The Apothecary Rose: An Owen Archer Mystery (St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Candace Robb (Author)

Book Description

Series: St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries | Publication Date: September 15, 1994

Once the king's captain of archers, now he must penetrate a poisoner's secrets...

Christmastide, 1363-and, at an abbey in York, two pilgrims die mysteriously dead of an herbal remedy. Suspicious, the Archbishop sends for Owen Archer, a Welshman with the charm of the devil, who's lost one eye to the wars in France and must make a new career as an honest spy.

Masquerading as an apprentice to Apothecary Nicholas Wilton, whose shop dispensed the fatal potion, Owen's dark curls, leather eyepatch and gold earring intrigue Wilton's wife. But is this lovely woman a murderess? and what links the Wiltons to bumbling Brother Wulfstan, ascetic Archdeacon Anselm and his weaselly agent Potter Digby, and the ragged midwife Magda the Riverwoman? Answers as slippery as the frozen cobblestones draw Owen into a dangerous drama of old scandals and tragedies, obsession and unholy love...

The Apothecary Rose marks the arrival of a bold and quick-witted detective in this expertly detailed, engrossing tale of medieval life-and death.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Authentic characters, and a credible plot...Essential for historical fans." --Library Journal

"A wonderful new voice...Suspenseful, historically accurate...with a wonderful cast of characters." --Charles de Lint, author of Dreams under Foot

About the Author

Candace M. Robb, author of The Apothecary rose, The Lady Chapel, The Nun's Tale, The King's Bishop, and The Riddle of St. Leonard's, lives with her family in Seattle, Washington, and makes frequent trips to England to research her novels. She writes full-time.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 319 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (September 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312953607
• ISBN-13: 978-0312953607
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good read...., November 19, 2000

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Apothecary Rose: An Owen Archer Mystery (St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Those fascinated with herbal remedies, Medieval times, and quick mystery reads (at the airport, on the plane) will probably enjoy this little book. Candace Robb's series (APOTHECARY ROSE is the first installment) features the exploits of Owen Archer spy-sleuth, and is comparable to Ellis Peters Cadfael series as both heros are Welsh, and ex-warriors with knowledge of herbal healing. Both series take place in the Middle Ages, though Cadfael lived in the mid 1100s and Archer in the mid 1300s.

Peters plot development is much stronger. Her books could be read out of order as the plots stand on their own, but the reader will miss a few insights and not "get" some insider information if s/he reads them out of order. Peters writing is more deft. Her mystery books always have three plots going on at one time--a main plot and two subplots. Robb has one plot with a few twists, but she spends much more time in the first novel building up her characters--which I think pays off somewhat in later books in the series. However, I made the mistake of reading another book in the series first and it spoiled some of the plot in APOTHECARY ROSE so I recommend you read this one first.

Peters had an advantage as she was actually Welsh and understood the importance of being Welsh which she cleverly worked into every one of her stories. She was also an expert on the history of the time frame she used for Cadfael (wrote history under the name Edith Pargeter) while Robb apparently did most of her historical research for this book.

Robb is a novelist and her character development is quite good. However, the book is too short for it's complicated characters. APOTHECARY ROSE should have been 500 pages long so Robb had time to fully develop the storyline and characters.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful!, July 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Apothecary Rose: An Owen Archer Mystery (St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

This inaugural text in the Owen Archer Mystery series is a masterpiece. Robb may well overtake Ellis Peters as queen of the Historical Mystery. The characters are not only mediaevally and ecclesially credible, but palpable. Anyone with a taste for mystery shouded in history should -- nay, must -- read this book!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robb has the right recipe for a great book., October 18, 1998

By 

A reader (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Apothecary Rose: An Owen Archer Mystery (St. Martin's Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Take a great helping of a one-eyed rogue, mixed with equal parts of a mysterious woman and a shifty archdeacon, a dash of courtly intrigue, and a pinch of romance. Knead with interwoven plots and mysteries. Garnish with exquisit historical detail.

Candace Robb's obsession with medieval England shows through with great clarity. Everything is described with such detail that it's entirely possible to lose oneself in the story. The story is enticing, as well as the characters. A multitude of characters captivate the imagination. Each has believable traits, as well as flaws: Owen's self-doubts, Lucie's stubbornness, Anselm's obsession.

Candace is a wonderful author, and I recommmend all of her other Owen Archer novels, now that she has whet your appetite!