Cure For A Charlatan

Chronicles Of Isaac Of Girona #2

by Caroline Roe

Three young men die of a strange illness signaled by sleepwalking, delusions, and strange mutterings. Poisoning or sorcery? Spanish doctor Isaac guides his daughter Raquel, student Yusuf, and the Bishop to expose the killer and calm witch-hunters.

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

262 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Caroline Medora Sale Roe AKA Medora Sale

As Medora Sale, Caroline Roe has written six police procedurals, including an Arthur Ellis Award winner. These books are set in and about Toronto and feature homicide detective John Sanders and architectural photographer Harriet Jeffries. As Caroline Roe, Medora used her PhD research on religious diversity in medieval times to re-create the character of the Bishop of Girona's Jewish physician, a 14th-century doctor with important patients and a nose for wrong-doing.

Medora is a past president of both Crime Writers of Canada and the international board of Sisters in Crime.

Series:
* Chronicles of Isaac of Girona

Reviews

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent entry in the historical mystery series featuring Isaac of Girona, a blind Jewish physician in 14th century Spain.

Otherwise healthy young men are dying in the town and whispers are spreading like wildfire that witches and sorcery are to blame - Isaac and his dear friend and patient, the Bishop, know that this often leads to persecution of the Jews and both particularly fear for the safety of Raquel, Isaac's beautiful young daughter and assistant. As an apprentice healer and Jewess suspicion falls on her and it's a race against time as young men die to discover who is behind the threats and rumors.

The jacket refers to this series as similar to Brother Cadfael, another old favorite of mine, and I think it is an apt comparison. Both series address the role of faith, superstition and healing in a time when the majority of people were illiterate and fearful of natural and spiritual matters they didn't understand, the Church was all-powerful, and Jews were at risk for persecution anytime unexplained death or misfortune occurred - sadly common enough at a time when life was often nasty, brutish and short. I really enjoy this series and character and look forward to several more visits to Girona.

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Atmospheric, brilliant scholarship, what's not to like? 14th century Spain with all its political intrigues and religious strife comes to life in Ms. Roe's masterly hand. Highly recommended!

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a treat to open Caroline Roe’s books. I was enchanted by their beautiful covers, heedless of their contents, nor that she’s Canadian. “Cure For A Charlatan” shares traits with the series premiere. Early portions are laden with people to acquaint and information to digest. Then we notice we’re racing; everything we learned is culminating with frenzy and clamour. These are not books for practitioners of ‘did not finish’; people throwing in the towel without reading a book wholly. Its crescendo and subsiding, endearing scenes; are well worth a reader’s perseverance.

Star-rating is subdued this time around because the adventurous element didn’t rev up until fifty pages from the end. I attributed diminished excitement, for myself, to a story rooted in a societal issue. It wasn’t about one personalized mystery, although Isaac’s family had things to fear. In the first, someone is after the king’s son and daughter and Raquel gallops with them in the country. In our present volume there are three odd deaths and two killings to vindicate. There is a villain bent on a motive but the wide scope is wanton accusation of witchcraft. It lends a degree of terror but wasn’t pleasant to read, nor was the topic of slaves; who were at the forefront. I loathe descriptions of hitting, despite this being the story this novel needed to tell.

As before, this author is exceptionally good at tying such multitudinous threads together. You really do find none of the discourse on Girona citizens was extraneous. It’s just that the emphasis is on a dour subject until the crimes are tackled and resolved. Personal instances in Isaac's family, concerning Rebecca and his grandson, are rewarding and those moments truly soar. Judith, who is prejudiced even if not overtly for her epoch, earns some of my respect.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blind Jewish physician Isaac of 1353 Girona Spain teaches his daughter Raquel herbs and healing, visits older Rebecca, (rejected by mother Judith for marrriage to Nicholau), trains Moorish lad Yusuf, and consults with the local Bishop who influences the law forces. Three dissatisfied youths, son of a weaver, baker, and wool merchant, the latter seminary student Lorens, are blackmailed, threatened, and violently poisoned by their "teacher" Guillem and disfigured assistant Yup, who reside in the local brothel, owned by mean Marieta. Rumors of sorcery infect a mob, who riot and kill two innocent "witches", and threaten Rebecca.

The dangerous times are made real by threats to lead characters. Pinch of humor - silversmith has better memory than armorer, who says times were "very good" before plague p65. When Hasan and Zeynab, a Moorish lad and girl, owned by the villains and villainess respectively, appeal to Isaac's family for freedom, and the ensuing conflict exposes the identity and motive of the mastermind criminal. Yup is really the wool merchant's murdering brother, presumed dead a decade before, who wants to destroy the whole family. (Pleasant, but no oomph. Haven't decided between 2-4* or 5* if want to read more of series.)

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1353 Girona, Spain, three healthy, but discontented youths die within a short time of each other, and their deaths stun the townsfolk. One is Jewish and the other not. Most of the local residents believe evil witchcraft killed the three lads. However, the blind Jewish physician Isaac thinks it is more likely that mortal happenings occurred.

I really enjoyed this book and learned a great deal about life in Spain at that time. It is a shame that my library does not carry this series. It is not a fast action mystery, but slowly step by step, Isaac with the help of his daughter and support of the Bishop solve the mystery. I am Jewish and learned more about the Jewish community of that time there. It is a well-researched book.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in a series about blind Jewish physician Isaac from the Spanish city of Girona. It takes place in the 1300s and is interesting because this is before the persecution of Jews in Spain. In fact, Isaac is counts the local bishop as one of his best friends. The plot concerns the death of three young friends who were trying to learn arcane wisdom from an itinerant scholar. The secondary characters are as interesting as the mystery. Yusuf is a young Muslim who is Isaac's assistant and Rachel, Isaac's daughter, is also an assistant and has learned a lot about medicine and the body.

[Okenwillow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bien ficelé ce deuxième épisode de la série se laisse lire. Ayant lu d’autres polars plus « virils » et complexes depuis ma lecture du premier volume, le livre parait un peu mou, de prime abord. Mais les personnages et le contexte sont si intéressants que cela compense. J’en lirai sans doute d’autres avec plaisir, mais pas en priorité. Agréable et dépaysant.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A murder mystery set in Spain in 1353, The list of characters at the beginning is rather daunting but the story moves along smoothly. Justice and injustice are both swift and brutal. A good read though.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much talk of witches and sorcery in this mystery but Isaac and his family are wonderful characters and Spain a great setting.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second in the Isaac of Girona series was better than the first.

[Roshni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Roe, the plot is complex and the historical details rich.

[Diana Sandberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging reading, interesting setting and characters. Nothing deep or compelling, but a satisfying read.