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Crispin Guest Medieval Noir #5
Blood Lance
Crispin Guest, returning home after a late night, sees a body hurtling from the uppermost reaches of the London Bridge. Guest's attempted rescue fails, however, and the man—an armourer with a shop on the bridge—is dead. While whispers in the street claim that it was a suicide, Guest—known in certain London circles as The Tracker for his skill in solving puzzles—is unconvinced.
What Guest uncovers is that the armourer had promised Sir Thomas Saunfayl, a friend from Guest's former life, that he would provide him something that would make him unbeatable in battle, something for which he'd paid a small fortune. Sir Thomas believes that the item was in fact the Spear of Longinus - the spear that pierced the side of Christ on the cross—which is believed to make those who possess it invincible.
Complicating matters is another old friend, Geoffrey Chaucer, who suddenly comes to London and is anxious to help Guest find the missing spear, about which he seems to know a bit too much. With various forces anxious to find the spear, the life of Sir Thomas in danger and perhaps the very safety of England hangs in the balance, Guest and his apprentice Jack Tucker must navigate some very perilous waters if they are to survive.
What Guest uncovers is that the armourer had promised Sir Thomas Saunfayl, a friend from Guest's former life, that he would provide him something that would make him unbeatable in battle, something for which he'd paid a small fortune. Sir Thomas believes that the item was in fact the Spear of Longinus - the spear that pierced the side of Christ on the cross—which is believed to make those who possess it invincible.
Complicating matters is another old friend, Geoffrey Chaucer, who suddenly comes to London and is anxious to help Guest find the missing spear, about which he seems to know a bit too much. With various forces anxious to find the spear, the life of Sir Thomas in danger and perhaps the very safety of England hangs in the balance, Guest and his apprentice Jack Tucker must navigate some very perilous waters if they are to survive.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2012
51 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Jeri Westerson
50 books427 followersLos Angeles native JERI WESTERSON currently writes two new series: a Tudor mystery series, the King’s Fool Mysteries, with Henry VIII’s real court jester Will Somers as the sleuth and a Sherlockian pastiche series called An Irregular Detective Mystery, with one of Holmes’ former Baker Street Irregulars opening his own detective agency. She’s also written fifteen Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries, a series nominated for thirteen awards from the Agatha, to the Macavity, to the Shamus. She’s written several paranormal series (including a gaslamp-steampunk fantasy series), standalone historical novels, and had stories in several anthologies, the latest of which was included in SOUTH CENTRAL NOIR, an Akashic Noir anthology. She has served as president of the SoCal Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, president and vice president for two chapters of Sisters in Crime (Orange County and Los Angeles), and is also a founding member of the SoCal chapter of the Historical Novel Society. See JeriWesterson.com for discussion guides, book trailers, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 22, 2024
Wow ! I really missed Crispin Guest in the last two months I dedicated to Christmas reads.
This is installment #5 in the series, but you can read it as a standalone as well ( even if I think each book it's more enjoyable if you read them all starting from the first one ) and Jeri Westerson, the author, did not disappoint me: her writing style is amazing, she manages to catapult me into the Middle Ages on the scenes described in the book.
Her wonderful descriptions are not only visual, but include all the senses: she manages to make me feel the smells, the humidity on the skin, the restorative heat of the fire, the sexual tension when there are scenes in which the nature of the man prevails Crispin, the tension in the air in moments of danger, the fear and euphoria of the characters, she manages to make me experience every action scene just as if I were on the set of a film and even, in this book, the the author managed to make me feel inside Crispin's body, as if every action, fact and sensation happened to me together with him.
The author manages to mix fictional characters together with real-life characters and against a historical background rich in details in the best way.
Before continuing, however, I must briefly talk about THE PLOT__ :
Crispin Guest is a former knight banished from the court of King Richard II as a traitor. Crispin is a courageous thirty-two-year-old and a man of honor, but he fell into a trap run by the man he admired most in the world.
That man, aware of this, asked the king for grace to save the knight from execution, but since then Crispin has lived in poverty, earning his living as "The Tracker", a kind of detective who finds missing objects, often precious relics and solves murder cases.
