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Maestra #2
Domina
Judith Rashleigh has made it. Living in luxury amidst the splendours of Venice, she's finally enjoying the life she killed for.
But someone knows what Judith's done.
Judith can only save herself by finding a priceless painting - unfortunately, one that she's convinced doesn't even exist.
And she's not the only one seeking it.
This time, Judith isn't in control. Outflanked and out-thought, outrun and outgunned, she faces an enemy more ruthless and more powerful than she ever imagined.
And if she doesn't win, she dies.
But someone knows what Judith's done.
Judith can only save herself by finding a priceless painting - unfortunately, one that she's convinced doesn't even exist.
And she's not the only one seeking it.
This time, Judith isn't in control. Outflanked and out-thought, outrun and outgunned, she faces an enemy more ruthless and more powerful than she ever imagined.
And if she doesn't win, she dies.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2017
About the author
L.S. Hilton
11 books387 followersLisa's forthcoming history book, 'The Scandal of The Century' will be published by Michael Joseph in May 2024. A retelling of the life of England's first professional woman playwright, Aphra Behn, it reveals the true-life source of the first novel in English literature, based on the story of Lady Harriet Berkeley, whose elopement with her own brother-in-law Lord Grey resulted in one of the most sensational court cases of the seventeenth century.
As L.S Hilton, Lisa is currently releasing 'All My Lovers' Wives,' a wry, raw work of autofiction which is being developed for television by Universal Studios. Lisa authored the 'Maestra' Series (Bonnier Zaffre), consisting of three novels, 'Maestra' (2016), 'Domina' (2017) and 'Ultima' (2018). 'Maestra' was a number one Sunday Times Bestseller, a New York Times bestseller and a number one bestseller in 8 European territories. To date, it is on sale in 43 countries and over 1 million copies have been sold worldwide. 'Maestra' is in development for film with Sony Pictures.
Lisa has often taken inspiration from the lives of women who shaped the world, and has written seven other historical biographies around this theme, including 'Sex and the City of Ladies' (Harper Collins, 2020), which was commissioned by the Times Literary Supplement and casts a revisionist eye over the reputations of influential women throughout history whose deeds and dispositions have been distorted by centuries of misogyny.
Other works include 'Athenais: The Real Queen of France' (Little, Brown, 2002 – shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Prize), 'Queens Consort' (Little, Brown, 2006), a composite biography of England's medieval queens, the authoritative 'Elizabeth, Renaissance Prince' (Orion, 2014) and 'The Horror of Love' (Orion, 2011) – an account of Nancy Mitford’s influential affair with Gaston Palewski.
Lisa's passion for history extends into historical fantasy with her novels 'Wolves in Winter' (Atlantic, 2012) and 'The Stolen Queen' (Atlantic, 2015). Her third historical novel 'The House with Blue Shutters' (Atlantic, 2010) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Fiction Prize.
A regular art critic, Lisa has worked on projects for museums including the UK National Portrait Gallery and the Pinacoteca di Brera and is the author of 'The Death of Cleopatra' (Skira, 2017), which sheds light on the beauty and ambiguity of Guido Cagnacci’s portrayal of the legendary queen of Egypt.
On screen, Lisa has presented numerous historical series, including Charles I: Downfall (BBC4, 2019) and Charles I: Killing a King (BBC4, 2020), and served as presenter and script-writer for the BAFTA-nominated Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents (72 Films, 2017). She has appeared as a contributor and advisor on several series of Secrets of the Royal Palaces (Channel 5), Bloody Queens: Elizabeth and Mary (BBC2, 2016), as writer and presenter (in French) of the series Tendres Rivales (Arte, 2012), and as co-author and contributor on Versailles: Dream of a King (Brook Lapping, 2011).
Behind the camera, Lisa has written scripts and provided historical consultation on subjects as diverse as women Impressionist painters, vampires, Versailles, English Restoration monarchs to French Renaissance menus and culinary innovation.
Lisa was delighted to be awarded Glamour Magazine Writer of the Year in 2016, Porter Magazine Incredible Woman of the Year and Red Magazine Writer of the Year.
Lisa is fully tri-lingual and is regularly published in all three languages. In Italian, for Corriere della Sera, Vanity Fair and La Repubblica, in French for Elle, and in English, in features for the Sunday Times Style, the restaurant column for The Critic, and features for the Times, Times Magazine, and Times Literary Supplement.
Lisa grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris. Since then, Lisa has lived in New York, Paris, Milan and London and is now b
As L.S Hilton, Lisa is currently releasing 'All My Lovers' Wives,' a wry, raw work of autofiction which is being developed for television by Universal Studios. Lisa authored the 'Maestra' Series (Bonnier Zaffre), consisting of three novels, 'Maestra' (2016), 'Domina' (2017) and 'Ultima' (2018). 'Maestra' was a number one Sunday Times Bestseller, a New York Times bestseller and a number one bestseller in 8 European territories. To date, it is on sale in 43 countries and over 1 million copies have been sold worldwide. 'Maestra' is in development for film with Sony Pictures.
Lisa has often taken inspiration from the lives of women who shaped the world, and has written seven other historical biographies around this theme, including 'Sex and the City of Ladies' (Harper Collins, 2020), which was commissioned by the Times Literary Supplement and casts a revisionist eye over the reputations of influential women throughout history whose deeds and dispositions have been distorted by centuries of misogyny.
Other works include 'Athenais: The Real Queen of France' (Little, Brown, 2002 – shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Prize), 'Queens Consort' (Little, Brown, 2006), a composite biography of England's medieval queens, the authoritative 'Elizabeth, Renaissance Prince' (Orion, 2014) and 'The Horror of Love' (Orion, 2011) – an account of Nancy Mitford’s influential affair with Gaston Palewski.
Lisa's passion for history extends into historical fantasy with her novels 'Wolves in Winter' (Atlantic, 2012) and 'The Stolen Queen' (Atlantic, 2015). Her third historical novel 'The House with Blue Shutters' (Atlantic, 2010) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Fiction Prize.
A regular art critic, Lisa has worked on projects for museums including the UK National Portrait Gallery and the Pinacoteca di Brera and is the author of 'The Death of Cleopatra' (Skira, 2017), which sheds light on the beauty and ambiguity of Guido Cagnacci’s portrayal of the legendary queen of Egypt.
On screen, Lisa has presented numerous historical series, including Charles I: Downfall (BBC4, 2019) and Charles I: Killing a King (BBC4, 2020), and served as presenter and script-writer for the BAFTA-nominated Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents (72 Films, 2017). She has appeared as a contributor and advisor on several series of Secrets of the Royal Palaces (Channel 5), Bloody Queens: Elizabeth and Mary (BBC2, 2016), as writer and presenter (in French) of the series Tendres Rivales (Arte, 2012), and as co-author and contributor on Versailles: Dream of a King (Brook Lapping, 2011).
