The Murders of Richard III [Mass Market Paperback]

Elizabeth Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1986

When attractive American Jacqueline Kirby is invited to an English country mansion for a weekend costume affair, she experts only one mystery. Since the hosts and guests are all fanatic devotees of King Richard III, they hope to clear his name of the 500-year old accusation that he killed the little princess in the Tower of London.

Jacqueline is amused at the group's eccentricities until history begins to repeat itself. A dangerous practical joker recreates famous fifteenth-century murder methods - beheading, poisoning, smothering, and even drowning in a butt of malmsey. As the jokes become more and more macabre, one at last proves fatal.

Jacqueline puts all her observations together for a dazzling solution that will surprise even the most attentive reader.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A mixture of American and British characters fill this living room style mystery in which a joker's increasingly dangerous pranks parallel the more interesting historical events of the era of Richard III and the two princes in the tower. Though Carmen Lynne Williamson's awkward rendering of the American accents detracts from the listener's ability to identify with the intelligent, independent character Jacqueline Kirby, one still enjoys Peters's (The Last Camel Died at Noon, Audio Reviews, LJ 5/15/92) easy humor. History buffs will enjoy the author's grasp of the details and suppositions of this medieval period.?Danielle D'Ottavio Harned, San Francisco
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

Highly entertaining. --New York Times

History buffs will enjoy the author's grasp of the details and suppositions of this medieval period. --Library Journal --This text refers to the CD-ROM edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Mysterious Press (April 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0445402296
• ISBN-13: 978-0445402294
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,480,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ELIZABETH PETERS, whose New York Times best-selling novels are often set against historical backdrops, earned a Ph.D. in Egyptology at the University of Chicago. She also writes best-selling books under the pseudonym Barbara Michaels. She lives in Frederick, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars House party mystery farce, September 5, 2001

By 

Carol Peterson Hennekens (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Murders of Richard III (Mass Market Paperback)

The house party mystery is a classic format. Here, Peters takes the format and applies a liberal dose of history as the guests are a group dedicated to clearing the name of Richard III. (Richard is the king whose image is that of the one who killed his nephews.) And while this book is hardly a technical treatise on Richard's innocence, it is an entertaining pitch for that argument. (Josephine Tey's "The Daughter of Time" is a more convincing fictional argument - also a great read.)

As the guests wander around in costume and are generally being eccentric, accidents start to happen. Most assume it is just a "joker" trying to disrupt the meeting but Jacqueline Kirby is suspicious. It's a fun, light entertainment as she considers each of the guests as potential suspects -- and then saves the day.

Bottom-line: This is the second in Peter's Kirby series. Reading of the first book isn't necessary. This book is a good (not great) read for fans of English history who can appreciate a cast of overblown characters. Amelia Peabody fans may find the book too different for their tastes.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beware of eccentric recreationists running around in velvet, May 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Murders of Richard III (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this a while ago, but it remains one of my favourite Jacqueline Kirby mysteries. She is involved with a group of Ricardians, eccentrics who are determined to prove the 'innocence' of Richard III, and who happily involve themselves in re-creation activities. Knowing some medieval re-creationists myself, she has the bizarre mix of dedication, surrealism and fanaticism you find associated with these groups down perfectly.

The mystery is witty and all that you would expect from a Jacqueline Kirby mystery. The only reason I didn't give it 10 is that I think The Seventh Sinner is even better. I would also recommend the Vicky Bliss and Amelia Peabody stories for those who like their mysteries with unusual flavours.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Ricardian Romp!, July 19, 2001

By 

Sharon E. Cathcart "Why, yes, I am an author" (San Jose, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Murders of Richard III (Mass Market Paperback)

As a dedicated Yorkist and a member of the Richard III Society, I am constantly reading any work I can find about the Duke of Gloucester. This book is a murder mystery that takes place at a weekend gathering of Ricardians in England. Accidents begin to happen that echo Shakespeare's telling of Richard's alleged murders. Each of the Ricardians in the novel plays a role from the Yorkist period ... one accident has the fellow playing George, Duke of Clarence, bound and stuffed into a barrel (to echo the alleged drowning of the unfortunate Duke in a butt of malmsey). The reading is light and entertaining, and replete with well researched historical information. It's on my Listmania "Ricardian Reader's Library" as a result.