Over the years the Tracker, aided by his assistant Jack Tucker (former cutpurse), has earned the respect of people, both among the people and among old court friends. His exploits are often praised in London and England and in this new adventure not only will he have to solve a murder, find the spear of Longinus ( the one with which the Roman centurion struck Christ's side on the cross), help an old knight friend defending his honor, but he will also have the opportunity to feel like a knight once again and to fight valiantly.
This book, which begins immediately with energetic, well-detailed action scenes (and I often wonder if the author has taken fighting lessons, because every action is really well described), is linked through two characters (one fictional and one real historical and famous character ) that we have already met in book #1 and in book #4.
These are Philippa, the woman with whom Crispin fell in love and who he decided not to marry and Geoffrey Chaucer, knight of the Duke of Lancaster and great friend of Crispin, as well as diplomat and poet, now known as the father of English literature.
However, if you haven't read the previous books, don't worry, the whole backstory is explained in a concise but satisfying way, but if you started the series from the beginning, then like me you will be delighted with these links.
What really made me emotional in this story, however, was the part in which Crispin, after 10 years, finally, even if briefly, returns to being a knight. ( I don't mark it as spoiler because this statement will certainly fill you with curiosity... and it's not as you're already imagining).
The emotion is perceived by the reader through Crispin's heartbeat, which at first finds himself in a dream, a surreal scene, then gradually realizes what is happening.
the last chapters were really exciting and kept me in suspense, it was wonderful!
If on the one hand I found it unfair that Crispin faced yet another dangerous situation to help someone
But the emotions of the book do not end here, the most emotional among you will also shed a few tears... after all, life includes not only victories, but also pains and although this is a historical fiction novel, everything is as it could be in the reality: pain and joy mix in a completely believable way and the characters are three-dimensional, so much so that now I will miss them until the next book.
__ REGARDING THE HISTORICAL PART ON THE RELIC __ perhaps in this book the presence of the power of the relic that everyone wants to take possession of is less felt, but in the epilogue the author explains many interesting things about the various spears considered the real one, which entered the side of Jesus on the cross and of each of them, J. Westerson briefly illustrates the history and the place where it is preserved.
Also very interesting is the theme of the health disorder from which soldiers and fighters of all eras suffer, but which in medieval times was ignorantly defined as cowardice.
Actually I hadn't considered this issue until I read the writer's epilogue, but then I realized that in fact the problem of Crispin's knight friend was precisely that.
Recommended book? YES, OF COURSE !! I love Crisping Guest and his stories and I thank Jeri Westerson for writing them!
Thank you for reading my review and please forgive any errors in my text because English is not my language :-)
This is installment #5 in the series, but you can read it as a standalone as well ( even if I think each book it's more enjoyable if you read them all starting from the first one ) and Jeri Westerson, the author, did not disappoint me: her writing style is amazing, she manages to catapult me into the Middle Ages on the scenes described in the book.
Her wonderful descriptions are not only visual, but include all the senses: she manages to make me feel the smells, the humidity on the skin, the restorative heat of the fire, the sexual tension when there are scenes in which the nature of the man prevails Crispin, the tension in the air in moments of danger, the fear and euphoria of the characters, she manages to make me experience every action scene just as if I were on the set of a film and even, in this book, the the author managed to make me feel inside Crispin's body, as if every action, fact and sensation happened to me together with him.
The author manages to mix fictional characters together with real-life characters and against a historical background rich in details in the best way.
Before continuing, however, I must briefly talk about THE PLOT__ :
Crispin Guest is a former knight banished from the court of King Richard II as a traitor. Crispin is a courageous thirty-two-year-old and a man of honor, but he fell into a trap run by the man he admired most in the world.
That man, aware of this, asked the king for grace to save the knight from execution, but since then Crispin has lived in poverty, earning his living as "The Tracker", a kind of detective who finds missing objects, often precious relics and solves murder cases.
