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Glastonbury
After millionaire Malcolm Capshaw hires Joe Cutler and his team to search for a fabled artifact, they enter a maze of lies, murder and betrayal. The real purpose of their search is soon exposed, as an old London crime family displays an unusual interest in an ancient town where Christianity laid its roots in England. Aided by the enigmatic professor Lucius Doberman, Joe and his team must solve the ancient mystery that lies in the shadows of Glastonbury, or die trying. ★★★★★ - "One of the most fun reads I have encountered this year. Porter has provided a great cast of ensemble players and a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Loved it." ★★★★★ - "A great read. I highly recommend this to mystery fans everywhere."
310 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2010
112 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Brian L. Porter
62 books71 followersFormerly a member of the Royal Air Force, Brian L Porter is an award-winning author, and a dedicated dog rescuer, with the distinction of having more than twenty Amazon #1 bestsellers to his name. He has written under three pseudonyms, with bestsellers coming under each of his writing guises. The majority of those have come under his Brian L Porter name with four coming under his Harry Porter and Juan Pablo Jalisco names.
Nowadays, he divides his time between writing his popular Mersey Murder Mystery series of books, and his immensely successful true-life Family of Rescue Dogs series, all featuring the dogs that form part of his own family, and all having been Amazon #1 bestsellers.
Nowadays, he divides his time between writing his popular Mersey Murder Mystery series of books, and his immensely successful true-life Family of Rescue Dogs series, all featuring the dogs that form part of his own family, and all having been Amazon #1 bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 4, 2014
Brian L. Porter is a man of many literary talents, as demonstrated by his medical thriller Pestilence and his poetry compilation Lest We Forget. The native Liverpudlian shows what he knows in using Merrie Olde England as his backdrop for his works, going from the fictitious Olney St. Mary in Pestilence to the skies over Great Britain with his WWII prose collection. His lost treasure melodrama, Glastonbury, centers on the town in Somerset where two teams of fortune hunters square off in a death match, mostly ‘cuz they don’t like each other’s faces. There’s something almost American about this novel, from Joe Cutler’s wiseass attitude to Walter Graves’ casual duplicity. Even though the baddies, the villainous Malcolm Capshaw and his henchmen Maitland brothers, are bred and buttered Continentals, the hot-to-trot Sally Corbett, Charlotte Raeburn and her cousin Jennifer come off like pin-up gals from the Dallas TV series. For Anglophobes who generally steer clear of British-based novels, you’ll find that this whole storyline could have shifted to Los Angeles (or Dallas) without missing a beat.
Not that Porter doesn’t stay true to his roots. Capshaw is an old-school London mobster maintaining a veneer of respectability. Only he’s drawn offside by getting wind of a wild goose chase in Glastonbury where people are whispering about Excalibur, the fabled sword of King Arthur. He’s got the backstabbing Walter Graves on the high road and the cutthroat Maitlands on the low road, and who’ll be in Scotland---erm, Glastonbury, before ye? Professor Lucius Doberman (seriously!), that’s who, and he’s got our boy Cutler and sexy Sally doing the heavy lifting for him. The spit hits the fan when Capshaw’s S&M games with Charlotte take a fatal turn, and the Maitlands are compromised while doing their cleanup chores. It looks like Sally’s going to be the next in line when the whip comes down, and Cutler has to make some fast moves before Capshaw captures the fair maiden, the magic sword, and everything else on the round table.
Check out Brian’s Amazon page for a list of books on sale by this versatile author. Rest assured, Glastonbury is a great place to start.
Not that Porter doesn’t stay true to his roots. Capshaw is an old-school London mobster maintaining a veneer of respectability. Only he’s drawn offside by getting wind of a wild goose chase in Glastonbury where people are whispering about Excalibur, the fabled sword of King Arthur. He’s got the backstabbing Walter Graves on the high road and the cutthroat Maitlands on the low road, and who’ll be in Scotland---erm, Glastonbury, before ye? Professor Lucius Doberman (seriously!), that’s who, and he’s got our boy Cutler and sexy Sally doing the heavy lifting for him. The spit hits the fan when Capshaw’s S&M games with Charlotte take a fatal turn, and the Maitlands are compromised while doing their cleanup chores. It looks like Sally’s going to be the next in line when the whip comes down, and Cutler has to make some fast moves before Capshaw captures the fair maiden, the magic sword, and everything else on the round table.
Check out Brian’s Amazon page for a list of books on sale by this versatile author. Rest assured, Glastonbury is a great place to start.
December 2, 2010
Glastonbury is one of the most fun reads I have encountered this year. Porter has provided a great cast of ensemble players plopped down in the middle of a real mystery wrapped in an enigma and an ending that includes everything except a cavalry charge. I loved it.
It is difficult to say much about the plot for fear of dropping in a spoiler, but I can say it is well plotted, tight and fast moving and will keep you guessing up until the last page.
The book, although about a group of specialist in modern high tech imaging techniques, retains the distinct flavor of the mysteries from the Golden Age and is a must read.
It is difficult to say much about the plot for fear of dropping in a spoiler, but I can say it is well plotted, tight and fast moving and will keep you guessing up until the last page.
The book, although about a group of specialist in modern high tech imaging techniques, retains the distinct flavor of the mysteries from the Golden Age and is a must read.
September 29, 2021
REVIEW OF GLASTONBURY BY BRIAN L. PORTER
Overview
This is a book that is well worth a read. It is exciting and keeps the reader turning the page.
Blurb
After millionaire Malcolm Capshaw hires Joe Cutler and his team to search for a fabled artifact, they enter a maze of lies, murder and betrayal
The real purpose of their search is soon exposed, as an old London crime family displays an unusual interest in an ancient town where Christianity laid its roots in England
Aided by the enigmatic professor Lucius Doberman, Joe and his team must solve the ancient mystery that lies in the shadows of Glastonbury, or die trying
Story
This begins as the story of a search for King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur. A business man, Malcolm Capshaw, has come into possession of a map perporting to show where some of the remaining knights had buried the sword to save it from coming into the possession of enemies. Sadly, though, the names of places, and even the terrain, have changed since then. So he employs a company of surveyors to help locate it using the latest technology. Of course, it’s not as straightforward as that. There are twists and turns of the plot, and the final twist at the end came as a surprise to me.
Characters
Mr Porter has drawn his characters well. I particularly liked Winston Fortune, one of the team searching. He has a great sense of humour. And I disliked Walter Graves, which I suppose I was supposed to as he’s set up as a villain. In fact, I liked all of Joe Cutler’s team. They seemed like real people with all their faults as well as good points.
Writing
The writing is, on the whole, good. A few unnecessary uses of the word ‘just’, but apart from that, no major problems.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this story immensely and give it 5*.
Overview
This is a book that is well worth a read. It is exciting and keeps the reader turning the page.
Blurb
After millionaire Malcolm Capshaw hires Joe Cutler and his team to search for a fabled artifact, they enter a maze of lies, murder and betrayal
The real purpose of their search is soon exposed, as an old London crime family displays an unusual interest in an ancient town where Christianity laid its roots in England
Aided by the enigmatic professor Lucius Doberman, Joe and his team must solve the ancient mystery that lies in the shadows of Glastonbury, or die trying
Story
This begins as the story of a search for King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur. A business man, Malcolm Capshaw, has come into possession of a map perporting to show where some of the remaining knights had buried the sword to save it from coming into the possession of enemies. Sadly, though, the names of places, and even the terrain, have changed since then. So he employs a company of surveyors to help locate it using the latest technology. Of course, it’s not as straightforward as that. There are twists and turns of the plot, and the final twist at the end came as a surprise to me.
Characters
Mr Porter has drawn his characters well. I particularly liked Winston Fortune, one of the team searching. He has a great sense of humour. And I disliked Walter Graves, which I suppose I was supposed to as he’s set up as a villain. In fact, I liked all of Joe Cutler’s team. They seemed like real people with all their faults as well as good points.
Writing
The writing is, on the whole, good. A few unnecessary uses of the word ‘just’, but apart from that, no major problems.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this story immensely and give it 5*.
December 11, 2025
This is a good story built on a terrific premise: a wealthy businessman hires a survey team to locate Excalibur, King Arthur’s legendary sword. I was hooked immediately. An early twist sends the plot in an unexpected direction, and the drive to uncover the truth kept me turning the pages.
Unfortunately, the journey itself wasn’t especially enjoyable. The prose is flat and overly expository—as if the author missed the day they teach writers to show rather than tell. The characters never quite come alive; their emotions rely on clichés, and the dialogue often feels juvenile. As a result, it was hard to connect with anyone on the page.
In the end, my curiosity about the mystery kept me reading, but the experience wasn’t much fun. And to make matters worse, the anticlimactic ending doesn’t hold together or reward the effort it takes to get there.
Unfortunately, the journey itself wasn’t especially enjoyable. The prose is flat and overly expository—as if the author missed the day they teach writers to show rather than tell. The characters never quite come alive; their emotions rely on clichés, and the dialogue often feels juvenile. As a result, it was hard to connect with anyone on the page.
In the end, my curiosity about the mystery kept me reading, but the experience wasn’t much fun. And to make matters worse, the anticlimactic ending doesn’t hold together or reward the effort it takes to get there.
April 29, 2017
Yep .. Good Story
January 22, 2011
Glastonbury – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
“King Arthur did exist, Mr. Cutler. I’m convinced of it, and this document will help to prove it to you. I can’t reveal to you where it came from or how it came into my possession, but a lot of people have died over the years to protect it and the information it holds. I’m a wealthy man as you already know, and the money itself is not of great importance to me. I thought that you would appreciate a large cash injection into your business. You are building a very good reputation in your field, Mr. Cutler. Imagine how high your stock would rise among your potential clients if you could put on your company brochure that you were instrumental in leading the team that finally revealed the burial place not of King Author himself, but of his great sword, Excalibur!”
Joe Cutler, owner of Strata Surveys, has just been propositioned by millionaire Malcolm Capshaw to search the land near Glastonbury in search of the burial place of the famous sword Excalibur. Everyone who has ever heard of or read about King Arthur knows he as well as his sword are a figment of his creator’s imagination. But…the document shown to Joe by Capshaw is not only convincing but the fact that someone like Capshaw would believe in the fable makes it an offer he can’t turn down. Now he has to convince his team, Sally and Winston that not only is the money good but they really have nothing to lose.
So, the team sets up camp at a quaint little guest house called the Rowan Tree located just outside of Glastonbury. Capshaw has alerted Joe that he will be sending Walter Graves, a known historian to meet and work with them in their recovery. But is Graves exactly who he is supposed to be? When Joe gets a quick glimpse of a pistol under Graves’ jacket, he’s no longer sure who he is dealing with. And more confusion comes when their Ground Penetrating Radar picks up something the size of a casket buried beneath the ground’s surface. As the discovery is uncovered and the lid opened to expose the body of a man, Graves’ explanation of it being a body buried hundreds of years before is discredited by Winston noticing that the body was wearing a Timex watch.
So, who is Graves? Who is Malcolm Capshaw? And what do the notorious Maitland brothers have to do with the search? They are noted for their dealings with organized crime but how do they fit into play? These and many other questions combine to make a really twisted tail of mystery, history, murder and suspense.
As usual, Author Brian L. Porter has kept me in the dark until the very last 10 pages of his book Glastonbury. And as usual, I was totally surprised with his ending. My words to you Mr. Porter are this…you have created a great new character, actually several, so please keep their stories coming!
Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com Stir, Laugh, Repeat
“King Arthur did exist, Mr. Cutler. I’m convinced of it, and this document will help to prove it to you. I can’t reveal to you where it came from or how it came into my possession, but a lot of people have died over the years to protect it and the information it holds. I’m a wealthy man as you already know, and the money itself is not of great importance to me. I thought that you would appreciate a large cash injection into your business. You are building a very good reputation in your field, Mr. Cutler. Imagine how high your stock would rise among your potential clients if you could put on your company brochure that you were instrumental in leading the team that finally revealed the burial place not of King Author himself, but of his great sword, Excalibur!”
