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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fatal Pilgrimage To The Canterbury Cathedral,
By A Customer
This review is from: Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage: A Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mystery (Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mysteries) (Paperback)
Set in England during the late 1300s, "Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage" begins with a group destined for the Canterbury Cathedral, to pay homage to the Christian shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Among the group is Geoffrey Chaucer, a famous English poet and an employee of King Richard II. Although Geoffrey isn't a fictitious character, the mystery he sets out to uncover is. It was never proven he was a detective, but his interests in occult practices--such as astrology and Tarot card reading--certainly are relevant, proving to be just as useful as the clues he finds.The mystery begins when a young gypsy woman (Sophia) is found stabbed in the heart while asleep in her bed. The initial suspect is Jack the summoner, who vanishes shortly after Sophia's death. However, there are others who are just as liable to be the killer: Sir Richard de Burgoyne, who strongly discouraged his son Simon from associating with Sophia; the jealous friar Sophia had flirted with; even Geoffrey himself. After all, it was his Tarot card that was found next to Sophia's body. Out of desperation to clear his name, Geoffrey contacts a good friend of his: John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster. With his help--as well as that from a few other pilgrims--,they begin to unravel Sophia's mysterious past and her connection to the Church, discovering an evil brotherhood that will do anything to preserve the sanctity of the Roman Catholic Church. Even though I'm not familiar with the Middle Ages, I thoroughly enjoyed this timeless tale of corrupt clergy and the unconventional methods of profiling Sophia's killer. Not to missed if you like medieval mysteries.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A P.C. Doherty she's not!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage: A Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mystery (Hardcover)
This book is written in an irritating jump-around style, with pilgrim's tales roughly woven into the storyline in such a fashion that the reader is tempted to skip to the last pages to read the end. Also, Chaucer and some of the other characters spend so much time crying that the storyline becomes tedious. This author was clearly inspred by P.C. Doherty...and proves that inspiration alone isn't adequate!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captivating and intriguing,
By A Customer
This review is from: Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage: A Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mystery (Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mysteries) (Paperback)
"Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage" is a delightful addition to the growing canon of medieval mysteries. Ever since Umberto Eco wrote his brilliant "Name of the Rose", followed by Ellis Peters with her Brother Cadfael series, the idea of the medieval sleuth solving crimes in the face of superstition has become increasingly popular.Ms. Devlin gives a new twist to the genre in introducing none other than Geoffrey Chaucer as the the protagonist. And what a perfect choice he is! Writer, spy, astrologer, and keen observer of human nature, Chaucer is just the man to solve the mystery of who murdered the gypsy Sophia, en route to Canterbury. This book, in addition to giving us a wonderful mystery, also does a fine job of setting Chaucer in the context of his time, and making his world come alive. I've always felt that historical figures can be understood better if one has some insight into their culture, whether it be medieval, Roman, Victorian, etc. A book such as this is the perfect way to create a vivid picture of Chaucer's world, which the author has done very well. I would compare Devlin's novel favorably to the marvelous Nicholas Bracewell mysteries by Edward Marston, set in the London theater scene of the 1590s. Both make the past come alive with real people (even in fiction). A highly recommended read!
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