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William Falconer #6
Rito di morte per Falconer
Oxford 1271
A headless skeleton is discovered in the foundations of an old building.
The gruesome discovery is quickly brought to the attention of William Falconer who is handed a bony finger with a distinctive ring on it. The only clue to the skeleton’s identity.
Falconer believes the victim is a visiting Templar who went missing twenty years before.
But old crimes burst into the present when one of the men who found the skeleton is brutally murdered. Falconer realises the killer is still in Oxford and determined to keep their secret hidden. Whatever it takes.
Can Falconer’s famed logic unmask the murderer before he becomes the next victim?
A headless skeleton is discovered in the foundations of an old building.
The gruesome discovery is quickly brought to the attention of William Falconer who is handed a bony finger with a distinctive ring on it. The only clue to the skeleton’s identity.
Falconer believes the victim is a visiting Templar who went missing twenty years before.
But old crimes burst into the present when one of the men who found the skeleton is brutally murdered. Falconer realises the killer is still in Oxford and determined to keep their secret hidden. Whatever it takes.
Can Falconer’s famed logic unmask the murderer before he becomes the next victim?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 3, 2026
About the author
Ian Morson
22 books27 followersBorn in 1947 in the Midlands town of Derby into a working class family whose members either worked for Rolls-Royce or on the railways. Educated at the local grammar school with high academic standards. The school was one of the first to start teaching Russian. Won a scholarship to Oxford University in 1965, and studied Russian. At Oxford, developed a love of folk music, and regularly performed at clubs and pubs. Was president of the Heritage Society. Almost met Bill Clinton (same college, wrong year). Fell in love with Oxford.
Obtained a grant to research into Folk-life studies at Leeds University for a year in 1968/69. Wrote a thesis on Folk and Music-hall songs. Had to look for a real job at the end of it.
Started work in London as a library assistant in Harrow, and progressed to a senior post in public libraries over the next twenty years. Got married (twice) and now lives in Mevagissey, Cornwall. Became interested in conservation, and spends a lot of time doing voluntary work for the National Trust. Also directs and performs for St Austell Players - local am-dram group.
Started writing for real at the age of 42, after having dabbled in (unperformed) radio plays and (unpublished) poetry. First Falconer novel published at the age of 47.
Obtained a grant to research into Folk-life studies at Leeds University for a year in 1968/69. Wrote a thesis on Folk and Music-hall songs. Had to look for a real job at the end of it.
Started work in London as a library assistant in Harrow, and progressed to a senior post in public libraries over the next twenty years. Got married (twice) and now lives in Mevagissey, Cornwall. Became interested in conservation, and spends a lot of time doing voluntary work for the National Trust. Also directs and performs for St Austell Players - local am-dram group.
Started writing for real at the age of 42, after having dabbled in (unperformed) radio plays and (unpublished) poetry. First Falconer novel published at the age of 47.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 21, 2026
Dopo qualche lettura gialla così così, finalmente un giallo storico che soddisfa i miei desideri di mistero, indagini e ambiente storico interessante. Fra templari, scheletri del passato e nuovi omicidi, Falconer saprà districare la matassa ancora una volta.
June 14, 2023
Recently, I found a digital copy of all the Falconer books in one volume which was a lot less expensive than buying each separately. About a decade ago in Toronto, I found the second book in the series in a used book store, and I loved it. So, I looked for the first entry in the series and have slowly been reading the entire series. “Falconer and the Ritual of Death” is the sixth entry in the Falconer Historical Mystery series by Ian Morson. This is simply a very good historical mystery series like Ellis Peters’ classic Brother Cadfael series.
“Falconer and the Ritual of Death” is set in old Oxford in 1271. As old buildings are pulled down to make way for a new college, a headless skeleton is revealed. Falconer deduces that the victim was murdered twenty years earlier, and is drawn into a series of violent events in which past and present collide. Thus begins a mystery for all which also captures the reader. Our favorite Oxford teacher and cleric Falconer is on the case once more.
Oxford is and was a college town. The local color regarding the depictions of interactions among academics, townspeople, and outsiders created a credible atmosphere. The characters were well developed; there were some for whom I did not particularly care. As with good mysteries, the desire to figure out who was committing the murders kept me guessing. I really like this series and the main characters, especially Falconer and his friend the town constable, Peter Bullock. So, if you like Medieval monastic mysteries, this is certainly one to try.
“Falconer and the Ritual of Death” is set in old Oxford in 1271. As old buildings are pulled down to make way for a new college, a headless skeleton is revealed. Falconer deduces that the victim was murdered twenty years earlier, and is drawn into a series of violent events in which past and present collide. Thus begins a mystery for all which also captures the reader. Our favorite Oxford teacher and cleric Falconer is on the case once more.