Behind the camera, Lisa has written scripts and provided historical consultation on subjects as diverse as women Impressionist painters, vampires, Versailles, English Restoration monarchs to French Renaissance menus and culinary innovation.
Lisa was delighted to be awarded Glamour Magazine Writer of the Year in 2016, Porter Magazine Incredible Woman of the Year and Red Magazine Writer of the Year.
Lisa is fully tri-lingual and is regularly published in all three languages. In Italian, for Corriere della Sera, Vanity Fair and La Repubblica, in French for Elle, and in English, in features for the Sunday Times Style, the restaurant column for The Critic, and features for the Times, Times Magazine, and Times Literary Supplement.
Lisa grew up in the north of England and read English at New College, Oxford, after which she studied History of Art in Florence and Paris. Since then, Lisa has lived in New York, Paris, Milan and London and is now b
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
April 19, 2018
Oh, the unremitting dangers of snatching an eye-catching, last-minute book at an airport!
"Rip-roaring" cheered the Daily Mail.
"Fantastic" exclaimed the Sunday Times.
"A masterpiece" proclaimed the Sunday Mirror.
"You'll love this" promised Grazia magazine (I really didn't).
Opting for this paperback, instead of a fencepost-sized Toblerone, when I already had a suitcase full of books, proved to be a regrettable mistake.
Awaiting me was a serving of gossamer thin characterisation, clichéd dialogue, a lacklustre storyline - and please don't get me started on the writing...
I gave up at page twenty-two, having read a few stilted sentences so awash with repetition that I wondered if this book had even been proof-read!
And here is the segment for your edification (repetition highlighted):
"...for the first sum, and another slip of paper with just a name. Pavel Yermolov.
For a moment, I stared dully at the name. Overwhelmed doesn't happen to me very often. But Pavel Yermolov. I could see Pavel Yermolov's pictures. Or rather, Pavel Yermolov thought I was good enough to see his pictures."
(Yes, it's utter drivel isn't it?).
But I guess it'll fly off the shelves and many people will love it!
I should've bought that Toblerone instead...
: (
"Rip-roaring" cheered the Daily Mail.
"Fantastic" exclaimed the Sunday Times.
"A masterpiece" proclaimed the Sunday Mirror.
"You'll love this" promised Grazia magazine (I really didn't).
Opting for this paperback, instead of a fencepost-sized Toblerone, when I already had a suitcase full of books, proved to be a regrettable mistake.
Awaiting me was a serving of gossamer thin characterisation, clichéd dialogue, a lacklustre storyline - and please don't get me started on the writing...
I gave up at page twenty-two, having read a few stilted sentences so awash with repetition that I wondered if this book had even been proof-read!
And here is the segment for your edification (repetition highlighted):
"...for the first sum, and another slip of paper with just a name. Pavel Yermolov.
For a moment, I stared dully at the name. Overwhelmed doesn't happen to me very often. But Pavel Yermolov. I could see Pavel Yermolov's pictures. Or rather, Pavel Yermolov thought I was good enough to see his pictures."
(Yes, it's utter drivel isn't it?).
But I guess it'll fly off the shelves and many people will love it!
I should've bought that Toblerone instead...
: (
April 7, 2017
I was one of the fans of Maestra, for which I gave 5* and a good review, because Maestra, for all its faults, was one of the most fun books I read last year and had a main protagonist who I really engaged with, the murderous, witty, sexy Judith.
Well now Judith is living under an alias and for me in Domina lost all her pizzazz. It was relatively dull in places and the story this time didn't, for me anyway, have that edginess and full on feeling that Maestra had provided. I kind of enjoyed it in a very peripheral way but by the time I was heading into the last portions I was really just reading to find out where Ms Hilton would leave things prior to the finale. TO BE CONCLUDED screams the ending, granted in a way that will indeed ensure that I read the next book, but I'm hoping the author brings back the intense sparkle of the original.
If you liked Maestra you may well like Domina - it has the name dropping, sex scene thing going on that is going to be this series trademark but again the life in that seemed dulled to me too - the character doubted herself, maybe to try and add some layers, but that didn't work terribly well in my honest opinion.
The last novel felt sprawling, jet setting, maybe not completely original but loads of fun and frolics - whereas Domina for me had chronic second book syndrome - I didn't hate it and the writing is just as it was, its not a sudden drain of ability - but the plotting was annoyingly convoluted on occasion, Judith didn't engage me as she did before and I doubt I'll remember much about it moving forward apart from that very last moment.
I'll be very interested to see where the author takes book 3. The end here suggests that perhaps Judith will go out with a bang (yes yes had to be done) - I hope so. But sorry Domina just didn't have "it"
Well now Judith is living under an alias and for me in Domina lost all her pizzazz. It was relatively dull in places and the story this time didn't, for me anyway, have that edginess and full on feeling that Maestra had provided. I kind of enjoyed it in a very peripheral way but by the time I was heading into the last portions I was really just reading to find out where Ms Hilton would leave things prior to the finale. TO BE CONCLUDED screams the ending, granted in a way that will indeed ensure that I read the next book, but I'm hoping the author brings back the intense sparkle of the original.
If you liked Maestra you may well like Domina - it has the name dropping, sex scene thing going on that is going to be this series trademark but again the life in that seemed dulled to me too - the character doubted herself, maybe to try and add some layers, but that didn't work terribly well in my honest opinion.
The last novel felt sprawling, jet setting, maybe not completely original but loads of fun and frolics - whereas Domina for me had chronic second book syndrome - I didn't hate it and the writing is just as it was, its not a sudden drain of ability - but the plotting was annoyingly convoluted on occasion, Judith didn't engage me as she did before and I doubt I'll remember much about it moving forward apart from that very last moment.
I'll be very interested to see where the author takes book 3. The end here suggests that perhaps Judith will go out with a bang (yes yes had to be done) - I hope so. But sorry Domina just didn't have "it"
March 28, 2024
3/5
It took me FOREVER to finish this book. The first one gave me a terrible slump and then I wasn’t really invested on how this one was going either, it was quite a bit interesting by the end though.
Kinda excited to start the third book because I want to know what’s going to happen because just as I said, it got slightly intriguing by the end and surprisingly the main character became quite more decent.
Also, once again, I know it’s supposed to be an erotica trilogy but still, there were less scenes and I’m unironically really happy for that LOL.
It took me FOREVER to finish this book. The first one gave me a terrible slump and then I wasn’t really invested on how this one was going either, it was quite a bit interesting by the end though.
Kinda excited to start the third book because I want to know what’s going to happen because just as I said, it got slightly intriguing by the end and surprisingly the main character became quite more decent.
Also, once again, I know it’s supposed to be an erotica trilogy but still, there were less scenes and I’m unironically really happy for that LOL.
