18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the Traitor of St. Giles, December 15, 2000
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.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Baldwin and Simon a winning pair, August 23, 2009
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.
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