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Knights Templar #16
The Outlaws of Ennor
Shipwrecked, Baldwin and Simon are washed ashore on neighboring islands. Both are independently charged with investigating the murder of a tax gatherer, embroiling them in the bitter rivalry between two island communities. Can they uncover the truth in time to prevent a massacre?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2003
22 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Michael Jecks
121 books620 followersMichael Jecks is a best-selling writer of historical novels. The son of an Actuary, and the youngest of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994
He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.
His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.
A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.
From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.
Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.
His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.
Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.
He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.
His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.
A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.
From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.
Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.
His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.
Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 4, 2020
For those unfamiliar with Michael Jeck’s marvelous series of medieval mysteries, The Outlaws of Ennor is a worthy installment in a “storyverse” set in 14th century England and featuring an ex-Templar protagonist with a feudal bailiff as more than a sidekick and more of a co-protagonist. Jecks is also known for taking actual accounts from medieval history and adapting them into his mystery plots. Indeed, a major factor in the plot for The Outlaws of Ennor is a character’s suffering from hypospadias. a rare but real condition that leads to impotence. I won’t spoil the way that fits into the story. In addition, Jecks addresses the problem of common island people who find it necessary to resort to piracy to survive within the harsh feudal system of taxes and dishonest lords and their “gather-reeves” who collected the customs and taxes. So, just be assured that between the expected murders, scenes of piracy, salvaging of shipwrecks, and the consequences of impotence, this is a complex and satisfying story.
As a mystery fan, I am happy to report that I ascertained the murderer in The Outlaws of Ennor very early on, but that the plot was so well-knit that I wasn’t positive until right at the point I thought I was wrong. Alas, the triple murderer (be patient, it is there) was not the character I would have preferred it to be. And, though there are some nice instances of poetic justice in the denouement, one dastardly fellow gets off free. But, since there are so many moving pieces, I was delighted that Michael Jecks did more than give us the movie credit version of: “Joe Schmoe (not in the book) got away with murder, but was killed after being arrested for stealing bread.” Instead, Jecks gives readers a short vignette tying up the loose ends for each character. Since there is a questionable action from both of the co-protagonists (one dealing with morality and the other dealing with character judgment), it was particularly important to have these “resolution” vignettes.
Even when a character is not the murderer, The Outlaws of Ennor that character may be in a cast with plenty of villains (as opposed to the citizens of the islands historically called villeins). And those characters which Jecks intends as legitimate suspects are, with possibly one exception, so despicable that one would gladly have consigned a capital crime to them and attended their virtual hanging or decapitation. Of course, the venue for this murder mystery being a group of close-set, partially-connected islands, one would expect the sea, tides, cargos, smuggling, piracy, and miscarriages of justice that are, indeed, major points within the plot.
I also like the fact that, considering The Outlaws of Ennor is part of an ongoing series, Jecks occasionally brings characters from previous mysteries back into play. Even though I haven’t read all of the mysteries, I was delighted that at least one of these “resurrected” characters plays a short but significant role in this novel. There was a sense of “poetic justice,” recognition of the recidivist factor in human nature, and resolution in the appearance of this character.
The Outlaws of Ennor is a worthy addition to an extremely satisfying series of medieval mysteries. There is a tremendous value to reading these as historical fiction, but the mysteries are so well-conceived and executed that they would probably captivate even those who aren’t predisposed to reading historical fiction. At times, I have suggested that I though Jecks’ mysteries had pacing problems or seemed to have sub-plots for the sole purpose of padding the length of the novel. I can honestly say that there was no point in The Outlaws of Ennor that I felt even a slight lag in the pace. I have no quibbles to make with The Outlaws of Ennor.
As a mystery fan, I am happy to report that I ascertained the murderer in The Outlaws of Ennor very early on, but that the plot was so well-knit that I wasn’t positive until right at the point I thought I was wrong. Alas, the triple murderer (be patient, it is there) was not the character I would have preferred it to be. And, though there are some nice instances of poetic justice in the denouement, one dastardly fellow gets off free. But, since there are so many moving pieces, I was delighted that Michael Jecks did more than give us the movie credit version of: “Joe Schmoe (not in the book) got away with murder, but was killed after being arrested for stealing bread.” Instead, Jecks gives readers a short vignette tying up the loose ends for each character. Since there is a questionable action from both of the co-protagonists (one dealing with morality and the other dealing with character judgment), it was particularly important to have these “resolution” vignettes.
