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Kate Clifford #1
The Service of the Dead
Expertly recreating the social and political upheavals of late medieval Europe and the increasing power of the wealthy merchant class, acclaimed author Candace Robb introduces a new series starring Kate Clifford, a woman forged on the warring northern marches of fourteenth century England.
Political unrest permeates York at the cusp of the fifteenth century, as warring factions take sides on who should be the rightful king--Richard II or his estranged, powerful cousin in exile, Henry Bolingbroke. Independent minded twenty-year-old Kate Clifford is struggling to dig out from beneath the debt left by her late husband. Determined to find a way to be secure in her own wealth and establish her independence in a male dominated society, Kate turns one of her properties near the minster into a guest house and sets up a business. In a dance of power, she also quietly rents the discreet bedchambers to the wealthy, powerful merchants of York for nights with their mistresses.
But the brutal murder of a mysterious guest and the disappearance of his companion for the evening threatens all that Kate has built. Before others in town hear word of a looming scandal, she must call upon all of her hard-won survival skills to save herself from ruin.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2016
70 people are currently reading
1760 people want to read
About the author
Candace Robb
50 books511 followersStoryteller, mythweaver, author of the Owen Archer, Kate Clifford, & Margaret Kerr mysteries. Primary residence, medieval York.
I blog about writing, medieval history, writing women's stories, and feature new scholarship in my field at candacerobbbooks.com, and share loads of medieval news, folklore, and whimsy on my facebook page, Candace Robb
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 14, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
This story has the feeling of beginning in the middle. When the book opens, Katherine Clifford is a young widow in the city of York in 1399. She is attempting, semi-successfully, to carve out an existence as an independent woman, in spite of the machinations of her late husband’s relatives. And most especially she is keeping as much of her plans under wraps as possible in order to protect her late husband’s reputation, as well as her own.
The man seems to have been either an idiot or a fool. He concealed his indebtedness, and continued to spend much more money than he had. All Katherine has left is a few properties in York, a few trusted servants, and a ton of determination. Along with her husband’s two bastard children, who are beyond ungrateful that Kate has taken them in. Their parents are both dead, and no one else wants them. Kate didn’t either, not just because they are living proof that her husband was never faithful, but also because the addition of two more mouths to feed is intended to break her straining household.
Her husband’s will is a further betrayal. If she remarries, all of her property and business interests return to his greedy, grasping family. So his brother is determined to push her into capitulating by any underhanded means that he can find.
When one of her servants is injured in a runaway cart accident, it seems to be just bad luck. At least until a murder occurs in the house he would otherwise have been guarding. As it’s a house that Kate maintains in secret as a kind of medieval no-tell motel for the rich and unfaithful, Kate fears exposure of her profitable enterprise.
Instead, the cycle of death continues, and the run of deadly bad luck spirals outward to touch everything Kate owns and everyone she holds dear.
It all seems to be part of the growing unrest in the country, as King Richard II’s agents and Duke Henry of Bolingbroke’s proxies vie for the heart of the nobility, with the throne as the ultimate prize.
But the more Kate digs into the incidents, the more she feels the noose tightening around her own neck. Whatever is going on may be using political shenanigans as cover, but the true cause is buried in Kate’s own past.
Someone has unfinished business with Kate. But Kate is just as eager to settle her unfinished business with any and all of her enemies.
Escape Rating B+: The first half of this story moves a bit slowly. There is a lot of heavy lifting that the author has to get out of the way, and it takes a while for all the circumstances that have brought Kate Clifford to this time and place to be explained to the reader.
Unlike other time periods, there are no historical fiction shortcuts for this one. We all know the story of Richard I, his brother King John, and the way that Richard the Lion-Hearted left the rule of England to his rapacious younger brother while he was off fighting the Crusades, because that story is the background of the Robin Hood legend.
The period where Richard II and his favorites gives rise to the reign of Henry IV and the House of Lancaster is the beginning of what history called the Wars of the Roses. But most people are more familiar with the end of the those wars, where the recently rediscovered Richard III cried for a horse at the Battle of Bosworth Field and lost his crown and kingdom to the successful Tudor dynasty.
And while York is also the setting for the author’s marvelous Owen Archer historical mystery series, that period is now 25 years in York’s past. As much as I loved that series, it is sad to think that by the time of Katherine Clifford, Owen and Lucie are either retired or more likely dead.
So this is a new story set in a familiar city but in a different era. And Katherine, unlike many heroes and especially heroines, comes into this story fully adult and already set on her course. Her background was the making of her, and also sets the stage for the tragedy that ensues in this book. But it is a dense pattern that needs to be woven into the story at hand, as Katherine looks back and who she is and where she came from, and how those memories apply to the woman she has become. She is always cautious, always carefully, and generally surprisingly well armed for a woman in this period. It requires a lot of reflection during the story to discover how that came to be.
So what we have in The Service of the Dead is an absorbing mystery. It begins with a simple accident and ends with a surprise. Along the way Katherine is forced to reconsider all of her alliances and all of her enemies, because some who she assumed were one are in fact the other.
Katherine is an interesting heroine. She is on her own in a way that readers don’t think women were in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, and yet must have happened. Her husband is dead. Most of her family is dead. She is on her own because there is no one else, and because she will not let there be anyone else. She prefers to rely on herself, because so many others have betrayed her, often in their attempts to protect her. She prefers to be in control.
The story is told entirely from Katherine’s perspective. We see what she sees and know what she knows. We also don’t know what she doesn’t know as the mess gets messier. The device where we learn the most about Katherine is a fascinating one. In the privacy of her own mind, Katherine believes that she is talking to her murdered twin brother. Whether she truly is or is merely debating within her own conscience is left up to the reader, as Geoff never reveals anything that Katherine does not already know.
What Katherine is ultimately fighting for is her right to choose her life. And the history is drawn carefully enough that as 21st century readers, we are able to empathize with her choice without feeling that she is outside of her time.