July 17, 2017
★★★½
I seem to be in the minority of readers who are actually enjoying L.S. Hilton's erotic thriller trilogy titled Maestra. It is a series about a driven woman who manipulates, lies, steals, seduces, kills, and cheats to get what she wants: a rich life that she can control instead of the other way around.
Admittedly, I did like the first book better than this second one, but Domina was still good in my opinion. It's fast-paced, has one hell of an opening scene, and includes some questionable characters you really don't want to mess with. If you enjoyed Maestra, consider continuing the series with Domina. Be prepared for a cliffhanger though. Wish I had know that tidbit. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"From what I hear of love, it's very like money. In both cases, presence and absence are the same – when it's there it may as well not be and when it isn't it never leaves you. And both come with warnings, which everyone ignores."
L.S. Hilton's Maestra trilogy includes the following installments as of July 2017:
#1-Maestra
#2-Domina
I seem to be in the minority of readers who are actually enjoying L.S. Hilton's erotic thriller trilogy titled Maestra. It is a series about a driven woman who manipulates, lies, steals, seduces, kills, and cheats to get what she wants: a rich life that she can control instead of the other way around.
"Becoming Elisabeth had taken so much more than an expensive wardrobe, in the end. Armor truly protects only if it's invisible, and that was where the real struggle had lain. Not just the studying and the exams, but maintaining the conviction that I could win. Getting out of the miserable estate where I'd grown up. Not allowing myself to be subsumed into the squalor of my mother's life. Resisting the taunts, the insidious daily whisperings of 'slag' and 'bitch' that hissed after me along the school corridors just because I'd wanted more."She's not remorseful, she makes sure to enjoy any sex that is had, and her eyes are always on the prize. As evidenced by the poor ratings/reviews, not many readers like this type of heroine. Too bad.
Admittedly, I did like the first book better than this second one, but Domina was still good in my opinion. It's fast-paced, has one hell of an opening scene, and includes some questionable characters you really don't want to mess with. If you enjoyed Maestra, consider continuing the series with Domina. Be prepared for a cliffhanger though. Wish I had know that tidbit. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"From what I hear of love, it's very like money. In both cases, presence and absence are the same – when it's there it may as well not be and when it isn't it never leaves you. And both come with warnings, which everyone ignores."
L.S. Hilton's Maestra trilogy includes the following installments as of July 2017:
#1-Maestra
#2-Domina
February 6, 2018
This series has become my latest obsession!! It embodies many things I enjoy: travel, art/art history, fashion, kick ass female leads and well written thrillers, just to name a few. For the last week or so, I was lost to the world because I was too busy basking in the beauty of L.S. Hilton's magnificent storytelling and am now counting days till I can get my hands on the conclusion of this amazing trilogy in April! I am also nursing one hell of a book hangover and don't even care for a cure ...
Cheers!
Cheers!
May 6, 2017
I'm so disappointed!! I was really excited about this sequel to Maestra which I really enjoyed last year but having now read Domina I wish that L.S.Hilton had just left Judith back there, saving me from having to admit that I didn't like it!
There's nothing wrong with the writing, her style is still crisp, engaging and intelligent. But it was like watching an slightly off centre version of Maestra. The sex scenes seemed forced, the plot complex but lacking the bite of her previous misadventures and the art world that I found so utterly engrossing last time just seemed to not quite hit the mark for me.
Thankfully, the designer brands were back in force for those who aspire to owning the products of the socially acceptable incrowd but everything just felt empty and devoid of emotion, rather like Judith herself.
The only saving grace for me were the flashbacks to the young Judith and her life with her mother. Those sections left me with goosebumps as they were written so tenderly and were full of such quietly understated emotions that I felt were missing in the rest of the narrative.
Be warned there is an cliffhanger ending here leading up to book 3 but I will take a lot of persuading to go there and I HATE not knowing how events pan out! I will just stick with my fond memories of Maestra and pretend that Domina was just a very bad dream.
There's nothing wrong with the writing, her style is still crisp, engaging and intelligent. But it was like watching an slightly off centre version of Maestra. The sex scenes seemed forced, the plot complex but lacking the bite of her previous misadventures and the art world that I found so utterly engrossing last time just seemed to not quite hit the mark for me.
Thankfully, the designer brands were back in force for those who aspire to owning the products of the socially acceptable incrowd but everything just felt empty and devoid of emotion, rather like Judith herself.
The only saving grace for me were the flashbacks to the young Judith and her life with her mother. Those sections left me with goosebumps as they were written so tenderly and were full of such quietly understated emotions that I felt were missing in the rest of the narrative.
Be warned there is an cliffhanger ending here leading up to book 3 but I will take a lot of persuading to go there and I HATE not knowing how events pan out! I will just stick with my fond memories of Maestra and pretend that Domina was just a very bad dream.
December 10, 2017
Por Trás do Belo Está o Feio
A vida é uma dança intemporal de contrastes -- claro e escuro, mau e bom, belo e feio...bailam e rodopiam, sucedendo-se e alternando-se num equilíbrio dinâmico.
E por onde anda o belo, o feio paira perto. Mesmo invisível, está lá, latente e pronto a emergir em qualquer instante.
É pois no Mundo do Belo que esta história acontece -- no Mundo da Arte e dos seus acólitos, dos apreciadores da Beleza, dos cobiçosos que a sobrevalorizam e que dela carecem!...
A Arte é um mundo de beleza por onde os feios rodopiam -- são as traças encandeadas pela luz -- sustentam-na e alimentam-se dela, dir-se-ia que numa tentativa desesperada de também eles se tornarem belos!
É então pelos bastidores da Arte que iremos irromper, num mundo debochado e pervertido, onde o único valor é o Dinheiro -- é o Feio para lá do Belo, que o sustenta e lhe traz sentido!...
Porque a vida é mesmo assim -- uma Bonita-feia paradoxalmente rica ( aparentemente;) )
A vida é uma dança intemporal de contrastes -- claro e escuro, mau e bom, belo e feio...bailam e rodopiam, sucedendo-se e alternando-se num equilíbrio dinâmico.
E por onde anda o belo, o feio paira perto. Mesmo invisível, está lá, latente e pronto a emergir em qualquer instante.
É pois no Mundo do Belo que esta história acontece -- no Mundo da Arte e dos seus acólitos, dos apreciadores da Beleza, dos cobiçosos que a sobrevalorizam e que dela carecem!...
A Arte é um mundo de beleza por onde os feios rodopiam -- são as traças encandeadas pela luz -- sustentam-na e alimentam-se dela, dir-se-ia que numa tentativa desesperada de também eles se tornarem belos!
É então pelos bastidores da Arte que iremos irromper, num mundo debochado e pervertido, onde o único valor é o Dinheiro -- é o Feio para lá do Belo, que o sustenta e lhe traz sentido!...
