Synopses & Reviews
July 2005. In the Pyrenees mountains near Carcassonne, Alice, a volunteer at an archaeological dig, stumbles into a cave and makes a startling discovery-two crumbling skeletons, strange writings on the walls, and the pattern of a labyrinth.
Eight hundred years earlier, on the eve of a brutal crusade that will rip apart southern France, a young woman named Alais is given a ring and a mysterious book for safekeeping by her father. The book, he says, contains the secret of the true Grail, and the ring, inscribed with a labyrinth, will identify a guardian of the Grail. Now, as crusading armies gather outside the city walls of Carcassonne, it will take a tremendous sacrifice to keep the secret of the labyrinth safe.
Review
"[A] quickly paced adventure that wears its considerable learning lightly and of higher literary quality than The Da Vinci Code....Fun for most of the way and very likely to be one of next summer's popular vacation reads." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Mosse's obvious love of the region's Occitan language infuses her prose with great passion. However, the trick of alternating story lines becomes confusing, as does the irritating plethora of mystical objects. A flawed work..." Library Journal
Synopsis
Discovering a pair of crumbling skeletons in the Pyrenees mountains during an archaeological dig, volunteer Alice finds herself targeted by a ruthlessly ambitious woman and a dangerously powerful man, while eight hundred years in the past, Alais, the daughter of a crusader, is charged with safeguarding the location of the Holy Grail. Reprint. 500,000 first printing.
About the Author
Elegantly written...An action-packed adventure of modern conspiracy and medieval passion. (The Independent [UK])Deeply researched and thoughtfully written...the past comes to life in this big densely-Plotted mystery novel. (Philippa Gregory)A quickly paced adventure that wears its considerable learning lightly... (Kirkus Reviews)