Customer Reviews

The Magician's Death: A Hugh Corbett Medieval Mystery

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When King Edward I of England wants the French copy of a rare book written by Francis Bacon, his spies steal it. But, when the French king then arranges for French and English scholars to get together and compare notes on decrypting the strange book, they quickly decide that he is up to something. Three mysteries haunt this meeting - 1) exactly what key did Francis Bacon use for encrypting his last and greatest work, 2) what is the King of France up to, and 3) who is murdering young girls within the castle selected for the meeting? It's up to Hugh Corbett, the English King's Keeper of the Secret Seal, to unravel all three of the mysteries, and keep himself alive while doing it!

Overall, I found this to be a pretty interesting book. It is a nice combination of historical fiction, spy-thriller, and murder mystery. The intertwining of the three mysteries keeps you guessing as to what they have to do with each other, if anything. It's a good book, and I do recommend it.

In 1303 French scholars arrives at Corfe Castle in Dorset to decipher the coded writings of Roger Bacon; his tome allegedly contains designs for weapons that would make France or whoever possesses the book the continent's superpower. The Keeper of the Secret Seal of King Edward I, Hugh Corbett has agents who successfully steal a copy of Bacon's book.

They struggle to bring their treasure to Corbett, but someone stalks them trying to kill all the thieves. At the same time, a crossbow killer has murdered women at the castle. Finally several of the scholars have met with lethal suspicions accidents. Corbett begins to see the interconnecting pattern, but ending the murder spree seems impossible as he is targeted for death too.

The latest Hugh Corbett Medieval Mystery (see CORPSE CANDLE and THE TREASON OF THE GHOSTS) is an excellent early fourteenth century whodunit as Corbett's investigations provide an engaging tale while also spotlighting life in the era. The cases are difficult to solve until the hero begins to see the merging of what he originally thought was separate serial killers at work; he remains resolute to solving both though he knows he is on the death list. As always Paul Doherty provides another winner in a strong saga.

Harriet Klausner