What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan #17
A Pilgrimage to Murder
Summer, 1381. The Great Revolt has been crushed; the king s peace ruthlessly enforced. Brother Athelstan meanwhile is preparing for a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket s shrine in Canterbury to give thanks for the wellbeing of his congregation after the violent rebellion.
But preparations are disrupted when Athelstan is summoned to a modest house in Cheapside, scene of a brutal triple murder. One of the victims was the chief clerk of the Secret Chancery of John of Gaunt. Could this be an act of revenge by the Upright Men, those rebels who survived the Great Revolt?
At the same time Athelstan is receiving menacing messages from an assassin who calls himself Azrael, the Angel of Death? Who is he and why is he targeting a harmless friar? Could Athelstan s pilgrimage be leading him into a deadly trap?
"
But preparations are disrupted when Athelstan is summoned to a modest house in Cheapside, scene of a brutal triple murder. One of the victims was the chief clerk of the Secret Chancery of John of Gaunt. Could this be an act of revenge by the Upright Men, those rebels who survived the Great Revolt?
At the same time Athelstan is receiving menacing messages from an assassin who calls himself Azrael, the Angel of Death? Who is he and why is he targeting a harmless friar? Could Athelstan s pilgrimage be leading him into a deadly trap?
"
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2017
99 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Paul Doherty
236 books606 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 5, 2017
The Great Rebellion is over, and Brother Athelstan, Sir Jack Cranston, and many of Athelstan's parishioners are going on pilgrimage to Canterbury.
Naturally, nothing goes to plan. Clerks from the Secret Chancery are being murdered. At the same time, John of Gaunt is maneuvering to claim the throne of Castile by right of both his marriage to Constanzia of Castile and his descent from Eleanor of Castile.
John of Gaunt's right hand man, Thibault, joins the pilgrimage to meet up with representatives from Castile to discuss his master's claim.
To add to the turmoil, someone is threatening Athelstan's life, and this time the threats are serious.
"A Pilgrimage to Murder" is an excellent book. The characters only get as far of the first night's stop before all hell breaks loose.
Well written, exciting, with lots of clues to help you spot the killer. A delicious addition to the series.
I am looking forward to the continuation of the pilgrimage, because you never know who they might meet, such as Geoffrey Chaucer... or his characters from the Canterbury Tales, or, indeed, the more rounded version of the characters from Paul's own take on the Canterbury Tales.
Naturally, nothing goes to plan. Clerks from the Secret Chancery are being murdered. At the same time, John of Gaunt is maneuvering to claim the throne of Castile by right of both his marriage to Constanzia of Castile and his descent from Eleanor of Castile.
John of Gaunt's right hand man, Thibault, joins the pilgrimage to meet up with representatives from Castile to discuss his master's claim.
To add to the turmoil, someone is threatening Athelstan's life, and this time the threats are serious.
"A Pilgrimage to Murder" is an excellent book. The characters only get as far of the first night's stop before all hell breaks loose.
Well written, exciting, with lots of clues to help you spot the killer. A delicious addition to the series.
I am looking forward to the continuation of the pilgrimage, because you never know who they might meet, such as Geoffrey Chaucer... or his characters from the Canterbury Tales, or, indeed, the more rounded version of the characters from Paul's own take on the Canterbury Tales.
March 1, 2017
Totally fascinating!
1381, 'The Great Revolt' is over, the rebels crushed. The rebellion has been put down but the aftermath is a horrendous sea of treachery, uncertainty and fear. The Upright Men, the Reapers, the Earthworm Men dead and scattered.
'The scaffolds .... heavy with cadavers, the lumbering execution carts and corpse barrows a common sight. The quartered remains of traitors, all tarred and bloodied, decorated a forest of stakes on every available gateway, but the revolt was definitely over.'
Doherty is just so fantastic with his descriptions. I am constantly in awe of his use of language. The images he produces are vivid and colorful and stay with you.
Brother Athelstan, Dominican friar and parish priest of St Erconwald’s in Southwark, is to lead his parish council on a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket’s shrine in Canterbury 'to give thanks for the wellbeing of [his] congregation after the Great Revolt.’ As the story continues a host of others, seemingly more political than not, join the party. Included are a Spanish friar ordered to do penance, members of John of Gaunt's Secret Chancery, a doctor and his family, and others collected as the time draws near.