Porque a vida é mesmo assim -- uma Bonita-feia paradoxalmente rica ( aparentemente;) )
August 18, 2017
'Domina' is the second installment of the 'Maestra' series. I thoroughly enjoyed both books, but possibly the first book, 'Maestra', slightly more than this one. The main character Judith is a woman with some major pent-up rage (putting it mildly). She seems to have a lot more control over her rage in this book than she did in the first. She has a great deal of... hmmm... how to put it.... sexual urges (again, putting it very mildly - these books are quite explicit in their detail), and the first book was filled with her prowess, power, dominance, oh and add in her art expertise and you have one intriguing, powerful woman.... The second novel is a great deal more about the art than her rage and sexual cravings, which made it quite interesting in a different way. I look forward to reading the next one!
Read
March 14, 2017Jawohl... Aus irgendwelchen unlogischen Gründen hätte ich total bock, den zweiten Teil zu lesen.
December 5, 2021
Šoreiz bija grūtāk noticēt visām darbībām un kādu laiku galvenā varone šķita tāda sagurusi. Kā izklaide der un beigās atkal pavērsiens, kas liek lasīt arī trešo daļu.
March 16, 2017
First, I’d like to thank Zaffre for granting my wish to read the book via NetGalley. I appreciate it. As always, my review will be honest, but this time it won’t be quite a positive one. The novel did not turn out to be what I had expected. I was quite disappointed. I never managed to delve into the story. I was expecting a thriller, a storyline focused on an investigation. But I felt as though I was reading an avatar of 50 shades of grey with a Russian mafia-like background story. I had the impression the different scenes and events unfolded one after the other but there was too feeble a linkage between each event — a compilation of moments with protagonists that failed to catch my interest.
In all fairness, the narrative style is complex, interesting and challenging, which is a good point. Sometimes, you want to be challenged when reading a book. However, the wording and extremely elaborate descriptions are sometimes a hindrance to the subject matter. You end up feeling like the intricate descriptions about art and whatnot become the main focus of interest at the expense of the core plot. Also, I felt like some sex scenes were saucy to the point that it was frivolously provocative and it didn’t help advance the intrigue. Maybe I need to read the first book Maestra to have a better sense of the main character’s psychology where there might lie some explanation in this regard. Anyhow, I felt it was unnecessarily raunchy.
I was hoping for a more regular thriller/investigation. But I felt like I ended up with an experimental novel about the racy life of the wealthy and rare fact, I couldn’t finish it because, maybe, it was too unconventional a thriller for my liking. I wasn’t convinced but I hope the book will find its public.
All the best of luck to the author!
In all fairness, the narrative style is complex, interesting and challenging, which is a good point. Sometimes, you want to be challenged when reading a book. However, the wording and extremely elaborate descriptions are sometimes a hindrance to the subject matter. You end up feeling like the intricate descriptions about art and whatnot become the main focus of interest at the expense of the core plot. Also, I felt like some sex scenes were saucy to the point that it was frivolously provocative and it didn’t help advance the intrigue. Maybe I need to read the first book Maestra to have a better sense of the main character’s psychology where there might lie some explanation in this regard. Anyhow, I felt it was unnecessarily raunchy.
I was hoping for a more regular thriller/investigation. But I felt like I ended up with an experimental novel about the racy life of the wealthy and rare fact, I couldn’t finish it because, maybe, it was too unconventional a thriller for my liking. I wasn’t convinced but I hope the book will find its public.
All the best of luck to the author!
June 30, 2017
Absolutely awful. The worst book I have read in some time, even worse than Maestra, the prequel to this book. I read Maestra, didn't really enjoy it but hoped this would be better. It wasn't. The story was awful, it was appalling written (immature writing, use of language, felt like a GCSE assignment), the character was dull and flat. I had no feelings towards her of like or dislike; she was just a non entity. Gratuitous sex, multiple statements of designer clothes (was going to use the word, 'description' but that would be unfair on that term) and that was about it. I can't explain just how awful this book was. I kept going as I rarely leave a book unfinished as I'm always hopeful that something will happen and I'll enjoy it. No chance with this. Please, don't waste your time. Burn it (and Maestra if you've invested in both) and do something more enjoyable with your time. The only thing I'm grateful for is that this was leant to me so I haven't wasted any money buying the book.
April 25, 2017
I liked the mixture of the art world and thriller all mixed in together. Judith Rashleigh's boss was involved in a faking scam. As time catches up with Judith she is asked a few questions. Why did she drown Alvin Spencer? Two years ago in Rome did she kill a man named Patrick? Did she take a painting that belonged to another man by the name of Moncada? It also appears that Moncada was murdered sometime later in Paris, the question is was Judith present? After Judith Rashleigh has been questioned she is taken away in waiting car with Da Silva, he wants Judith to do something for him. Will Judith agree?
June 19, 2017
The second book in the trilogy, Domina sees Judith Rashleigh’s character transform and go through a new journey of thrill and danger. Judith, who has had a troubled and broken childhood gets entangled into a terrible mess and has to shed her identity. She miraculously transforms into Elisabeth Teerlinc, a suave and fashionable art gallerist and leads a luxurious life that Judith would never have dreamed of before. However, all is not hunky dory in Elisabeth’s newly tailored life. A sudden contact from a Russian oligarch triggers off a series of dangerous incidents that forces the hidden Judith to come to the forefront. Elisabeth’s façade is about to be revealed and more than one person knows who she really is. Her latent past is blatantly threatened of exposure. Will killing everyone who knows the truth really help?
Domina has many highlights that make it a suitable summer read.
The sexy, smart and reckless Judith makes for an extremely brilliant protagonist. Even though her character is not likable initially yet her horrific past instills in us a tinge of pity for her.Hilton’s writing gives you a living on the edge feeling and makes this book a fast paced thrilling read. This is one of those books you carry in your travel bag and read throughout the flight or train ride.The description of the beauty of art from the medieval period is breath-taking and makes it an ideal read for all art lovers.The vivid sex in this book is nominal when compared to the previous book Maestra. However the erotica is subtly played and the writing never loses focus from the actual story.There is hardly any description of clothes, throughout the novel, without the mention of million dollar brands, which is why a lot of fashionistas and people from glamour world connect to this book.
Domina was a highly satisfactory read for me. If you love your occasional indulgences in thriller and psychological mind games then pick the book up for a quick read this summer.
Domina has many highlights that make it a suitable summer read.