Joe Cutler, owner of Strata Surveys, has just been propositioned by millionaire Malcolm Capshaw to search the land near Glastonbury in search of the burial place of the famous sword Excalibur. Everyone who has ever heard of or read about King Arthur knows he as well as his sword are a figment of his creator’s imagination. But…the document shown to Joe by Capshaw is not only convincing but the fact that someone like Capshaw would believe in the fable makes it an offer he can’t turn down. Now he has to convince his team, Sally and Winston that not only is the money good but they really have nothing to lose.
So, the team sets up camp at a quaint little guest house called the Rowan Tree located just outside of Glastonbury. Capshaw has alerted Joe that he will be sending Walter Graves, a known historian to meet and work with them in their recovery. But is Graves exactly who he is supposed to be? When Joe gets a quick glimpse of a pistol under Graves’ jacket, he’s no longer sure who he is dealing with. And more confusion comes when their Ground Penetrating Radar picks up something the size of a casket buried beneath the ground’s surface. As the discovery is uncovered and the lid opened to expose the body of a man, Graves’ explanation of it being a body buried hundreds of years before is discredited by Winston noticing that the body was wearing a Timex watch.
So, who is Graves? Who is Malcolm Capshaw? And what do the notorious Maitland brothers have to do with the search? They are noted for their dealings with organized crime but how do they fit into play? These and many other questions combine to make a really twisted tail of mystery, history, murder and suspense.
As usual, Author Brian L. Porter has kept me in the dark until the very last 10 pages of his book Glastonbury. And as usual, I was totally surprised with his ending. My words to you Mr. Porter are this…you have created a great new character, actually several, so please keep their stories coming!
Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com Stir, Laugh, Repeat
October 9, 2015
Unexpected Twisty Ending
Glastonbury, by Brian L. Porter, is yet another twisty mystery in Porter’s inimitable style. I was drawn into this story because I have lived near Stratford-On-Avon and spent a lot of time there and in surrounding areas. The setting of Glastonbury and surrounding story areas was like taking a walk through my memories of England, though I have no memories of murder and mayhem. Nor do my memories of my time spent there include knowledge of Excalibur and the legend of King Arthur.
Suspense is always present in this story, right from the beginning. I couldn’t stop reading if I needed to. Each page, each action deepens the plot as it unravels. I became just as much curious about the legend of King Arthur and what else might lay buried in those beautiful countryside farm fields.
Porter has created interesting characters. Malcolm Capshaw and the brothers Maitland are sleazy and give me the creeps. The character I really liked, even more than Joe Cutler (though he’s well-drawn) was Winston Fortune. Through the entire story I had the feeling of security with him, that he would rise to the cause and take charge should his two partners find themselves unable to respond.
I kept second guessing all the way through the plot. Every time I thought I had the mystery and all those questionable characters figured out, I was soon proved wrong. Then came the surprise ending with its signature Porter twist. I thought I had it right but wasn’t even close. Second guessing one of Porter’s stories is probably the only time I don’t mind being wrong. I never saw the ending coming. This was a great read and I highly recommend it to mystery fans everywhere.
Glastonbury, by Brian L. Porter, is yet another twisty mystery in Porter’s inimitable style. I was drawn into this story because I have lived near Stratford-On-Avon and spent a lot of time there and in surrounding areas. The setting of Glastonbury and surrounding story areas was like taking a walk through my memories of England, though I have no memories of murder and mayhem. Nor do my memories of my time spent there include knowledge of Excalibur and the legend of King Arthur.
Suspense is always present in this story, right from the beginning. I couldn’t stop reading if I needed to. Each page, each action deepens the plot as it unravels. I became just as much curious about the legend of King Arthur and what else might lay buried in those beautiful countryside farm fields.
Porter has created interesting characters. Malcolm Capshaw and the brothers Maitland are sleazy and give me the creeps. The character I really liked, even more than Joe Cutler (though he’s well-drawn) was Winston Fortune. Through the entire story I had the feeling of security with him, that he would rise to the cause and take charge should his two partners find themselves unable to respond.
I kept second guessing all the way through the plot. Every time I thought I had the mystery and all those questionable characters figured out, I was soon proved wrong. Then came the surprise ending with its signature Porter twist. I thought I had it right but wasn’t even close. Second guessing one of Porter’s stories is probably the only time I don’t mind being wrong. I never saw the ending coming. This was a great read and I highly recommend it to mystery fans everywhere.
