Rizzio cover art

Rizzio

Darkland Tales

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Rizzio

By: Denise Mina
Narrated by: Katie Leung
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About this listen

From the award-winning Denise Mina comes a radical new take on one of the darkest episodes in Scottish history - the bloody murder of David Rizzio.

This breathtakingly tense work is a tale of sex, seduction, secrets and lies, one that looks at history through a modern lens and explores the lengths that men - and women - will go to in the search for love and power.

It's Saturday evening, 9th March 1566, and Mary, Queen of Scots, is six months pregnant. She's hosting a supper party. Outside, Edinburgh is bustling. It’s full of the great and the good and the idiot sons of the rich, here for a Parliament that will take Scotland by the shoulders and turn it from England to face Europe.

Mary doesn't know that her palace is surrounded - that, right now, an army of men is creeping upstairs to her chamber. They're coming to murder David Rizzio, her friend and secretary, the handsome Italian man who is smiling across the table at her. Mary's husband wants it done in front of her, and he wants her to watch it done....

©2021 Denise Mina (P)2021 W F Howes Historical Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Scotland Crime Murder

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Critic reviews

"Best seller Mina vividly recreates a gruesome episode from the Tudor era in this searing novella set mostly over the course of a single day, Mar. 9, 1566. Mina interjects well-wrought characterisations; this superior historical thriller reads like a real-life episode of Game of Thrones." (Publishers Weekly)

"May be Britain's finest living crime novelist." (Daily Telegraph)

"The cream of the crop, an author who pushes the crime novel in new and exciting directions." (Ian Rankin)
All stars
Most relevant  
enjoyed, the lowland Scots accent attributed to Mary didn't fit given to all intents she spoke French as a first language

enjoyed the lowland Scots accent didn't fit well g

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Really atmosoheric, almost cinematic screenplay. For a scot its doubly interesting as even if its fiction it resonates the desire for a European outlook over the English control. Great and smart observation. I just wish the story was a bit longer.. Great narration too. Loved it.

Recreates the period magnificently

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Well read in a strong Scottish burr.
Short character sketches no less vivid for their brevity. Tension and momentum perfectly managed.

Short and vivid recreation of a historical moment

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As ever, Denise Mina tells a brilliant story and she never veers away from harsh realities. Read well with a voice that took some time to adjust to as at first, the voice seems flat and monotone but after listening several times, this apparent lack of emotion in the narrators voice, serves the tale well. Thank you.

History told as her story.

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I discovered the Darkland Tales via David Greig’s “Columba’s Bones”. If you’d like a series set in the murky and blooded depths of medieval Scotland, and you don’t mind that the books are very short then …
Well, I’ve only read three of them: “Columba’s bones” plus the two available on Audible. All were excellent. Of the three I’d say that Denise Mina’s “Rizzio” is the one that tells most plainly, a real historical episode. It has a compelling, direct writing style. A big ‘hat’s-off’ should go to Katie Leung, who read the book for Audible. Katie bring’s this machine-gun prose to life with her rapid speech and flat delivery : confrontational. Katie and Denise have my full attention. The novel feels dangerous and hot till about half way, when the historical events it describes reach a kind of stand-off. Things still happen, but the pace is gone. Not to worry: the second half of the book has plenty to recommend it: more gore, surprise and interest, gradually increasing pace, the best description ever of a locked room decaying over the centuries, and a kind of conclusion that brings the events into their modern relevance.

An Ultra-Violent Episode From Edinburgh's History

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This is short but it really tells the story well. It brings the characters to life and shows the chronology and reasons to good effect. The reader makes a good fist of it but pronounced a few words oddly which grates on my pedantic nature.

Makes the story clear

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This is an interesting view of proceedings in the Mary, Queen of Scots story. Other than the undeniable facts, I am not sure how historically accurate this may be - would we ever know, unless we had been there - but it certainly gives a contemporary feel to imagined conversations.

The story is minus one star as it was very short to merit the cost of an Audible credit.

The narrator - Katy Leung is a Scot, her accent is good for the story - but my goodness she is monotone and her pronunciation of certain words is really not good. “The Earl of Mow Rae” - how American is that?! She also narrated Val McDermid’s ‘1979’ book which was also spoiled by her mispronunciation of words. I am totally flummoxed as to how a Scot could get it so wrong - and also so right in accent?!

Mary, Queen of Scots

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I loved this snapshot of history. A defining moment in Scottish politics and the beginning of the demise of Mary Queen of Scots. Well written and captured the emotions that must have been rampant. Denise Mina is one of my favourite authors

Well written and read

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Gripping story of the shocking events that occured over a few days in the life of Mary Queen of Scots and Rizzio. The narrative is spare and immediate, and the narrator changes voices quietly, without intruding on the actual story telling A jewel of a book

A jewel of a book

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fast paced, excellent retelling. I recommend Denise Mina's version and the terrific performance of Katie Leung, pitched perfectly.

excellent

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