The Chapel of Bones

Knights Templar #18

by Michael Jecks

Murder is again polluting the Exeter Cathedral close, but this killer will not be easily caught. The victim, Henry Potell, was feared by many, and held secrets that some wished to keep hidden. For Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock, events become increasingly mysterious. Who among Henry Potell's companions knows the truth about his death? What first appears to be a matter of lust or greed soon grows more troubling as Baldwin becomes aware of the ominous Chapel of Bones, built long ago in reparation for a terrible murder.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Medieval, Historical, Crime

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

About the author

Michael 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From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.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.

Reviews

[Ed Mestre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three & a half stars here. Love me a good mystery & love me a good historical fiction. “Chapel of Bones” does both quite well. It seems well researched & I really got a sense of medieval English life. The murder mystery is based on actual historical events in Exeter from which Jenks extrapolates possible connected fictional murders 40 years later. One quibble is he repeated the telling of that historical event too many times.

With so many characters jumping from one story line to another (a bit too much jumping IMHO), it was a “page turner” because I kept turning back to the front of the book to the list of characters Jenks wisely provided. But by the latter half of the book it turned into the traditional literary page turner. With this book well into Jenks’ substantial series of medieval mysteries, I can’t help but wonder if I missed something not starting at the beginning of said series. It was still enjoyable & seemed to stand on it’s own as a story & probably mainly missed some character development of some characters that appear in earlier novels. If I can find more (my edition seems to be a UK publisher with prices in pounds), I will definitely consider reading more of his works.

[ron btdtbttsawio · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like medieval mysteries, you will like this series by Michael Jecks (try to read them in order if you can).
In all his books, the writing is well crafted and the stories and characters are excellent.
You have to pay attention though, as things aren't always what they seem and as the story develops, you will get a new insight from time to time as it is told from different character's perspective.

This particular book stands out in my mind. The background story of the stone mason and his social life as he works on the cathedral was excellent.

[Michael Jecks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gripped me from the outset.
Like many of my books, it is not invented, but is based very firmly on historical fact. The chapel of bones was constructed after a political power-play within the cathedral. The Dean and Bishop hated each other. And after Matins one morning, an ally of the Bishop's was grabbed while walking across the close, and beaten and stabbed to death.
Many of the guilty were found. Some were not - this is their story.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jecks is showing better character development. His characters in this book are not all evil, out only for themselves characters. But he repeats key story elements over and over and over. This book could have been much tighter and concise if he hadn't continually had characters (sometimes the same character) tell the story of the murder of Chaunter and the gate being open repeatedly.

[Alistair Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 18th installment in this series of medieval murder mysteries. This is quite well crafted and a decent example of the genre. The issue is that there are simply far too many characters and initially at least it is not all that clear as to who was involved and how, particularly as the action stretches over a long period, a murder in the Cathedral close some 40 years earlier being linked to further murder in the current time the novel is set in.
It`s an engaging enough read and a decent example of the genre, it`s not first rate though and this is a crowded market place, the actual mechanics of the murders and plot is slightly underwhelming but overall the series is enjoyable and the descriptive text is good.
Recommended

[Kathie Chiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this story. It took over 120 pages to get to the beginning of the plot. There was so much detail about a great variety of characters and situations that I got confused and wondered whether or not there was going to be a crime.

Eventually the main characters emerged and the story got interesting. I like the story line and it's main characters and that redeemed the book. I'm going to read another one that was written later and see what I think.

[Sharon L. Cooper]

Not up to Jecks usual high standard

Although his main characters are all there, Jecks has added so many new ones that the plot is hard to follow. After 400 pages setting up an assassination from forty years ago as motive, he has a group of sixty year old men killing each other.
It's too slow moving and confusing for me.

[Philip And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping page turner

Yet another masterpiece from Michael Jecks. I only discovered his Templar series in October last year, but he is now a firm favourite. His attention to detail is excellent and he brings the period to life in a way that both educates and entertains. Thank you Michael.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in Michael Jecks’ medieval murder mystery series The Chapel of Bones exposes an unsolved 40 year old murder of Exeter’s Chaunter and its relationship to contemporary ( 14th c) deaths. Sir Baldwin and Bailiff Simon unravel it all

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the "incident" from 2 books ago, the author has turned one of the characters into a complete jerk (at least that's the G-rated name I'd call the character).
The mystery itself is good, but the subplot of the repercussions of the "incident" left me cold.

[Vicki Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the series and main characters, but this was not one of my favorites. I had trouble keeping the characters’ relationships from forty years ago straight and the resolution of the mystery seemed to be an afterthought.

[Ann McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoy these books..

But who killed the Sadler and Nicholas...maybe I fell asleep and missed the "big who dunnit reveal"? Glad Edgar was back for a while, like his character.

[Puzzle Doctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review at classicmystery.wordpress.com

[Lowthor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story takes awhile to get going, and then wraps up quickly, but there's a really nice flavour to it all.

[Robert Anastasiades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mystery by this brilliant author I love the continuity from previous books

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Return to Exeter Cathedral where a 40 year old murder of one of the Bishops men has repercussions years later. It was a little confusing, but nice to see some characters make a reappearance

[Rob Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gr8 Jecks' effort...This one was a bit more difficult to keep up with "who's who" than usual...I actually wished for footnotes rather than the roster at the beginning...

[Maddy Barnard · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay but the frequency of flashbacks made it seem repetitive and too long

[Laura Wilkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun medieval murder mystery. Thank god for the character bank or I would have no idea who everyone was. I think the author wanted a really surprising killer but when it was revealed I struggled to remember who he was. The little romance was cute though

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its the year 1323 in Exeter England and the Keeper of he King's peace Sir Baldwin Furnshill and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock are called to the Exeter Cathedral to solve a murder which turns into several murders all connected to an assassination killing of a church official many years earlier. An interesting read although keeping all the players (and there are many) straight takes some doing. There are many possible suspects as participants in the earlier assassination worry about their past actions may come to light. A period piece with the vocabulary of the period and the portrayal of life of the time throughout the story.

[Mavis Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably because he has based this book on an historical fact I found it slow going to begin with and wondered if Jecks had missed this time, but then I got into it and stayed awake late to finish it. Convoluted and in the end partly unexpected, but then intrigue, political or ecclesiastical usually is.

[Marfita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the last medieval mystery series I read that started out fairly normal and then just got weird. This stayed within reality and contained nice twists. It was nice to see a young woman in a medieval story ready and willing to marry some middle-aged man for a change.

[Cece · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters, too many side stories this time.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another really good medeival mystery by Jecks. I just love this series.

[Deana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forget a lot because it has been a long time since I have read it, but I remember I loved returning to the book and seeing how events unfolded.

[Marisa]

This did not end the way I thought it would at all. It was a great bookand a surprise ending.

[Tantz Aerine · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best historical mysteries I ever read, back in the day. Also, the medical scenes were very true to history. The scene of the arrow extraction has stayed with me ever since.

[Les Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best medieval mysteries I've read to date. If you like this genre, then this is definitely one for you.

[Wazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

book 18