January 23, 2016
In any book by Brian L. Porter the first thing you notice is how well the characters are created, fleshed out. Once the characters are in evidence and known then you begin to see the story unfold, piece by piece. In each of his stories you also see a great similarity in writing style to that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the Sherlock Holmes stories. One fact takes you to another, to another and soon you are scratching your head and wondering just what the hell is going on? And then you find out, but not before a number of other pieces of the story unfold. It is a beautiful way to tell a tale. And Mr. Porter does it in a fashion beyond compare.
This tale unfolds as a "Survey Company" called Strata, begins to search for the sword of King Arthur. Well that is what they are told they are searching for. Maps ostensibly created hundreds of years earlier are the basis for the search. In fact they find they have fallen in with a ruthless criminal element that probably means to kill all three of them, the three main characters. But they continue, and continue whilst enlisting the assistance of some others. And then the twists and returns begin. Keep alert. You might figure it out. Or not.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Brian L. Porter is a wonderful writer and creates wonderful stories. This one I think it is fair to say is one of his best in many ways. I recommend it to anyone above the age of say 16 and I only place that limit on age in my recommendation because of a slight necessity for the use of sex and violence in the book. A tour de force of Glastonbury, England and the mind of Brian L. Porter
This tale unfolds as a "Survey Company" called Strata, begins to search for the sword of King Arthur. Well that is what they are told they are searching for. Maps ostensibly created hundreds of years earlier are the basis for the search. In fact they find they have fallen in with a ruthless criminal element that probably means to kill all three of them, the three main characters. But they continue, and continue whilst enlisting the assistance of some others. And then the twists and returns begin. Keep alert. You might figure it out. Or not.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Brian L. Porter is a wonderful writer and creates wonderful stories. This one I think it is fair to say is one of his best in many ways. I recommend it to anyone above the age of say 16 and I only place that limit on age in my recommendation because of a slight necessity for the use of sex and violence in the book. A tour de force of Glastonbury, England and the mind of Brian L. Porter
June 27, 2015
Glastonbury
The title and the cover of the book were what first caught my attention, and the storyline of a search for King Arthur and Excalibur instantly pulled me in. That eventually changed but by then I was invested in the book and the characters, and had to continue to the end. The final twist took me by surprise and left me wanting more. I look forward to more from this author. There are some adult scenes, violence and language, not too much but some, so I would recommend this book for adults. It was a fun read!
The title and the cover of the book were what first caught my attention, and the storyline of a search for King Arthur and Excalibur instantly pulled me in. That eventually changed but by then I was invested in the book and the characters, and had to continue to the end. The final twist took me by surprise and left me wanting more. I look forward to more from this author. There are some adult scenes, violence and language, not too much but some, so I would recommend this book for adults. It was a fun read!
May 24, 2015
Fun reading
Love the aura and mystery of the Glastonbury region. Porter stayed focused and wrote a fun and intriguing tale. Liked the characters , especially the mystery surrounding Graves. Quick read. Fun.
Love the aura and mystery of the Glastonbury region. Porter stayed focused and wrote a fun and intriguing tale. Liked the characters , especially the mystery surrounding Graves. Quick read. Fun.
December 20, 2015
Great read
This book was a great quick read, looking forward to reading more books by this author. Again this was a good book.
This book was a great quick read, looking forward to reading more books by this author. Again this was a good book.
October 27, 2021
I can imagine other readers, like myself, thinking ‘I should have seen that coming.’ But don’t beat yourself up, Brian Porter is a master of the unexpected twist, but he is always credible with it. Glastonbury is a remarkable novel, not just for the foregoing, but also for the strong characterisation. Set in the Somerset countryside this mystery teems with enigmatic characters, ambiguous London crime lords and honest hardworking surveyors. This fast-paced story, offering a taste of archaeology amid the suspense, gripped me from the start so that I read it in three days. I will recommend it with 5-stars.