Oxford is and was a college town. The local color regarding the depictions of interactions among academics, townspeople, and outsiders created a credible atmosphere. The characters were well developed; there were some for whom I did not particularly care. As with good mysteries, the desire to figure out who was committing the murders kept me guessing. I really like this series and the main characters, especially Falconer and his friend the town constable, Peter Bullock. So, if you like Medieval monastic mysteries, this is certainly one to try.
June 4, 2025
#6 in the William Falconer medieval mystery series. Falconer is in his 40's and the Regent Master of Aristotle's Hall at Oxford University. He has a fascination for the obscure with an interest in scientific experiments whose hobby is solving murders. He is considered an eccentric who suffers from poor eyesight and used Aristotle's deductive reasoning methods to solve mysteries. Prior to becoming an academic, he was a mercenary who traveled a lot.
1271. As old buildings are pulled down to make way for a new college in Oxford, a headless skeleton is revealed. Falconer deduces that the victim was murdered twenty years earlier, and is drawn into a series of violent events in which past and present collide.
1271. As old buildings are pulled down to make way for a new college in Oxford, a headless skeleton is revealed. Falconer deduces that the victim was murdered twenty years earlier, and is drawn into a series of violent events in which past and present collide.
November 23, 2018
An interesting story involving Templar knights, holy relics, the creation of relics and the pilgrimage business, oh and the solving of six murders and counting! Set in Oxford in 1250 and 1271, the action begins with the discovery of a headless body in the space of a double stone wall of a fairly recent building in the Jewish part of town. Anti-Jewish is sparked by the assertion by a Christian priest that child sacrifice has taken place. Falconer must unravel the various threads to find out whether all the murders are linked, or if they are even murders. An interesting complication is an arrival from Canterbury of Saphiria who gets Falconer questioning his vow of chastity.
July 8, 2026
The Ritual of Death
While workmen demolish an old building to make way for a new one, a headless body is discovered. Falconer determines the man was murdered 20 years ago. Who was this man and who killed him? We get glimpses into the past as the story unfoldeds. Falconer arrives in Oxford in 1250 and solves a murder his first few days in the city. Can he solve this new crime? Great story.
While workmen demolish an old building to make way for a new one, a headless body is discovered. Falconer determines the man was murdered 20 years ago. Who was this man and who killed him? We get glimpses into the past as the story unfoldeds. Falconer arrives in Oxford in 1250 and solves a murder his first few days in the city. Can he solve this new crime? Great story.
September 19, 2023
Great read and I would say The Best of the Series so Far
October 13, 2024
Another excellent mystery!
May 23, 2023
1271. It all starts with the discovery of a skeleton in a house being demolished. Deemed to have been dead for twenty years. But soon more recent deaths will need to be investigated by Falconer and Constable Bullock. Is there a connection between these deaths.
An entertaining historical mystery.
An entertaining historical mystery.
March 3, 2013
The Master William Falconer Mystery Series by Ian Morson.
‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’
Ian Morson is British, currently living in Cyprus, and a popular author amongst the readers who love well written historical mysteries. His Falconer series: ‘Falconer’s Crusade’, ‘Falconer’s Judgement’, ‘Falconer and the Face of God’, ‘A Psalm for Falconer’, ‘Falconer and the Great Beast’, ‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’ are set in 13thC Oxford. Falconer is a regent master (professor) of Oxford University and in charge of Aristotle’s Hall. He lives in the largest upper room, with ‘a dozen or so’ students in the remaining living spaces. This is the early days of the university, before the colleges were built, and so students live all over Oxford. And what an Oxford it is. We get descriptions of the narrow streets, the overcrowding, and the filth, a bit too much filth sometimes, the shops and the university.
‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’ is the newest in the series. As usual the opening sentence of the first chapter is a real hook: ‘The girl’s body lay on the scrubbed oak surface of the battered table.’ And we are pulled into a mystery. William Falconer and his fellow regent master of science are conducting an anatomy experiment, something forbidden by the Church. The poor girl is meant to be a suicide, but is she? Only detailed examination will tell. However another body soon turns up, definitely murdered, hidden in the walls of a building being demolished to make way for the first university college. Falconer is drawn to investigate. He believes that ‘logical thought could cut through the morass that surrounded cases of murder.’ and he likes to prove this to his friend, constable Peter Bullock. Together they have to find out who the body is, for it’s headless, and a good few years old. With a mysterious stranger hovering in the background, a master builder upset at building delays, and Peter not at all his usual forthcoming self, William Falconer has plenty of problems to solve before he can find the truth about the dead girl and the body in the wall.