This story has the feeling of beginning in the middle. When the book opens, Katherine Clifford is a young widow in the city of York in 1399. She is attempting, semi-successfully, to carve out an existence as an independent woman, in spite of the machinations of her late husband’s relatives. And most especially she is keeping as much of her plans under wraps as possible in order to protect her late husband’s reputation, as well as her own.
The man seems to have been either an idiot or a fool. He concealed his indebtedness, and continued to spend much more money than he had. All Katherine has left is a few properties in York, a few trusted servants, and a ton of determination. Along with her husband’s two bastard children, who are beyond ungrateful that Kate has taken them in. Their parents are both dead, and no one else wants them. Kate didn’t either, not just because they are living proof that her husband was never faithful, but also because the addition of two more mouths to feed is intended to break her straining household.
Her husband’s will is a further betrayal. If she remarries, all of her property and business interests return to his greedy, grasping family. So his brother is determined to push her into capitulating by any underhanded means that he can find.
When one of her servants is injured in a runaway cart accident, it seems to be just bad luck. At least until a murder occurs in the house he would otherwise have been guarding. As it’s a house that Kate maintains in secret as a kind of medieval no-tell motel for the rich and unfaithful, Kate fears exposure of her profitable enterprise.
Instead, the cycle of death continues, and the run of deadly bad luck spirals outward to touch everything Kate owns and everyone she holds dear.
It all seems to be part of the growing unrest in the country, as King Richard II’s agents and Duke Henry of Bolingbroke’s proxies vie for the heart of the nobility, with the throne as the ultimate prize.
But the more Kate digs into the incidents, the more she feels the noose tightening around her own neck. Whatever is going on may be using political shenanigans as cover, but the true cause is buried in Kate’s own past.
Someone has unfinished business with Kate. But Kate is just as eager to settle her unfinished business with any and all of her enemies.
Escape Rating B+: The first half of this story moves a bit slowly. There is a lot of heavy lifting that the author has to get out of the way, and it takes a while for all the circumstances that have brought Kate Clifford to this time and place to be explained to the reader.
Unlike other time periods, there are no historical fiction shortcuts for this one. We all know the story of Richard I, his brother King John, and the way that Richard the Lion-Hearted left the rule of England to his rapacious younger brother while he was off fighting the Crusades, because that story is the background of the Robin Hood legend.
The period where Richard II and his favorites gives rise to the reign of Henry IV and the House of Lancaster is the beginning of what history called the Wars of the Roses. But most people are more familiar with the end of the those wars, where the recently rediscovered Richard III cried for a horse at the Battle of Bosworth Field and lost his crown and kingdom to the successful Tudor dynasty.
And while York is also the setting for the author’s marvelous Owen Archer historical mystery series, that period is now 25 years in York’s past. As much as I loved that series, it is sad to think that by the time of Katherine Clifford, Owen and Lucie are either retired or more likely dead.
So this is a new story set in a familiar city but in a different era. And Katherine, unlike many heroes and especially heroines, comes into this story fully adult and already set on her course. Her background was the making of her, and also sets the stage for the tragedy that ensues in this book. But it is a dense pattern that needs to be woven into the story at hand, as Katherine looks back and who she is and where she came from, and how those memories apply to the woman she has become. She is always cautious, always carefully, and generally surprisingly well armed for a woman in this period. It requires a lot of reflection during the story to discover how that came to be.
So what we have in The Service of the Dead is an absorbing mystery. It begins with a simple accident and ends with a surprise. Along the way Katherine is forced to reconsider all of her alliances and all of her enemies, because some who she assumed were one are in fact the other.
Katherine is an interesting heroine. She is on her own in a way that readers don’t think women were in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, and yet must have happened. Her husband is dead. Most of her family is dead. She is on her own because there is no one else, and because she will not let there be anyone else. She prefers to rely on herself, because so many others have betrayed her, often in their attempts to protect her. She prefers to be in control.
The story is told entirely from Katherine’s perspective. We see what she sees and know what she knows. We also don’t know what she doesn’t know as the mess gets messier. The device where we learn the most about Katherine is a fascinating one. In the privacy of her own mind, Katherine believes that she is talking to her murdered twin brother. Whether she truly is or is merely debating within her own conscience is left up to the reader, as Geoff never reveals anything that Katherine does not already know.
What Katherine is ultimately fighting for is her right to choose her life. And the history is drawn carefully enough that as 21st century readers, we are able to empathize with her choice without feeling that she is outside of her time.
July 19, 2019
When I was reading Shakespeare in college, long, LONG ago, I actually purchased my one and only Cliff Notes, on "Richard III", simply because I couldn't keep the characters straight. And I felt as if I needed one here.
That's the only way in which I would compare this to Shakespeare, BTW!
I wanted to love this book. It's about York, the War of the Roses, things I know about and am interested in. And yet I didn't love this at all.
Kate is somehow not terribly likeable. I found the paranormal bit with her conversing with her dead twin brother too reminiscent of Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge and his "ghost" Hamish, I found the plot had too many subplots, and the characters were hard to tell apart, especially since they all have the same names.
There are much better historical mysteries out there. Skip this series.
That's the only way in which I would compare this to Shakespeare, BTW!
I wanted to love this book. It's about York, the War of the Roses, things I know about and am interested in. And yet I didn't love this at all.
Kate is somehow not terribly likeable. I found the paranormal bit with her conversing with her dead twin brother too reminiscent of Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge and his "ghost" Hamish, I found the plot had too many subplots, and the characters were hard to tell apart, especially since they all have the same names.
There are much better historical mysteries out there. Skip this series.
July 4, 2017
**RATING 4.5**
REVIEW OF BOOK ONE AND TWO TOGETHER!
