Named of the Dragon (1998)

Couldn't put it down. Saying more is spoiling it for you. ( )

I picked this up from a used bookstore and it was a great find. The book takes place in a little town near Pembroke Wales and is a mixture of mystery and fantasy. It pulls in a lot of references to welsh/celtic mythology and also features a lot of interesting welsh locations. I especially enjoyed the section that took place in Pembroke Castle as I have been there and it was exactly as described in the book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the author was Canadian. ( )

Lyn Ravenshaw is a London literary agent whose star client is Bridget, a volatile children’s book author. She’s invited Lyn with her to Wales for the Christmas holiday. While there, Lyn encounters the Swift brothers, as well as Gareth Glyn Morgan, a famous playwright. She also meets Elen, a young widow whose eight-month-old son stirs up feelings in Lyn that bring back memories of the loss of her own child, five years before.

Another strong offering from Susanna Kearsley, although not my favorite novel of hers. I love the bleak, desolate setting, and the historical backdrop to the story provides some wonderful atmosphere. I also liked the interplay of historical eras: the ancient Welsh kings and the old Arthurian legends; the more recent Normans; and the even more recent Tudors, one of whom features in Lyn’s dreams. The psychological suspense is also top-notch, though I thought that Lyn’s “turnaround” with Stevie was a little too abrupt. But in all, this was an entertaining read; Kearsley always knows how to suck her reader in. I’ll be looking to read The Splendour Falls next—if I can get my hands on a copy of it. ( )

mystery/ fantasy mixed. Most of Kearsley's books are hard to find and very expensive ( )