The Riddle of St. Leonard's

Owen Archer #5

by Candace Robb

Medieval York is wrapped in a dangerous riddle that only Owen Archer can unfurl. The fetid summer heat of 1369 has the citizens of York besieging Owen Archer's apothecary wife, Lucie, for physicks against noxious vapors. But more than pestilence is in the air. Owen is summoned to investigate the theft of rare treasures from St. Leonard's Hospital and the untimely deaths of aging patients. What links a brutal robbery, a fatal fire, a lay sister some still call whore, and a homeless urchin who shoots an arrow as straight as Owen himself? Country lore and town gossip lead him deep into the past, toward a killer with a heart blacker than the plague itself...

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Medieval, British Literature

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Storyteller, mythweaver, author of the Owen Archer, Kate Clifford, & Margaret Kerr mysteries. Primary residence, medieval York.

I blog about writing, medieval history, writing women's stories, and feature new scholarship in my field at candacerobbbooks.com, and share loads of medieval news, folklore, and whimsy on my facebook page, Candace Robb

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This exciting mystery is the 5th volume of the amazing "Owen Archer" series, from the US author, Candace Robb.

Like I said before this series has much in comparison with the "Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles" by the author, Susanna Gregory, what the time of history is concerned, but the difference being that this series is set in York, instead of Cambridge.

Storytelling is of a superb quality, very believable and likeable characters make this an excellent and enjoyable read, and the atmosphere of York during the time of the pestilence is very well pictured in this mystery.

At the beginning of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of 14th Century York, with several places of interest, and also a Glossary containing some very well explained definitions, while at the back you'll notice an Author's Note, where the historical details concerning this great mystery are superbly documented.

The book is set in the year, AD 1369, another year with the plague, and it starts off with a prologue, in which it will show us the murder of Walter de Hotter.

In the main story two more important murders will follow, with the likes of, Master Laurence Warrene, at his burning home, and Master Julian Taverner within St Leonard's Hospital, where he is recovering from that same fire, while in a desperate attempt to try to save his friend Laurence he's knocked on the head.

What is to come is an intriguing mystery, where stolen goods, smuggling and a riddle that concerns the name and family of a man called Carter, play a very important role in what will eventually happen in this mystery of murder, mayhem and disease, and in which our main protagonist/investigator, Owen Archer, after being summoned by Richard de Ravenser, Master of St Leonard's Hospital and nephew of Archbishop of York, John Thoresby, will have to be very alert and determined to untangle the threads of this web of deceit and murder, before finally being able to reveal the culprit(s) of these thefts and murder.

Really very much recommended, for this is another splendid addition to this amazing series, and that's why I would like to call this episode: "A Very Delightfully Solved Riddle"!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well constructed with a good bit of historical research on how the public responded to the third visit of the plague in 1369. Favorite characters made their appearances along with a cast of bad actors behind murders and theft at St Leonard's. Owen again took advantage of help from Bess who had personal loss in the game while Lucie and Jasper kept very busy tending the apothecary creating and providing remedies.

[Simona Tota · Rating 2 out of 5]

I migliori romanzi ambientati nel medioevo li ha scritti Eco già

[Shala Howell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is proving to be an enjoyable series of books. The characters are drawn well enough to make the stories believable, but not so sharply that their emotions affect mine.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

