City of the Dead
by Ian Morson

When I started researching the Mongols, or Tartars as the medieval mind would have known them, for my fifth Falconer book, The Great Beast, I was fascinated by their culture. So much so that I wanted to write a new story set at the heart of the Mongol Empire.

The fact remains that the Tartar Horde almost swept over the Western world as it had done over the East, only to be halted at the doorstep of Vienna by the death of the Great Khan. What a world it might have been had Ogedei Khan not died of excessive drinking in 1241. The empire survived and grew under Kubilai Khan, who established his own Chinese ruling dynasty, and built the city of Shang-tu - the fabled Xanadu. Though the Tartars had a fearsome reputation, and were seen by the West as demons from Hell, their rule was remarkably tolerant. They respected all religions, and once a nation accepted them as their overlords, they allowed people to go about their lives in much the same way as before. In many ways they were a civilising influence, bringing fast postal services, paper money and good government.

Inevitably, much of what we know of Kubilai Khan comes from Marco Polo's story of his travels, which was so remarkable that at the time of its circulation it was seen as a mixture of myth and downright boasting. I took as my central character a similar Venetian entrepreneur, whom I called Niccolo Zuliani.

City of the Dead is set in 1262 and chronicles Zuliani's rise from being down on his luck in the Crimea to establishing himself at the heart of Kubilai's court in Xanadu. Zuliani travels East as the bodyguard to Friar Alberoni who has his own deep reasons to travel to Kubilai's court. Zuliani begins to regret his decision to accompany Alberoni when he is embroiled in investigating the murder of Francesco Pisano, the very man Alberoni has travelled thousands of miles to meet. Inside the Inner Palace of Xanadu, Zuliani seeks to unravel the threads of deceit and corruption at the heart of Kubilai's empire, placing himself in grave danger in the process.

Ian's WebPage: http://mysite.freeserve.com/Ian_Morson

Bernard Knight
"Already well-known for his Falconer series set in Oxford, Ian Morson has found a new and unique character in his Niccolo Zuliani . . . written with his usual combination of authenticity and panache, it takes the medieval historical novel into Central Asia for the first time"

Susanna Gregory
"City of the Dead is a wonderfully atmospheric tale, bursting with colour and dark intrigue. Very highly recommended"

Mike Jecks
"This brilliant new series from the historical crime writer Ian Morson brings fresh life to the legend of Kublai Khan. A must for all historical buffs"

Ian's Falconer books:

Falconer and the Great Beast
It is 1268. Oxford is forced to play host to the Tartars who claim their mission is of peace. Their arrival creates a sense of foreboding; however no one expects the Tartar ambassador himself to fall victim to evil. When he is found dead, Falconer finds himself on the case once more.

A Psalm for Falconer
Falconer strays from Oxford - with dramatic results.
A hunt for some rare texts from the library of a rogue bishop has taken Master William Falconer far from Oxford to the remote Conishead Priory. While crossing the treacherous shifting sands of Lancaster Bay witnesses the recovery of a body from the sandbanks marking the changing course of the River Kent.
Falconer and the Face of God
It is Christmas in Oxford, and Stefano de Askeles has brought his troop of jongleurs to town. Things have not been going well for him - poor Gyles de Multon was killed on stage in Winchester, and Stefano's pawing of Margaret the tumbler has her husband wild with jealousy. But Oxford is full of students, and the joy of the season may loosen their purse-strings.
Falconer and the Moving Sands Falconer's Crusade
Set in Oxford University in 1264, this murder-mystery follows Regent Master William Falconer, a progressive teacher and amateur detective, as he tries to solve the murder of a local servant girl. His students are under suspicion and Falconer is drawn into a world of heresy, magic and violence.
Falconer's Judgement
As Pope Alexander lies dying, the brother of one of his likely successors is killed by an arrow. Can it really be a rioting student who is responsible? This is the second case for the 13th-century detective, Oxford Regent Master William Falconer.