Customer Reviews

Chains of Folly: A Magdalene la Batarde Mystery

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The bit of a personal cliffhanger at the end of the third volume of the set, made the determination of her publisher not to pick up the fourth volume in this medieval mystery series particularly distressing. However, Five star stepped into the breach and has brought out Chains of Folly to my great relief.

Once again, Gellis takes the reader to the environs of the Old Priory Guesthouse, run by whoremistress Magdalene who finds herself juggling personal feelings, disturbing political events and her own complicated business as she tries to solve the mystery of the dead prostitute found seated at a table in the Bishop's private apartment.

Gellis' intimate knowledge of medieval life and events makes this a particularly engrossing story.

In medieval England, the Bishop of Winchester turns in for the night only to find the corpse of a woman dressed like a whore. He calls for his trusted aid, Sir Bellamy of Itchen, who finds the woman holds a letter from Robert of Gloucester, the enemy of the King, addressed to the Bishop. Bellamy and the Bishop conclude that someone is setting up the religious leader to discredit him on the eve of a religious concave that will probably scold the monarch for his actions against the Bishop of Salisbury.

Reluctantly Bellamy agrees to investigate who would commit homicide to deface the Bishop. He starts his inquiries visiting his estrange former lover Magdalene la Batarde, the whoremistress of the Old Priory Guesthouse as she knows all the girls and their customers. .Her information not given with any cooperation leaves an open field from the king to any one of several nobles coveting the bestowal of royal favorite status, but she and Bell investigate together.

Roberta Gellis, the grand dame of medieval thrillers, is at the top of her game with this terrific historical mystery that uses the homicide and the social pecking order to tell a vivid tale. The story line actually takes off rather quickly with Magdalene on the case from near the start and never takes a break until the climatic confrontation with the knife wielding killer. Fans will appreciate how the sleuthing team knows when to tiptoe with extreme caution and when to smash and crash as who is the recipient of the inquiries is more important than what one learns if the detectives want to keep their heads about them. CHAINS OF FOLLY is a fabulous medieval who-done-it.

Harriet Klausner

Following A Mortal Bane; A Personal Devil and Bone of Contention, Chains of Folly is the fourth volume in the Magdalene la Batarde series. Once again Roberta Gellis has written a very well thought out mystery. Her attention to detail and knowledge of the medieval period is superb and extensive. As usual she portrays very believable characters and a convoluted plot. Once began, I couldn't put it down till the last page.

Gellis' books in this historical series, of which this is the most recent, are all enjoyable reads. While one gets a bit tired of the female protagonist continually reminding everyone in sight that she is a prostitute/whore, nevertheless, the implications of Chains of Folly advance the story through the increasingly intricate machinations and intrigue going on around her to the questions posed in the first volume, and played with intermittently in the subquent ones: Can Madelaine continue to develop her menage of interesting people to provide a semi-respectable and secure place of resort? Or, will the secret in her past be discovered? What will then happen to her? Will her noble protector help or abandon her? What will her jealous, difficult lover do? Because of these questions, in one sense, this particular book in the series is a filler; in its own right, it is a fascinating account of the political and military situation in medieval England and how the leading characters in the story schemed and battled for position and security. Buy it, but look forward to the next volume also.

This is Roberta Gellis at her best. It has an intriguing plot with many surprises. The Magdalene La Batarde series are generally very good, but this is possibly the best yet. The historical setting is as enthralling as ever, and the fix the Bishop of Winchester finds himself in can only be solved by the genius of Magdalene and her women and her faithful Bell. If you like a very entertaining mystery this is great.

Another great book from Roberta Gellis in the Magdaline La Batarde series. She manages to keep you on the edge of your seat. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.

This is a mystery novel set in the Middle Ages, part of Roberta Gellis' series with Madeleine la Batarde and a worthy addition to the series. As a mystery it is enjoyable both in terms of the puzzle presented and in terms of solution without the scientific evidence we are accustomed to accepting. (No fingerprints, much less DNA) However, it is also well worth reading for the glimpse into life as it was lived in the Middle Ages, which can be surprisingly modern in some ways and just as surprisingly incomprehensible in others. Ms. Gellis has a truly fine grasp of what the dry history must have meant to the people who were living it and a talent for conveying the feel of it so that the reader feels he or she has had a chance to visit the era rather than be lecturec about it. For instance, she can convey both the insanitary conditions and the people's total acceptance of those conditions as "ordinary" life. That is a talent in the writing that is extremely enjoyable.

I just love Roberta Gellis. I find myself craving her books like I crave chocolate. I particularly love them in the audio version (on Audible.com), though unfortunately this particular book is not yet available in audio (sniff). She is working on a 5th novel and I hope it's published soon. I love that the books are about a strong, independent woman who is using the skills available to her and her proteges to keep body and soul together, with style and wit.

As one previous reviewer stated, the author, Roberta Gellis, refers to Magdalene as a whore about 5 times per page. It is also the never-ending obsession of the main male protagonist Sir Bellamy, which I guess is a reflection of the times of 12th century England. However, the whole whore issue gets old fast. Otherwise, it remains an interesting series of books. I have not completed the book yet, but am enjoying reading it. I am rather happy that I bought the book used and not new, as Roberta Gellis publishes on demand (POD) at the cost of over $80.00 per book! I say "Recycle, reuse and save a dime all at the same time!"

Certain that I will enjoy this book as much as the other Madalene La Batarde series once I check it out of the library. Advise anyone who wants to read it to check it out at their local library. $87.88 is outrageous and stupid. My recommendation, Amazon should reign in booksellers who are trying to artificially inflate prices. Sure they deserve a mark-up, but get real. I laughed when I saw these prices. May the booksellers have a well stocked and dusty shelf of nonsellers.