The King's Bishop (Reed Audio) [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Candace Robb (Author), Paul McGann (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1996 | Series: Reed Audio

Owen Archer finds himself heading a deputation from York to Fountains Abbey to lobby the powerful Benedictine abbots. Owen's old comrade Ned also arrives, under suspicion of murder following the mysterious death of a page. Owen puts his trust in his friend, until two more people disappear.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Robb continues to adeptly blend politics with period detail and three-dimensioned characterization in the Owen Archer tales." --Publishers Weekly

"A superb medieval mystery thoroughly grounded in historical fact." --Booklist

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Candace M. Robb, author of The Apothecary Rose, The Lady Chapel, The Nun's Tale, The King's Bishop, and A Gift of Sanctuary, lives with her family in Seattle, Washington, and makes frequent trips to England to research her novels. She teaches a mystery writing class at the University of Washington.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audiobooks; Abridged edition (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860219969
• ISBN-13: 978-1860219962
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars King's Bishop Pawns His Knights!, August 1, 2000

By 

Billy J. Hobbs "Bill Hobbs" (Tyler, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The King's Bishop: An Owen Archer Mystery (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Paperback)

Three times previously, Owen Archer has come to the aid--even rescue--of King Edward IV as well as the Archbishop of York and in this fourth adventure, Candace Robb has woven another medieval murder mystery spell that will absorb you until the very end!

In "The King's Bishop," Owen, the former soldier and now one-eyed spy for Archbishop Robert Thoresby of York, finds himself embroiled in one of history's more in- triguing plots. King Edward wants to nominate a favorite as a bishop, from when he could then be in line to be named chancellor of England. But Pope Urban sees it differently, and thus the power struggle begins. This story is one of intricately-patterned designs, based upon historical fact. Author Robb, however, tosses in the fictional interests and we are off and running.

A young page is found dead at Windsor and Ned Townley, one of Archer's friends, is accused of murder. Alas, the king's mistress Alice Perrers provides him with an alibi, but the suspicion, of course, remains. Ned is assigned to accompany the king's delegation heading north of confer with a local Cistercian abbey to enlist their support of his bishop's nomination. This removes Ned from the scene, but not without complications. Shortly after he leaves, his betrothed (and lady in waiting to Mistress Perrers) is found drowned in the Thames. And as Ned and his group near the abbey, a priest is murdered. Ned is in big trouble. In addition, a priest is also found murdered. All three deaths are, of course, inter-connected.

Having a friend like Owen Archer counts for something and during the course of this work, Archer is determined to exonerate his friend, even though much evidence implicates Ned. Archer is married to Lucy Wilton, noted York apothicary, and Robb uses this scenario well to her advantage. Lucy is level-headed, calm, logical--in short, the very counter ego of Archer. It is their relationship that provides much of the human

interest in this series, as well. Robb draws heavily on historical perspective, yet has an eye on what should have been in terms of the place of women in medieval society. There is a lesson here.

The novel moves well and readers who appreciate historical ventures will find this one to their tastes. Robb's works show much research (she provides annotation at the end of the book) and she concentrates more on the personalities of her characters that attempting to condemn or condone what historically was. She also does a good job of capturing the Yorkshire countryside, its manners and atmosphere.

Other good news is that Robb continues her series--there is a fifth Owen Archer! It is easy to compare her to other medieval fiction writers, but she, indeed, has a flair of her own. Her works are well worth what effort it may take!

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very impressive, May 6, 2003

By 

Atheen M. Wilson "Atheen" (Mpls, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The King's Bishop: An Owen Archer Mystery (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Paperback)

I started reading Candace Robb's Owen Archer series at the suggestion of one of my patients, beginning with her favorite The Cross Legged Knight. I was immediately entranced. The King's Bishop was my second visit to 14th Century York and the home of Lucie Wilton and Owen Archer. I was not disappointed.

Ms Robb is an historian just shy of her PhD and specializes in Medieval History. She is also a consummate storyteller. Her characters are multidimensional; their actions are plausible; and their setting is believable. As a mystery writer, she excels in complex motives. In the Cross Legged Knight, she was able to pull a Collin Dexter out of the hat by producing two possible endings. In The King's Bishop she is able to recreate the ambiance of court intrigue and the murders that arise when ambition is the ultimate measure of an individual and where everything rests on the success of plot and counter plot.

One of the things that took me a while to get used to was the ending to these tales. Not everything comes out happily ever after. The sleuth is not always able to denounce the villain at the end as one is accustomed to reading in stories of this sort. What the ending is, however, is very realistic. Even in modern times, the guilty are not always punished according to the dictates one would expect of "justice;" even justice itself is designed to support the class structure. It is precisely for this reason that we usually enjoy murder mysteries: the guilty are brought to justice, their crimes are made manifest to society, and they are punished accordingly. In Owen Archer mysteries, the guilty sometimes get away with their miserable acts just as they do in our own times.

The stories are wonderfully detailed with respect to historical accuracy, yet they do not overwhelm the reader. Ms Robb is not a pedant. She seeks to create a venue for the actions of her characters without making the reader feel as though there is a test at the end of the story! Most of the unfamiliar terms are understandable from context, although she does supply a glossary for those of us who like to have more information. She also includes a small bibliography and a short history of the period and the characters. And yes, many of the characters were real people from history. These short texts are generally at the end of the book so one needn't feel obligated to read them, but I've taken to reading them first. I enjoy a little background material before I get into the meat of the work.

Very impressive. I would recommend the book to anyone from advanced junior high to adult readers.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo! Another winner in the Owen Archer series!, January 4, 2003

By A Customer

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This review is from: The King's Bishop: An Owen Archer Mystery (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Paperback)

The fourth book in the series does not disappoint. It has an intriguing story line with one of Owen's friends falling and love, and murder ensuing...
My favorite is still no. 2, The Lady Chapel, with Nun's Tale and this one right close behind.
I cannot say enough about how well the author Candace Robb writes these characters. I am not only interested in the plot and mystery of each book, but also the continuation of the lives of Owen, Lucia, Thoresby, Sir Robert, Jasper, Brother Michaelo, Riverwoman, the kids and even Lucie's Aunt.
I am now reading A Gift of Sanctuary, having just finished the Riddle of St. Leonards. These books are delicious reads truly.