May releases at great prices

The Baroness: The Search for Nica the Rebellious Rothschild Hannah Rothschild

Tp RRP $32.99 Abbeys Choice $27.99

A Rothschild by birth and a Baroness by marriage, beautiful, spirited Pannonica - or Nica - seemed to have it all: children, a handsome husband and a trust fund. But in the early 1950s, she heard the music of jazz legend Thelonious Monk. Like a spell, the music overtook her and she abandoned her marriage to go and find Monk. Arriving in New York, she was shunned by society, but accepted by the musicians. Her Bentley was a familiar sight outside the clubs and she drank whisky from a hip flask disguised as a Bible. Her notoriety was sealed when drug-addicted saxophonist Charlie Parker died in her apartment.

Russia: A 1000 Year Chronicle of the Wild East Martin Sixsmith

Pb RRP $19.99 Abbey's Choice $14.99

As a former BBC Moscow correspondent, Sixsmith shows how Russia’s complex identity has been formed over a thousand years and how it can help us understand its often baffling behaviour at home and abroad. He skilfully traces the conundrums of modern Russia to the roots in its troubled past and explains the nation’s seemingly split personality as the result of influences that have divided it for centuries. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complex political landscape of Russia, and its unique place in the modern world.

The Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England Ian Mortimer

Hb RRP $49.95 Abbey's Choice $39.95

The reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) is often thought of as a golden age, but what was it actually like to live in Elizabethan England? Mortimer shows a society making great discoveries and winning military victories, yet at the same time it is a country in which life expectancy at birth is in the early thirties, people still starve to death and Catholics are persecuted for their faith. Yet it produces some of the finest writing in the English language, some of the most magnificent architecture and sees settlement in America and circumnavigation of the globe.

The Spirit of Venice: From Marco Polo to Casanova Paul Strathern

Hb RRP $59.95 Abbey's Choice $49.95

The Republic of Venice was the first great economic and naval power of the modern Western world. After winning the struggle for ascendency against its bitter Genoese rivals in the late 13th century, the Republic enjoyed centuries of unprecedented glory and a trading empire which at its apogee reached as far afield as China, Syria and West Africa. This golden period ended with the eventual surrender to Napoleon. Rich with biographies of exalted characters, this is a refreshing and authoritative history of this most evocative city state.

The War on Heresy: Faith and Power in Medieval Europe R I Moore

Hb RRP $49.95 Abbey's Choice $39.95

In AD 1000, heresy had barely been heard of. Yet within a few generations, accusations had become commonplace and institutions were set up to suppress beliefs and practices seen as departures from true religion. Fears of heresy inspired passions and resulted in a series of persecutions that left an indelible mark on its history and culture. Some scholars by contrast have tried to show that reports of heresy were exaggerated or even fabricated: but if they are correct, why was it conducted with such pitiless ferocity?

Dark Secrets Hans Rosenfeldt and Michael Hjorth

Tp RRP $29.99 Abbey's Choice $24.99

Scandinavia has been the revelation of the past few years for crime fiction and this new book from two Swedish writers joins a long list of gripping titles.

A teenager is reported missing in a provincial town, though police incompetence means nothing is done for more than two days. Then the body is found – missing most of the heart. To avoid complete scandal, the local police call in the Riksmord, a crack team of investigators from Stockholm. Nothing is straightforward, of course, either with the case or with the team – particularly when its leader, Torkel, brings in an outsider to assist, much to the disgust of the female investigators. Sebastian Bergman is a renowned psychologist notorious for his lack of patience and social skills, and for his sexual misbehaviour, which has worsened since the death of his wife and daughter in the Boxing Day tsunami. A cynical, damaged man, Bergman is reluctantly back in the town of his childhood where he discovers he may have a child somewhere, and he wants to make contact. The case itself is proving very frustrating, as every lead is discounted and no motive is discernible. Then another murder is committed. 

This is a strong, police procedural novel with plenty of twists to hold the reader’s attention. I would have liked a bit more fleshing out of the members of the Riksmord team, and a little less extraneous detail about procedure, but this didn’t get in the way of turning the pages as quickly as possible to discover the motivations and identity of the murderer. The first in a series, I’ll certainly look for the second when it comes!

Lindy