Customer Reviews

The Crediton Killings (Knights Templar Mysteries (Avon))

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

 

 

I first became acquainted with the novels of Michael Jecks a bit more than a year ago, when an unknown-to-me resident of my community gave a book to our library that she had bought in England, read on the plane coming home and decided to let others share her enjoyment. That book was 'Squire Throwleigh's Heir'. What a treat! And what a good idea, too, as the library is now ordering the books directly, instead of relying on gifts.

Even though I've now read two of the books out of sequence, I don't think that's a problem, although certainly I'll have to read more to find out how Simon and Baldwin got together in the first place. Michael Jecks is one terrific storyteller, in my opinion. He makes the characters as well as the time in which they live come alive, in ways that other novels seem to miss. And, from reading reviews of some of his other books here, perhaps sometimes his research is not 100% accurate, I really don't know, not having lived during the time being written about. I do know, however, that if I really wanted to learn more history, I wouldn't choose fiction as the means of doing so.

I've read enough of the medieval period, however, to believe that Mr. Jecks has done more than a little homework. I believe his version of the 1300s is more realistic--noisier, dirtier and less nice than that of many another author. On the other hand, his way with dialogue is masterful, and he chooses to forward his story by using that device more often than not.

In this episode, a troup of mercenaries--hard, coarsened men of war--stop to rest in the small town of Crediton, not far from Exeter, and before anyone has time to do much more than blink, two women of the town are found dead. A robbery occurs, and as it happens, the Keeper of the King's Peace, Baldwin Furnshill along with his friend, Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford Castle are visiting the local priest to celebrate a visit by the bishop.

Simon and his wife Marguerite have recently lost their toddler son to a childhood illness and have not yet been able to reconcile this loss to or with each other. This leaves Simon to spend perhaps more time than usual with Baldwin and his investigations. Initially, it certainly does appear that the culprit is a young recruit named Cole, but if he really did steal the plate from the mercenary captain, Sir Hector, what did he do with it all before he got conked on the head?

Baldwin methodically and carefully investigates all the possibilities before yet another body is discovered. With none of the modern detection methods available, Baldwin and Simon use their wits and various skills to eliminate the impossibilities and find the improbable culprit. A very satisfying and enjoyable book!

This is the fourth book in Michael Jeck's entertaining Knights Templar Mysteries. The main characters Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and his friend the Bailiff Simon Puttock are starting to feel like old friends to the reader. Combine this with the beautiful background of west country Devon and it would seem that Mr. Jeck's has hit on a winning formula.

Medieval novels are becoming increasingly popular with the reading public and there are a number of well written books by authors such as Paul Doherty, Bernard Knight, Susanna Gregory, to name but a few. Michael Jecks has a way to go in numbers of books written before he catches up with these stalwarts, but his content is good and his writing style makes for easy reading.

14th century Devon and a gang of mercenaries are becoming a nuisance to the local villages. Mercenaries are a common enough site in these troublesome times but this group are particularly troublesome, showing no respect for anyone and seducing what local girls they can get hold of. Then one of the young girls is found murdered and hidden in a chest. Is the killer one of the mercenaries, or is it one of the locals? Sir Baldwin needs to find out as quickly as possible before another murder is committed.

The arrival of an unsavory band of mercenaries in 14th century Crediton is just the start of some nasty doings involving the popular detective team of Simon Puttock and Baldwin Furnshill. As if the unruly mercenaries aren't enough trouble, the bodies of murdered women start turning up all over the Devonshire town. Despite having several suspects including the leader of the mercenaries, Sir Hector de Gorsone, Furnshill and Puttock are hardpressed to uncover the truth.

I enjoyed this book for several reasons. As with others in the series, Jecks does a marvelous job of recreating life in a 14th century English town. Secondly, though the book is obviously concerned with murder most foul, I enjoyed another visit with Furnshill, Puttock & Co. In each book of the series I've read, they've come across as real people, human beings with problems, hopes, dreams, etc. Even Sir Hector, a cad and a bounder of the first order, is revealed to be a frail human being.

