Product Description

The death of her English father left Francesca alone and unprotected, with nowhere to turn but to the noble Italian family of her late mother. Adrift in a strange land, surrounded by cold and suspicious relatives who had disowned her mother on her wedding day, Francesca is determined to make the best of a bad situation. But nothing could have prepared her for the nest of dark secrets and oppressive cruelty she has been cast into. And her fate now rests in the hands of a mysterious horseman known as the Falcon, whose appearance will speed her salvation ... or hasten her doom.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #180111 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-30
• Released on: 2005-08-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
Romance and intrigue follow Francesca Fairbourn to 1860 Italy. LJ's reviewer asserted that "readers of romantic suspense fiction should enjoy this book" (LJ 9/15/77). Severn House books can be ordered directly at 800-830-3044. Discounts are available.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Elizabeth Peters (writing as Barbara Michaels) was born and brought up in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago's famed Oriental Institute. Peters was named Grandmaster at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986, Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar® Awards in 1998, and given The Lifetime Achievement Award at Malice Domestic in 2003. She lives in an historic farmhouse in western Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Historical Fiction -- A great work!
This book is a bit of a departure from the mystery/suspense that Barbara Michaels is best known for. It is more of a historical work of fiction. It does contain the suspense that Ms. Michaels' is known for.

The book is well written and held my interest enough that I read it in one day! It was spooky and atmospheric with a haunted cave and a whole lot of suspenseful detail. It is one of my favorite Barbara Michaels books! It now has an honored place on my bookshelf. If you buy this one it'll gain keeper status on your shelf too.

Absolutely Loved It
I've been reading Barbara Micheals novels for years now (I'm pretty sure I've gone through all of them now) and Wings of the Falcon is my favorite. I love the characters, particularly Stefano and Francesca. It is a little predictable, but then again most of her novels are. The story of the revolution and the war is gripping. This book is definitely the "guilty pleasure" on my bookshelf -- I reread it frequently and simply love it. It has romance, mystery and adventure . . . if you like Barbara Micheals you will love this book, which I think is her best.

Even Amelia Peabody would enjoy this one
This historical romance by 'Barbara Michaels' aka Elizabeth Peters, is set during the Italian Risorgimento of the mid nineteenth century. Francesca Fairbourn is the daughter of an impoverished English father and an aristocratic Italian mother. Her parents had eloped to England in a most romantic fashion, causing her to be disowned by her family. In true romance fashion the young woman died in childbirth leaving Francesca to be raised by her most impractical father. Shortly after leaving school at 18 Francesca's father dies leaving her totally alone in the world. At that dire moment a dashing young man comes to rescue her from a 'fate worst than death'. He turns out to be her half-cousin and has come to take her back to the family home in Italy. Once there Francesca finds herself embroiled in the Italian revolution, surrounded by anarchists, mercenary soldiers, spies, traitors and dashing romantic hero.

The novel has all the standard cliches of historical fiction and could have easily been just one of the numerous trashy examples of the genre well deserving the title of 'bodice ripper', but for the skillful hand of Michaels. The characters transcend the usual two dimensional character found in romances, the twists and turns of the plot are clever even though the reader will quite possibly solve at least some of the mysteries before the last few pages. The historical background is well researched and presented in an entertaining manner. It is, however, lacking the wry humor found in other works by this author (the Amelia Peabody and Vicky Bliss series).

For even an occasional reader of this type of fiction this one is a great find.