Over the years the Tracker, aided by his assistant Jack Tucker (former cutpurse), has earned the respect of people, both among the people and among old court friends. His exploits are often praised in London and England and in this new adventure not only will he have to solve a murder, find the spear of Longinus ( the one with which the Roman centurion struck Christ's side on the cross), help an old knight friend defending his honor, but he will also have the opportunity to feel like a knight once again and to fight valiantly.
This book, which begins immediately with energetic, well-detailed action scenes (and I often wonder if the author has taken fighting lessons, because every action is really well described), is linked through two characters (one fictional and one real historical and famous character ) that we have already met in book #1 and in book #4.
These are Philippa, the woman with whom Crispin fell in love and who he decided not to marry and Geoffrey Chaucer, knight of the Duke of Lancaster and great friend of Crispin, as well as diplomat and poet, now known as the father of English literature.
However, if you haven't read the previous books, don't worry, the whole backstory is explained in a concise but satisfying way, but if you started the series from the beginning, then like me you will be delighted with these links.
What really made me emotional in this story, however, was the part in which Crispin, after 10 years, finally, even if briefly, returns to being a knight. ( I don't mark it as spoiler because this statement will certainly fill you with curiosity... and it's not as you're already imagining).
The emotion is perceived by the reader through Crispin's heartbeat, which at first finds himself in a dream, a surreal scene, then gradually realizes what is happening.
the last chapters were really exciting and kept me in suspense, it was wonderful!
If on the one hand I found it unfair that Crispin faced yet another dangerous situation to help someone
But the emotions of the book do not end here, the most emotional among you will also shed a few tears... after all, life includes not only victories, but also pains and although this is a historical fiction novel, everything is as it could be in the reality: pain and joy mix in a completely believable way and the characters are three-dimensional, so much so that now I will miss them until the next book.
__ REGARDING THE HISTORICAL PART ON THE RELIC __ perhaps in this book the presence of the power of the relic that everyone wants to take possession of is less felt, but in the epilogue the author explains many interesting things about the various spears considered the real one, which entered the side of Jesus on the cross and of each of them, J. Westerson briefly illustrates the history and the place where it is preserved.
Also very interesting is the theme of the health disorder from which soldiers and fighters of all eras suffer, but which in medieval times was ignorantly defined as cowardice.
Actually I hadn't considered this issue until I read the writer's epilogue, but then I realized that in fact the problem of Crispin's knight friend was precisely that.
Recommended book? YES, OF COURSE !! I love Crisping Guest and his stories and I thank Jeri Westerson for writing them!
Thank you for reading my review and please forgive any errors in my text because English is not my language :-)
October 3, 2012
Blood Lance represents the fifth outing of Crispin Guest, disgraced medieval knight. He was stripped of his title and lands for his part in a plot to overthrow the king so his mentor, John of Gaunt, could rule.
Crispin now roams the mean streets of 14th century London, eking out a living as the “Tracker” – finding goods and people who’ve gone missing. Sometimes, the odd murder and holy relic come his way.
This time he witnesses a body plummet from London Bridge. Crispin fishes the man from the river, but he’s already suspiciously dead. The rest of the plot involves a knight from Crispin’s past, a beautiful armorer’s daughter, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, and the legendary Spear of Longinus (said to have pierced the side of Jesus).
The action culminates in a cinematic joust on London Bridge.
Rather than give away too much, here’s what I love about Blood Lance and all the Crispin Guest novels (beyond Crispin himself, who's the classic man's man and woman's man):
1. The creative melding of detective noir and medieval lore.
This may not seem like an obvious pairing at first, but consider the elements of a noir tale like Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon – the scrupulous, down-on-his luck detective, the lady in trouble, the search for a murderer and/or missing item.
Where did these come from? On some level, the Arthurian cycle and the quest for the Holy Grail – knight, damsel in distress, search for a person and/or a sacred object. Jeri Westerson has just put them back where they began.
2. The descriptions of medieval London.
I feel I’m right there, walking those urchin and offal-strewn streets with Crispin. The journey's half the fun.
3. The damsel in distress.
She’s not always blond, but I always think, “Crispin, not again. You know she’ll break your heart or your thick skull.” He never learns (once a knight, always a knight) and the damsels are never what you think.
Jeri Westerson knows Los Angeles and its detective noir tradition well. She cleverly ports the genre to medieval London and takes you on a rare adventure. If you like knights in shining armor, mysticism, mayhem, and the occasional dead body, you’ll love Blood Lance and the whole series.
(Disclosure: I won an advanced reading copy of Blood Lance by entering a contest on Jeri Westerson's blog. I'm desperately hoping for the same good fortune on Crispin's next outing!)
Crispin now roams the mean streets of 14th century London, eking out a living as the “Tracker” – finding goods and people who’ve gone missing. Sometimes, the odd murder and holy relic come his way.
This time he witnesses a body plummet from London Bridge. Crispin fishes the man from the river, but he’s already suspiciously dead. The rest of the plot involves a knight from Crispin’s past, a beautiful armorer’s daughter, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, and the legendary Spear of Longinus (said to have pierced the side of Jesus).
The action culminates in a cinematic joust on London Bridge.
Rather than give away too much, here’s what I love about Blood Lance and all the Crispin Guest novels (beyond Crispin himself, who's the classic man's man and woman's man):
1. The creative melding of detective noir and medieval lore.
This may not seem like an obvious pairing at first, but consider the elements of a noir tale like Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon – the scrupulous, down-on-his luck detective, the lady in trouble, the search for a murderer and/or missing item.
Where did these come from? On some level, the Arthurian cycle and the quest for the Holy Grail – knight, damsel in distress, search for a person and/or a sacred object. Jeri Westerson has just put them back where they began.
2. The descriptions of medieval London.
I feel I’m right there, walking those urchin and offal-strewn streets with Crispin. The journey's half the fun.
3. The damsel in distress.
She’s not always blond, but I always think, “Crispin, not again. You know she’ll break your heart or your thick skull.” He never learns (once a knight, always a knight) and the damsels are never what you think.
Jeri Westerson knows Los Angeles and its detective noir tradition well. She cleverly ports the genre to medieval London and takes you on a rare adventure. If you like knights in shining armor, mysticism, mayhem, and the occasional dead body, you’ll love Blood Lance and the whole series.
(Disclosure: I won an advanced reading copy of Blood Lance by entering a contest on Jeri Westerson's blog. I'm desperately hoping for the same good fortune on Crispin's next outing!)
February 12, 2015
This fascinating series continues to draw me in with it's intrigue, murder, and heroic events! The author takes us down into the gritty streets of Medieval London, and draws us into the life that Crispin Guest and his ever faithful assistant/ apprentice Jack live and work within. They take risks to track and expose the dark deeds of both the nobility, and the ruffians who live in the shadows.
Geoffrey Chaucer an old friend of Crispin's from his day's in the king's favor is hanging about in the shadows, caught up in the treacherous dealings and the search for a coveted object that has brought murder, greed, and theft to Crispin's door once again. A highlight of this Medieval Noire is the description of all the weaponry and suiting of the knight. To fall from grace and to lose one's title is a story most poetic and tragic. A joust is for the one's who are charged with cowardice and they must fight another to regain their honor. Bravo to Jeri Westerson for another fabulous tale. Can't wait to read more!
Geoffrey Chaucer an old friend of Crispin's from his day's in the king's favor is hanging about in the shadows, caught up in the treacherous dealings and the search for a coveted object that has brought murder, greed, and theft to Crispin's door once again. A highlight of this Medieval Noire is the description of all the weaponry and suiting of the knight. To fall from grace and to lose one's title is a story most poetic and tragic. A joust is for the one's who are charged with cowardice and they must fight another to regain their honor. Bravo to Jeri Westerson for another fabulous tale. Can't wait to read more!
September 4, 2012
I loved it - my only regret is not having read the previous four instalments prior to this chapter in the adventures of Jeri's hero, Crispen. I would love to see these books turned into a series along the lines of Cadfael.
December 13, 2012
A great read. Jeri has quickly became one of the authors I look forward to reading. The story of Cris and Jack gets better with book.
August 14, 2024
Another interesting crime-solving caper, medieval style. Crispin has a bad cold and is walking home at night when he sees a man fall into the Thames from a house on London Bridge. Of course, he doesn’t think twice, 🙄 and jumps into the river to try to save him. Turns out the man was dead before he hit the water because he was murdered.
The current sheriffs of London are Tracker fanboys so Crispin has official permission to meddle. This eventually draws him into the possible theft of another sacred relic, the lance of Longinus, who supposedly was the centurion who thrust the spear into Christ’s side on the cross.
Sadly, Nicholas, Abbot of Westminster Abbey, dies in this story. He was a great minor character.
Jack continues to become a savvy investigator.
The current sheriffs of London are Tracker fanboys so Crispin has official permission to meddle. This eventually draws him into the possible theft of another sacred relic, the lance of Longinus, who supposedly was the centurion who thrust the spear into Christ’s side on the cross.
Sadly, Nicholas, Abbot of Westminster Abbey, dies in this story. He was a great minor character.
Jack continues to become a savvy investigator.
July 7, 2015
I won this book from the GoodReads first reads program.
Blood Lance is the fifth book in the Crispin Guest series. Having read this book without reading the rest of the series, I can confidently state that it reads fairly well on its own. Previous books plots are delved into only briefly, and with ample explanation to allow a new reader time to understand the context. While it would have been nice to have read up to this point, it isn't fully necessary to do so.
The mystery is fairly solid, the characters intriguing, and the history of the time decently thorough. It was a delight to see the world brought into sharp relief in a way my (limited) reading of historical fiction commonly has failed to do. Knights were as corrupt as any other class, though they're commonly put on a pedestal. The issue of PTSD in a knight, and his attempts to reconcile it, were also quite well done, I felt.
In the end, I felt the book could have been a bit tighter. The mystery was easy to solve in some respects, and for that I felt a lower rating was necessary. The clues were too obvious, though the fact that Crispin knew the answer and wrestled with it made up for that to a minor degree. The historical aspect was good, but a bit more background may have helped set the context of the story better in regards to the upcoming War of the Roses.
Blood Lance is the fifth book in the Crispin Guest series. Having read this book without reading the rest of the series, I can confidently state that it reads fairly well on its own. Previous books plots are delved into only briefly, and with ample explanation to allow a new reader time to understand the context. While it would have been nice to have read up to this point, it isn't fully necessary to do so.
The mystery is fairly solid, the characters intriguing, and the history of the time decently thorough. It was a delight to see the world brought into sharp relief in a way my (limited) reading of historical fiction commonly has failed to do. Knights were as corrupt as any other class, though they're commonly put on a pedestal. The issue of PTSD in a knight, and his attempts to reconcile it, were also quite well done, I felt.
In the end, I felt the book could have been a bit tighter. The mystery was easy to solve in some respects, and for that I felt a lower rating was necessary. The clues were too obvious, though the fact that Crispin knew the answer and wrestled with it made up for that to a minor degree. The historical aspect was good, but a bit more background may have helped set the context of the story better in regards to the upcoming War of the Roses.
September 28, 2012
Sometimes I think I'm the only person in the world who doesn't read much in the mystery/thriller genre. But, even I love a good whodunit. Blame Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie, I guess.
This book had all the usual charms of a good whodunit - a mysterious murder, a detective without much respect for law enforcement and lots of secrets, other people with secrets, a trusty sidekick, a fun twist at the end. And just about 300 pages, which I like for a couple of nights of evening reading.
And, as an added bonus, it's set during the reign of Richard II (!) in medieval London (!!) with lots of historical characters (!!!) including Geoffrey Chaucer (!!!!). The setting inspired a little wikipedia research and the historical details seem accurate.
I liked that the author didn't try for period language, but was still true to the setting and culture. There were a few anachronistic idioms that threw me out of the story, but that would be my only complaint.