As fas as the unraveling of the murders go, the plot is serviceable enough. Furnshill and Puttock doggedly follow the clues and try and make sense of everything but I wanted to say, "guys, think outside the box!" I thought the killer was spookily done, a very nasty piece of work that one. And I enjoyed the "just desserts" ending but you'll have to read the book to find that out.

In any case, this is an enjoyable tale of a fascinating time and place populated by memorable characters.

Jecks is certainly prolific and has many books to his credit now but when the word jail slips in instead of gaol, I begin to wonder how well researched these novels are. Well we start going down a convoluted plot and when it seems likely that one will never guess from clues whom we have as the culprit, process of elimination of characters that we have met leaves the solution very evident too early. Once you figure out the whodunit, because there are not enough red herrings for a reader, though certainly for our heroes, waiting for those heros to catch up is quite painful. Cadfael, where are you?

Ex-Knight Templar Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, and his wife Margaret, have come to Crediton for the arrival of the Bishop of Exeter. Simon and his wife are grieving the recent death of their 18-month old son. Other travelers have come to Crediton; a rough band of mercenary soldiers. The leader of the band beds one of the inn's serving girls. A couple day's later, the leader's treasure of silver has been stolen and the girl is found murdered in one of the leader's trunks.

I so enjoy this series. Jecks makes the period come to life through the people, customs and setting. His characters have worries, problems and relationships with which the reader can identify. The relationship between Baldwin and Simon, as well as Simon and his wife add a real richness and humanity to the story. Jecks offsets those aspects with the characteristics in other characters of power, greed and selfishness. Add to this, a good mystery, several plot lines that are interesting but never become overwhelming or convoluted, some good suspense and one ends up with a very enjoyable read in a well-done series.

I've never cared for mysteries-but when I noticed this book at the bookstore, I just had to pick it up.

I am extremely glad that I did! Michael's writing is so good, that not only did I read the entire book that evening, I went out the following day to buy more of his books.

Michael works in many intricate subplots that add to the overall reading experience. I did not find it hard to follow the story; I found it very intriguing. Michael also manages to incorporate historical details of everyday life in the Middle Ages that I find absolutely fascinating. For example, I didn't realize that people of the middle ages were held responsible for the acts of others if someone in their village broke the peace. And peasants not being permitted to grind their own grain? Never realized it.

Reading the poor review of this book leads me to say it is not a book like a Hardy Boys Mystery, so if you are looking for that generic format, this book is not for you. I don't feel that the author has overworn the story line of the two men. I'm eagerly awaiting his next book, as I have read all of his writings that my local library and bookstore have to offer.

Personally, i felt very disappointed by The Crediton Killings. While I felt that with the last book, A Moorland Haning (which was excellent) the series had really hit it's stride, this book has stalled it bigtime. There's something so uninspiring about it all, this time around. The character's aren't all that interesting, the plot isn't that interesting (i found it very hard to really mind whether the crime was solved or not, or who did it), and neither is the setting. (This last point is particularly interesting, because i myself live not 30 miles from where all Jecks's books are set)

The writing isn't exactly inspiring, and doesn't power your reading on. And I found the way that Jecks comes at his plot very annoying...he spends so much time leading the reader down the garden path (for almost 300 pages, he concentrates on one particular plotline), convincing them of the verity of one apparent solution, that I became sure that that solution must surely be correct. So, any other solution then proposed completely fails to feel "right". It's almost as if a huge chunk of the book is just one big red-herring, leading practically nowhere, so that when the true solution is revealed, it's rather unsatisfying, of the "well, why on earth did I spend so long reading all that other nonsense?" kind.

Near the end, I mostly skimmed to get the main plot-points, and couldn't wait for it to be over so that I could start something I knew i'd enjoy more. The only redeeming features of this dull run-of-the-mill mystery were some rather nice developments with a couple of the main characters, and Jecks's good grasp of history and of the atmosphere of the time he is writing about, which he captures in all it's finery.