The Eloquence of Blood
“Rock’s second novel featuring Charles du Luc is every bit the equal of her impressive historical thriller debut, The Rhetoric of Death… Readers will hope this energetic and engrossing sequel will be the first of many.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Rock’s historical accuracy resonates here, transporting you to 1686 Paris. Her intriguing plot and protagonists with whom readers are becoming good friends make this a necessary read for all who enjoy historical mysteries, especially those by Ariana Franklin.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Thrilling… engaging.”
—Sarasota Magazine
“Rock provides meticulous details of everyday life across various social classes with an engaging style… touches of humor and insight… In du Luc, Rock has created a highly likeable scholar-detective. I hope that his adventures will play out for many books to come.”
—Historical Novels Review
“Rock nails everything about characters, dialogue, setting, historical research, pacing and story development… fascinating… all of this detail is woven so seamlessly into the story that the reader never falters… Rock has the start to an excellent historical detective series.”
—Bookgasm
“Not only satisfies the taste of historical mystery lovers but anyone who likes complex plots, twists, and elaborate mysteries… Judith Rock’s research is as impeccable as her writing style… a great read.”
—Mystery Tribune
PRAISE FOR
The Rhetoric of Death
2011 BARRY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
ONE OF DEADLY PLEASURES MAGAZINE’S BEST BOOKS OF 2010
“Amazing… Ms. Rock takes you back to fascinating and dangerous seventeenth-century Paris so well that I suspect her of being a time-traveler who’s been there.”
—Ariana Franklin, national bestselling author of A Murderous Procession
“Rich with telling detail and a deep feeling for time and place.”
—Margaret Frazer, national bestselling author of The Apostate’s Tale
“Rock skillfully builds her suspense plot, all the while incorporating splendid detail of seventeenth-century Parisian monastic and street life and the relationship between church and Crown… She proves herself a promising new talent by creating this powerful, absorbing, complex, and thoroughly satisfying novel.”
—Historical Novels Review (editor’s choice)
“[A] superb historical debut… With an experienced writer’s ease, Rock incorporates details of the political issues of the day into a suspenseful story line.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Rock brings firsthand knowledge of dance, choreography, acting, police investigation, and teaching to what is hopefully the beginning of a mystery series… [A] fascinating historical mystery… Plenty of derring-do and boyish mischief sprinkled into the plot make this a fun read, and Charles’s thought-provoking struggles as he questions his vocation lend added depth… sure to satisfy those eager for a great new historical mystery.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Rich with historical detail… meticulously researched. [Rock] captures a city and time that is lively, dangerous and politically charged, and makes it sing… [Her] fine eye for historic detail and well-drawn characters will continue to engage readers.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Rock is an exciting new discovery. Her plotting holds your interest, her characters are real, and her attention to details of the time period is extraordinary. Highly recommended for fans of historical thrillers and readers who enjoy Ellis Peters, Edward Marston, and Ariana Franklin.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Rock balances perfectly the differing claims of detection, romance, suspense, and historical detail. As a mystery, as a kind of coming-of-age novel, or as a docudrama on early Jesuit pedagogy, The Rhetoric of Death works remarkably well… Very entertaining.”
—Commonweal magazine