Not quite Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but if you look closely just as complicated and becoming more so as a string of assassinations begin to dot the landscape. The garrotted corpses bear the message ‘Lord Azrael greets you’. A further puzzle for our dedicated friar to pursue. Indeed Athelstan himself finds his beloved one-eyed tomcat Bonaventure with the grisly 'corpse of a magpie, a garrotte string wrapped around its throat' accompanied by that message.
This particular murderer arouse Althestan's anger on more than one occasion.
The deciphering of the cause of these murders is as usual a wonderfully wrought masterpiece of deduction and sleuthing on the part of our beloved astute Dominican priest.
As Doughtery points out in a his Author's Note, 'Sir John Cranston and Brother Athelstan will have their hands full in resolving the murderous mayhem which became a hallmark of their time.' That mayhem is so obvious throughout Doherty's rich depiction of the times.
I look forward to more from the Friar and his companions.
A NetGalley ARC
1381, 'The Great Revolt' is over, the rebels crushed. The rebellion has been put down but the aftermath is a horrendous sea of treachery, uncertainty and fear. The Upright Men, the Reapers, the Earthworm Men dead and scattered.
'The scaffolds .... heavy with cadavers, the lumbering execution carts and corpse barrows a common sight. The quartered remains of traitors, all tarred and bloodied, decorated a forest of stakes on every available gateway, but the revolt was definitely over.'
Doherty is just so fantastic with his descriptions. I am constantly in awe of his use of language. The images he produces are vivid and colorful and stay with you.
Brother Athelstan, Dominican friar and parish priest of St Erconwald’s in Southwark, is to lead his parish council on a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket’s shrine in Canterbury 'to give thanks for the wellbeing of [his] congregation after the Great Revolt.’ As the story continues a host of others, seemingly more political than not, join the party. Included are a Spanish friar ordered to do penance, members of John of Gaunt's Secret Chancery, a doctor and his family, and others collected as the time draws near.
Not quite Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but if you look closely just as complicated and becoming more so as a string of assassinations begin to dot the landscape. The garrotted corpses bear the message ‘Lord Azrael greets you’. A further puzzle for our dedicated friar to pursue. Indeed Athelstan himself finds his beloved one-eyed tomcat Bonaventure with the grisly 'corpse of a magpie, a garrotte string wrapped around its throat' accompanied by that message.
This particular murderer arouse Althestan's anger on more than one occasion.
The deciphering of the cause of these murders is as usual a wonderfully wrought masterpiece of deduction and sleuthing on the part of our beloved astute Dominican priest.
As Doughtery points out in a his Author's Note, 'Sir John Cranston and Brother Athelstan will have their hands full in resolving the murderous mayhem which became a hallmark of their time.' That mayhem is so obvious throughout Doherty's rich depiction of the times.
I look forward to more from the Friar and his companions.
A NetGalley ARC
November 7, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for an advance copy of A Pilgrimage To Murder, an everyday tale of serial murder in 14th century London.
Brother Athelstan is called away from his preparations for a parish pilgrimage to Canterbury to attend a murder scene in his capacity as secretarius to Lord John Cranston, Lord High Coroner of London. The victims, John Finchley and Felicia Kempton, have been garrotted while their master, Simon Mephan, died of a heart attack brought on by fear. Simon Mephan was senior clerk in Regent John of Gaunt's Secret Chancery, so given the brutal suppression of a recent uprising a political motive is not out of the question but when Athelstan is threatened at the scene and Mephan's fellow clerks reveal that Mephan had received a threatening message "Lord Azrael greets you" the day before and that they have just received the same it would seem that darker forces are at work. As both the bodies and suspects mount up Athelstan struggles to make sense of it all.
This is the 17th novel in the series but it is the first one I have read and now I wonder why as it is an excellent read. It has a bit of everything and had me enthralled from start to finish so I read it in one sitting.
A medieval setting almost always involves politics and this is no different as the ambitious John of Gaunt with claims to both the English and Castilian thrones tries to manoeuvre his way into more power, making more enemies along the way. At the same time he is wreaking terrible revenge on the Upright Men, whose rebellion was recently crushed. His actions are questionable at best, possibly treasonable at worst, so he has secrets to keep and it is the men privy to these secrets who are being killed. Could he be Azrael?
Mr Doherty also does a great job of describing medieval London with its filth, squalor and danger. I felt that I could smell it all as Athelstan wanders through the city.