Even when a character is not the murderer, The Outlaws of Ennor that character may be in a cast with plenty of villains (as opposed to the citizens of the islands historically called villeins). And those characters which Jecks intends as legitimate suspects are, with possibly one exception, so despicable that one would gladly have consigned a capital crime to them and attended their virtual hanging or decapitation. Of course, the venue for this murder mystery being a group of close-set, partially-connected islands, one would expect the sea, tides, cargos, smuggling, piracy, and miscarriages of justice that are, indeed, major points within the plot.
I also like the fact that, considering The Outlaws of Ennor is part of an ongoing series, Jecks occasionally brings characters from previous mysteries back into play. Even though I haven’t read all of the mysteries, I was delighted that at least one of these “resurrected” characters plays a short but significant role in this novel. There was a sense of “poetic justice,” recognition of the recidivist factor in human nature, and resolution in the appearance of this character.
The Outlaws of Ennor is a worthy addition to an extremely satisfying series of medieval mysteries. There is a tremendous value to reading these as historical fiction, but the mysteries are so well-conceived and executed that they would probably captivate even those who aren’t predisposed to reading historical fiction. At times, I have suggested that I though Jecks’ mysteries had pacing problems or seemed to have sub-plots for the sole purpose of padding the length of the novel. I can honestly say that there was no point in The Outlaws of Ennor that I felt even a slight lag in the pace. I have no quibbles to make with The Outlaws of Ennor.
May 14, 2016
A "difficult read" murder mystery set across a chain of islands.
Problem #1: I found it impossible to keep track of the many characters and their multiple secrets. Specifically: Thomas, William, Robert and David: which one worked on which island? After 200 pages, I was finally beginning to remember which characters was which, yet none were interesting.
Problem #2. This is a murder mystery in which multiple characters were at the scene of the crime when it happened. No clues point to one character over the other. Because any character could have committed the crime: the solution's logic must be air tight: this solution was not: the killer's motive was questionable; the 'reason' that a witness doesn't expose the killer is ludicrous; and the detectives don't solve anything.
Problem #1: I found it impossible to keep track of the many characters and their multiple secrets. Specifically: Thomas, William, Robert and David: which one worked on which island? After 200 pages, I was finally beginning to remember which characters was which, yet none were interesting.
Problem #2. This is a murder mystery in which multiple characters were at the scene of the crime when it happened. No clues point to one character over the other. Because any character could have committed the crime: the solution's logic must be air tight: this solution was not: the killer's motive was questionable; the 'reason' that a witness doesn't expose the killer is ludicrous; and the detectives don't solve anything.
July 7, 2020
Baldwin and Simon are returning from Spain when they are shipwrecked separately on the Scilly Isles. The backdrop was superb and very evocative. The murders weren't very interesting, but it was different to see Simon and Baldwin not being treated with the automatic respect they receive on the mainland. Simon was devastated at the potential loss of Baldwin, but Baldwin didn't seem to concerned that Simon may be dead. He also behaved completely out of character in this book and found that really disappointing, bad Baldwin!!!
August 13, 2021
I found the tone of the story to be unnecessarily dark and one of the characters does something so completely out of character that my enjoyment of the whole book was ruined.
First, Baldwin spent a couple of earlier books torn by his feelings of guilt over breaking his vow of chastity when sleeping with his wife, but in this story, he sleeps with a local woman with barely a thought of anyone else and then is shown the next day with her sitting on his lap with one hand on her thigh and the other in her hair. That behavior was utterly beyond the way the character had be written up to this point that.
Second, the pirate attack on the priory was far more brutal than was necessary. What was the point of killing Hamo? He'd been sent to the Priory to seek sanctuary because he was told there was going to be an attack. After everything he had been through in the story, he would have hidden himself away until Simon came to rescue him, so for him to be slaughtered almost immediately once the attack began was ridiculous.
Also, there was no need for the unpleasantly casual mention of the rape of one of the monks. I mean, we get it, the Breton pirates were evil. Why toss in a rape scene of a character who didn't even have a name? It was gratuitous and violent and, again, pointless.
Last, what exactly was the reason for bringing Luke back just to kill him off before he meets either Simon or Baldwin?
I know that murder mysteries are, by their nature, dark, but this story just seemed to be nasty and unpleasant for the sake of being nasty and unpleasant.
First, Baldwin spent a couple of earlier books torn by his feelings of guilt over breaking his vow of chastity when sleeping with his wife, but in this story, he sleeps with a local woman with barely a thought of anyone else and then is shown the next day with her sitting on his lap with one hand on her thigh and the other in her hair. That behavior was utterly beyond the way the character had be written up to this point that.
