The Perfect Sinner

by Will Davenport

Discover a sumptuous and haunting novel of medieval loves, lies and loyalties. Slapton, Devon, 1372. Sir Guy de Bryan, trusted friend of Edward III, consecrates a magnificent Chantry, his personal bulwark against the torments of purgatory. Yet he is known as an honorable man. Why should he fear for his eternal soul? Sir Guy harbours three sins, violations of the chivalric code he holds so dear. The first, he has atoned for; he was more of a witness than perpetrator of the second; the third he cannot confess. Yet when he is called upon to lead a dangerous mission across the Alps, he finds one of his companions strangely interested in his tale. The young squire has an uncanny ability to draw out the truth...and in doing so, elicits a remarkable story of rivalry, murderous deception and deep passion. Over six hundred years later, high-flying policy adviser Beth Battock is forced to return to her home village in Devon when her prized career is rocked by scandal. Prompted by a local stone carver, who is painstakingly restoring the searing inscription once displayed on the Chantry, Beth must recognise her own history and that of her family, the thread that binds them to the de Bryans, and that the consequences of her actions cannot be divorced from what went before, in love and war. Will Davenport has taken a potent collection of historical facts and woven them into an astoundingly haunting and compelling novel. In medieval and modern times, mankind makes the same mistakes; but the words of a wise knight who lived it all, both politically and personally, have a clarity that resonates through the centuries.

Genres: Historical Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Pseudonym used by James Long
(James William Davenport Long)

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not realize that “The Perfect Sinner” was the same book (under the original British title) as “The Sinner’s Tale” and kept wondering why Will/James Long wrote 2 novels that were so much alike. I read “The Sinner’s Tale” over 13 years ago and gave it 5 stars. It was one of my first really memorable dual timeline novels that I thoroughly loved.

Of course, reading it unknowingly again so much later, I visualized it differently so I didn’t catch on until after I gave it 3 stars and reread the description of The Sinner’s Tale, which of course was the same as The Perfect Sinner. I had a harder time with how right wing, war hungry, rude and mean Beth (in the modern time line) was, this reading.

In all fairness I should rate this novel 4 stars, the average of my 2 readings. The 1300s story line depicted medieval warfare and times very well. Either my tastes have refined or I have just gotten older but there was a bit more confusion since the medieval line was not linear, but with a lot of the knight’s memories and then back to his present, that I had to write out the dates to keep things straight on my second reading.

I have read excellent, 5 star, dual timeline novels by Susanna Kearsley, Sarah Jio, and others this year which flowed more smoothly than this novel. But, I would recommend reading this book, as I obviously loved it enough to give it 5 stars on my first go around.

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did enjoy the story of Guy de Bryan, brave Knight in the service of Edward III. But his isn't the only story in the book, there is a modern story woven in and I didn't care for it very much.

Guy is so concerned that his soul is in danger of being cast into Purgatory that has a Chancery built and hires priest to pray for his soul in perpetuity. He also has a phrophet statement carved in stone and placed on the front of the Chancery.

There is a modern day connection and while some of that story is also interesting I didn't care for the big leaps and quick turn-abouts by the main character. Beth Battock lives life in the fast lane of world politics when scandal threatens her career. She escapes the media focus that results by returning to her secluded home and the father she's been estranged from for years.

The modern story was just a little too neat for my tastes, with convient coincidences and dramatic earth shaking events.

I would have enjoyed this book more if the author had focused solely on Guy de Bryan's life and offered more details of his relationship with his friend Hugh Despenser, his nemisis John Molyns and his wife Elizabeth. And I would have enjoyed more medeival details and less modern English in the recounting of the events from the fourteenth century.

[Ellie Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Sinner by Will Davenport is a sumptuous time slip novel. It cleverly weaves together two separate stories that are linked across time and makes us care about the characters.

I particularly liked the fact that one lead was male, the other female which was a nice twist on the usual formula. The Perfect Sinner was written by the same author who wrote Ferney and The Lives She Left Behind under the name James Long. Fans of those books will pick up on several nods to Ferney in particular, with our eponymous hero even making a cameo appearance to save the day.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, The Perfect Sinner has a harder edge to it than the James Long books but still has a large heart. I bought The Painter at the same time but read The Perfect Sinner first because I preferred the cover.

[Karen Moseley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clever mix of historical facts and fiction in the 1300s combined with a present day link.

[Lauren Grindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about local area of Slapton Sands and Torcross

[Katie 1😉 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just didn´t work for me. This was a book that wasn´t worth finishing, but I am incapable of leaving a book in the middle. Que dolor de libro.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

very hard to get into at first very slow to start, but once you get into it, it was very informative, but very back and to between the present and the past

[Chloé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great parallel stories in two different eras as well as great historical background.