The Burning Chambers - (Joubert Family Chronicles) by Kate Mosse (Paperback)

About the Book

"France, 1562. War sparks between the Catholics and Huguenots, dividing neighbors, friends, and family--meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father's bookshop. Sealed with adistinctive family crest, it contains just five words: She knows that you live. Before Minou can decipher the mysterious message, sh e meets a young Huguenot convert, Piet Reydon. Piet has a dangerous task of his own, and he will need Minou's help if he is to stay alive. Soon, they find themselves on opposing sides, as forces beyond their control threaten to tear them apart. As the religious divide deepens, Minou and Piet find themselves trapped in Toulouse, facing new dangers as tensions ignite across the city--and a feud that will burn across generations begins to blaze. . ."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"For fans of juicy historical fiction, this one might just develop into their next obsession."--EW.com

From Kate Mosse, the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of Labyrinth, comes The Burning Chambers, the first in an epic new series.

Power and Prejudice: France, 1562. War sparks between the Catholics and Huguenots, dividing neighbors, friends, and family--meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father's bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, it contains just five words: She knows that you live.

Love and Betrayal: Before Minou can decipher the mysterious message, she meets a young Huguenot convert, Piet Reydon. Piet has a dangerous task of his own, and he will need Minou's help if he is to stay alive. Soon, they find themselves on opposing sides, as forces beyond their control threaten to tear them apart.

Honor and Treachery: As the religious divide deepens, Minou and Piet find themselves trapped in Toulouse, facing new dangers as tensions ignite across the city--and a feud that will burn across generations begins to blaze. . .

"A masterly tour of history . . . a breathless thriller, alive with treachery, danger, atmosphere, and beauty."--A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Review Quotes

One of Women.com's "Best Books You Need to Buy in June"!

"For fans of juicy historical fiction, this one might just develop into their next obsession."--Entertainment Weekly

"[Mosse's] plotting and pacing are impeccable. So is her ability to bring to life an extraordinarily complex conflict and era, as well as a vast cast of both fictional and historical figures. . . . [A] deeply satisfying, richly imagined novel."--The Washington Post

"Mosse is a master storyteller, balancing thrilling suspense with complex characters and a thoughtful exploration of a fascinating time in history. Her heroine Minou is a pleasure to root for: clever, loving, down-to-earth and courageous!"--Madeline Miller, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Circe

"This is historical fiction to devour. Nobody does it like Kate Mosse."--Anthony Horowitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Magpie Murders

"Oh, what a glorious novel. A masterly tour of history; a rapturous romance; and--best of all--a breathless thriller, alive with treachery, danger, atmosphere, and beauty. This book will transport you. Kate Mosse is that rarest of writers: a storyteller who breathes fresh life into vanished worlds." --A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Widow

"The author displays her usual flair for descriptive detail, whether it's a dusty Renaissance bookstore or a storm-drenched countryside. Mosse brings vividly to life the mounting strains in a community filled with fear and mutual mistrust. Readers will eagerly await the sequels, which will chart how the feuding plays out over the next few centuries."--Publishers Weekly

"The history is engrossing and goes down easy thanks to the hurtling plot. Mosse has successfully cornered the Midi market."--Kirkus Reviews

"Mosse's fans will relish this tale of secrets, love, and treachery."--Antonia Senior, The Times (UK)

"First-rate cloak and dagger excitement--who knew the religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots in sixteenth century France could be so riveting to modern audiences? Kate Mosse captures the details of life in the Languedoc region of France, famed for its beauty, but hiding many secrets, in this masterful novel."--Margaret George, author of The Confessions of Young Nero

"Mosse weaves a rich-textured tapestry of history, characterization, and setting that brings to life a time of intolerance that seems an echo of our own. A masterful novel that will keep one reading for into the night. The next entry to this series can't come too soon."--New York Journal of Books

"Ambitious and skilfully constructed...Mosse has an instinctive feel for narrative momentum...The Burning Chambers is a tour de force, a compelling adventure that views the past with insight, compassion, and humor, and reminds us of the variety of women's voices so often forgotten in the official accounts."--Observer (UK)

"The Burning Chambers is an immersive book full of intrigue, romance, war, and adventure that you can just sink into."--Stylist (UK)

"Impressively bold and ambitious, [The Burning Chambers] features betrayals, broken friendship, family secrets, and the horrors of fanaticism. Fans will love it."--Daily Mail (UK)

Praise for Kate Mosse:

"The kind of British import that Americans love."--The Washington Post

"Pure escapism...Beguiling."--New York Daily News

"Exhilarating."--Entertainment Weekly

"Dan Brown...may have to share the wealth with this well-researched tale."--Kirkus Reviews

"Mosse's page-turner takes readers on another quest for the Holy Grail."--Publishers Weekly

"Mosse's epic adventure weaves together the present and the past."--Booklist

"A flawless alliance of history and fiction"--Steve Berry

"Deeply researched and thoughtfully written...the past comes to life in this big, densely plotted mystery novel."--Philippa Gregory

About the Author

KATE MOSSE is a multiple New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author with sales of more than eight million copies in thirty-eight languages. Her previous novels include Labyrinth, Sepulchre, The Winter Ghosts, Citadel, The Taxidermist's Daughter, and The Burning Chambers. Kate is the founder director of the Women's Prize for Fiction, a visiting professor at the University of Chichester, and in June 2013, was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to literature. She divides her time between Chichester in the United Kingdom and Carcassonne in France.