When the famed executioner visits his "client" prior to her execution, Rombaud finds himself mesmerized by the enigmatic Queen and is shocked when she tasks him with a delicate mission only he can accomplish - remove her six-fingered left hand when he removes her head and bury it in the French town of her youth, so that it may not be used as a religious relic by those wishing to use it for evil. Rombaud finds himself unable to refuse her, but almost immediately, his quest places him in the crosshairs of a dangerous Archbishop who also seeks the hand, Giancarlo Cibo.
Mere days after Boleyn's death, Rombaud finds himself caged in a gibbet, having already lost the hand. However, fate (or something much more mysterious) is on his side, and before long, he has collected a motley crew of "followers" including a slightly insane German named Fugger who talks to his pet raven, Daemon; a battle-scarred Viking warrior named Haakon, complete with his pet wolf, Fenrir; Januc, a Turkish janissary with a dark past; and Beck, a mysterious young man with a slingshot, a deadly aim, and a quest of his own that works in tandem with Rombaud's. Each have their own reasons for joining Rombaud on his mission, whether it be guilt, boredom or something much more important to drive them, but together they are far more effective than apart.
As they seek the hand, and consequently, Giancarlo Cibo and his henchmen, they will encounter many dangerous people and be placed into precarious situations, but still Boleyn's quest drives them on. Meanwhile, Cibo and his vicious brother Franchetto hope to use the hand in alchemy to gain the power over life and death.
Will good triumph over evil or will Boleyn's hand fall into the hands of those who sought to destroy her and the religion in which she so staunchly believed? You must read The French Executioner to find out for yourself, but be warned: this book is a roller coaster ride of intense action woven throughout a beautifully written story with just enough fact to keep you riveted to the pages until the very end. Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down. Highly recommended. Check back soon for our review of the sequel, The Curse of Anne Boleyn.