While I do enjoy reading historical novels, historical mysteries is not a genre that I have much experience of, but I am so glad that I picked up the Kate Clifford series as they really are so descriptive and engrossing. Having devoured the first book, THE SERVICE OF THE DEAD, I immediately jumped into A TWISTED VENGEANCE, and I can happily say that both books are equally as addictive.
In this series, we meet Kate, a young widow, who is desperately trying to keep things afloat at the end of the fourteenth century where life is harsh. Beginning her own business is tough especially in a male-dominated world but Kate manages to gain a foothold with her guesthouse that allows certain privileges for those in power who need privacy for their mistresses. But when a guest is brutally murdered, Kate must take it upon herself to discover the culprit before she loses everything she has worked so hard for.
And later in the series when political upheaval is threatening to destroy everything in its path, Kate finds herself suspicious of her mother's sudden return to York, and cautious and protective of her wards. Kate will do whatever she must to uncover the truth even if it means placing herself in danger.
With plenty of characters, action, danger, and historical detail to transport you back in time, the Kate Clifford Mystery series really is a must-read for mystery and historical fans worldwide. Compelling, engaging, and refreshingly different, Kate is such a feisty and strong character that you cannot help but admire and respect her. Sometimes historical novels can be slow-paced as there is so much detail needed to paint a proper picture of the past, but this is not the case with this series. Here you have all of the wonderful detail needed but energetically paced throughout so that you never feel bored or lose interest. The Kate Clifford Mystery Series by Candace Robb is an engrossing series and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed this series from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.
REVIEW OF BOOK ONE AND TWO TOGETHER!
While I do enjoy reading historical novels, historical mysteries is not a genre that I have much experience of, but I am so glad that I picked up the Kate Clifford series as they really are so descriptive and engrossing. Having devoured the first book, THE SERVICE OF THE DEAD, I immediately jumped into A TWISTED VENGEANCE, and I can happily say that both books are equally as addictive.
In this series, we meet Kate, a young widow, who is desperately trying to keep things afloat at the end of the fourteenth century where life is harsh. Beginning her own business is tough especially in a male-dominated world but Kate manages to gain a foothold with her guesthouse that allows certain privileges for those in power who need privacy for their mistresses. But when a guest is brutally murdered, Kate must take it upon herself to discover the culprit before she loses everything she has worked so hard for.
And later in the series when political upheaval is threatening to destroy everything in its path, Kate finds herself suspicious of her mother's sudden return to York, and cautious and protective of her wards. Kate will do whatever she must to uncover the truth even if it means placing herself in danger.
With plenty of characters, action, danger, and historical detail to transport you back in time, the Kate Clifford Mystery series really is a must-read for mystery and historical fans worldwide. Compelling, engaging, and refreshingly different, Kate is such a feisty and strong character that you cannot help but admire and respect her. Sometimes historical novels can be slow-paced as there is so much detail needed to paint a proper picture of the past, but this is not the case with this series. Here you have all of the wonderful detail needed but energetically paced throughout so that you never feel bored or lose interest. The Kate Clifford Mystery Series by Candace Robb is an engrossing series and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed this series from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.
September 20, 2016
The incredibly stilted prose at the beginning of this book did not entice me to go any further. DNFed at about page 50.
I do not remember the author's Owen Archer books being this poorly written.
I do not remember the author's Owen Archer books being this poorly written.
May 4, 2016
This is my new favorite medieval series. Can't wait for the next one. If you like The Midwife mysteries then you will love this series too. Kate is a badass who fights with a battle axe, runs her own life, and takes care of business.
February 20, 2018
In this historical mystery set in York, England in 1399, Candace Robb immerses you in the world of the late 14th century. Right from the beginning the detail is mind-blowing: the place, the people, the freezing cold winter weather—it all feels so real. And Kate Clifford, who is the novel’s beating heart, is a wonderful creation—a young woman recently widowed who must find a way to cope and prosper or be forced into another marriage with a man not of her choosing. Her precarious position in her society becomes even more precarious when a dead body of a stranger turns up in her guest house.
I’d much rather read a mystery like this where the main character is not a detective or law enforcement official but merely someone who gets caught up in the train of events surrounding a murder through no fault of their own. There are many characters and that helps bring the city of York to life—a place where lives intertwine. You grow to care about Kate and the people who work for her and the many frustrations she has to deal with on a daily basis, including how to raise two illegitimate children of her deceased husband who are now her responsibility. Even her two dogs with their personalities add to the realism. And I liked her inner dialogues with the beloved twin brother she lost. So much revolves around who she can trust and who she can’t. The ending goes on a bit longer than you’d expect as Robb sets up a hook for the next book in this series, but she doesn’t just leave us dangling. I’m not a fan of series, but I’m tempted to check out the next one since I liked this one so much.
I’d much rather read a mystery like this where the main character is not a detective or law enforcement official but merely someone who gets caught up in the train of events surrounding a murder through no fault of their own. There are many characters and that helps bring the city of York to life—a place where lives intertwine. You grow to care about Kate and the people who work for her and the many frustrations she has to deal with on a daily basis, including how to raise two illegitimate children of her deceased husband who are now her responsibility. Even her two dogs with their personalities add to the realism. And I liked her inner dialogues with the beloved twin brother she lost. So much revolves around who she can trust and who she can’t. The ending goes on a bit longer than you’d expect as Robb sets up a hook for the next book in this series, but she doesn’t just leave us dangling. I’m not a fan of series, but I’m tempted to check out the next one since I liked this one so much.
June 16, 2017
I was disappointed in this book, having very much enjoyed Robb's Apothecary Rose series. The Wars of the Roses make for dense background, of course, but they seemed to weigh down this narrative without giving it much sense of urgency. The whole novel is also very expository... when conversations DO happen, they're unfailingly analyzed (internally) by Kate, the main protagonist. I just never felt the plot found its stride (or I never found my stride within it.) I like the cat burglar and ex-assassin kitchen staff, and Kate is an intriguingly amoral protagonist, but I'm not sure I'll be continuing with this series.