York, England. July, 1369. Candace Robb’s The Riddle of St. Leonard’s (Owen Archer Mystery #5) finds Queen Phillippa, King Edward III’s wife, dying at Windsor, and in York the harvest has been poor. In addition, the ‘pestilance’ has returned to York. When I discovered that I owned an earlier Owen Archer Mystery, I thought that I would read it to met younger characters, possibly some I met in The Riverwoman’s Dragon, and I did. I found that Magda, the Riverwoman, is a character in this story. I like her. I also met Alisoun as a youngster, and one who trouble finds easily. The author provides a map of a section of York so the reader can picture the area in the story as well as a glossary which helped me comprehend the many different positions or jobs people of that era may have. Owen still has to solve three mysteries seemingly unconnected which he does admirably. The main ingredient is the author’s incredible use of historical detail used in the story. I was surprised that York had something very much in common with Cornwall! Enjoyable and informative! 4 stars.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primo approccio con l'autrice e con Owen Archer, protagonista di un ciclo composto da ben 10 volumi. Non si tratta del primo libro ma ahimè del quinto del ciclo con questo protagonista, ma ben leggibile anche se non si conoscono le precedenti avventure. Si tratta di un mistero legato ad una vecchia abbazia dove nonostante la pestilenza, avvengono strane morti misteriose. Sarà compito del capitano Archer scoprire il perchè. Un racconto coinvolgente e che si fa leggere velocemente. Consigliato agli appassionati di thriller storici!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1369 York St Leonard’s hospital is suffering from thefts, and the death of some of their corridians. Are the deaths connected to the lack of hospital funds. The Master of the hospital, Sir Richard Ravenser, summons Owen Archer, the soldier-spy, to investigate the scandal before it ruins him.
Meanwhile the plague seems to be sweeping through the area of York.
Another entertaining and well-written book in this series, with its likeable characters.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezza

[Katrin V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great 14th century whodunnit. Superb historical details and v likable imperfect protagonists.

[dOnnabud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally dig the Owen Archer series. Each mystery fully engages me and reveals new insights into the challenging realities of medieval life. It was very interesting reading a fascinating murder-mystery set in 1369, York, UK. It was another (I think the 3rd) "plague visitation" and the historic responses of community members eerily reflect our 2020 pandemic precautions and reactions (and it was 651 years ago!). "You're traveling to another dimension, a dimension of not only sound, but of mind ... Your next stop, the Twilight Zone!" doo-doo-doo-doo ....

This was an excellent read <3

[Gareld Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written historical mystery with real people from the 14th century mixed in. I liked the story line and the mis-directions the author used when trying to identify the killer. Including the historical background of an active plague in the town of York and surrounding countryside made for an excellent mystery.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth Owen Archer book and this one has our intrepid mystery solver dealing with a problem that he won’t be able to fix no matter what he does – the plague has returned. Owen can do all he can but there will be no effort he can put forth to stop it from its path. But that is not the only issue facing Owen in this tale.

St. Leonard’s is the medieval version of a long term care facility but it seems that people who have paid for their care are dying ahead of their time. If this got out it could mean problems that are just not needed in a time a plague. People count on the hospital and scandal could be devastating.

This volume brings back some old characters and introduces some new ones and I have to admit losing track in places. I’ve been enjoying the series immensely but this one wasn’t as good as the last one. I don’t know if I can put my finger on why – maybe the mystery wasn’t as intriguing, maybe the new characters weren’t as noteworthy. It was still a solid book and I’m looking forward to Owen’s next adventure and mystery.

[Raven Haired Girl]

Robb's metrical writing along with her well-developed characters provide for much enjoyment and entertainment in this series. Atmospherically you are swept into medieval times, people, hardships, every day life. The mystery was fairly easy to piece together, nothing too intricate, however, with the pestilence causing havoc there was an ominous feel throughout the story, the lives stolen, the survivor's guilt, the fear, the general unknown of this devastating plague evident as remembrances of previous plague waves heighten concern. Not a lot of suspense or action, plot was busy in regards to lots happening and a variety of parties involved, pace was smooth and even, mild mystery yet entertaining with the hovering of the pestilence and the great cast as always both familiar and unfamiliar.