Second, the pirate attack on the priory was far more brutal than was necessary. What was the point of killing Hamo? He'd been sent to the Priory to seek sanctuary because he was told there was going to be an attack. After everything he had been through in the story, he would have hidden himself away until Simon came to rescue him, so for him to be slaughtered almost immediately once the attack began was ridiculous.
Also, there was no need for the unpleasantly casual mention of the rape of one of the monks. I mean, we get it, the Breton pirates were evil. Why toss in a rape scene of a character who didn't even have a name? It was gratuitous and violent and, again, pointless.
Last, what exactly was the reason for bringing Luke back just to kill him off before he meets either Simon or Baldwin?
I know that murder mysteries are, by their nature, dark, but this story just seemed to be nasty and unpleasant for the sake of being nasty and unpleasant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2018
This book is a wonderful example of how to research a novel set in medieval times. The author has done an excellent job of providing not only cultural and historical practices, but weaving them delicately and seamlessly into a well-crafted mystery novel.
The characters are wonderful... knights who are committed to the knight's code, peasants who resent the lords, lords who resent the peasants, scoundrels who will be scoundrels, women who want more from their men, and priests who are either really committed to the church and God's work or simply deserve to be defrocked. The main characters are committed to their bond of friendship and when separated by a shipwreck, dreadfully sorry over what they believe to be the loss of each other.
Jecks gives us a high-definition snapshot of medieval life and practices. This snapshot is magnified by the colorful mystery he then plots out for the reader, full of the typical red-herrings and wrong suspects that make a mystery into a masterpiece.
The author managed to whet my appetite for more, causing me to begin searching for others in this series-- but I have to admit, I won't stop at this series-- anything this guy writes about medieval life has got to be interesting reading and I'm really quite curious to see what else he can turn into a crackerjack read like this one.
The characters are wonderful... knights who are committed to the knight's code, peasants who resent the lords, lords who resent the peasants, scoundrels who will be scoundrels, women who want more from their men, and priests who are either really committed to the church and God's work or simply deserve to be defrocked. The main characters are committed to their bond of friendship and when separated by a shipwreck, dreadfully sorry over what they believe to be the loss of each other.
Jecks gives us a high-definition snapshot of medieval life and practices. This snapshot is magnified by the colorful mystery he then plots out for the reader, full of the typical red-herrings and wrong suspects that make a mystery into a masterpiece.
The author managed to whet my appetite for more, causing me to begin searching for others in this series-- but I have to admit, I won't stop at this series-- anything this guy writes about medieval life has got to be interesting reading and I'm really quite curious to see what else he can turn into a crackerjack read like this one.
May 22, 2019
The last 60 pages changed this from 2* to 3*. Up until that point it was choppy, disconnected and with some plot twists that just failed to convince. Jecks had about 6 or 7 plot lines and, I suppose in a failed attempt to create tension, keeps jumping between them frequently and randomly. It didn't work for me, merely created irritation. I also found it difficult to believe that the Scilly Isles telegraph managed to spread every bit of gossip from isle to isle except the presence of Simon on one and Baldwin on the other. Nah.
Returning from Santiago, Simon and Baldwin's ship is attacked by Breton pirates just as a violent storm lashes the channel. Baldwin is washed from the ship and Simon jumps from the ship as it strikes a reef off the Scilly's. On the same night the local lord's tax collector is murdered and the rescued Simon asked to find his murderer. Except the local lord isn't really interested in the true murderer. He just wants an excuse to do something nasty. Possibly to kill Simon.
Returning from Santiago, Simon and Baldwin's ship is attacked by Breton pirates just as a violent storm lashes the channel. Baldwin is washed from the ship and Simon jumps from the ship as it strikes a reef off the Scilly's. On the same night the local lord's tax collector is murdered and the rescued Simon asked to find his murderer. Except the local lord isn't really interested in the true murderer. He just wants an excuse to do something nasty. Possibly to kill Simon.
March 5, 2018
Loved this story whilst holidaying in the Scilly Isles. Great yarn.
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January 26, 2020Outlaws of Ennor
A great book by this brilliant author , full of twists and turns that kept you guessing , continuety with previous books excellent,
A great book by this brilliant author , full of twists and turns that kept you guessing , continuety with previous books excellent,
February 10, 2025
A very fascinating and well written read. Slightly confusing once or twice trying to remember who's on what Island but generally overall a very good and well paced plot.