March 14, 2019
As with all of Porter’s books, this tale of mystery surrounding King Arthur grabbed me from the first chapter. As Joe Cutler & his team begin their task of locating & digging up Excalibur, the scene gets more intriguing by the arrival of expert Graves. The momentum builds & the conclusion is delivered well, just a little too much dilly dallying at the start.
August 13, 2023
I love the narration of Joe Mills, perfect for this great paced book, brings the action to your ears.
Joe Cutler and his team search for Excalibur around Glastonbury. The expert who is there to help them seems only he does is make phone calls.
There is action suspense, and twists. That will keep you on your toes.
Joe Cutler and his team search for Excalibur around Glastonbury. The expert who is there to help them seems only he does is make phone calls.
There is action suspense, and twists. That will keep you on your toes.
January 21, 2018
Riveting thriller
I couldn't put this book down. Full of suspense and kept my interest throughout. Even though there were a couple of edits that needed to be made I still gave the book a five. I highly recommend it.
I couldn't put this book down. Full of suspense and kept my interest throughout. Even though there were a couple of edits that needed to be made I still gave the book a five. I highly recommend it.
August 27, 2018
Isle of Avalon, and King Arthur legend. People over the years have died to protect it, with this author he brings England to life for us. Filled with twist and turns, a legend worth reading about. A first to read his work and enjoyed
August 19, 2019
Really unexpected ending
Really enjoyed reading this book ,. Makes a change to read a adult thriller , that has violence but not over detailed , or descriptive that you can't carry on reading .
Really enjoyed reading this book ,. Makes a change to read a adult thriller , that has violence but not over detailed , or descriptive that you can't carry on reading .
May 9, 2020
An interesting story
Porter is fast becoming a favorite Kindle author of mine. I first started with his Merseyside murders and he is a concise and clear writer. Some plots are better than others but all are worth a read.
Porter is fast becoming a favorite Kindle author of mine. I first started with his Merseyside murders and he is a concise and clear writer. Some plots are better than others but all are worth a read.
September 8, 2020
Waste of reading time... The title lured me in and the first 200 pages were ok-ish but the last 100 were so filled with platitudes it looked like someone else wrote them. A big disappointing read. Oh and the typos and bad grammar....
Loved the cover though.
Loved the cover though.
May 14, 2019
Stiff
The title lured me into the book
Silly of me, I know. That won't happen àgain. Trust me.
Now to get it out.
The title lured me into the book
Silly of me, I know. That won't happen àgain. Trust me.
Now to get it out.
August 20, 2019
This is a better than average free book.
February 9, 2020
Great Read
An interesting concept. Underlining the importance of our memories and how we learn from them for good or for bad
An interesting concept. Underlining the importance of our memories and how we learn from them for good or for bad
January 17, 2021
Enjoyed
Kinda slow at first then had a hard time not trying to figure out what was happening while I wasn't reading. What a ending.
Kinda slow at first then had a hard time not trying to figure out what was happening while I wasn't reading. What a ending.
February 1, 2015
Glastonbury
by Brian L. Porter
I was sold on this book just by the title, Glastonbury long being thought the location of the Isle of Avalon of the King Arthur legend. And, although that legend plays a pivotal part of the reason the characters become involved in this novel's storyline, the book is never really about the legend.
The author is from the UK, so there were the differences in sentence construction, spelling, slang, etc. for me, a reader from the US, to contend with. I read several UK authors, so although those differences sometimes caught my eye, none really pulled me out of the action. That doesn't mean there weren't some problems with the editing/proofreading. There were just a couple.
At location 93 on my Kindle the final sentence of a paragraph is screwed up in the digital, so that the first word of the sentence appears after the period of the next to the last sentence, as it should, but there is nothing else on the line after it but dead space (about half the line). The next line is indented and begins with a proper noun, so it looks like a new paragraph. Again, I think this break -- probably from a hard return in the original copy -- was simply missed in the proofing of the Kindle edition. But, it stopped me dead, almost before the story had gotten started.
At 1457, there is a misspelled word. "ion" (really a word, just not the correct one) for "on" (...without a stain ion his character.)