Not content, however, with delivering an authentic setting Mr Doherty also delivers a baffling plot. I had no idea who Azrael is, how he manages the murders or what his motivation is and had to keep reading to unravel these mysteries. The plot clips along at a fast rate with something new in every chapter and plenty of surprises so I never felt my interest waning. The denouement in an inn on the pilgrimage route is a masterclass in deduction and surprising turns of events.
The characters of Athelstan and Sir John Cranston, as befits a longstanding series, are well established and a very likeable duo. Athelstan is a man of God so he knows he has right on his side but he is humble, rather than pompous, about it and gets angry about any disrespect to his God. Sir John, on the other hand, is a man of authority and action and while he is a shrewd operator he leaves the serious business of solving the crime to Athelstan.
A Pilgrimage To Murder is a great mixture of historical information and clever whodunit so I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
Brother Athelstan is called away from his preparations for a parish pilgrimage to Canterbury to attend a murder scene in his capacity as secretarius to Lord John Cranston, Lord High Coroner of London. The victims, John Finchley and Felicia Kempton, have been garrotted while their master, Simon Mephan, died of a heart attack brought on by fear. Simon Mephan was senior clerk in Regent John of Gaunt's Secret Chancery, so given the brutal suppression of a recent uprising a political motive is not out of the question but when Athelstan is threatened at the scene and Mephan's fellow clerks reveal that Mephan had received a threatening message "Lord Azrael greets you" the day before and that they have just received the same it would seem that darker forces are at work. As both the bodies and suspects mount up Athelstan struggles to make sense of it all.
This is the 17th novel in the series but it is the first one I have read and now I wonder why as it is an excellent read. It has a bit of everything and had me enthralled from start to finish so I read it in one sitting.
A medieval setting almost always involves politics and this is no different as the ambitious John of Gaunt with claims to both the English and Castilian thrones tries to manoeuvre his way into more power, making more enemies along the way. At the same time he is wreaking terrible revenge on the Upright Men, whose rebellion was recently crushed. His actions are questionable at best, possibly treasonable at worst, so he has secrets to keep and it is the men privy to these secrets who are being killed. Could he be Azrael?
Mr Doherty also does a great job of describing medieval London with its filth, squalor and danger. I felt that I could smell it all as Athelstan wanders through the city.
Not content, however, with delivering an authentic setting Mr Doherty also delivers a baffling plot. I had no idea who Azrael is, how he manages the murders or what his motivation is and had to keep reading to unravel these mysteries. The plot clips along at a fast rate with something new in every chapter and plenty of surprises so I never felt my interest waning. The denouement in an inn on the pilgrimage route is a masterclass in deduction and surprising turns of events.
The characters of Athelstan and Sir John Cranston, as befits a longstanding series, are well established and a very likeable duo. Athelstan is a man of God so he knows he has right on his side but he is humble, rather than pompous, about it and gets angry about any disrespect to his God. Sir John, on the other hand, is a man of authority and action and while he is a shrewd operator he leaves the serious business of solving the crime to Athelstan.
A Pilgrimage To Murder is a great mixture of historical information and clever whodunit so I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
December 5, 2016
Another wonderful entry in one of my favorite historical mystery series, I am so relieved Doherty was able to keep the action going now that the long buildup to the Great Revolt is over.
This mystery opens in the summer of 1381 as Athelstan is preparing his parish for a pilgrimage to Canterbury to give thanks for surviving the horrible uprising and subsequent persecution of the crown as loose ends and rebels are rounded up. The parishioners of St. Erconwald's have particular reason to give thanks as several of them were active in the rebellious armies and have escaped retribution. But before Sir Jack Cranston, Lord High Coroner of London, and Athelstan can prepare for their journey they are called to a scene of horrible murder on Milk Street - one of the victims was a highly placed clerk in the Secret Chancery. Was this the work of the straggling remains of the Upright Men who escaped the retribution of the crown, or a new menace? Soon grisly threats are being left for Athelstan and members of the chancery from a vicious assassin calling himself Azrael and our heroes realize they face a far more sophisticated and dangerous new enemy...
Doherty is a master at the slow start, introducing multiple characters, bringing back old favorites and enemies, mixing them all up and leaving the reader with many possible motives and red herrings, and he didn't let me down here. He even brought in a subplot that introduced yet another relentless murderer out to get Athelstsan - our heroic little friar really had to be on his toes in this adventure with evil coming at him from many angles! And the larger-than-life, tough-as-nails yet merry and faithful Sir Jack was right there with him, fighting with the heart of a lion! What an awesome and unlikely pair they have become, I'll never tire of their exploits.
In the afterword Doherty promised Athelstan and Sir Jack will be kept quite busy investigating the "murderous mayhem" of the period resulting from John of Gaunt's sinister machinations to obtain a crown for the House of Lancaster - I can't wait!
This mystery opens in the summer of 1381 as Athelstan is preparing his parish for a pilgrimage to Canterbury to give thanks for surviving the horrible uprising and subsequent persecution of the crown as loose ends and rebels are rounded up. The parishioners of St. Erconwald's have particular reason to give thanks as several of them were active in the rebellious armies and have escaped retribution. But before Sir Jack Cranston, Lord High Coroner of London, and Athelstan can prepare for their journey they are called to a scene of horrible murder on Milk Street - one of the victims was a highly placed clerk in the Secret Chancery. Was this the work of the straggling remains of the Upright Men who escaped the retribution of the crown, or a new menace? Soon grisly threats are being left for Athelstan and members of the chancery from a vicious assassin calling himself Azrael and our heroes realize they face a far more sophisticated and dangerous new enemy...
Doherty is a master at the slow start, introducing multiple characters, bringing back old favorites and enemies, mixing them all up and leaving the reader with many possible motives and red herrings, and he didn't let me down here. He even brought in a subplot that introduced yet another relentless murderer out to get Athelstsan - our heroic little friar really had to be on his toes in this adventure with evil coming at him from many angles! And the larger-than-life, tough-as-nails yet merry and faithful Sir Jack was right there with him, fighting with the heart of a lion! What an awesome and unlikely pair they have become, I'll never tire of their exploits.
In the afterword Doherty promised Athelstan and Sir Jack will be kept quite busy investigating the "murderous mayhem" of the period resulting from John of Gaunt's sinister machinations to obtain a crown for the House of Lancaster - I can't wait!
August 2, 2018
This truly exciting mystery is the 17th volume of the wonderful "Brother Athelstan" series.
Storytelling is of a superb quality by the author, also the characters are very believable, whether they are real historical or fictional people, and these astonishing ingredients make this book such a joy to read.
Once again the author has captured these medieval times of history, the 13th and 14th Centuries are especially his speciality, in a most remarkable fashion, not to forget the atmosphere of these brutal times for they come off the pages in a very realistic way.
The book is set in July, AD 1381, just after "The Great Revolt", and its from that point on that Brother Athelstan and his formidable friend Coroner Sir John Cranston come into action again.
The story starts with Brother Athelstan preparing himself for a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket's shrine in Canterbury, only for his preparations to be disrupted because of a triple murder in Cheapside, and with London still in turmoil where the high and mighty are still fighting within themselves as well as the Peasants of London.
At the same time, while more murders have been committed, Brother Athelstan is receiving death threats from an assassin who calls himself Azrael, the Angel of Death, and so the question is why is he targeted also?
What follows is a very exciting and gripping fast-paced and action-packed mystery in which Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranston will have to do their utmost to solve these murders and thus finding the culprit(s), and at the same time for Brother Athelstan to try to stay alive from this dangerous assassin.
Very much recommended, for this is Brother Athelstan, and the author Paul Doherty, at their very best again, and so for me this is: "A Very Thrilling Brother Athelstan Medieval Mystery"!
Storytelling is of a superb quality by the author, also the characters are very believable, whether they are real historical or fictional people, and these astonishing ingredients make this book such a joy to read.
Once again the author has captured these medieval times of history, the 13th and 14th Centuries are especially his speciality, in a most remarkable fashion, not to forget the atmosphere of these brutal times for they come off the pages in a very realistic way.
The book is set in July, AD 1381, just after "The Great Revolt", and its from that point on that Brother Athelstan and his formidable friend Coroner Sir John Cranston come into action again.
The story starts with Brother Athelstan preparing himself for a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket's shrine in Canterbury, only for his preparations to be disrupted because of a triple murder in Cheapside, and with London still in turmoil where the high and mighty are still fighting within themselves as well as the Peasants of London.
At the same time, while more murders have been committed, Brother Athelstan is receiving death threats from an assassin who calls himself Azrael, the Angel of Death, and so the question is why is he targeted also?
