Customer Reviews

Tinner's Corpse

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Fifth in the Crowner John de Wolfe series, this book details life in 1194 A.D., including, as always, a glossary at the beginning. In addition to reality of sights, sounds and smells, the author ensures the reader's sympathy with the all too human Crowner, despite his moral failings, as he pursues justice. Enjoy a fascinating mystery as you increase your knowledge of medieval times.

This author not only provides a well written mystery, but I think that they are a great lead into the 13th Michael Jecks Templar Mystery Series. They are soundly based in the historical periods so one gets a social history of England at the same time.

Bernard Knight, or to give him his correct title, Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, was a pathologist to the Home office until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Wales College of medicine, 1980. He has written the extremely successful Crowner John series of medieval mysteries, of which there are now ten or eleven books, His character Crowner John is certainly among my favourite characters in medieval mysteries.

Sir John de Wolfe, better known to both his friends and enemies as Crowner John, a name that refers to his post as county coroner of Devon, find himself out on the bleak moors investigating the murder of a tin miner. The moor is a cold and forbidding place, but anything that takes him away from his shrewish wife and her mood swings and constant nagging is a bonus in John's book. The victim worked for one of the most successful mine owner's in the area, Walter Knapman.

The tin miners have their own laws and rough justice and are none too please at the Crowner's interference and then Knapman disappears. Sir John realises that he will get little if any help from the miners. The only assistance he can rely upon is from Gwyn, his right hand man, but when he too gets arrested for murder and put on trial, Sir John's task becomes ever more difficult . . .

Well, perhaps if I had read any other in the Crowner series, I might have previously developed some kind of empathy for the boorish, self-centered primary character. However, I believe a good book should be able to stand on its own, which this absolutely did not.

After mulling through this entire story **SPOILER** the solution of the first (title) murder is casually tossed to the readers, with scant character development of the murderer or his motivation. And as for the more "primary" murder: you NEVER find out Who Dun It or Why!!!! Which might have been alright if there were any entertainment or educational value as it went along, but alas, there was not.

Next time I hear that inner voice saying "shut this book," I'll listen!