None of the Falconer books are heavy going, the history doesn’t get in the way of the story, which is fast paced and with plenty of plot twists. The mysteries are solved in ways which are credible and Falconer is not a misplaced 21stC forensic scientist. He seems refreshingly 13thC. Definitely books to read for readers who like a helping of well researched history with their mystery.
‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’
Ian Morson is British, currently living in Cyprus, and a popular author amongst the readers who love well written historical mysteries. His Falconer series: ‘Falconer’s Crusade’, ‘Falconer’s Judgement’, ‘Falconer and the Face of God’, ‘A Psalm for Falconer’, ‘Falconer and the Great Beast’, ‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’ are set in 13thC Oxford. Falconer is a regent master (professor) of Oxford University and in charge of Aristotle’s Hall. He lives in the largest upper room, with ‘a dozen or so’ students in the remaining living spaces. This is the early days of the university, before the colleges were built, and so students live all over Oxford. And what an Oxford it is. We get descriptions of the narrow streets, the overcrowding, and the filth, a bit too much filth sometimes, the shops and the university.
‘Falconer and the Ritual of Death’ is the newest in the series. As usual the opening sentence of the first chapter is a real hook: ‘The girl’s body lay on the scrubbed oak surface of the battered table.’ And we are pulled into a mystery. William Falconer and his fellow regent master of science are conducting an anatomy experiment, something forbidden by the Church. The poor girl is meant to be a suicide, but is she? Only detailed examination will tell. However another body soon turns up, definitely murdered, hidden in the walls of a building being demolished to make way for the first university college. Falconer is drawn to investigate. He believes that ‘logical thought could cut through the morass that surrounded cases of murder.’ and he likes to prove this to his friend, constable Peter Bullock. Together they have to find out who the body is, for it’s headless, and a good few years old. With a mysterious stranger hovering in the background, a master builder upset at building delays, and Peter not at all his usual forthcoming self, William Falconer has plenty of problems to solve before he can find the truth about the dead girl and the body in the wall.
None of the Falconer books are heavy going, the history doesn’t get in the way of the story, which is fast paced and with plenty of plot twists. The mysteries are solved in ways which are credible and Falconer is not a misplaced 21stC forensic scientist. He seems refreshingly 13thC. Definitely books to read for readers who like a helping of well researched history with their mystery.
March 18, 2010
I think this may have been one of those books that I would have enjoyed more reading it, rather than listening to it. The narrator was really great I just had a little bit of a hard time following it. I wish they'd put Ian Morson's book into eBook format.... I really want to read more of the Falconer series but won't to an audio version again and I'm not sure I can go back to itty-bitty paperback print.....
March 3, 2009
Although I am relatively new reader of mysteries, I found this book interesting and informative. It's wonderful to see how our forensic processes have been developing over hundreds of years. And since I don't know much about England in the 1200's, I learned a bit about the crusades and the social standing of different people during that period. I'll try another of these mysteries.
December 30, 2012
Disappointing.
Really liked the premise, but not the execution. I felt as though the period had been asset-stripped for interesting details to be added to the story. Cf. the Falco series, set in Roman times, where the history and archaeology is woven into the descriptions.
A real shame, as I love the medieval period, crime and Oxford so it should have been a shoo-in for me.
Really liked the premise, but not the execution. I felt as though the period had been asset-stripped for interesting details to be added to the story. Cf. the Falco series, set in Roman times, where the history and archaeology is woven into the descriptions.
A real shame, as I love the medieval period, crime and Oxford so it should have been a shoo-in for me.
December 28, 2023
A welcome surprise!
This is the first Falconer book I’ve read, but will not be the last. I enjoyed hidden body premise & the unexpected revelations about its identity & demise! The references to the tense status of Jews in the Middle Ages, while accurate, was very disturbing! I look forward to “a fleshing out” of Master William & the beautiful Sephira in future volumes.
This is the first Falconer book I’ve read, but will not be the last. I enjoyed hidden body premise & the unexpected revelations about its identity & demise! The references to the tense status of Jews in the Middle Ages, while accurate, was very disturbing! I look forward to “a fleshing out” of Master William & the beautiful Sephira in future volumes.
December 7, 2011
See review under papalodge.
September 8, 2015
Good mystery, but odd character development. Some events happened between novels that were not clearly explained.
February 24, 2024
Remzrkable
This series is remarkable in that I can already tell that I am going to be upset when the series ends.
This series is remarkable in that I can already tell that I am going to be upset when the series ends.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews