The Sins of the Father

Edwin Weaver #1

by C.B. Hanley

1217: England has been invaded. Much of the country is in the iron grip of Louis of France and his collaborators, and civil war rages as the forces of the boy king try to fight off the French. Most of this means nothing to Edwin Weaver, son of the bailiff of Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire, until he is suddenly thrust into the noble world of politics and treachery: he is ordered by his lord the earl to solve a murder which might have repurcussions not just for him but for the future of the realm. Edwin is terrified but he must obey; he takes on the challenge and learns more until he uncovers the horrific secret which has been dead and buried for fifteen years, a secret which might kill them all - and realises there are some questions to which he might not wish to know the answers.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Medieval, Fiction, Historical Mystery, British Literature, 13th Century

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2009

About the author

C.B. Hanley has a PhD in mediaeval studies from the University of Sheffield and is the author of War and Combat 1150–1270: The Evidence from Old French Literature, and a number of scholarly articles on the period. She currently teaches on writing for academic publication, and also works as a copy-editor and proofreader.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting historical fiction just after king john's death and the shifting of supporting louis the French prince or the young king henry and novel is based where one of the regent allies is murdered and the hunt for the killer. enjoyable debut novel

[Katie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1217, and with King John dead, the Earl of Surrey has decided to change his allegiance and support John's son Henry for the kingdom (against Prince Louis of France, who the Earl and other English noblemen had earlier invited to take the throne in preference to John's tyranny). But as he's about to leave to join the regent's muster, another nobleman he has little love for is murdered in his keep. If the murderer is not swiftly found, the Earl may come under suspicion. He entrusts the case to his young bailiff, Edwin (stepping in for his dying father the old bailiff), who is helped by the Earl's squires and page. But can Edwin find the murderer and solve the mystery? And what price might he pay?

The author is a historian, and I believe this is her first fictional book in her period of expertise. It starts a little confusing -- there are a lot of POV characters and they are hard to keep straight at first. Edwin and Robert are about 19, Martin is 17, and Simon is around 8 or 9. Hanley hops POV quite frequently, with these as the main characters but at least a half-dozen POVs more coming into the picture as well. Switching POVs so frequently doesn’t allow for enough character development for each, so the reader doesn’t connect strongly with anyone for a good while.

Eventually Edwin emerges as the main character, and this settles down the book a lot. Once the murder happens, Edwin has only two days to solve it. The pace is rapid, and while there are few red herrings, the emotional impact of the solution is strong.

There is a ton of historical detail in this book and it is generally handled very well. It definitely shows that the writer is a historian of this era, and not just adding a little historical color here and there. Where it has room to grow is simply in the fiction writing -- pruning excessive POVs and extraneous plot threads, developing characterizations, etc. I think future books in this series will probably become increasingly solid in this regard.

Content warning for historically-accurate child abuse and child death.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite aspect of this book is the realness of the characters, they struggle with self-doubt, grief, fear, the imbalance of the society they find themselves in. Ultimately, the characters are really kind (except for the villains of course) and I loved that so much. It was really nice to read a book with characters that were thoughtful and looked out for the least of these in some way. It warmed my heart.

Plus the mystery is really good and the twist was great.

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical mystery novel, with an interesting young protagonist. I will be trying the next in the series. Although I didn't "like" some of the ending, it was all consistent with the story.
Recommended.

[Susanne Mulholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and researched

I love medieval mysteries and am delighted to have discovered this author. This is in the league of the best such as PC Doherty and Candace Robb. Engaging characters, good plot and a delight to read. On to the next in the series.

[Ra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very well written and but gonna lie, I really appreciate a historical novel that is historically accurate (more or less).

A very bittersweet ending, I teared up a little. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Njeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than plausible rubbish.

Thank you for listening to the academic. It is more than plausible rubbish., it is a well written and interesting book, which i enjoyed reading. I look forward with pleasure to reading the rest of the series.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the historical detail the author described, the details leading up to solving the murder moved slowly. The lead character was a surprise and certainly grew into his role well. I will try a second one at some point.

[Brian Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writer obviously knows the history of the period very well and at times the book read more like a very informative, non-fiction history book. No complaints from me, as it is a period of English history that has long fascinated me. Other readers however might be put off and give up reading the novel, but I would urge them to continue, as after a slow start the novel progressed into a very good medieval murder mystery.

The plot was very good and I really had no clue as to who had committed the murders. I liked the way it told the story from the point of view of Edwin, a commoner and the son of the bailiff at Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire, who as his father is incapacitated by illness, is given the impossible task of discovering who has committed a murder in the castle. A very good debut novel and I will certainly be reading more of Edwin's adventures.

[Clare Macdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was only OK. I got through it, but it was a bit of a chore.

[m i scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, nice insight into the times.
Hope series continues in this vein.

[Maya Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Babylon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read, a good murder plot - I didn’t work out the villain! Some fun history and settings. The writing & characters didn’t wow, but a thoroughly good read and insight into early 13th century.

[Jill Frederickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery with decent historical details.

[Ian Appleby · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only previous experience of the medieval murder mystery genre was Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mind you, if it hadn't been for the fact that the author of The Sins of the Father is a friend of mine, it's unlikely I would have picked this up. I'm pleased I did, though: I found it equally enjoyable. No grizzled ex-soldier-turned-monk at the centre of this book: our hero is a young man, Edwin Weaver, thrust into adult responsibilities by a high-profile murder at his Lord's castle and the impending death of his own father, whose footsteps Edwin fears he will never fill.

Interestingly, then, rather than being yet another misfit loner, the type who seems to populate so much detective fiction, Edwin - although he does display the lightest touches of what none of his contemporaries would have called neuro-atypicality - turns to his friends and acquaintances for support in solving the crime. Their different talents and experience complement one another to make sense of the leads which are uncovered, although the author skilfully sows red herrings into the mix. The key piece of the jigsaw is revealed perhaps a little too conveniently, but overall the mystery aspect of the novel is solidly crafted.

As for the historical aspects, Hanley is an expert in this period, although her knowledge is worn lightly; she deftly creates a convincing impression of the time. The past, famously, is another country, where things are done differently. What struck me reading this was how recognisable, even modern, the characters were in some respects - e.g. a traumatised veteran - yet how alien in others: the unquestioned certainty in religious belief, for example, or the massive differences in status which existed in a feudal society.

So both the important properties of a historical detective novel are handled in a very satisfying manner. The door is left open for further books about Edwin, and I very much hope these will be forthcoming.

[Sarah u · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel we meet Edwin Weaver, the young son of the bailiff at Conisbrough Castle, Yorkshire. It is the year 1217. Edwin is set the task of solving the mystery of who murdered the Earl of Sheffield while he was visiting the castle in just a couple of days- and he's not short of suspects! The action of the novel is set against the backdrop of civil war between the protector of the new boy king Henry III, William Marshal, and the lords who are in support of Louis of France.

As well as meeting Edwin at Conisbrough, we meet his Lord, William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey; his sister Isabelle and her maid, Joanna; Edwin's friends- Robert, Simon and Martin, the Earls' pages; Sir Geoffrey, an older knight who is one of Edwin's father's friends; Father Ignatius, the village priest and Simon's teacher; and later the Earl of Sheffield and his younger brother. These characters are well developed within the story, and their personalities really shine through the pages.

The scenes and characters are very authentic; their personalities, attitudes and character traits are realistic for the time.

In addition to the brilliant scene setting and excellent period detail, Hanley can write a thumping good story. This mystery is a real page turner, with several plot twists throughout. I was hooked from the prologue, which is mysterious and intriguing. The prologue becomes part of the bigger story later on, with everything coming together into a surprising conclusion. Hanley is a gifted storyteller, with her words flowing beautifully from the page. In fact, I can't think of one thing I disliked about the novel, it was excellent. Five stars! I sincerely hope there is a sequel.

[Jasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long while since I read a historical murder-mystery and I found myself thoroughly enjoying this one. Set in the year 1217, in the backdrop of a civil war between the forces of the Louis VIII of France and the English barons fighting under William Marshal, the regent for nine year-old Henry III, it centers around Edwin Weaver, the son of the bailiff of Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire. While there are some historical figures mentioned and featured, Edwin is an entirely fictional character, a smart boy grappling with the idea of his father dying. When a murder occurs he is given the job of uncovering who the killer is, a task he doesn't feel he is up to handling. I liked the characters, I enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere, and the ending left a bittersweet feeling in me.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edwin Weaver is the son of the bailiff at Conisbrough Castle who, after the earl of Sheffield is murdered, is charged with the task of finding the killer. This was obviously a debut novel from the writing but it shows great promise and if the author were to continue with the series I would read the following books. I mainly picked this up because Conisbrough Castle is near where I live and I've visited it several times. Knowing the area and some of its history made the book that little bit more interesting for me.

[Carla Nayland]

Enjoyable medieval murder mystery, set in England 1217 against the background of the political turmoil following the death of King John. Young Edwin Weaver, standing in for his dying father as bailiff, has to solve the murder of an earl in order to prevent the lands of his lord (and his own home and family) being destroyed for treason. And he only has two days to do it. Review: http://www.carlanayland.org/reviews/s...

[Gerald Matzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the medieval mystery genre since I discovered the Brother Cadfael series. This book was similar only in its setting. The detective was a young but clever man who could only use his wits to solve the crime. I felt that there too many characters involved to the point that it was difficult to keep everyone straight. Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more by this author.

[G L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical mysteries. This is the first in a lovely new trilogy. It suffers somewhat from being the author's first mystery, but the main character is engaging, the plot is interesting, and the Hanley handles the period and setting well. Plus, book two (which is better) will make a lot more sense if you read this one first. I didn't, and that made book two a lot more confusing than it needed to be.

[Laura Trombley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally don't care for mysteries but I liked this one well enough. I never guessed "whodunnit" until the main character came to realize the culprit. I wanted the characters to be portrayed more vibrantly, I wanted better descriptions of the buildings and the ramparts, I wanted to delve deeper into everything about this setting and these characters. It was after all, a mystery and that was the plot, pure and simple. There are more books in this series, and I will read them eventually.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable mystery set in medieval England, by an academic at the University of Sheffield, and set around that area of the country. It makes a point of showing the injustices that abounded and the resignation about them. From a narrative perspective, the jumping between characters made it harder to get a grip on who everyone was for a while.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Power struggles in England in 1217 bring the story of Edwin Weaver, son of the bailiff, raised to that status himself as his father is dying. The murder of an earl en route to join the forces of the regent of the boy king at the keep of the local earl sets in motion acts that eventually uncover acts of violence 15 years past.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery takes place in England in 1217. I loved all of the historic details of daily life during that time period. However, the pace of the mystery seemed a bit off. I also wasn't quite satisfied with the way the story resolved in the end. All in all though, it was an enjoyable book.

[Guy VanHorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story and an enjoyable book. The writing started out somewhat shallow, but it stepped up in the second half of the novel. Not sure of the purpose of one character Sir Roger. Maybe it was more of an introduction and he further develops in a later story.

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this historical mystery... recommended.

[Jennifer Iveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. Writing was a bit amateurish, I thought.

[Bibliobee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Tessa in Mid-Michigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done and well-researched. Will read the next one...