September 20, 2016
I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway and I'm glad I did even though it took me a while to get to it! This isn't my typical genre of choosing and it definitely took me at least a quarter of the book to get used to the terminology and titles of the various characters. I'm a big fan of the protagonist, Kate Clifford, here. I felt like I was back in 1399 the way everything was described and even the writing style felt like it belonged in that time. I will be looking forward to the next book and will be recommending this to others.
May 31, 2017
I expected to love this. I did love both Emma Campion (same author) historical fiction "strong women" books. This one just didn't hold my interest. I got about a quarter into it, and put it down. So disappointed.
April 22, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Pegasus Books.
This was my first time reading any novel written by Candace Robb. I am a fan of historical fiction and when you add in a mystery or two to be solved I'm usually pretty content. This story takes place in 1399 in the city of York, England and is the first in a new series. That location raised my interest to a great extent because I have had the privilege of walking those very streets the author was mentioning where her story was taking place. It was very easy for me to put myself "in the moment" as it were. However, as I continued to read that same familiarity with the location made me question some of the situations the author had made in her novel and, unfortunately, caused me to not enjoy the story as much as I had hoped. The story felt like it had too many modern overtones. The main character, Kate Clifford, seemed to be Superwoman in long skirts. There were circumstances in this story which simply did not happen in average every-day life in 1399. Added to those things was my disappointment in finding that Kate was involved in renting out one or more rooms in her guest house for the wealthy and powerful men of York to spend the night with their mistresses. I did not like the main character so the book was never going to be enjoyable for me.
If you are already a fan of this author, you may know that this is the way she structures her novels and you will find nothing amiss and will thoroughly enjoy the book. I hope so, but for me it was just okay and I don't feel any compulsion to read other works by this author.
This was my first time reading any novel written by Candace Robb. I am a fan of historical fiction and when you add in a mystery or two to be solved I'm usually pretty content. This story takes place in 1399 in the city of York, England and is the first in a new series. That location raised my interest to a great extent because I have had the privilege of walking those very streets the author was mentioning where her story was taking place. It was very easy for me to put myself "in the moment" as it were. However, as I continued to read that same familiarity with the location made me question some of the situations the author had made in her novel and, unfortunately, caused me to not enjoy the story as much as I had hoped. The story felt like it had too many modern overtones. The main character, Kate Clifford, seemed to be Superwoman in long skirts. There were circumstances in this story which simply did not happen in average every-day life in 1399. Added to those things was my disappointment in finding that Kate was involved in renting out one or more rooms in her guest house for the wealthy and powerful men of York to spend the night with their mistresses. I did not like the main character so the book was never going to be enjoyable for me.
If you are already a fan of this author, you may know that this is the way she structures her novels and you will find nothing amiss and will thoroughly enjoy the book. I hope so, but for me it was just okay and I don't feel any compulsion to read other works by this author.
June 13, 2017
Medieval York. Pretty grim place, although Kate Clifford is well-off. I thought perhaps a bit too many characters/too much political intrigue to follow. But the writing is solid and the characters good. Will read further.
May 6, 2023
I really enjoyed this and have already checked out book #2 from my library. I will say that, at times, the family relationships and the different relations to power were hard to keep straight. It did not help that several of the characters have very similar names or only pop up a few times throughout the book, leaving me thinking, "wait a minute, who's this?"
Besides that, I loved Kate and the others in her household and the world of York in the fourteenth century feels very real.
Besides that, I loved Kate and the others in her household and the world of York in the fourteenth century feels very real.
June 26, 2017
Although I appreciate historical fiction, it has been a while since I have spent time with a really good historical mystery. While I wanted to race through the pages I also wanted to make this book last.
I enjoyed the historical detail and proper language. The writing is excellent. In society there are rules for everything, there is also real life and survival. Kate is of the noble class, but she struggles the same as everyone else, regardless of stature. She has bills to pay and people dependent upon her for their keep. Sadly, when put in this position, one also never knows who to fully trust.
Trust and betrayal are a major theme of this book.
The Middle Ages was a time of severe struggle in Britain with civil war. Overthrowing land titles and changing political loyalties constantly creating havoc on all. Anything one said or did could be cause for gossip and retribution. Kate's livelihood depends upon secrecy and balancing her moral codes with her financial bottom line. Being a widow and in business with her late husband's family puts Kate in a precarious position. They would rather marry her off and reclaim the family income. They have no idea of how strong Kate really is.
A murder is committed in a house owned by Kate. She learns that her own cousin is wrapped up in the mystery and deceit surrounding this murder. When another murder occurs and triggers repressed memories for Kate, she begins to wonder about motive and true target. Throughout she is trying her best to understand and protect her family and those loyal to her while trying to survive. The addition of her dogs, central to the story, is a nice inclusion.
Her deceased brother's voice in her mind, her murdered twin, adds something very unusual to this series.
I accepted a copy of this book to review. I am excited about continuing to read this series.
I enjoyed the historical detail and proper language. The writing is excellent. In society there are rules for everything, there is also real life and survival. Kate is of the noble class, but she struggles the same as everyone else, regardless of stature. She has bills to pay and people dependent upon her for their keep. Sadly, when put in this position, one also never knows who to fully trust.
Trust and betrayal are a major theme of this book.
The Middle Ages was a time of severe struggle in Britain with civil war. Overthrowing land titles and changing political loyalties constantly creating havoc on all. Anything one said or did could be cause for gossip and retribution. Kate's livelihood depends upon secrecy and balancing her moral codes with her financial bottom line. Being a widow and in business with her late husband's family puts Kate in a precarious position. They would rather marry her off and reclaim the family income. They have no idea of how strong Kate really is.