Visit Raven Haired Girl for more reviews & giveaways

[Simona Moschini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ogni volta che termino un giallo di questo ciclo, mi chiedo chi me l'ha fatto fare. Sono mediocri, legnosi, noiosi, sentimentaloidi, ripetitivi fino allo strazio e, dal punto di vista strettamente giallistico, inutilmente complicati.
La risposta la so: mi piace il romanzo storico e la Robb esplora uno spazio e un tempo (l'autunno del Medioevo, la guerra dei cent'anni) che mi hanno sempre affascinata. Non solo, ma ogni suo romanzo contiene in appendice una postfazione dell'autrice utile a fare il punto sulla storiografia del tema di quel romanzo (es. il contrabbando dalle Fiandre all'Inghilterra, o la peste nera, o la figura di Alice Perrers...) e un piccolo glossario sui termini più misteriosi utilizzati nel romanzo stesso.
Il che denota un grande rispetto per il lettore e mi fa venire voglia di mantenere aperto questo canale tra me e il medioevo inglese.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The unsanitised setting of a plague-riddled York in 1369 was the highlight of this mystery where one-eyed Owen Archer is tasked to find the perpetrator of suspicious deaths at a hospital as the plague impacts those both in the wider community and close to him. It’s a non-anachronistic account where, as often in this genre, the identity of the villains is of less interest than the journey. Archer is shrewd and stoic while Sir Richard de Ravenser and the feral child, Alisoun, are the best of several convincing portraits.

[Charles A. Belisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most interesting

I very much enjoy reading historical fiction and Candace Robb is a master at telling these tales. There is always a thread of truth in her stories and that makes them most interesting.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I read an Owen Archer mystery so once I was reminded of that fact, I went to check my library and found a few ebooks that I don’t recall seeing before! Perfect! (now I’m just wishing that there are more Kate Clifford books)

The Riddle of St Leonard’s deals with a difficult topic – the plague. While death pretty much stalks Owen Archer, given that he works for Thoresby and always is asked to investigate murders, the plague is different. This disease that they don’t know anything about seems to be able to target anyone, including Owen’s friends and family, and there’s not much anyone can do to stop it. It’s in this atmosphere of fear that Owen is asked to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at St Leonard’s, a hospital in York.

Since it’s been a long time since my last Owen Archer mystery (almost 3 years!), I was expecting to be a little lost. But I was glad to see that old subplots were continued and in a way that helped me jog my memory. Alice Perrers and Thoresby’s dislike of her, for example, made an early appearance and I remembered that I wanted to see more of that subplot. It wasn’t very relevant to this mystery but I hope it makes an appearance in later books. With my memory jogged, I managed to recognise most of the main/frequently appearing characters and didn’t feel lost while reading.

The mystery was certainly interesting. I enjoyed seeing more of Bess, the innkeeper’s wife and one of Owen’s friends play a more active role, and it’s always nice to see Magda around. I felt like I enjoyed seeing everyone more than I enjoyed the mystery, though I did think the reveal was very satisfying!

The Riddle of St Leonard’s felt like going back to visit old friends. The book was a bit bittersweet, as we see some big changes, but it made me even more eager to read the next book in the series.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Morgana LeFay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Non ci si può aspettare il pathos manzoniano.
No, decisamente no. La peste c’è ma è un contorno alla storia: colpisce, miete vittime, spaventa ma in modo non tanto convincente.
Sembra più un dato di fatto. C’è e si va avanti.
Qual è allora il nesso del romanzo?
Dei furti che avvengono all’ospedale di San Leonardo dove i corodi (ospiti della struttura, come in un’antica casa di riposo) muoiono in circostanze misteriose.
Muore anche Julian, lo zio dell’ostessa Bess Merchet che in questo libro diventa stranamente più pettegola del solito arrivando in certi momenti a essere persino fastidiosa.
E in più c’è Hortensia, una suora laica con una reputazione degna di una maitresse.
Richard Ravenser, disperato, decide di chiedere aiuto allo zio John Thoresby che affida il caso a Owen Archer.
E il giallo in sé è andato, anche se non è dei più emozionanti perché la trama si intuisce in fretta e perché stavolta ci sono sul serio troppi personaggi da seguire.
Non mi è piaciuto il fatto che Owen nel libro si imbatte in un’orfana di nome Alisoun, la cui famiglia è stata falciata dalla peste, e che la prenda subito in odio.
Così, senza un motivo, e l’odio si accentua a tal punto che alla fine del libro Alisoun finirà abbandonata a se stessa senza famiglia e senza che nessuno la prenda con sé.
L’autrice mi deve chiarire un concetto: quando Owen incontra Jasper, orfano anche lui, lo adotta e lo cresce come il primo dei suoi figli.
Alisoun invece no.
Decisamente sessista, un attacco gender in piena regola.
Rileggerei il libro? No.

[Jazzysmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this the fifth outing for Captain Owen Archer, his wife Lucie and their helpful and not so helpful friends.
This one is set against another outbreak of the "Black Plague" which occurred periodically during Europe's history.

Lucie is kept busy in the apothecary supplying the many and varied "cures" that her customers demanded.
While Owen was kept busy at St Leonard's by various deaths and mysterious disappearances of property.

It was nice to see Owen and Lucie in their home environment, dealing with life and all it's dangers in the 14th century.

So sad times and a look into the life of the characters Candace Robb has created.
A fantastic continuation of an enjoyable series.

[Libbie Harr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why are people dying at the famous St. Leonard's Hospital? Why are things being stolen there? It seems to be the elderly, who are dying and who have paid for their care in return for their property. Much to Owen Archer's dismay, the Archbishop John Thoresby has assigned Archer to solve the problems for his nephew, Richard Ravenser, who is the master of the hospital. Candace Robb, again, presents lots of plots and sub-plots to keep the reader in suspense. Very enjoyable!

[Medh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to listen to. The narrator does accents that make it hard to follow along especially as he strives to be "authentic". And add to it the fact that there are a lot of words that are of the period like "spital" and "leman" and so on which make it even tougher to follow along. It's a good mystery overall though I thought some questions were left unanswered but it seems evocative of the time.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK book. Not the greatest mystery, but the setting and historical details are interesting. Didn't turn me off of the series - will probably try it again at some point - but certainly didn't raise it on my to-read list.

For more thoughts/more complete review, see the blog: http://theknittingpenguin.blogspot.co....

[Gio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and captivating novel, especially in the second half of the book. The historical details seemed quite accurate, so if you read and imagine the characters at the same time you get the medieval atmosphere.
There are many names and characters mentioned, though, so it is hard to remember them all. The first part of the story seemed quite slow to me.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like this mystery series, whenever I happen to get one of the books. I like the characters and the setting, the books are grounded in well-researched history, and the plots are always fun to figure out. I got it a bit wrong this time, but not by much, and seeing in what way I'd been wrong was fun.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series. The characters are very well developed and interesting. The plotting is excellent with lots of twists and turns. The author does a good job of immersing the reader into what it might have been like living in the time of the black plague when so little was known about the disease and how it was spread.

[Val Girling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mystery

As usual there is an excellent setting of time and place when the plague was among the people, which had amazing parallels with covid 19. I think a ball of ambergris might be hard to find nowadays though!

[Iris Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hospital

A very interesting treatise on hospitals run by the church, and the mess it creates.. Once again women are made to carry the burdens of past sins while the men find themselves starting fresh. Oh and the greed; it just boggles the mind.

[Helen Ennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn straight into the story and felt a sense of tension following as the events unfolded. York at a time of plague is an uncomfortable place and with strange deaths occurring too Owen Archer is called upon to get to the bottom of things. An enjoyable tale with some interesting characters.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questo libro permette di comprendere che cosa ha significato la peste tra la popolazione, quanto dolore e paura abbia suscitato. Ci permette anche di capire come all'epoca venivano curate le persone affette da questo terribile flagello.

[Sean Neilan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent addition to the series

The story continues. A twisting story that keeps you guessing what is happening until you realize that a lot is happening and not all connected.