The sexy, smart and reckless Judith makes for an extremely brilliant protagonist. Even though her character is not likable initially yet her horrific past instills in us a tinge of pity for her.Hilton’s writing gives you a living on the edge feeling and makes this book a fast paced thrilling read. This is one of those books you carry in your travel bag and read throughout the flight or train ride.The description of the beauty of art from the medieval period is breath-taking and makes it an ideal read for all art lovers.The vivid sex in this book is nominal when compared to the previous book Maestra. However the erotica is subtly played and the writing never loses focus from the actual story.There is hardly any description of clothes, throughout the novel, without the mention of million dollar brands, which is why a lot of fashionistas and people from glamour world connect to this book.
Domina was a highly satisfactory read for me. If you love your occasional indulgences in thriller and psychological mind games then pick the book up for a quick read this summer.
September 18, 2017
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A con woman type book, something of a take of of the Talented Mr. Ripley books with a female protagonist.
It was okay, but without the twists and turns of a truly great novel of this type.
A con woman type book, something of a take of of the Talented Mr. Ripley books with a female protagonist.
It was okay, but without the twists and turns of a truly great novel of this type.
April 3, 2017
Ghastly.
April 9, 2017
3.5*
Over on our blog, author L S Hilton shares her top tips for VENICE (one of several locations across Europe) http://www.tripfiction.com/thriller-s...
This is the second outing for the Judith Rashleigh, who first appeared in Maestra, which we reviewed here. There will be a third and final book in the series.
Judith had to abandon her art gallery – Gentileschi – in Paris in the last book for various reasons, and vanish from the art world. She has now popped up in Venice, running a gallery under the assumed persona of Elizabeth Teerlinc, but using the same name Gentilleschi for her gallery (if you are choosing to disappear, surely it isn’t altogether wise to keep the same name….). She has a lovely apartment which she has furnished with ultimate taste. Life could be so good for her….
There is a Caravaggio drawing on linen which a Russian oligarch – Yermolov – wants, and who, at the same time, is determined, it seems to her, to deconstruct her “laboured carapace”, her new identity. She knows that Caravaggio was not known for doing preparatory drawings, so this is more than likely to be a fake. Why would Mr Yermolov crave ownership? Enter his wife Elena who offers a little more clarity into the situation.
Judith’s quest to avoid being found out takes her from beautifully described Venice (comprising the first 1/3 or so of the book) and then on to Paris, Belgrade and St Moritz, locations where the wealthy jetset can be found. Despite her poor beginnings in life, she has insinuated herself into the glitz and glamour of the rich and famous without batting much of an eyelid.
The locations, and in particular Venice, really do come to life – musings on San Teodoro and his anatomically peculiar crocodile at Piazza San Marco (which indeed is a very odd animal) are well observed and that “in every Venetian day there is one moment when the city is made entirely of silver” which is just so true! Some real #literarywanderlust amongst the pages of Domina.
“The end of desire is death” is the mantra throughout and the link between desire and death is strong. Indeed, a visit to Diaghelev’s tomb on the Island of San Michele in Venice leads Judith and Elena to recall the musings of Henry James that “Venice was the most beautiful sepulchre in the world“. Thus, Venice is an apt setting for this tale of life on the edge, a precipice from which many fall.
The book opens with a murder and detailed sex scene and the story moves forward apace from this landmark start.
What are my thoughts? The first book, Maestra, had an ease about it with detailed sex scenes that were certainly eye-watering. In Domina Judith’s character bolts across the pages of the book as she journeys across Europe, picking people up, dropping them, yes, even murdering them. Given that Judith is clearly one of a kind, a bright, calculating and narcissistic personality, it is much harder to connect in this book than it was in the last. It is a brave author who chooses a central character who has sociopathic tendencies.
The author does have a great writing style, the book is intelligent, nattily observed, well researched and L S Hilton can certainly pull together an imaginative story. The cover of this book sums up perfectly the content, and I love the flooded use of the lapis lazuli blue – Ultramarine – the most expensive natural pigment in the art world, used exclusively at one time for colouring the robes of the Madonna in paintings. There is, however, quite some detail in the book about Naples Yellow, the oldest synthetic pigment that dates back to around the 1620s (but *clue* Caravaggio died in 1610, make of that what you will!), so I did wonder whether the cover designers missed a beat by not using what can actually be a rather beautiful yellow on the jacket. But I digress …
Given that I am trained as a psychosexual therapist and have a degree in Art History this book should have really have been a shoo-in. But there is a propensity for page-long details of art provenance and research, and a wealth of designer labels, which could at times bog the storyline down (yes, of course some of it is really interesting, but some of it is really top heavy).
The scenes of a sexual nature are one of the drivers behind this book. As an example, you will find passages like “The tarts were directing operations will all the conviction and enthusiasm of motivational dancers at Hieronymus Bosch’s Bar-Mitzvah, rearing up to shake their hands to the beat before plunging back to insert a tongue or finger into a waiting body”. (The artist Bosch of course was known to be against sensuality and greed – as you can see, I am getting caught up in the artistry!). The often candid liaisons serve to emphasise that Judith is a woman who uses her wiles for her own ends – and for basic survival. Judith struggles however at times to get gratification from all this between-the-sheets activity (or, to be more precise, not so much between-the-sheets as everywhere else), so perhaps there is a sexual dysfunction developing. Now that could make an interesting storyline, but who knows where the author will go with the next instalment. We wait to find out!
This is certainly not a book for everyone. It wasn't ultimately for me. As the author acknowledges, Judith is a flawed character – empowering to some, hated by others.
Over on our blog, author L S Hilton shares her top tips for VENICE (one of several locations across Europe) http://www.tripfiction.com/thriller-s...
This is the second outing for the Judith Rashleigh, who first appeared in Maestra, which we reviewed here. There will be a third and final book in the series.
Judith had to abandon her art gallery – Gentileschi – in Paris in the last book for various reasons, and vanish from the art world. She has now popped up in Venice, running a gallery under the assumed persona of Elizabeth Teerlinc, but using the same name Gentilleschi for her gallery (if you are choosing to disappear, surely it isn’t altogether wise to keep the same name….). She has a lovely apartment which she has furnished with ultimate taste. Life could be so good for her….
There is a Caravaggio drawing on linen which a Russian oligarch – Yermolov – wants, and who, at the same time, is determined, it seems to her, to deconstruct her “laboured carapace”, her new identity. She knows that Caravaggio was not known for doing preparatory drawings, so this is more than likely to be a fake. Why would Mr Yermolov crave ownership? Enter his wife Elena who offers a little more clarity into the situation.
Judith’s quest to avoid being found out takes her from beautifully described Venice (comprising the first 1/3 or so of the book) and then on to Paris, Belgrade and St Moritz, locations where the wealthy jetset can be found. Despite her poor beginnings in life, she has insinuated herself into the glitz and glamour of the rich and famous without batting much of an eyelid.
The locations, and in particular Venice, really do come to life – musings on San Teodoro and his anatomically peculiar crocodile at Piazza San Marco (which indeed is a very odd animal) are well observed and that “in every Venetian day there is one moment when the city is made entirely of silver” which is just so true! Some real #literarywanderlust amongst the pages of Domina.