September 6, 2016
Fans of medieval mysteries can never go wrong with a Michael Jecks book. This one benefits from a thoroughly unique setting: the Scilly Isles, an archipelago off the Cornish coast of England. As usual, Jecks's research helps create the foundation for an entirely convincing and swashbuckling adventure that involves all matter of mayhem, shipwrecks, backstabbing villains, cuckolding and masters with conflicting allegiances to a despicable king, the prior and their own greed. Jecks is to be commended for maintaining the unique personalities of Sir Baldwin and Simon throughout it all. He also manages to juggle a multitude of intersecting storylines without dropping one of them and weaves them all together at the finale with the skill of a true master. Like all of Jecks's work, I do think that it could be edited down about 100 pages (I think he walks the reader through the maritime laws concerning the salvaging shipwrecks on at least eight different occasions, and that's not including the foreward). But this is an excellent entry in the great Sir Baldwin Furnshill mystery series.
January 24, 2012
This story brought in a lot of mail, mainly from women saying "he wouldn't do that". Well, I think he would. Read the book to find out what!
However, it also brought tears to my eyes, and still does.
You see, one lady wrote to tell me that she had given the book to her husband to see what he thought of the . . . well, the thing to which I allude. He read it quickly, with evident enjoyment, but reached one point where he stopped, and he couldn't read on. When she asked him, it was because I detail in the book a specific, unpleasant encounter in a war. This poor man was a Vietnam-era soldier, and while I believe he hadn't gone out there, his friends had, and this scene brought home to him what they had gone through. For the very first time, he was able to discuss with his wife what he had experienced.
It's that kind of response that an author hopes for.
However, it also brought tears to my eyes, and still does.
You see, one lady wrote to tell me that she had given the book to her husband to see what he thought of the . . . well, the thing to which I allude. He read it quickly, with evident enjoyment, but reached one point where he stopped, and he couldn't read on. When she asked him, it was because I detail in the book a specific, unpleasant encounter in a war. This poor man was a Vietnam-era soldier, and while I believe he hadn't gone out there, his friends had, and this scene brought home to him what they had gone through. For the very first time, he was able to discuss with his wife what he had experienced.
It's that kind of response that an author hopes for.
August 19, 2016
I was trying to clear off my to-read shelf when I came across this book. I'd tried to read it once before and put it aside for some reason after the first couple chapters. I decided to give it another chance. What was especially interesting was that the story takes place on the Scilly Isles and I'd forgotten how challenging it could be living on an island--not that I've lived on an Island. I was thinking about setting a story I was working on on an island. This book helped me figure out that it wouldn't work. The resources would be too limited and the comings and going on the island too restrictive. It's still an interesting setting for a murder mystery.
May 30, 2019
The premise of this one is a bit unusual with the side story of Tedia and Isok's marital problems, and Baldwin and Simon separated on a group of islands following a pirate attack and shipwreck. There were some continuity issues, such as the pirate leader killing his helmsman in anger and then calling on the helmsman to do something in the next paragraph. There were other little things like that throughout the book. With very few exceptions, Jecks continues to create one dimensional characters who represent the worst in humanity.
Read
March 7, 2012One of a long series by Michael Jecks. It is set in the Middle Ages in The Scilly Islands. I liked the change of setting from the usual West Country where the early books of the series were set. I found that I had to constantly refer to the map and list of characters at the begining of the book.
November 18, 2014
While I tend to like Jecks' mysteries this one was difficult to wade through. I felt like I was continually be dragged down with descriptions of the geography of the group of small islands that is the setting for this installment. And while some of that was needed as the geography definitely plays a part in the solution to the murder, I felt like it was too much.
August 19, 2012
The intro chapters in this series are always slow due to Jecks' cast of thousands. However the effort is worth it.
January 31, 2012
Things never go as planned for Sir Baldwin & Bailiff Simon Puttock, least of all on their voyage back to England from their pilgrimage. Pirates, islands, & felons abound in this tale.
June 15, 2015
it has been awhile since I've read a Michael Jecks book. This one was pretty good. I think there was 1 to many murders though.
October 18, 2015
Another great read from Michael Jecks - a fulfilling read in its own right as well as a clever mystery. Full review at classicmystery.wordpress.com
January 26, 2016
Up to Jeck's usual standard, interesting details of the time woven into plot(s), couldn't forsee who-dun-it.
April 27, 2009
book 16
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May 31, 2012Excellent mystery thriller including piracy in the 14th century
June 5, 2016
I miss the old cover art!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews