Sorrow Without End

Medieval Mystery #3

by Priscilla Royal

As the autumn storms of 1271 ravage the East Anglian coast, Crowner Ralf finds the corpse of a brutally murdered soldier in the woods near Tyndal Priory. The dagger in the man's chest is engraved with a strange, cursive design, and the body is wrapped in a crusader's cloak. Was this the act of a member of the Assassin sect or was the weapon meant to mislead him in finding the killer

Ralf's decision to take the corpse to the priory for advice may be reasonable, but he is soon caught up in a maelstrom of conflict, both personal and political. The priory is deeply divided over whether to purchase a relic, a decision that endangers both Prioress Eleanor's leadership and the future of the hospital. Brother Thomas becomes a suspect in the murder itself, and Ralf must choose between the demands of his brother, the sheriff, and loyalty to a friend.

Meanwhile, the murderer watches and waits.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Medieval, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Religion

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2006

About the author

Priscilla has a degree in world literature from San Francisco State University, where she discovered the beauty of medieval literature. She is a theater fan as well as reader of history, mysteries, and fiction of lesser violence. She lives in Northern California and belongs to the California Writers Club and Sisters in Crime.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another satisfying read, though pretty dark. The mystery resolves nicely, but what about the leper? I am enjoying this series, though I remain nostalgic for Ellis Peters' Cadfael series. I crave more of the monastic life, not just the presence of monastic persons. Conversely, these monastics display more human failings and weaknesses. Perhaps that is the result of having fewer options in life?

[Sienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complex characters in a well researched setting. I enjoyed it & will continue this series when I want another medieval hit...

From the author's note:
Without hindsight, of course, we could never see the clear route history was taking at any given period. Yet by removing the unessential details, minimizing the seemingly promising paths that actually went nowhere, and deeming irrelevant all those daily things that got in the way of our ancestors seeing exactly where history might be taking them, we lose a tactile sense of time. Perhaps that is one reason we fail to learn from our mistakes - or at least realize how difficult it was to make those right choices when the passions of the moment pointed in other directions.

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first two. The story was a little slow. Nowhere near the drama of the previous novels. It was still an enjoyable read just not quite up to the first two.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1271. On the road to Tyndal a man is killed. Can Ralf the Crowner with the help of Prioress Eleanor and dBrother Thomas find the guilty party.
An entertaining historical mystery

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set during an interesting period of history in England. A good mystery.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical mystery. Set during the last year of Henry III reign the plot revolved around men returning from the Crusades and the effect it had on them. I enjoy the characters and look forward to the next entry in the series.

[Nance Roepke · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5. Prioress Eleanor is back in the Priory and everyone is back to obsessing over sex. I think the author has more of an obsession than the characters. I wish you would develop a bit more mystery and character development and less obsession. I'm not sure if I will continue any further.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much self-reflection from the three main characters - repeatedly. A good premise that fell flat for me.

[Rich Bussom · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was some good material buried under the tedious monastic yearning. I wish that novel had been written instead.

[Irene Headley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. Instead, it brought to the fore a few things that I'd sort of noticed in the first two, but not articulated.

The narrative doesn't really seem to like women? Prioress Eleanor, Sister Anne and Freda the maid are all good characters, but all seem to be extraordinary. I'd like to know what good qualities Sister Ruth had, that made her sisters elect her Prioress. I'd like to know about the skills and virtues of the rest of the priory's women, about their love of God and their work, not just that Eleanor seems vaguely unimpressed by the lot of them. And this leads on to the Knight's Wife. Who doesn't get a name. She is the impetus for the entire plot-- her murder drives her husband mad, drives him to kill, and she doesn't get a name. We know that she had dark hair and dark eyes, she was born a Muslim, and she was raped and murdered, and that namelessness leaves me with an uneasy taste in my mouth.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying these medieval mysteries. (Wondering about the murder rate in this small abbey, though--they're averaging about 2/book!) Life seems so small, regulated by inability to move around, sexism and the narrow minded, heavy hand of the church. I suppose if you didn't know any different it wouldn't make you crazy.

[Jack McCreless]

This is the third book I've read in the Medieval Mysteries series. I have found it an engaging series. The characters are well-drawn (and quite a few are likeable). The plots are intriguing. I have read all of Brother Cadfael and these are an acceptable substitute.

[Bruce Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorrow

A well written mystery. There are plenty of suspects. Who was murdered and why? There are lies and half truths. Ralf the Crowner is a good detective. The author does a good job of hiding the identity of the killer. I enjoyed the book.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This who-done-it series is set in a 13th century English monastery. As much time is given to character back stories and relationships in the monastery as to the investigation. The guilty party was evident early on.

[Rose Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Again could hardly wait to finish this book and start the next one. So I interesting reading about events during this time period

[Karen Mandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Medieval mysteries

Medieval mysteries are a favorite read of mine and this author makes you feel as if you are in the Middle Ages. Her writing is well researched.

[Ron Gregg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't like a good Whodunnit? Especially when set in an unusual setting like Medieval times. These are fun books. This was 3rd in a series, but any of these are fine standing on their own.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a bit convoluted at times but overall a good read.

I will look up the next book in the series.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love this series.

[Michael Wojciehoski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting on how the book was written. Kept me guessing until the very end. Dealt more with the supernatural in Catholicism. To whom do we judge is right and wrong in justice?

[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining. Murder mystery was discovered near the priory in Tyndall, and then more mysterious events followed.

[Ken Kugler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorrow Without End, by Priscilla Royal, is a bit different from her first two books. It has its usual cast, Prior Eleanor, Sister Anne, Crowner Ralf (Sister Anne’s former husband) and Brother Thomas. This latest addition to a wonderful and growing series takes on the horror that war, murder and it’s horrors can do to a man’s mind. The story starts again with a murder near Tyndal Priory. The victim has a curved knife in his body and it has strange written letters engraved onto it. The victim is a soldier who was returning from the Crusades. Why he was killed and who did it is, of course, the engine that drives this story.
Also, there are other plots running along for the characters to figure out. The main one after the murder, is between Prioress Eleanor and Brother Matthew who not only wants the Priory to obtain a relic but also wants to become elected as the new prior. Eleanor tries to be evenhanded with both candidates but clear does not want Brother Matthew to be selected. Matthew wants to return the priory to a more traditional male as head of the Priory. He uses the desire to obtain the relic wants to show he knows how to make the priory profitable and thereby gain his goal.
In the twists and turns of this story, Brother Thomas even becomes a suspect in the murder and his past is in danger of being dragged out in the investigation. Trusted companions are not sure what to believe as Brother Thomas can’t trust others with the secret of his past life and why he is now a Brother at Tyndal.
Priscilla Royal keeps weaving stories that keep me wanting more. She tries and succeeds for historical accuracy in her compelling stories. In her author’s notes at the end of her books, she explains the history underlying the time period in which she tells her wonderful mysteries.

[Freya · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I thought Royal's previous books were decent enough, I thought this one was pathetic. The biggest pet peeve I've had with previous books is her overuse of the word "cert" and, boy, does she ramp up the number of the times she uses it in this one! Its then combined with wording that makes my skin crawl for reasons I am unable to define. For ex, "Tears finally flowed down her cheeks, and she looked back at the butchered body whose soul must be crying out for justice. “Is Brother Thomas as innocent as my weak woman’s heart believes, or is he somehow involved, even guilty of this horrible crime?” UGH!

On top of all this, the plot is poor. She basically tells you who the murderers are from the beginning. I guessed the solution to both mysteries right off and was very disappointed to be correct. I was even more disappointed to find out the relic seller was supposed to be a mystery. Beyond the mention of Outremer and the presence of Crusaders, it is hard to place this book in any given historical time frame. Nothing really suggestions what period this is, it could be any time before the 18th century in a remote convent with soldiers present.

All in all, I'm really disappointed with this book and don't recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery or enjoys history. It could be that I just finished reading the amazing Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom and this seems really bad in comparison, but I doubt I would've enjoyed it even if I had read it after finishing the previous book in this series.

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are just so good. Once I start one I can't put them down and end up staying awake all hours. The historical details included in the Afterward are miniature history lessons that round out each story nicely.

In this edition, it seems as if everyone is struggling with an identity crisis. Eleanor with her feelings for Thomas and her role in the priory, Ralf with his feelings for Anne, Thomas still struggling with his past and who to trust, and a host of others all trying to figure out how they will move through the world.

This "episode" (for lack of a better word) was a little more of a challenging read and did not move as quickly as previous mysteries in the series, meaning I had to pay more attention and resist the urge to skim.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Priscilla Royal continues to enthrall with the third work in her Medieval Mystery series, Sorrow Without End. It's 1271 and Prioress Eleanor and Brother Thomas come face to face with the mysteries and politics of the Crusades. A body is found on the road to the priory; it's pierced with a dagger inscribed with strange characters, and therein starts the tale, with more bodies to follow, conflicts of faith and fellowship, miraculous relics and mysterious pilgrims.

It's on to the next Priscilla Royal for me! I'm looking forward too, to reading from the bibliography that Royal includes in her works. Thanks for these!

--Ashland Mystery

[Sandra Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a mystery tale, but it was more a tale of life as it was lived in 13th century AD, under the reign of King Henry III, near the end of his long reign. You learn more about their life style, religious beliefs and medical knowledge, or lack of it, at that time. The mystery of who murdered the soldier on the road to the small town of Tyndale is almost secondary to the rest of the tale. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would read more in this series. History fascinates me almost as much as mystery does.

[Rosemary Cantrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a murder mystery set in the 1200's - an interesting concept. It is apparently one in a series of Medieval mysteries. I rather enjoyed the story, the characters, and seeing a kind of "Law and Order" in the early days.

A man, a returning crusader, is found murdered near a religious priory. The local sheriff works with the head nun, the brothers, the nun who is the healer, and others to solve the crime.

As long as you suspend some reality, it is not a bad read.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janet, Page patron, July 2016, 4 stars:
Sorrow without End is set during the time of Henry III. It is the 3rd in Royal's Medieval Mystery series. Through using an emotionally disturbed narrator for portions of the story, Royal keeps the reader guessing on what is real and what is a vision of the disturbed mind. I did experience a sadness for the characters and their circumstances in the concluding pages and thus the title is certainly appropriate. All in all a good read.

[Judy Sutherland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another really enjoyable read from Priscilla Royal. I am really enjoying this series. The historical notes at the end really add to the book. Sometimes I find the dialogue a bit stilted, but understand that the author is trying to convey that these people do think differently, in a different cultural context. Overall it's just the thing for a soothing, relatively undemanding but pleasant read.

[Heidi Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

I enjoyed this book, as well as the first two in this series, although I do wish it was longer & a little more to it. I appreciate the research involved & it is well written. There is a bit overuse of the words nonetheless & nevertheless which is a trifle annoying; one day I will count them all. I definitively recommend the book, the series, and the author.