I'll definitely be picking up the previous books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
This book had all the usual charms of a good whodunit - a mysterious murder, a detective without much respect for law enforcement and lots of secrets, other people with secrets, a trusty sidekick, a fun twist at the end. And just about 300 pages, which I like for a couple of nights of evening reading.
And, as an added bonus, it's set during the reign of Richard II (!) in medieval London (!!) with lots of historical characters (!!!) including Geoffrey Chaucer (!!!!). The setting inspired a little wikipedia research and the historical details seem accurate.
I liked that the author didn't try for period language, but was still true to the setting and culture. There were a few anachronistic idioms that threw me out of the story, but that would be my only complaint.
I'll definitely be picking up the previous books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
December 11, 2012
This is the fifth book of Crispin Guest, disgraced medieval knight, now eking out a living as " The Tracker" finding goods and people who've gone missing and sometimes the odd murder. I have read all 5 of the books and love them! The creative melding of detective noir and medieval lore is wonderful, and of course there is always a damsel in distress. If you like knights in shining armor, mysticism, mayhem, and the occasional dead body, you will this series.
October 22, 2012
Whether you’re a faithful fan of the series or a curious newcomer, you’re sure to find yourself absorbed in this clever historical whodunit.
Read the full review: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...
Read the full review: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...
January 20, 2017
This is the last Crispin Guest book for me. It took nearly a year to finish it. The author writes well but the subject matter just really didn't hold my attention. I never would have finished the book but my Kindle is down and the Nook was available.
August 6, 2012
Full review to appear in the October issue of RT BOOKREVIEWS Magazine.
Want to read
August 31, 2012I won this book from the first reads giveaways and I am so excited to read it. Thanks.
Want to read
August 31, 2012I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.
June 25, 2020
An armourer and his 2 apprentices were believed to have been murdered for the Spear of Longinus, the spear that the Centurion used to pierce Christ's side while He was nailed to the cross. The said relic was supposed to give its possessor the power of invincibility (unlike the Crown of Thorns, it does not matter about the owner's 'purity of heart') and Sir Thomas, once known friend of Crispin Guest, paid a lot for it to help him overcome his sudden disgrace and regain the honour he lost when he bolted from the Spanish campaign under the banner of the Duke of Lancaster, who was intent on his bid for the Crown of Castile and Leon. While the Duke was in Spain, England was in turmoil with rumours of a French invasion that did not materialize... the people over~stocked... taxes were raised... tempers were uncertain... and the capital shrouded by a miasma of discontent because of the King's high ranking favourites practically plundering the Royal Treasury. Meanwhile, Guest was hemmed in by another pair of useless London Sheriffs who at least allow him to investigate freely as long as they get the credits and Crispin's beloved Abbott of Westminster Abbey was in a decline thus he was about to lose a friend... a Wise Counselor... and a worthy chess opponent. His friend Geoffrey Chaucer, instead of being with the Duke in Spain was seen by Guest consorting with the Earl of Suffolk, who was hated by the people for the heavy taxation... and later on Chaucer was also seen meeting with some Spaniards. Lots of suspicions and cross~purposes here plus the myth about the Spear that Guest do not really believe in... still, he was retained by Sir Thomas to find said relic. 'Trial by Combat' was Royally proposed on London Bridge to divert the people's festering discontent and a chance for Sir Thomas to disprove the news of his cowardice... since Guest was not able to find the Spear in time for the joust... and Thomas was incapable of mustering the nerve to fight for his honour and his freedom and since former Knight, Crispin Guest made a vow to Sir Thomas' in return for that long ago good deed the latter did for the sake of their friendship... an opponent for the King's Champion must be produced. An exciting turn of events and a spectacular treat for both the reader and Jack Tucker, also for Sir Thomas' squire. A deluded murderer was found and at the center of these was a selfish greedy deceitful whore. One of the last things Abbot Nicholas admonished to his friend was to marry rather than burn... and the other was relics seem to almost always gravitate inevitably to Guest, finally ending with these portentous words, "Beware of what you find."