At 1751 -- oh the agony for a UK author -- a misspelling of Sherlock Holmes' name. All the more of a problem as it came in a sentence where the name was correctly spelled earlier: "In short, if this little case of yours were a Sherlock Holmes type mystery, and I were to describe myself as taking the part of the great detective, then Marcus would be Mycroft to my Homes."
But other than those three items, I didn't see any other problems with grammar, etc. That last one was a dozy, though, wasn't it!
Okay, in this novel, the Strata Survey Company, owned by Joe Cutler and consisting of Cutler, his field team, Winston Fortune and Sally Corbett, and his office manager, Mavis Hightower, have accepted a job from Malcolm Capshaw, an eccentric and shady multimillionaire, to find the hiding place of King Arthur's sword, Excalibur. Capshaw has produced a document, verified to be from the time of King Arthur, which purports to show where the sword was buried for safekeeping. The team is given a very small window of time in which to find the sword, a large retainer and a flat fee for the work, but with the promise of a very large bonus if and when the sword is found.
Cutler is very suspicious of the job, not really believing that the Arthurian legend is anything but a myth; but the document seems real and if Capshaw's information is correct, not only would Cutler's company stand to gain a lot of cash, but also a lot of notoriety as the finders of the long lost Excalibur. So, off to Glastonbury go Joe, Winston, and Sally, to prepare the search grid and await the arrival of Capshaw's historian, Walter Graves, a decorated military man turned history professor with a mysterious air. Soon it begins to look to the Strata crew that they have been had, and that the search is not for Arthur's sword, but for something very different. They have never completely trusted Capshaw, who has close ties to leaders of the British mafia, the Maitland brothers, Karl and Boris, nor do they trust Graves, the history professor who packs a Ruger in his jacket. When one of the sites where the team digs turns up a corpse that does not seem to be old enough to be from the time of Arthur, Sally contacts her history professor from college to help. What he uncovers, as well as research done by Mavis, clue the team that their interesting little job is suddenly not only what it seemed, but that Walter Graves could prove to be deadly dangerous.
I found this to be an exciting read. Full of interesting twists and turns, the plot moves along tirelessly, unfolding clues and hints and developing characters and plot nicely. I found that when I thought I knew who might become the Strata crew's savior, I was wrong and found the ending twist to be unexpected, and, almost unbelievable given some of the earlier description. Nevertheless, that twist made me smile, so maybe that's all that counts.
by Brian L. Porter
I was sold on this book just by the title, Glastonbury long being thought the location of the Isle of Avalon of the King Arthur legend. And, although that legend plays a pivotal part of the reason the characters become involved in this novel's storyline, the book is never really about the legend.
The author is from the UK, so there were the differences in sentence construction, spelling, slang, etc. for me, a reader from the US, to contend with. I read several UK authors, so although those differences sometimes caught my eye, none really pulled me out of the action. That doesn't mean there weren't some problems with the editing/proofreading. There were just a couple.
At location 93 on my Kindle the final sentence of a paragraph is screwed up in the digital, so that the first word of the sentence appears after the period of the next to the last sentence, as it should, but there is nothing else on the line after it but dead space (about half the line). The next line is indented and begins with a proper noun, so it looks like a new paragraph. Again, I think this break -- probably from a hard return in the original copy -- was simply missed in the proofing of the Kindle edition. But, it stopped me dead, almost before the story had gotten started.
At 1457, there is a misspelled word. "ion" (really a word, just not the correct one) for "on" (...without a stain ion his character.)
At 1751 -- oh the agony for a UK author -- a misspelling of Sherlock Holmes' name. All the more of a problem as it came in a sentence where the name was correctly spelled earlier: "In short, if this little case of yours were a Sherlock Holmes type mystery, and I were to describe myself as taking the part of the great detective, then Marcus would be Mycroft to my Homes."
But other than those three items, I didn't see any other problems with grammar, etc. That last one was a dozy, though, wasn't it!
Okay, in this novel, the Strata Survey Company, owned by Joe Cutler and consisting of Cutler, his field team, Winston Fortune and Sally Corbett, and his office manager, Mavis Hightower, have accepted a job from Malcolm Capshaw, an eccentric and shady multimillionaire, to find the hiding place of King Arthur's sword, Excalibur. Capshaw has produced a document, verified to be from the time of King Arthur, which purports to show where the sword was buried for safekeeping. The team is given a very small window of time in which to find the sword, a large retainer and a flat fee for the work, but with the promise of a very large bonus if and when the sword is found.
