Customer Reviews

The Angel of Death

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This is the fourth book in the series of medieval mysteries featuring Sir Hugh Corbett. Obviously this is one of Paul Doherty's earlier offerings and he has since written many more books and is now an established author of medieval novels and has also added a number of novels on Egypt to his ever growing list of titles. Having said that it is one of his earlier offerings does not mean that it is inferior to his current books, quite the opposite. The Hugh Corbett mysteries were and are extremely popular and Paul Doherty is still adding to them.

Sir Hugh Corbett has risen rapidly in status and is now chief clerk to the King, Edward I. Hugh has the ear of the King and Edward has come to rely on Corbett when there is anything of a delicate nature that needs solving. Such a case has just occurred. It is January, 1299 and at High mass with the King and other English nobles, Walter de Montfort, the dean of St. Paul's has dropped dead, poisoned.

Sir Hugh is commissioned to solve the crime and with the aid of his servant Ranulf, Corbett discovers that the victim was not the man his religious trappings would suggest. Far from it, the Dean owned a brothel and was also a fence for a gang of outlaws. However the clerk comes to suspect that despite the Dean's criminal background, he was not the intended victim. Can Corbett find the key to unlock the mystery before he himself becomes a victim.

Charecters clearly defined and well thought out and all based on historical events a very nice touch. For some strange reason it reminded by of that old Sean Connery movie "In the Name of the Rose". This is the first time I tried this series. I intend to look for more.

Overall-Highly recommended

This is the fourth in the Hugh Corbett series set in England during the year 1299. The book is totally based on true fact - the massacre that Edward I and his army did in Berwick in Scotland, and the poisoning of a Church official right during a mass. Edward I isn't sure whether the poison was meant for him or not, so he asks his Master Clerk, Hugh Corbett to investigate. As usual Hugh jumps to help his King, but he places himself in danger investigating this crime. More than the previous books in the series, this book is more a pure mystery. It's a tough one to figure out too. This is a very enjoyable series. I like the fact that each book is based on a true historical happening.

This story is based on facts. At a disastrous assembly in the Cathedral at St. Paul's, Edward I of England attempted to play politics vindicating his royal rights. It was planned that Walter de Montfort, representing the Church would argue against the King's right to tax the Church, but he wound up murdered before his chance came. It became a day of mourning in January, 1299 for the Dean of St. Paul's, who'd been denied the opportunity to fulfill his destiny. The King was fickle but stupid enough to bribe a mad, evil priest to perform this deadly crime.

The scandal had to be swept under the rug, as the blasphemy and sacrilege would weaken King Ed in the eyes of Western Christendom, not just in England. Hugh Corbett was assigned the task of solving the mystery and finding the assassin. When he was certain who the perpetrator was, he ended up in a hospital unconscious for eight days, after being stabbed in the shoulder. His servant, Ranulf, killed the offender for his master. His love, Maeve arrived from Wales ("the only person he'd ever loved -- with all his heart and soul) to marry him, at last. Things sometimes work out for the best; had he not been injured she would not have been there. Spring had come at last and there was something to look forward to and to live for.

The King waged war in Flanders; in Scotland, after burning the Red House of the Flemings, proved to be a point of no return. After the resolution of Montford's murder, the Church reached a compromise concerning taxes with the King. The angel of death appears in the most unlikely places. A heart can be broken, but the soul keep on spinning just the same. Now, there are mega churches, more intertainment complexes than places to worship. I attended one in Concord at which a bigoted, old preacher hold forth. Modern technology turns the sanctuary into a big show with huge screens to watch and guards with guns roaming the building and parking lot during the service. In a way it was scary, but the fun was not having to participate. It sometimes was like watching a circus. In medieval times, the church proceedings were indeed somewhat like such an affair as this.

all books I have ordered from Amazon; have come as stated and quickly. Have had no problems.