P.S. ~ I find these Contemporary in context and/or 'Annoying Americanisms' out of place in this book's stated setting and since I am not a Brit I may have missed a lot of un~British spellings, words and idioms and/or phrases that may offend a True Brit reader for these truly distort the Timeline, here are some that I found:
Chapter 3 ~ "...Unless you've been 'living under a rock.'"
Chapter 6 ~ "I think 'that ship has sailed' Gilbert."
Chapter 13 ~ "... Sometimes it is best to keep 'a low profile'..."
Chapter 16 ~..." I know 'your heart is in the right place.'"
Chapter 20 ~ " ...You must 'come back down.'"
Chapter 21 ~ "I've been 'duped'..."
P.S. ~ I find these Contemporary in context and/or 'Annoying Americanisms' out of place in this book's stated setting and since I am not a Brit I may have missed a lot of un~British spellings, words and idioms and/or phrases that may offend a True Brit reader for these truly distort the Timeline, here are some that I found:
Chapter 3 ~ "...Unless you've been 'living under a rock.'"
Chapter 6 ~ "I think 'that ship has sailed' Gilbert."
Chapter 13 ~ "... Sometimes it is best to keep 'a low profile'..."
Chapter 16 ~..." I know 'your heart is in the right place.'"
Chapter 20 ~ " ...You must 'come back down.'"
Chapter 21 ~ "I've been 'duped'..."
November 9, 2025
I enjoyed this book very much. Westerson's writing had a lot of heart, painting an intimate picture of 14th century London, putting us right there on those streets with her protagonist, Crispin Guest, and his faithful, Samwise Gamgee-like apprentice, Jack (though a teen, unlike Samwise).
Westerson's writing is charming, well-paced, and does a lot without bogging the reader down in so much detail. It's a refreshing style, and it's historical fiction well-researched. Actual places and people from history just "live" as if they had been a part of this fiction themselves. The action-sequences too were written well. The author slowed down and focused when blow-by-blow moments were important, and moved quickly when they were not as. I appreciated this intention in writing!
Finally, Crispin Guest is a charming and likable protagonist. It was nice to experience him not as a perfect hero, but one who knew and stuck to his ideals, skilled as he was in various areas, but ultimately flawed and imperfect. When he needed certain types of help, he sought it out (like a good detective), but it was good to see moments of arrogance, pride, or even his own romantic guilt get the best of him. It was nice not to be spoon-fed backstory between him and particular characters or plot events from, perhaps, past books. This is the first Jeri Westerson and Crispin Guest book I have ever read! And I'm thankful that I did. A fun, lovely, and immersive read.
P.S.
I chanced upon this book at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles, on a two-day visit to the city this past October 2025. My girlfriend and I were perusing books for a couple of hours here, and this was the only book I bought from that store. Love from Denver, Colorado, and Metro Manila, Philippines, the latter of which I am based.
Westerson's writing is charming, well-paced, and does a lot without bogging the reader down in so much detail. It's a refreshing style, and it's historical fiction well-researched. Actual places and people from history just "live" as if they had been a part of this fiction themselves. The action-sequences too were written well. The author slowed down and focused when blow-by-blow moments were important, and moved quickly when they were not as. I appreciated this intention in writing!
Finally, Crispin Guest is a charming and likable protagonist. It was nice to experience him not as a perfect hero, but one who knew and stuck to his ideals, skilled as he was in various areas, but ultimately flawed and imperfect. When he needed certain types of help, he sought it out (like a good detective), but it was good to see moments of arrogance, pride, or even his own romantic guilt get the best of him. It was nice not to be spoon-fed backstory between him and particular characters or plot events from, perhaps, past books. This is the first Jeri Westerson and Crispin Guest book I have ever read! And I'm thankful that I did. A fun, lovely, and immersive read.
P.S.
I chanced upon this book at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles, on a two-day visit to the city this past October 2025. My girlfriend and I were perusing books for a couple of hours here, and this was the only book I bought from that store. Love from Denver, Colorado, and Metro Manila, Philippines, the latter of which I am based.
December 15, 2017
Blood Lance refers to the Spear of Longinus, a relic that grants invincibility to it's owner. An armourer plunges into the Thames to be dragged out by Crispin, quite dead. At first it is presumed to be a suicide, in part based on the commentary of his betrothed, who seems strangely unmoved by his death. Crispin observes the manner in which the man fell, added to the bruising on his body, his two missing apprentices, and concludes murder. After the body of an apprentice is fished out of the Thames the idiot Sheriffs get on board with his investigation. It looks like Chaucer is involved in some conspiracy that touches on the murders, and three knights intervene in the plot line repeatedly, followed by Spanish spies. Lancaster is in Spain, a quasi King there, and these men appear to be allied with the Lancasters, like Chaucer. The woman is also duplicitous and beds Crispin to add the romantic line to this installment. But Jack hates her, possibly still influenced by his experience with the nun. Crispin acknowledges his vulnerability to her whiles, but ends the book as Jack's hero after he fights in a joust intended to determine the guilt or innocence of a knight deemed cowardly. Chaucer and Lancaster are aware of his participation, but thankfully the King is too young to recognize Crispin's technique. The plot has an interesting twist when the relic disappears and Jack and Crispin question their clearheadedness in investigating the crimes. Lancaster shows up and offers Crispin a sub rosa position, but Crispin refuses, much as he refused the King's offer.
September 14, 2024
My rating for this book cannot be less than all the stars. As with the earlier in this series the author has portrayed her characters with intent that the reader feels their emotion, values, personality. The drama builds up to a most satisfying and suspenseful conclusion and then finally leads the reader to consider the history, the superstitions , the social reality of the era. The author’s familiarity with the historical detail of the medieval period and court happenings adds significantly to her books.
February 20, 2020
After losing his knighthood, Crispin Guest became an investigator for hire, solving numerous crimes in fourteenth century London. When he witnesses what appears to be a suicide, he gets involved in a tangled mystery centered on a holy relic linked to Christ's crucifixion.
The author brings the London of Crispin's time to life, expertly blending history and fiction. In this case, Crispin's old friend Geoffrey Chaucer lends a hand in the investigation
The author brings the London of Crispin's time to life, expertly blending history and fiction. In this case, Crispin's old friend Geoffrey Chaucer lends a hand in the investigation
February 6, 2021
Yet another excellent historical mystery in this series. Disgraced knight Christopher Guest ends up at the scene of a murder and becomes caught up in theft, murder, and the search for a religious relic of power. Guest continues to be the model of a valorous knight but with all his tarnished shortcomings on display. As he wrestles with his new reduced life and loss of faith, he doggedly pursues the culprits.
October 29, 2019
Another fine story by Jeri Westerson! Love this series! Love the character of Geoffrey Chaucer. Reminds me a little of Paul Bettany's role in the movie A Knight's Tale. Actually, by bring Chaucer into the story helps anchor the fictional story to history and makes Crispin Guest seem more like a real person. Guess I will HAVE to read the next book as soon as I can lay my hands on it!!
June 7, 2021
I am rereading the Crispin Guest series from the beginning. I especially enjoyed this one. In this story the relic is the holy spear or spear of destiny,. The author suggests that perhaps knights in the 14th century suffered from shell shock/aka PTSD. The number of opponents and mysteries here made this a most enjoyable read.
January 6, 2022
Our hero, ex-knight, Crispin Guest, spies a body falling from the London bridge. Suicide or something else?
The bridge is much different in 1386, with shops and living quarters stacked upon it. The jousting tournament that occurs on it is described with detail and action.
The bridge is much different in 1386, with shops and living quarters stacked upon it. The jousting tournament that occurs on it is described with detail and action.
November 11, 2018
Brisk, fun historical mystery with a strong noir flavor.
June 27, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
March 6, 2022
Another relic, another murder. I enjoyed this story, but not so happy that the Abbot died. Oh well. I can't wait to read the next book and see what awaits our Tracker.
June 30, 2022
An excellent read.
January 7, 2023
Fast paced. Well written.
May 25, 2024
Great story. Always interesting to learn about the relics and their history.
September 9, 2024
I cried at the end.
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