A murder is committed in a house owned by Kate. She learns that her own cousin is wrapped up in the mystery and deceit surrounding this murder. When another murder occurs and triggers repressed memories for Kate, she begins to wonder about motive and true target. Throughout she is trying her best to understand and protect her family and those loyal to her while trying to survive. The addition of her dogs, central to the story, is a nice inclusion.
Her deceased brother's voice in her mind, her murdered twin, adds something very unusual to this series.
I accepted a copy of this book to review. I am excited about continuing to read this series.
March 14, 2017
Set in 1399 York, this series is about Kate, a young widow trying to pay off her late husband's debts and maintain her independence by running a house where wealthy merchants can discreetly meet their mistresses. The setting and premise is interesting but the murder story in this installment didn't work for me. The series of murders and the ultimate solution was a bit convoluted and contrived. Robb is a good writer, however, so I'm open to where she may go with this series.
May 11, 2016
This historical fiction novel is the beginning of a new mystery series series set in York, England in early 1399.
At this time in history, factions were lining up behind the two claimants of the throne of England: the then-current occupant, Richard II, and Henry of Bolingbroke, the Duke of Lancaster and Richard’s first cousin. The tension between the two had come to a head in 1398, after Richard banished Henry from the kingdom. When Henry’s father died the next year, Richard took away Henry’s automatic right to inherit his father’s land. This did not sit well with Henry. [Soon afterward, but later than the events in the book, Henry began a military campaign against Richard, deposed him, and had himself declared King Henry IV in October of 1399. Henry imprisoned Richard, who then died under suspicious circumstances.]
The main protagonist of The Service of the Dead is Kate Clifford, only 20 but a widow after three years of marriage. Her late husband Simon, who died two years before, left her with some properties and his trade business, but a lot of debt, so Kate turns one of the properties into a guest house. When travelers are not using the rooms, she rents them out by the night to wealthy local merchants who need a place for trysting.
Besides massive debt, she inherited other burdens from Simon. One is his nasty brother Lionel, who keeps trying to marry Kate off so that she would have to give Simon's business to Lionel, as specified in his will. Simon also left two illegitimate children, whose mother died a year after Simon, and who are now in Kate's care. Phillip is 12 and a relatively good child, but 9 year-old Marie is a trial, to say the least.
As the story begins, someone has been murdered in Kate’s guest house, and furthermore, the murdered man had papers on him linking him to the conflict between Richard and Henry. Kate is desperate to cover up the killing, which threatens to destroy her “delicate enterprise” at the guest house, “a business that could survive only if the powerful in York felt the house was safe, secret.”
Alas, the murders start piling up, despite the best efforts of Kate and her loyal maid and cook, Jennet and cook Berend, to figure out who is behind this series of crimes. Eventually they do, of course, but in the process, their own lives hang in the balance.
Evaluation: Kate is an admirable female character who is in a constant struggle to maintain her independence as a woman at a time when options for women were few and far between. The political intrigue of the time takes a back seat to Kate’s personal plight in this book, but that may change in the books that follow. I look forward to seeing where the author will take this series.
At this time in history, factions were lining up behind the two claimants of the throne of England: the then-current occupant, Richard II, and Henry of Bolingbroke, the Duke of Lancaster and Richard’s first cousin. The tension between the two had come to a head in 1398, after Richard banished Henry from the kingdom. When Henry’s father died the next year, Richard took away Henry’s automatic right to inherit his father’s land. This did not sit well with Henry. [Soon afterward, but later than the events in the book, Henry began a military campaign against Richard, deposed him, and had himself declared King Henry IV in October of 1399. Henry imprisoned Richard, who then died under suspicious circumstances.]
The main protagonist of The Service of the Dead is Kate Clifford, only 20 but a widow after three years of marriage. Her late husband Simon, who died two years before, left her with some properties and his trade business, but a lot of debt, so Kate turns one of the properties into a guest house. When travelers are not using the rooms, she rents them out by the night to wealthy local merchants who need a place for trysting.
Besides massive debt, she inherited other burdens from Simon. One is his nasty brother Lionel, who keeps trying to marry Kate off so that she would have to give Simon's business to Lionel, as specified in his will. Simon also left two illegitimate children, whose mother died a year after Simon, and who are now in Kate's care. Phillip is 12 and a relatively good child, but 9 year-old Marie is a trial, to say the least.
As the story begins, someone has been murdered in Kate’s guest house, and furthermore, the murdered man had papers on him linking him to the conflict between Richard and Henry. Kate is desperate to cover up the killing, which threatens to destroy her “delicate enterprise” at the guest house, “a business that could survive only if the powerful in York felt the house was safe, secret.”
Alas, the murders start piling up, despite the best efforts of Kate and her loyal maid and cook, Jennet and cook Berend, to figure out who is behind this series of crimes. Eventually they do, of course, but in the process, their own lives hang in the balance.
Evaluation: Kate is an admirable female character who is in a constant struggle to maintain her independence as a woman at a time when options for women were few and far between. The political intrigue of the time takes a back seat to Kate’s personal plight in this book, but that may change in the books that follow. I look forward to seeing where the author will take this series.
April 2, 2017
Candace Robb is another of those writers who has been on my List for a very long time despite the fact that her writing is not my very favorite. Her books are go-tos, reliably good reads when I feel like picking up a book from a certain period, but her characters do not linger with me once the book is put down; it's one of those examples when I feel an invisible barrier between me and the writing. Not sure if this will make sense, but Candace Robb is a writer whose books mean reading someone's writing, as opposed to losing myself – and the writer – in the work.
That being said, I don't ever regret picking up a Candace Robb. If the writing is not transparent, it is very good – for the most part, I believe what I'm told and trust the world-building. Certainly, this particular book contains some of the most realistic depictions of looking after large dogs I remember seeing; our heroine Kate's two wolfhounds, Lille and Ghent, are main characters, and are present during most of the book. I just wish I knew whether it was my failing or the author's that either I never learned or didn't learn till the end (sorry – one problem with writing the review a while after finishing the book) whether Lille was male or female. And, actually, not to be contrary, but there may have been a little too much of looking after the dogs … The plot was driven largely by Kate taking the dogs out for walks in one direction or other, and by how well trained they were.
The one area where I seriously questioned the milieu was the idea that Kate ran her little inn as a secret place of illicit assignation. It never sat well. It's an interesting idea (and actually similar to one I came across in another book a while ago), and I could see it happening: young woman is approached by someone who offers her money to use her rented room as a place to meet with a lover, young woman realizes this is an untapped vein she should be taking advantage of… But it just didn't work here for some reason. The fact that Kate is twenty years old – a fact which faded in my mind as I read, so that when it was reiterated late in the book I thought it must be a mistake – was hard to accept in the circumstances. A fifteenth-century widow living alone and taking care of business is certainly not impossible – but at twenty - ?
On the whole, it was – as I expect from the author – a good read, and kept me guessing. It wasn't the best thing I've read this year, nor by any means the worst. It was solid.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
That being said, I don't ever regret picking up a Candace Robb. If the writing is not transparent, it is very good – for the most part, I believe what I'm told and trust the world-building. Certainly, this particular book contains some of the most realistic depictions of looking after large dogs I remember seeing; our heroine Kate's two wolfhounds, Lille and Ghent, are main characters, and are present during most of the book. I just wish I knew whether it was my failing or the author's that either I never learned or didn't learn till the end (sorry – one problem with writing the review a while after finishing the book) whether Lille was male or female. And, actually, not to be contrary, but there may have been a little too much of looking after the dogs … The plot was driven largely by Kate taking the dogs out for walks in one direction or other, and by how well trained they were.
The one area where I seriously questioned the milieu was the idea that Kate ran her little inn as a secret place of illicit assignation. It never sat well. It's an interesting idea (and actually similar to one I came across in another book a while ago), and I could see it happening: young woman is approached by someone who offers her money to use her rented room as a place to meet with a lover, young woman realizes this is an untapped vein she should be taking advantage of… But it just didn't work here for some reason. The fact that Kate is twenty years old – a fact which faded in my mind as I read, so that when it was reiterated late in the book I thought it must be a mistake – was hard to accept in the circumstances. A fifteenth-century widow living alone and taking care of business is certainly not impossible – but at twenty - ?
On the whole, it was – as I expect from the author – a good read, and kept me guessing. It wasn't the best thing I've read this year, nor by any means the worst. It was solid.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
January 17, 2019
This sounded like it would be right up my alley, but I was bored and did not end up finishing this.
There's a dead body found in Kate's guest house right at the beginning of the book, so you would think that would make things exciting and interesting . . . not so much.
Once the body is discovered, instead of things ramping up they seem to slow down. We hear about Kate's difficult relationships with her extended family, we hear about the King's bad behaviour and in-fighting with those around him, we hear about Kate's challenges caring for the two illegitimate children her late husband fathered and whom Kate has ended up being responsible for. Sadly, none of this is of much interest to me.
Ultimately I very quickly realized that this was just not a good book fit for me. Moving on to the next.
There's a dead body found in Kate's guest house right at the beginning of the book, so you would think that would make things exciting and interesting . . . not so much.
Once the body is discovered, instead of things ramping up they seem to slow down. We hear about Kate's difficult relationships with her extended family, we hear about the King's bad behaviour and in-fighting with those around him, we hear about Kate's challenges caring for the two illegitimate children her late husband fathered and whom Kate has ended up being responsible for. Sadly, none of this is of much interest to me.
Ultimately I very quickly realized that this was just not a good book fit for me. Moving on to the next.
May 12, 2016
I liked the historic element in this story, but I found I just couldn't connect with the material. I liked Katie Clifford, but I never got past surface level emotion with her character. She is s a woman, that due to circumstance, has to rely on her wits to survive, but she came across as so stiff and wooden. In a mystery, I look for a lot of suspense and tension, and I just didn't feel it. However, the author notes were clear compelling, and concise and enjoyed reading them.
August 19, 2017
This star rating reflects more my enjoyment (or lack of) than the writing. I love Robb's other series but could not get into this one. Not enough investment in the characters and too much political stuff. After 1/3 of the book, I still did not know enough about the characters to care about them. Too many characters "offstage".
December 17, 2016
I found this novel very slow at the start and the language used made it a bit difficult to read. The plot is slow paced and unfortunately the politics of the day does not interest me. The mystery itself seemed a bit far fetched. Some of the characters were great but they were mostly flat and uninteresting.
October 4, 2016
Set in 1399 York. Lots of snow, slush, and rain. Who killed a stranger in a room normally used by the upper class men to entertain their mistresses? Political intrigue? Kate Clifford investigates. Enjoyed this one and will have to wait for the second in this new series.
December 9, 2016
This was pretty good, but won't make a lasting impression. A week later and I could barely remember the title. There's really no romance, just a historical/mystery combo. It's set up for sequels but stands on its own. Glad I tried something different, but probably won't read more by this author.
May 31, 2017
Short novel set in the middle ages in York. The characters are interesting but the plot and situations are highly unlikely. The time period is just before the confrontation of Henry (to be Henry IV) and Richard II, so I am likely to try the next book to see where it leads.
February 17, 2017
The language was not quite up to snuff and it was slow to start. The story ended well enough with portends of future adventures.
Read
June 11, 2018Couldn't get into it.
April 9, 2019
I heard about Candace Robb and her books on the Medievalist podcast, where she appeared to talk about medieval mysteries. Since I love mysteries and I’m visiting York later this year, I knew that I had to read her Kate Clifford series, which are set in medieval York!
