sisterhood of women in the face of adversity. I love all Mazzola’s books, but this has become my favourite.