Lake of Flowers by N.L. Holmes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lake of Flowers is the fifth book in N.L. Holmes’ Lord Hani Mysteries series. By this point, the characters really feel like old friends and it’s so wonderful to catch up with them and hear how they’re coping in a turbulent world.
I adore Holmes’ writing for how vividly she depicts ancient worlds. Her work is heavily influenced by archaeology and research so while it’s fiction the story follows the course of real historical events. What really makes it special for me, though, is the small details. What characters eat and wear, their physical characteristics, how they travel, that sort of thing. The multisensory depiction immerses the reader in the world, and familiar elements (beer, honey, even garlic which really surprised me and I had to look that one up to see if they really would have eaten it!) brought me closer to the past.
Lake of Flowers begins with a tragic death that threatens to destabilise the kingdom’s political structure. Hani and his family and associates are all invested in the outcome of the inevitable unrest, and the mystery that deepens as the story progresses. Young Neferet plays a prominent role, with her position as a royal physician entangling her in the events of the book. She’s a fantastic character – funny, clever and independent.
I would recommend reading this series from the beginning (Bird in a Snare) to get to know the characters and the setting. There are lots of names to remember but Holmes does a good job of reminding readers in text as well as including a character list to refer to.
For me, this is a five-star read. I’d recommend it to fans of history and mystery! The series might also appeal to fans of high fantasy – although itself not fantasy, the setting and stories do at times remind me of fantasy books I’ve enjoyed with worlds based on history.

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