Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:
On the Horns of Death – An Ancient Crete Mystery by Eleanor Kuhns – release date 2nd April 2024
#historical murder mystery #feisty heroine #Ancient Greek setting
BLURB: Ancient Crete, 1450 BC. When young bull leaper Martis finds Duzi, the newest member of the bull leaping team, dead in the bull pen early one morning. Made to look like he met his end on the horns of the bull, it’s clear to Martis that this was no accident . . .
Martis once again finds herself thrown into a dangerous game of hunting down a murderer as the deaths start to mount. An old friend of Martis’ sister, and possible lover to Duzi, is the next person to be found dead, and Martis’ investigations lead her to believe love and jealousy are at the heart of these crimes against the Goddess.
Is someone targeting the bull leaping community? Or is there something else at play? With only the Shade of her sister Arge to confide in, Martis struggles to untangle the growing web of secrets which stretch around her.
I loved the first book in this series – see my review of In the Shadow of the Bull. The bull-leaping aspect of religion in Crete really caught my imagination after reading Mary Renault and then having the opportunity to visit the Palace of Knossos way back when I was a schoolgirl. So reading a convincing whodunit in this fabulous setting was a real treat and I’m very much looking forward to revisiting this world.
Brainfluff 
Sounds interesting. I like the idea of the setting. And the main character sounds good too. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you, Laura – I’m looking forward to getting to this one:).
Hope you find this book as good as the first!
Thank you, Barb. So do I:).
Sounds fun! I’ve never even heard of bull leaping before, but it sound a lot better than bull fighting. And I do love a murder mystery!
The bull leaping was amazing – they used the aurochs to leap over, which were much bigger than cattle these days. And they would work as a team, so some would be distracting the bull as others leapt – and it was hideously dangerous. The most accomplished leap was facing the bull and somersaulting between its horns.
This sounds interesting Sarah! I hope that it is just as good as the first book!
Thank you, Jodie – I’m looking forward to getting to it, too:).
This isn’t my usual type of story, but the mystery aspect is certainly tempting me! I hope you get to read it, thanks for sharing😁
Thank you, Tammy – I’m looking forward to tucking into this one:)).
I feel like this cover already tells a story. I hope you enjoy this one!
Thank you, Alicia:).
This sounds like a fascinating mystery. I hope you love it as much as the first one! 🙂
Thank you, Ashley – so do I!
What fun! I bet On the Horns of Death will be a good one. I really need to read more mysteries set in that time period. I hope you enjoy it when you read it!
Thank you – I’m looking forward to getting to this one:)).
I became absolutely fascinated by Ancient Crete in my art history class in college and love The Sea King’s Daughter by Barbara Michaels which touches on it a bit. I’ve never read a mystery (or any fiction) that’s actually set during the time period. I’ll have to look for that one!
Do look out for it – I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and as you say, it isn’t a period of history generally covered in historical murder mysteries.