Customer Reviews

Murder on the Canterbury Pilgrimage: A Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mystery (Geoffrey Chaucer Murder Mysteries)

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

 

 

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.

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!

"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!

Ms. Devlin gives us a wonderful little mystery that includes a bit of everything - multiple murders, political intrigue, astrology, religious conflicts, power struggles and petty jealousies, love triangles, interesting characters, and a very satisfying solution, all set in a historical period that comes alive under Ms. Devlin's guidance, not in a didactic way, but smoothly as a gentle undercurrent to the mystery's progress. If historical mysteries, such as Brother Cadfael, appeal to you, then you simply must give Mary Devlin a try. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised.

I'm a great fan of medieval mysteries. However, some of them seem to be nothing more than pale carbon copies of Ellis Peters or Sharan Newman. This one definitely doesn't fall into that category. The idea of poet Geoffrey Chaucer as a detective is absolutely delicious, and the characters, some of whom are taken from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and some which aren't, are either intriguingly puzzling or the kind you'd want to have for your best friend. The plot is full of twists and turns, and definitely gives a new twist on the Canterbury Tales.

Incidentally, I'm also an English teacher. In the fall, I plan to assign this book to my students. It'll probably help them to appreciate Chaucer that much more!

When Agatha and Robert Willard realise that the group of pilgrims that they are journeying with to Canterbury include some really odd and memorable characters, they immediately send word to their good friend, Geoffrey Chaucer, urging him to join their group, and promising him an interesting time. Feeling the need for a change of pace, Chaucer readily joins his friends, and soon finds that this pilgrimage really will prove to be something quite different. To begin with, one of the pilgrims seems to be rather odd kind of thief, stealing little objects, and only those made of silver. And then there are the pilgrims themselves, who range from the very chivalrous and proper knight, Sir Richard de Bourgoyne, and his son (who also functions as his squire), Simon, to the very beautiful and flirtatious gypsy, Sophia. Simon, to his father's dismay and disapproval, is completely in Sophia's thrall, and while Sophia seems to favour Simon, she cannot help but flirt with every male in the group either.

The pilgrims decide to spend the days and nights of their journey telling stories. But the camaraderie between the pilgrims is not all that it should be. Beneath all the joviality and good will, lies earnest dislikes and tensions. And one night the summoner berates the friar for his unashamed pursuit of 'the heathen witch' Sophia. Angry, Sophia reveals that the summoner knows who the thief really is. Soon after that Sophia is found stabbed to death in the ladies' common room, with one of Chaucer's tarot cards placed on her body.

Everyone is stunned and flabbergasted. How did the murderer enter the room and kill Sophia without awakening anyone else? And how did the killer get his/her hands on Chaucer's tarot cards? Because the murder has taken place in a small and insular village, Chaucer and his friends fear that he will be made the convenient scapegoat for Sophia's murder. Chaucer will have to work swiftly if he is unmask the real murderer before he is hanged for a crime he definitely did not commit.

"Murder On the Canterbury Pilgrimage" is an interesting and intriguing read -- the murder-mystery plot was well thought out and executed, and Mary Devlin's ability to blend in historical fact and political intrigue -- John of Gaunt's attempts to win the Castilian throne and the Lollard movement -- into the plot spoke volumes of her ability to spin a good yarn. I especially liked that she incorporated Chaucer's interest in astrology into this novel -- she actually has Chaucer use an astral chart to try and come to grips with this murder-mystery. And if I could, I would award this mystery novel the 3 1/2 stars it richly deserves. For while the characters are all very well developed and depicted, and the mystery plot is a compelling one, the one thing not always there (for me anyway), was that air of taut suspense -- the atmosphere of tension, when you wondered if the killer would strike again, or if Chaucer would actually unmask the murderer in time, was not that well sustained. And while the sequence of events unfolded logically enough, the transition between chapters and events was sometimes choppy. And this, in my opinion prevented this otherwise excellent novel from being the truly brilliant read it could have been. All in all however, "Murder On the Canterbury Pilgrimage" is an enjoyable read, and I do hope that there are more Geoffrey Chaucer murder mysteries in the offing.

As a great fan of medieval mysteries, I was compelled to read this one by Amy Coffin's very favorable review on her website, The Book Haven. I found this book to be exciting, gripping, and fascinating in what it reveals about the history of the period which gave rise to Chaucer's CANTERBURY TALES.

The story is woven around a tangle of political intrigue, religious rivalry, and well-drawn, complex characters. Geoffrey Chaucer finds himself accused of a murder he didn't commit, and must call upon his friends in high places to give him a chance to discover the true killer.

If you enjoy the works of Michael Jecks, Kate Sedley and Candace Robb, give Mary Devlin a try. You'll be glad you did!

Sorry, but I was very disappointed. I read the glowing reviews, and as a medieval mystery addict and Chaucer fan, I was really looking forward to it. However, I found the level of writing to be mediocre. Having read the Canterbury Tales, I found the author's re-tellings very dull. Certainly not worth $[price].