“The end of desire is death” is the mantra throughout and the link between desire and death is strong. Indeed, a visit to Diaghelev’s tomb on the Island of San Michele in Venice leads Judith and Elena to recall the musings of Henry James that “Venice was the most beautiful sepulchre in the world“. Thus, Venice is an apt setting for this tale of life on the edge, a precipice from which many fall.
The book opens with a murder and detailed sex scene and the story moves forward apace from this landmark start.
What are my thoughts? The first book, Maestra, had an ease about it with detailed sex scenes that were certainly eye-watering. In Domina Judith’s character bolts across the pages of the book as she journeys across Europe, picking people up, dropping them, yes, even murdering them. Given that Judith is clearly one of a kind, a bright, calculating and narcissistic personality, it is much harder to connect in this book than it was in the last. It is a brave author who chooses a central character who has sociopathic tendencies.
The author does have a great writing style, the book is intelligent, nattily observed, well researched and L S Hilton can certainly pull together an imaginative story. The cover of this book sums up perfectly the content, and I love the flooded use of the lapis lazuli blue – Ultramarine – the most expensive natural pigment in the art world, used exclusively at one time for colouring the robes of the Madonna in paintings. There is, however, quite some detail in the book about Naples Yellow, the oldest synthetic pigment that dates back to around the 1620s (but *clue* Caravaggio died in 1610, make of that what you will!), so I did wonder whether the cover designers missed a beat by not using what can actually be a rather beautiful yellow on the jacket. But I digress …
Given that I am trained as a psychosexual therapist and have a degree in Art History this book should have really have been a shoo-in. But there is a propensity for page-long details of art provenance and research, and a wealth of designer labels, which could at times bog the storyline down (yes, of course some of it is really interesting, but some of it is really top heavy).
The scenes of a sexual nature are one of the drivers behind this book. As an example, you will find passages like “The tarts were directing operations will all the conviction and enthusiasm of motivational dancers at Hieronymus Bosch’s Bar-Mitzvah, rearing up to shake their hands to the beat before plunging back to insert a tongue or finger into a waiting body”. (The artist Bosch of course was known to be against sensuality and greed – as you can see, I am getting caught up in the artistry!). The often candid liaisons serve to emphasise that Judith is a woman who uses her wiles for her own ends – and for basic survival. Judith struggles however at times to get gratification from all this between-the-sheets activity (or, to be more precise, not so much between-the-sheets as everywhere else), so perhaps there is a sexual dysfunction developing. Now that could make an interesting storyline, but who knows where the author will go with the next instalment. We wait to find out!
This is certainly not a book for everyone. It wasn't ultimately for me. As the author acknowledges, Judith is a flawed character – empowering to some, hated by others.
July 22, 2021
Ako je Maestra dobila dve zvezdice, onda je Domina za dve i po. Ipak, kako ovde ne može da se da pola zvezdice, odlučila dam da ocenu spustim na dve, jer bi tri stvarno bilo previše.
https://youtu.be/GZn6JzKi1MY
https://youtu.be/GZn6JzKi1MY
November 7, 2017
Gostei, mas não adorei....
Para mim, "Maestra", primeiro volume desta trilogia, foi sobejamente melhor, apesar das críticas desfavoráveis à frieza da personagem principal, a meu ver sem qualquer fundamento. Não é suposto um thriller ter personagens que são dignas de exemplo a seguir. Infelizmente, há no mundo gente com condutas menos próprias ou com patologias mentais passiveis de não sentir qualquer tipo de remorso ou compaixão quando praticam o mal. E convivem connosco na Terra, sendo que não podemos agarrar nessas pessoas e enviá-las para fora do planeta. Tão pouco podemos fechar os olhos à sua existência.
Neste sentido, eu gostei de ler a história de Judith no primeiro livro. Fria, impassível, cruel. E gostei e admirei a personagem porque nada tem a ver comigo. Há certamente uma Judith (ou mais) aí perdida pelo mundo e eu gosto de ler, pensar e "estudar" a dita personagem e o seu comportamento, tal como faço com as outras, para quando me cruzar com alguém que possa ter alguma semelhança não ser surpresa. Acho fascinante conhecer personagens diferentes de mim. Aprende-se muito assim. Acreditem!
Neste livro, assistimos a uma tentativa de humanização de Judith, que surge insegura, medrosa... E da maneira que isso foi feito... Não fiquei particularmente fã. É a minha perspectiva.
Contudo, quando for publicado o terceiro volume, sou bem capaz de voltar a esta história. Gosto do argumento. E acho que merece outra oportunidade. Além do que a leitura deste segundo volume apanhou-me numa fase de cansaço em demasia, desinteresse, desmotivação, própria do trabalho que estou a desenvolver e admito que isso possa, num certo sentido, ter condicionado a minha apreciação da obra...
Para mim, "Maestra", primeiro volume desta trilogia, foi sobejamente melhor, apesar das críticas desfavoráveis à frieza da personagem principal, a meu ver sem qualquer fundamento. Não é suposto um thriller ter personagens que são dignas de exemplo a seguir. Infelizmente, há no mundo gente com condutas menos próprias ou com patologias mentais passiveis de não sentir qualquer tipo de remorso ou compaixão quando praticam o mal. E convivem connosco na Terra, sendo que não podemos agarrar nessas pessoas e enviá-las para fora do planeta. Tão pouco podemos fechar os olhos à sua existência.
Neste sentido, eu gostei de ler a história de Judith no primeiro livro. Fria, impassível, cruel. E gostei e admirei a personagem porque nada tem a ver comigo. Há certamente uma Judith (ou mais) aí perdida pelo mundo e eu gosto de ler, pensar e "estudar" a dita personagem e o seu comportamento, tal como faço com as outras, para quando me cruzar com alguém que possa ter alguma semelhança não ser surpresa. Acho fascinante conhecer personagens diferentes de mim. Aprende-se muito assim. Acreditem!
Neste livro, assistimos a uma tentativa de humanização de Judith, que surge insegura, medrosa... E da maneira que isso foi feito... Não fiquei particularmente fã. É a minha perspectiva.
Contudo, quando for publicado o terceiro volume, sou bem capaz de voltar a esta história. Gosto do argumento. E acho que merece outra oportunidade. Além do que a leitura deste segundo volume apanhou-me numa fase de cansaço em demasia, desinteresse, desmotivação, própria do trabalho que estou a desenvolver e admito que isso possa, num certo sentido, ter condicionado a minha apreciação da obra...
Read
June 28, 2017I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, another book that is finding it's way to the DNF shelf. I am in a serious slump. I made it to about 15% and I just couldn't take any more. Which is really sad because Maestra was one of my favorite books from last year. I don't know what happened with Domina, but I just couldn't get into it.