The Service of the Dead is the first in the Kate Clifford series and it opens with a body. This puts Kate in a difficult situation because the body was found in the house that she will be renting to Lady Kirkby, who is visiting York to raise support (and money) for her husband’s cause. Forced to look into this matter, Kate soon finds that the murder has deep implications for her own family – including her two wards.
Obviously, I really enjoyed this mystery. The plot was solid (I did not manage to figure out the ending but it was satisfying) and Kate was an independent-minded heroine that I admired from the first time she appeared on the page. Of course, I’ve been slightly biased, having heard the author talk about how she tried to write Kate as independently as possible while still keeping in line with the norms of the time, but I really do admire Kate’s liveliness and determination to keep her independence. Plus, she is whip-smart and manages to care for her wards – no small feat considering that they are the children of her husband’s mistress!
Another thing I enjoyed about this story was how the main mystery connected to Kate’s past. I won’t give any spoilers (or at least, I will endeavour not to), but I thought the way the mystery was used to uncover more about Kate was well-done and made me want to find out more about her. I started off knowing nothing about Kate, but by the end of the book, I had an idea of where she came from and why she is the woman she now is. Now, I am even more eager to read more mysteries starring her.
The setting of the book was great too! I almost felt as though I was in York, and I am looking forward to seeing the Shambles and the York city walls in person. We’ll also be staying at one of the places mentioned in the book, so reading this just made me even more excited for my upcoming trip! The author mentioned that she visited York for the novel and it does show in her writing.
The book ends with an author note that talks about the history of the time period as well as what liberties the author took. It’s pretty interesting if you’re a fan of history, so I would recommend you read to the end.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting mystery and a great start to the series. I am definitely going to read more before I go to England later this year!
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
The Service of the Dead is the first in the Kate Clifford series and it opens with a body. This puts Kate in a difficult situation because the body was found in the house that she will be renting to Lady Kirkby, who is visiting York to raise support (and money) for her husband’s cause. Forced to look into this matter, Kate soon finds that the murder has deep implications for her own family – including her two wards.
Obviously, I really enjoyed this mystery. The plot was solid (I did not manage to figure out the ending but it was satisfying) and Kate was an independent-minded heroine that I admired from the first time she appeared on the page. Of course, I’ve been slightly biased, having heard the author talk about how she tried to write Kate as independently as possible while still keeping in line with the norms of the time, but I really do admire Kate’s liveliness and determination to keep her independence. Plus, she is whip-smart and manages to care for her wards – no small feat considering that they are the children of her husband’s mistress!
Another thing I enjoyed about this story was how the main mystery connected to Kate’s past. I won’t give any spoilers (or at least, I will endeavour not to), but I thought the way the mystery was used to uncover more about Kate was well-done and made me want to find out more about her. I started off knowing nothing about Kate, but by the end of the book, I had an idea of where she came from and why she is the woman she now is. Now, I am even more eager to read more mysteries starring her.
The setting of the book was great too! I almost felt as though I was in York, and I am looking forward to seeing the Shambles and the York city walls in person. We’ll also be staying at one of the places mentioned in the book, so reading this just made me even more excited for my upcoming trip! The author mentioned that she visited York for the novel and it does show in her writing.
The book ends with an author note that talks about the history of the time period as well as what liberties the author took. It’s pretty interesting if you’re a fan of history, so I would recommend you read to the end.
Overall, I thought this was a very interesting mystery and a great start to the series. I am definitely going to read more before I go to England later this year!
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
September 11, 2019
I have a friend who loves Robb's Owen Archer mysteries about a medieval spy for the Archbishop in Wales while I greatly enjoyed her Margaret Kerr series set in thirteenth-century Scotland. This author certainly knows how to write historical mysteries, and I looked forward to this first Kate Clifford mystery set in fourteenth-century York. Fortunately for those of you who don't love a lot of politics in your mysteries, Robb uses just enough of it to give a clearer understanding of what's going on without making readers' eyes glaze over.
I found Kate to be a strong, interesting, multi-faceted character. She grew up on the Borders in Cumbria where the Scots and the English are always fighting each other, so she's learned out to take care of herself with bow and arrow, battle-ax, or anything else that comes to hand. Although she loved her husband, his debts and illegitimate children have caused her to think differently of him, and she's actually enjoying the freedom of her widowhood to make her own decisions and build a life for herself that she can be proud of. When you add that she has good family connections that can help her out with pesky things like murder, her character gets better and better.
But it's not all about paying off debts and becoming wealthy for Kate. When she first had the chance to dismiss old servants who might be a bit slow or crippled with arthritis, she kept them on instead, finding useful work that they could do with pride. But she has brought on new servants who come from different walks of life and have a variety of very useful skills. Her attitude toward herself and others is also seen by how she ultimately treats an elderly tenant named Odo, who has let one of her properties go to wrack and ruin.
With a brother-in-law who's intent on stealing her inheritance and the Earl of Westmoreland's knight who looks at her with a gleam in his eye, Kate doesn't need any more stress if she's going to solve the murder in her guesthouse, and with the danger coming from so many different directions, this was an extremely difficult investigation for this particular armchair sleuth, which means...
Candace Robb has done it again, and I look forward with pleasure to reading the next books in this series. She is an author of historical mysteries who should not be missed.
I found Kate to be a strong, interesting, multi-faceted character. She grew up on the Borders in Cumbria where the Scots and the English are always fighting each other, so she's learned out to take care of herself with bow and arrow, battle-ax, or anything else that comes to hand. Although she loved her husband, his debts and illegitimate children have caused her to think differently of him, and she's actually enjoying the freedom of her widowhood to make her own decisions and build a life for herself that she can be proud of. When you add that she has good family connections that can help her out with pesky things like murder, her character gets better and better.
