Set during a scorching Italian summer in which a series of ritual killings are shocking the city, Ritual of Fire is a historical crime novel set in 1530s Renaissance Florence and is the sequel to City of Vengeance and The Darkest Sin by D. V. Bishop.
An atmospheric locked-room historical thriller set against the backdrop of the Medici dynasty in 1530s Renaissance Florence and the sequel to City of Vengeance.
The Roman shield, the scutum, was central to the Romans' conquest of the known world, and has become an emblem of the legions at the forefront of that effort. This new study draws on the latest research to reveal the history of this iconic equipment.
Fully illustrated, this book investigates the articulated plate armour worn by Roman legionaries.First named by Renaissance historians studying the reliefs on Trajan's Column, lorica segmentata evaded successful attempts to reconstruct it until a series of important archaeological finds in the 20th century revealed how it worked and the truth of its extended chronology. The earliest finds date from the late 1st century BC, and its discovery at Kalkriese in Germany shows how rapidly it was adopted. At the same time, discoveries in Spain and Britain showed that, despite its apparent fragility, it continued in use into the 4th century AD.The spectacular find of six halves of cuirasses in a chest at Corbridge in 1964 has now been matched by the rare discovery of a complete set of this armour at Kalkriese. The Corbridge find provided the context to interpret and reconstruct earlier finds. There is now years of experience gleaned from reenactors over the practical strengths and weaknesses of this form of armour. At the same time, scientific analysis has provided insights into the technology behind this revolutionary form of armour so characteristic of the Roman Army. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and drawing upon the latest findings, this study lifts the veil on the formidable plate armour used by the legionaries of Imperial Rome.
Ceremonial murder has resurfaced in Florence, and only two men can halt the chaos. Set in Renaissance Italy, this atmospheric historical thriller follows Officer Cesare Aldo. In the summer of 1538, a night patrol discovers a wealthy merchant hanged and burned in the city square, a gruesome act meant to instill fear. This echoes the execution of the puritanical monk Girolamo Savonarola, suggesting his fanatical followers may be reviving his reign of terror. While Aldo is preoccupied with thieves in the Tuscan countryside, Constable Carlo Strocchi is left to investigate the murder. As another merchant is publicly burned alive, the wealthy flee to their estates, but danger lurks in the hills. Amidst rising religious fervor and a relentless heatwave, Florence teeters on the brink of madness. A shadowy figure is targeting powerful men connected to Savonarola's dark past. Aldo and Strocchi must join forces to prevent the city from being engulfed in destruction. This gripping tale weaves themes of religion, lust, money, and politics into a deadly narrative. This is the third installment in the Cesare Aldo series, following City of Vengeance and The Darkest Sin, with A Divine Fury on the horizon.
Shortlisted for the 2021 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger 2021.' An impressive and immersive debut set in a beautifully realized sixteenth-century Florence' Antonia Hodgson' A first-class historical thriller . . . Bishop’s spirited and richly detailed story is a tour-de-force' David Baldacci' Richly atmospheric . . . transports you to another time and place' Ambrose Parry , author of The Way of All FleshCity of Vengeance is an explosive debut novel in an historical thriller series by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Florence, which continues with The Darkest Sin .Florence. Winter, 1536. A prominent Jewish moneylender is murdered in his home, a death with wide implications in a city powered by immense wealth.Cesare Aldo, a former soldier and now an officer of the Renaissance city’s most feared criminal court, is given four days to solve the catch the killer before the feast of Epiphany – or suffer the consequences.During his investigations Aldo uncovers a plot to overthrow the volatile ruler of Florence, Alessandro de’ Medici. If the Duke falls, it will endanger the whole city. But a rival officer of the court is determined to expose details about Aldo’s private life that could lead to his ruin. Can Aldo stop the conspiracy before anyone else dies, or will his own secrets destroy him first?
Develop Your Assertiveness offers simple techniques to enable you to become more assertive. Packed with examples and exercises, it is a self-help guide covering topics such as: the importance of choice behavior; tension control, self-awareness and self-esteem; relationships; making and refusing requests; dealing with problem people.
This little know gem by the doyenne of women travellers in the East describes a journey on horseback through the Himalayas and into Tibet, where she spent four months. Enchanted by the Tibetans who she found the 'pleastest of people', Bird's is a delightful account of a land of beauty and mystery, encircled by high mountains of vermillion and purple. Among the most striking passages are those that describe the religion of Tibet, which permeated the very atomosphere with a singular sense of strange of otherworldly. Bird visited the palaces, temples and monasteries and her description of the ceremonies, decorations, costumes and music capture a world that is now lost for all time. First published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.