Sadly, another book that is finding it's way to the DNF shelf. I am in a serious slump. I made it to about 15% and I just couldn't take any more. Which is really sad because Maestra was one of my favorite books from last year. I don't know what happened with Domina, but I just couldn't get into it.
August 13, 2017
I'm really bummed about this follow up to MAESTRA. It was like the carefully crafted protagonist turned into a big wuss. I still enjoyed the writing and the overall plot was interesting, if not really confusing at times. I'm not sure what to think since I loved the first book so much. It was unique but this wasn't.
June 27, 2017
It worries me that I keep rooting for Judith. She may be a psychopath who uses and discards people and I still want her to get away with murder. Literally. She's just so smart, even when she's being played. She is funny and twisted and, even if I wouldn't invite her to tea, her obsession with beauty is so compelling. I love how this book talks about art, and takes place (mostly) in amazing places. The rhythm of the story feels like a locomotive that may be about to derail. The more things go wrong, the better Judith is. I loved the tidbits about art history and even the made-up artists and movements that Judith is trying to promote (at least I assume they're made up, even if I may have seen installations by the Xoac Collective in Brooklyn). Yes, the sex mostly slows down the plot and is unnecessarily explicit (in my opinion), but Judith is such a fascinating character that I want to spend more time with her.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP Putnam!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/PENGUIN GROUP Putnam!
May 18, 2017
didn't enjoy this at all and didn't connect at all with this book
October 5, 2020
3.75 stars
Tiếp tục theo chân Judith Rasleigh. Lần này cô đã có một tên mới, chủ trì một phòng tranh nhỏ, chân ướt chân ráo bước vào thế giới hội hoạ. Nhưng vẫn có những thế lực đe doạ tiết lộ quá khứ nhơ nhớp của cô. Mình thích cuốn này hơn cuốn Bậc thầy vì:
- Judith bớt đi cái tính kẻ cả, hợm hĩnh vì có thể do quá trình tạo dựng tên tuổi quá khổ sở nên tính cách cũng được mài giũa hơn, ít nhất có chút tự trọng và cương quyết không để ai phá hoại cuộc sống mình đã gây dựng
- Judith có một mục đích rất rõ ràng và cả truyện là quá trình cô thực hiện việc đó. Kế hoạch được lên chi tiết, tỉ mỉ và Judith thực hiện theo từng bước một. Sự tính toán thông minh thể hiện qua hành trình này.
- Truyện ít có cảnh sex hơn, làm mình đỡ thấy nhơ nhớp hơn khi đọc truyện. Cảnh sex vẫn miêu tả một cách rất over-the-top như cuốn Bậc thầy, không có gì gọi là gợi cảm sexy cả, nhưng ít nhất cũng ko tạo cảm giác bẩn thỉu, ghê tởm.
- Mình rất đánh giá cao kết truyện, Judith ít ra vẫn đủ thông minh để không dính vào tay người Nga quá lâu.
Mình vẫn muốn đọc tập 3.
Tiếp tục theo chân Judith Rasleigh. Lần này cô đã có một tên mới, chủ trì một phòng tranh nhỏ, chân ướt chân ráo bước vào thế giới hội hoạ. Nhưng vẫn có những thế lực đe doạ tiết lộ quá khứ nhơ nhớp của cô. Mình thích cuốn này hơn cuốn Bậc thầy vì:
- Judith bớt đi cái tính kẻ cả, hợm hĩnh vì có thể do quá trình tạo dựng tên tuổi quá khổ sở nên tính cách cũng được mài giũa hơn, ít nhất có chút tự trọng và cương quyết không để ai phá hoại cuộc sống mình đã gây dựng
- Judith có một mục đích rất rõ ràng và cả truyện là quá trình cô thực hiện việc đó. Kế hoạch được lên chi tiết, tỉ mỉ và Judith thực hiện theo từng bước một. Sự tính toán thông minh thể hiện qua hành trình này.
- Truyện ít có cảnh sex hơn, làm mình đỡ thấy nhơ nhớp hơn khi đọc truyện. Cảnh sex vẫn miêu tả một cách rất over-the-top như cuốn Bậc thầy, không có gì gọi là gợi cảm sexy cả, nhưng ít nhất cũng ko tạo cảm giác bẩn thỉu, ghê tởm.
- Mình rất đánh giá cao kết truyện, Judith ít ra vẫn đủ thông minh để không dính vào tay người Nga quá lâu.
Mình vẫn muốn đọc tập 3.
January 24, 2021
O lectură de plictiseală, o lectură forțată doar de dependența de a citi ceva zilnic ca să nu mi se zbârnie creierii degeaba în cap, ca să nu mă înghită zgomotul frenetic al ploii de ianuarie ce-mi tot spulberă pereții geamurilor, carcasa cerebelului mi-a fost tulburată și mai mult de acestă cartea fără conținut pur și simplu, în afară de niște scene pornografice dintre protagonistă și cel cu care apucă, un bullshit categoric, cartea am avut impresia că e scrisă de un bărbat sau mai degrabă un adolescent tâmpit, am vrut să o termin doar pentru această anti-recenzie, penibil!
June 25, 2017
Judith Rashleigh, I met this lady last year when I read Maestra by L.S. Hilton. At that time, I wasn't that convinced with her, given her dangerous ways and murder trail that she left behind. Now this year, I met this woman under a different alias, Elisabeth Teerlinc in the book Domina. And I was simply mesmerized when I was finished with the book. The murder trails made more sense, her passion and dangerous ways were justified. All in all, Judith Rashleigh convinced me why she did what she did through this brilliant book, Domina!
Book Review: Maestra by L.S. Hilton
From the very first page, Domina impressed me. Generally, I have seen authors share a hint of what is about to come in the preface of a book. And L.S. Hilton did that too but in a very scary and chilly manner! When you open the book you see Judith aka Elisabeth, killing Alvin in a fashionably grotesque way, which is spine chilling yet admirable! She doesn't shy way from her reasons to kill, doesn't give any justification to her actions, and then sets off to finish what she started when she was Judith Rashleigh.
In Domina, Judith is now Elisabeth Teerlinc, who owns a gallery in Venice. But her past has a way of catching up with her, in the form of Russian Oligarch Yermolov, who wants his paintings to be valued by Elisabeth. But somehow, she has a hunch that she should decline the offer. She pays a visit to Yermolov to personally decline the offer. But little did she know her life will soon turn upside down, and the mask that has been saving her from prison will start falling down bit by bit.
They first attacked her mentally by moving things around her home and then killing her Russian tutor. Slowly and gradually, Elisabeth starts accepting the fact that her life may never be normal. She will always be on the run, hiding her identity and leaving a murder trail of people who try to take advantage of her situation.