But it's not all about paying off debts and becoming wealthy for Kate. When she first had the chance to dismiss old servants who might be a bit slow or crippled with arthritis, she kept them on instead, finding useful work that they could do with pride. But she has brought on new servants who come from different walks of life and have a variety of very useful skills. Her attitude toward herself and others is also seen by how she ultimately treats an elderly tenant named Odo, who has let one of her properties go to wrack and ruin.
With a brother-in-law who's intent on stealing her inheritance and the Earl of Westmoreland's knight who looks at her with a gleam in his eye, Kate doesn't need any more stress if she's going to solve the murder in her guesthouse, and with the danger coming from so many different directions, this was an extremely difficult investigation for this particular armchair sleuth, which means...
Candace Robb has done it again, and I look forward with pleasure to reading the next books in this series. She is an author of historical mysteries who should not be missed.
July 9, 2018
It seemed like there should be a book before this one, because you have been dropped in the middle of things. There are a lot of characters to keep up with which makes it a little confusing. By the end, you are sure of the main characters.
Set in the 1398 in York England, there is unrest due to King Richard and Henry Bolingbroke, his nephew and heir. It seems Henry is in a hurry to ascend the throne and King Richard is thinking of changing his heir. In the midst of this is a widow originally from the borderlands. That was raised with a feud of a Scot family across the border. She is wary and doesn't trust easily. She has several retainers, and a business in spice and other goods through shipping. She also has a space for rendezvous' for the upper classes to use with their lovers for a tryst. It is very exclusive and she has been asked to host a noble lady, Lady Kirkby an emissary for peace between king and his nephew.
24 hours prior to her arrival there is a murder in one of the 2 rooms for her use. She has no clue who the dead man is. Her cousin, William Frost arranged to have the room and at the last minute gave it to his former lover and another man without getting permission from Kate. This one event leads to a series of deaths that could be due to the unrest or someone else targeting William or herself.
Kate, Jennet a companion former pickpocket and her cook former assassin work together to figure it out before it is too late for her household.
Set in the 1398 in York England, there is unrest due to King Richard and Henry Bolingbroke, his nephew and heir. It seems Henry is in a hurry to ascend the throne and King Richard is thinking of changing his heir. In the midst of this is a widow originally from the borderlands. That was raised with a feud of a Scot family across the border. She is wary and doesn't trust easily. She has several retainers, and a business in spice and other goods through shipping. She also has a space for rendezvous' for the upper classes to use with their lovers for a tryst. It is very exclusive and she has been asked to host a noble lady, Lady Kirkby an emissary for peace between king and his nephew.
24 hours prior to her arrival there is a murder in one of the 2 rooms for her use. She has no clue who the dead man is. Her cousin, William Frost arranged to have the room and at the last minute gave it to his former lover and another man without getting permission from Kate. This one event leads to a series of deaths that could be due to the unrest or someone else targeting William or herself.
Kate, Jennet a companion former pickpocket and her cook former assassin work together to figure it out before it is too late for her household.
June 18, 2017
I was so pleased to see a new medieval mystery series by one of my favorite authors! I absolutely loved her Owen Archer books and was really sad to see them stop. This series is also set in medieval York and features Kate Clifford, a young widow struggling to stay afloat and keep certain secrets from certain powerful people. When a brutal murder occurs in her guest house, she must act quickly to avoid scandal and reprisals from her devious, meddling brother-in-law, who wishes nothing more than to get Kate to break the terms of his brother's will such that he can take over Kate's business and home. But when she learns of the possible political implications of the killing, with all the unrest between King Richard and his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, Kate begins to panic.
As always, the author writes in such a way that you find yourself firmly placed in the time and place in which the story takes place, with evocative descriptions of the unromantic side of fourteenth century life. The only gripe I had about the book was that I seemed to notice several phrases that were used repeatedly...I mean WAY too often throughout the book, such that I would roll my eyes when I saw them again. Still, the story itself was interesting and I'm glad to see there's already a second one available.
As always, the author writes in such a way that you find yourself firmly placed in the time and place in which the story takes place, with evocative descriptions of the unromantic side of fourteenth century life. The only gripe I had about the book was that I seemed to notice several phrases that were used repeatedly...I mean WAY too often throughout the book, such that I would roll my eyes when I saw them again. Still, the story itself was interesting and I'm glad to see there's already a second one available.
July 20, 2017
As you can read from the synopsis 20-year-old Kate Clifford doesn't have an easy life, her late husband left her a mess and she is determined to make it on her own in a male-dominated society. What she doesn't expect is to find a dead body in her rooming house. There are more surprises for Kate in The service of the Dead as she tries to unravel who this person is and why he was killed.
Even though it took me a little bit to get invested in the story I found myself rooting for Kate and donning my inspector hat along with her. The year is 1399 and there is political tension throughout the realm of York. This isn't a long book, 236 pages, a nice cozy mystery perfect for the beach. I enjoyed reading this one, getting to know Kate and it wasn't hard to feel for her plight as it seems each direction she goes she gets slammed with a another challenge.
The Service of the Dead is the first book in the Kate Clifford Mystery Series. There is mystery here, action and a wide cast of characters with enough historical detail to get a great feel of the era. Though I found this book a little slow at times I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next in the series called The Twisted Vengeance.
Thank you to Amy at HFVBT for the opportunity to be part of this tour.
Even though it took me a little bit to get invested in the story I found myself rooting for Kate and donning my inspector hat along with her. The year is 1399 and there is political tension throughout the realm of York. This isn't a long book, 236 pages, a nice cozy mystery perfect for the beach. I enjoyed reading this one, getting to know Kate and it wasn't hard to feel for her plight as it seems each direction she goes she gets slammed with a another challenge.
The Service of the Dead is the first book in the Kate Clifford Mystery Series. There is mystery here, action and a wide cast of characters with enough historical detail to get a great feel of the era. Though I found this book a little slow at times I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next in the series called The Twisted Vengeance.
Thank you to Amy at HFVBT for the opportunity to be part of this tour.
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