The Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar) [Paperback]

Michael Jecks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001 | Series: Knights Templar

In 1321, the King's favorite, Hugh Despenser, is using his position to steal land and wealth from the other lords. His rapacity has divided the nation, and civil war looms. In Tiverton, rape and murder have unsettled the town, which is preparing for the feast of St. Giles; Philip Dyne has confessed and claimed sanctuary in St. Peter's church. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Bailiff Simon Puttock, arrive at Lord Hugh de Courtenay's castle at Tiverton for the feast. When a messenger arrives calling for the coroner, Baldwin and Simon accompany him to view the body of Sir Gilbert of Carlisle, Despenser's ambassador to Lord Hugh. Not far off lies a second corpse—the decapitated figure of Dyne. When Baldwin and Simon are themselves viciously attacked, they know that a sinister force is at large, someone with a powerful motive to kill. But there are so many suspects.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this medieval romp, the ninth in the series (Belladonna at Belstone, etc.), Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, keeper of the king's peace in Crediton, and his old friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock, join the throngs gathering at Lord Hugh de Courtenay's castle in Tiverton to celebrate the midsummer feast of St. Giles. Trouble is afoot. Hugh Despenser, King Edward II's corrupt favorite, is attracting nobles to his ignoble cause and threatening civil war. Someone murders Sir Gilbert de Carlisle, Despenser's ambassador to Lord Hugh, while he's carrying a chest of gold to the king. The head and body of outlaw Philip Dyne are found nearby. Harlewin le Poter, coroner of Tiverton, announces that Dyne killed Sir Gilbert; two upright citizens then beheaded Dyne as he was trying to escape. Meanwhile, St. Giles Fair is in full swing. Its festivities provide a delightful picture of everyday life in the Middle Ages. Everything, from dress to living accommodations to common speech (especially the curses), rings true. This is a crowded tapestry of a book, peopled with well-developed villains of every stripe. One of the most difficult aspects of solving the case is the sheer number of suspects. It seems that everyone had some excuse to be in the forest glade where Dyne and Sir Gilbert were killed. Set upon by footpads and cutthroats, Sir Baldwin and Simon realize that the truth behind the murders is far more sinister and complex than the coroner imagines.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Memorable characters, steadily absorbing period background...a commendable achievement." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS

"The whole series belongs in any collection where historicals are popular." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747263620
• ISBN-13: 978-0747263623
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry when he began writing the internationally successful Templar series. There are now twenty books starring Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Bailiff Simon Puttock, with more to follow. The series has been translated into all the major European languages and sells worldwide. The Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association for the year 2004-2005, Michael is a keen supporter of new writing and has helped many new authors through the Debut Dagger Award. He is a founding member of Medieval Murderers, and regularly talks on medieval matters as well as writing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the Traitor of St. Giles, December 15, 2000

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Traitor of ST. Giles (Hardcover)

Another chilling tale of murder and mayhem in the medieval West Country mystery series featuring the Keeper of the King's Peace, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, and Bailiff Simon Puttock. This time political affairs of the country frame the mystery.

Edward II's favourite, Hugh Despenser, has been using his favoured position to steal and intimidate. The Marcher lords, tired and fed up with Despenser's corruption, have risen up in arms and declared Despenser to be an enemy of the King. They then marched all the way to London to see the King and demand that he exile the entire Despenser family. Despenser's allies and enemies alike not immediately involved with the Marcher lords actions have all been monitoring the situation. With whom should they throw their lot? This is what brings Sir Gilbert of Carlisle, a former Knight Templar, now one of Despenser's men, to Tiverton. He's not sure of what he should do: whether he should remain loyal to Despenser and probably face exile in some foreign land, or if he should offer his loyalties to another lord. To this end he decides to sound out Lord Hugh de Courtenay at Tiverton, to see if he will throw his lot with Despenser or with Despenser's enemies; and also to ask his opinion on what de Courtenay thinks will happen.

However not everyone's mind is on the political goings on of the land. In Tiverton, the rape and murder of Joan Carter has unsettled everyone's peace of mind. Her murderer is believed to be Philip Dyne, who managed to escape the posse and seek sanctuary within the church. As a self confessed felon, he must now promise to leave England, never to return, or else forfeit his life. Joan's family, bent on revenge and seeking their own brand of justice, are swift to follow Dyne as he makes his way down the highway out of England.

Meanwhile, Sir High de Courtenay is holding a feast at his castle in Tiverton, and has invited all his men to the celebration. This brings Sir Baldwin and his wife Jeanne, as well Simon Puttock to Tiverton. During the feast, news of a grissily find sends Baldwin, Simon and the somewhat corrupt Coroner, into the forest to investigate. There they find the badly beaten and decapitated body of Philip Dyne, as well the body of Sir Gilbert (he had been swiftly, and cleanly killed with a single stroke of a sword) and that of one of his hunting dogs (also killed with a sword stroke). The Coroner keen to wrap things up swiftly, and hoping to curry favour with those in more powerful positions, decides that Dyne murdered Sir Gilbert, and was in turn executed by members of Joan's family. This would make Dyne's execution legal, as he had committed a further crime by killing Sir Gilbert. Joan's family agree to back the Coroner's theory. However Sir Baldwin is incensed. He wants justice for his fellow Templar, and cannot see how Dyne could have successfully murdered a man trained a combat and yet fall victim to the blade of a couple of fat merchants! To him the whole story is preposterous! And so Sir Baldwin, ably assissited by Simon Puttock starts poking around in Tiverton, hoping to uncover the truth of what really happened.

This series keeps getting better and better. And this latest mystery is quite the page turner! With each new person Baldwin and Simon interview, new evidence comes to light that paints quite a different picture. The novel rich in historical detail -- the dilemma that many faced whether to support their King thereby also supporting the corrupt and avaricious Despensers, or to support those against the Despensers and thereby opposing their annointed King -- is deftly related. At the same time, the book also paints quite a vivid picture of daily life in 14th century England.

A rich and complex mystery that truly does deserve an excellent rating.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Jenks, September 14, 2009

By 

Thomas Smith (Genoa, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar) (Paperback)

Jenks knows how to write and tell a good story that is historically accurate. A really good "whodunit."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baldwin and Simon a winning pair, August 23, 2009

By 

Dan L. Haller "Dan H." (West Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Traitor of St. Giles (Knights Templar) (Paperback)

Baldwin predominates in this one. Story still as well constructed as ever. More Medievel history with which Ellis Peters hooked me. Never considered myself

Anglephile but seem to be approaching. Jecks keeps his standards high. the Academic portion is somewhat a challenge at times, but worth it.