After much running around and help from her painter friends, she grabs Yermolov and gets her revenge, but this time in a very different manner. Not by killing but by finding out the truth, which was again in a brilliant twist in the story!
One of the best things that I liked about Domina was that there was less sex and more Judith in the second novel which shows how even writers mature. You get a sneak peek into Judith's past, an alcoholic mother and string of guys who always used her for their benefit. And even when hurt or in heartbreak, she found solace. Domina introduced me to a Judith who doesn't want a regular life with kids and a husband, a job to survive and make ends meet. She wants her true self, The Domina.
In an overall brilliant novel, the only thing I think could've been done better by Hilton was the climax. But even with an okayish climax, I think Domina is a fantastic turnaround from Maestra! I absolutely loved it and make sure you don't miss out on this brilliant thriller!
Book Review: Maestra by L.S. Hilton
From the very first page, Domina impressed me. Generally, I have seen authors share a hint of what is about to come in the preface of a book. And L.S. Hilton did that too but in a very scary and chilly manner! When you open the book you see Judith aka Elisabeth, killing Alvin in a fashionably grotesque way, which is spine chilling yet admirable! She doesn't shy way from her reasons to kill, doesn't give any justification to her actions, and then sets off to finish what she started when she was Judith Rashleigh.
In Domina, Judith is now Elisabeth Teerlinc, who owns a gallery in Venice. But her past has a way of catching up with her, in the form of Russian Oligarch Yermolov, who wants his paintings to be valued by Elisabeth. But somehow, she has a hunch that she should decline the offer. She pays a visit to Yermolov to personally decline the offer. But little did she know her life will soon turn upside down, and the mask that has been saving her from prison will start falling down bit by bit.
They first attacked her mentally by moving things around her home and then killing her Russian tutor. Slowly and gradually, Elisabeth starts accepting the fact that her life may never be normal. She will always be on the run, hiding her identity and leaving a murder trail of people who try to take advantage of her situation.
After much running around and help from her painter friends, she grabs Yermolov and gets her revenge, but this time in a very different manner. Not by killing but by finding out the truth, which was again in a brilliant twist in the story!
One of the best things that I liked about Domina was that there was less sex and more Judith in the second novel which shows how even writers mature. You get a sneak peek into Judith's past, an alcoholic mother and string of guys who always used her for their benefit. And even when hurt or in heartbreak, she found solace. Domina introduced me to a Judith who doesn't want a regular life with kids and a husband, a job to survive and make ends meet. She wants her true self, The Domina.
In an overall brilliant novel, the only thing I think could've been done better by Hilton was the climax. But even with an okayish climax, I think Domina is a fantastic turnaround from Maestra! I absolutely loved it and make sure you don't miss out on this brilliant thriller!
May 4, 2018
2.5 actually
This is no longer an art thriller about a Liverpudlian girl wanting to wear Prada naturally.
Judith, aka Elizabeth, now has a small but mildly successful art gallery in Venice, a flat, a desk, and a Russian teacher, ex-opera singer. When she is invited to evaluate the private collection of Pavel Ermolov, formerly of Kislovodsk, now a world-notorious oligarch, she is both flattered and puzzled. It turns out that Ermolov's pet art expert, Dr Ivan Kazbich, is an an expert with yet another set of dangerous skill...
(thrilling music starts!)
Okay, so the art bits are still pretty cool and are written with authentic enthusiasm. The sex bits are obviously to please the Maestra reader and look like, oh, bugger, another 50 pages, and still no explicit sex scene, I gotta fix it! The murder parts are still gruesome but again, seem sort of forced into the story. Moreover, there's Dysfunctional Family stuff, where the author plays all sorts of Pressing Issues in Modern World cards. Not fair!
All in all, LS Hilton definitely can write a well-paced and witty crime story, what she needs is stop trying to check all the boxes.
Looking forward to n.3.
This is no longer an art thriller about a Liverpudlian girl wanting to wear Prada naturally.
Judith, aka Elizabeth, now has a small but mildly successful art gallery in Venice, a flat, a desk, and a Russian teacher, ex-opera singer. When she is invited to evaluate the private collection of Pavel Ermolov, formerly of Kislovodsk, now a world-notorious oligarch, she is both flattered and puzzled. It turns out that Ermolov's pet art expert, Dr Ivan Kazbich, is an an expert with yet another set of dangerous skill...
(thrilling music starts!)
Okay, so the art bits are still pretty cool and are written with authentic enthusiasm. The sex bits are obviously to please the Maestra reader and look like, oh, bugger, another 50 pages, and still no explicit sex scene, I gotta fix it! The murder parts are still gruesome but again, seem sort of forced into the story. Moreover, there's Dysfunctional Family stuff, where the author plays all sorts of Pressing Issues in Modern World cards. Not fair!
All in all, LS Hilton definitely can write a well-paced and witty crime story, what she needs is stop trying to check all the boxes.
Looking forward to n.3.
October 10, 2017
No creo que fuera necesario un segundo libro, mucho menos creo acertado que haya un tercero.
En lo que a mi respecta, Domina es más de lo mismo del libro anterior, asesinato-sexo-asesinato-sexo, ese es el ciclo de ambas tramas, tanto así, que resulta predecible, monótono.
Todo es tan incongruente, desde el hecho de que una asesina inexperta sea capaz de viajar casi por todo el mundo y que pueda librarse de que la atrapen, hasta el punto de que en esta segunda entrega se meta con mafiosos y asesinos temibles (con infinitos recursos a su disposición) pero que ella sea más inteligente que ellos y termine teniendo sexo en vez de asesinada.
En lo que a mi respecta, Domina es más de lo mismo del libro anterior, asesinato-sexo-asesinato-sexo, ese es el ciclo de ambas tramas, tanto así, que resulta predecible, monótono.
Todo es tan incongruente, desde el hecho de que una asesina inexperta sea capaz de viajar casi por todo el mundo y que pueda librarse de que la atrapen, hasta el punto de que en esta segunda entrega se meta con mafiosos y asesinos temibles (con infinitos recursos a su disposición) pero que ella sea más inteligente que ellos y termine teniendo sexo en vez de asesinada.
August 22, 2017
Maestra was full-on raunchy and quite ridiculous but highly enjoyable. I thought I'd give Domina, the sequel, a try, just for entertainment value. I was disappointed though. There was far too much recapping of the first book and some parts just felt like they were copied and pasted from an art history book. It was also overly complicated; too many characters with such similar-sounding names that it was hard to keep track of who was who.
The only parts I really found interesting were those detailing Judith's back story and her terrible childhood of neglect by an alcoholic mother. These went a long way in explaining why Judith turned out the way she did.
The only parts I really found interesting were those detailing Judith's back story and her terrible childhood of neglect by an alcoholic mother. These went a long way in explaining why Judith turned out the way she did.
March 28, 2017
DNF. just awful
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