Cutler is very suspicious of the job, not really believing that the Arthurian legend is anything but a myth; but the document seems real and if Capshaw's information is correct, not only would Cutler's company stand to gain a lot of cash, but also a lot of notoriety as the finders of the long lost Excalibur. So, off to Glastonbury go Joe, Winston, and Sally, to prepare the search grid and await the arrival of Capshaw's historian, Walter Graves, a decorated military man turned history professor with a mysterious air. Soon it begins to look to the Strata crew that they have been had, and that the search is not for Arthur's sword, but for something very different. They have never completely trusted Capshaw, who has close ties to leaders of the British mafia, the Maitland brothers, Karl and Boris, nor do they trust Graves, the history professor who packs a Ruger in his jacket. When one of the sites where the team digs turns up a corpse that does not seem to be old enough to be from the time of Arthur, Sally contacts her history professor from college to help. What he uncovers, as well as research done by Mavis, clue the team that their interesting little job is suddenly not only what it seemed, but that Walter Graves could prove to be deadly dangerous.
I found this to be an exciting read. Full of interesting twists and turns, the plot moves along tirelessly, unfolding clues and hints and developing characters and plot nicely. I found that when I thought I knew who might become the Strata crew's savior, I was wrong and found the ending twist to be unexpected, and, almost unbelievable given some of the earlier description. Nevertheless, that twist made me smile, so maybe that's all that counts.
March 14, 2017
Twists and turns abound!
Well written, believable and likeable characters. This book will keep you interested and on your toes, with a surprise ending. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Well written, believable and likeable characters. This book will keep you interested and on your toes, with a surprise ending. I'm looking forward to the next one.
October 10, 2016
A pretty good mystery set in Glastonbury, England.
January 26, 2016
I fell for the mention of Glastonbury Tor and the legends of King Arthur when I bought this book. It turned out not to be quite what I expected, although the promise of a search for Excalibur had been used as an enticement to some of the cast of characters. Joe Cutler owns Strata Survey Systems and has accepted the job of finding the famous, probably legendary, sword, using a supposedly ancient map. That's not what they find, however.
On the positive side, this is an action/adventure story drawing together legend, wartime and present day. The story drew me on and I wanted to find out what was going on. On the other hand, the style of writing didn't lend itself to a fast paced thriller. A couple of the rambling sentences were 79 words long. Yes, I found it so distracting I began counting them. I prefer an adventure story to have a snappier style. Unfortunately the characters shared this ponderous delivery so I never felt they were real people and couldn't build that caring relationship I usually feel. The book would also have been helped by a thorough proofreading. Nonetheless, I read on because of the story. A great idea.
On the positive side, this is an action/adventure story drawing together legend, wartime and present day. The story drew me on and I wanted to find out what was going on. On the other hand, the style of writing didn't lend itself to a fast paced thriller. A couple of the rambling sentences were 79 words long. Yes, I found it so distracting I began counting them. I prefer an adventure story to have a snappier style. Unfortunately the characters shared this ponderous delivery so I never felt they were real people and couldn't build that caring relationship I usually feel. The book would also have been helped by a thorough proofreading. Nonetheless, I read on because of the story. A great idea.
July 2, 2015
Good Mystery/Thriller
I quite enjoyed this book and found the mystery entertaining and challenging. I would have actually given the book 4.5 stars if allowed. I was only kept from giving it 5 stars because I felt the ending was a bit too contrived. I did like it anyway and recommend it as an interesting read.
I quite enjoyed this book and found the mystery entertaining and challenging. I would have actually given the book 4.5 stars if allowed. I was only kept from giving it 5 stars because I felt the ending was a bit too contrived. I did like it anyway and recommend it as an interesting read.
June 30, 2015
All star mystery!
This was an intriguing story that started as a medieval search and ended solving a Ww2 puzzle only changing late in the tale
This was an intriguing story that started as a medieval search and ended solving a Ww2 puzzle only changing late in the tale
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