The Burning Chambers

A Novel

By: Kate Mosse

Narrated by: Hattie Morahan

Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

"For fans of juicy historical fiction, this one might just develop into their next obsession." (EW.com)

An AudioFile Earphones Award-winning production

One of Paste Magazine's best audiobooks of 2019

From the New York Times and number one internationally best-selling author of Labyrinth,comes the first in an epic new series.

Power and prejudice: France, 1562. War sparks between the Catholics and Huguenots, dividing neighbors, friends, and family - meanwhile, 19-year-old Minou Joubert receives an anonymous letter at her father’s bookshop. Sealed with a distinctive family crest, it contains just five words: She knows that you live.

Love and betrayal: Before Minou can decipher the mysterious message, she meets a young Huguenot convert, Piet Reydon. Piet has a dangerous task of his own, and he will need Minou’s help if he is to stay alive. Soon, they find themselves on opposing sides as forces beyond their control threaten to tear them apart.

Honor and treachery: As the religious divide deepens, Minou and Piet find themselves trapped in Toulouse, facing new dangers as tensions ignite across the city - and a feud that will burn across generations begins to blaze....

Praise for The Burning Chambers:

"Mosse is a master storyteller, balancing thrilling suspense with complex characters." (Madeline Miller, number one New York Times best-selling author of Circe)

"This is historical fiction to devour. Nobody does it like Kate Mosse." (Anthony Horowitz, New York Times best-selling author of The Magpie Murders)

©2019 Kate Mosse (P)2019 Macmillan Digital Audio

Critic reviews

"Oh, what a glorious novel. A masterly tour of history; a rapturous romance; and - best of all - a breathless thriller, alive with treachery, danger, atmosphere, and beauty. This book will transport you. Kate Mosse is that rarest of writers: a storyteller who breathes fresh life into vanished worlds." (A.J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Widow)

""Narrator Hattie Morahan brings nimble modulation to the proceedings, imbuing clear distinction between characters without going to extremes while also making remarkably precise (and helpful) shifts between the characters’ various French, Langue d’Oc and Dutch accents. That she nails the novel’s singing, chanting and action scenes - not to mention a particular character’s final mad monologue - is just icing on the audiobook cake. Better still, while technically intended as the first in an eventual series, The Burning Chambers nevertheless satisfies as a standalone listen." (Paste Magazine)

"Mosse is a master storyteller, balancing thrilling suspense with complex characters and a thoughtful exploration of a fascinating time in history. Her heroine Minou is a pleasure to root for: clever, loving, down-to-earth and courageous!" (Madeline Miller, number-one New York Times best-selling author of Circe)

Wonderful as usual

I am loving this series! Kate Mosse’s usual sense of atmosphere, complex characters, and all around fantastic writing, combined with her deep research of a time in history often forgotten and/or misunderstood—and still relevant, especially these days—make for a genuinely great reading experience. Thanks once again, Kate!

Another great read

Kate Mosse is probably one of my favorites in the historical fiction genre, and I loved her Languedoc Trilogy, I learned a lot about the Cathar religion and just how horrifically the Catholic church persecuted these people in that series of books, but this one was different.

This one is also the first in an upcoming trilogy, but it lacks the Gothic type feel of all her other books. This one revolves around the wars in France between the Catholics and Huguenots in the mid 1500's, in the same historic regions of Carcassonne and Toulouse as many of her other novels and of course there is the pursuit of a "relic" that adds suspense to this story.

The last quarter of the book when the meat and mysteries start coming out of the "relic" are by far the best part of the book, as most of the rest of it up to that point had been a slow and tedious build up, as it tries to look you into the next book in the series.

Mosse creates characters with vivid detail you connect with immediately, and her novels are always very well researched, and pleasantly read like a history lesson as well as an engaging fictional novel. This was a good read, but for me not up to the same levels as Labyrinth, Sepulchre, and Citadel. I will probably pick up the next one in the series in 2020 as well. A solid 4 out of 5 star read.

Excellent story

This book has an ominous feeling to it, good pace. Some of the events seemed a little contrived and occasional cringey dialogue, but overall very enjoyable. Pacing really picks up toward the end, there are definitely some slow parts. Overall, if you're looking for likeable characters, an interesting villain, and enjoyable historical fiction, you'll love this. The audiobook narrator is also superb.

5 stars

Great narrator and fascinating story, couldn't stop listening. Looking forward to more from this author.

boring, one of my favorite authors but not this

I was very excited that she authored a new book but her books from ten years ago much better.

Wish i could get a refund!

Burning Chambers - not a fan wish I could get a refund. This book was boring could only get through a few chapters.

Disappointed

I had high hopes based on subject and reviews, but was unfortunately disappointed. The story falls flat, too many 'coincidences' to make the narrative work. It became almost predictable. To me, it seemed the author took too many shortcuts to stick to the arc of the story. I wish there had been more focus on the historic setting. Maybe that will come with book 2, etc. , but I don't think I will find out.
The narration is great, with warm, soulful intonation. I'm not a French speaker, but I believe the narrator's pronunciation is very good.
I tried to finish the book, but left off with about 3+ hours to spare.