What follows is a very exciting and gripping fast-paced and action-packed mystery in which Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranston will have to do their utmost to solve these murders and thus finding the culprit(s), and at the same time for Brother Athelstan to try to stay alive from this dangerous assassin.
Very much recommended, for this is Brother Athelstan, and the author Paul Doherty, at their very best again, and so for me this is: "A Very Thrilling Brother Athelstan Medieval Mystery"!
November 6, 2016
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for my ARC.
I'm not really a big one for medieval books I'll be honest. However this piqued my interest as a book which focused on crime/thriller but within not only a medieval but religious setting.
I'm really glad I decided to do that. The book follows Brother Athelstan a monk/friar of the Dominican order. It is actually one of a series but it was easy to pick up and can be read as a standalone without any issues.
As well as being a priest, Athelstan works as a secretary or rather assistant to the coroner and assists him in the case of murders. It's a time of unrest as the child King Richard sits on the throne and his Regent wields power both in England and Spain. When a murderer by the name of Azrael begins garrotting members of the regents secret chancery, Athelstan and co are on the case.
Although one plot makes up the main body of the story there are several interesting sub plots running as well which keep the story interesting. Also, what really sold it to me was that despite staying true and authentic to the period, the author keeps the language simple enough for the modern reader to understand and enjoy. I think that's really important when writing historical fiction. It stops it from feeling like you're reading Dickens.
It crossed my mind who the murderer was about 3/4 of the way through but all I'll say is that I wasn't 'exactly' right.
All in all a surprisingly enjoyable book for a genre I didn't think I'd like!
I'm not really a big one for medieval books I'll be honest. However this piqued my interest as a book which focused on crime/thriller but within not only a medieval but religious setting.
I'm really glad I decided to do that. The book follows Brother Athelstan a monk/friar of the Dominican order. It is actually one of a series but it was easy to pick up and can be read as a standalone without any issues.
As well as being a priest, Athelstan works as a secretary or rather assistant to the coroner and assists him in the case of murders. It's a time of unrest as the child King Richard sits on the throne and his Regent wields power both in England and Spain. When a murderer by the name of Azrael begins garrotting members of the regents secret chancery, Athelstan and co are on the case.
Although one plot makes up the main body of the story there are several interesting sub plots running as well which keep the story interesting. Also, what really sold it to me was that despite staying true and authentic to the period, the author keeps the language simple enough for the modern reader to understand and enjoy. I think that's really important when writing historical fiction. It stops it from feeling like you're reading Dickens.
It crossed my mind who the murderer was about 3/4 of the way through but all I'll say is that I wasn't 'exactly' right.
All in all a surprisingly enjoyable book for a genre I didn't think I'd like!
March 25, 2017
This is my eighth Brother Athelstan read, and I just reviewed my own responses to each of the books and find I like these books more often than not, but then rather strongly dislike them. I don't think I have had such a hot/cold relationship with a series. I feel it is safe now to conclude that I only actually like reading about medieval times, and Doherty makes short work of that for me as I delight in all the descriptions of daily life and political struggles of the time. Some of the books endear me to the fine relationship between Sir John Cranston, the Coroner and Brother Athelstan as well as the tender care of Athelstan for his flock of parishioners. None of that was front and center in this book. This books opens in 1381 after the uprising of the Upright Men and takes us right into murder by garrotte, garnished with threats of more murder by garrotte. We also have John of Gaunt taking his great sword to the heads of 5 would-be assassins after Cranston saves him from attack. Athelstan reflects, "One moment a glorious pageant on Tower Green, the next violence and bloodshed erupting."
Usually Athelstan can be counted on to decipher hidden mysteries, but in this book I didn't even care after so many foreign characters with mixed motives made themselves known. I just wanted the book to end. That should do it for me, I think. I did really like a couple of the Athelstan books, though.
Usually Athelstan can be counted on to decipher hidden mysteries, but in this book I didn't even care after so many foreign characters with mixed motives made themselves known. I just wanted the book to end. That should do it for me, I think. I did really like a couple of the Athelstan books, though.
October 15, 2024
First one of Paul Doherty's I've read and look forward to more. Set in the Middle Ages, just after the revolt which was led by Watt Tyler and the repercussions thereof. A friar, Athelstan, who has a brilliant mind and is an "investigator" of murder and mayhem! He works alongside Sir John, the royal appointed Coroner. The novel is based on the murders of people who work around John of Gaunt,, the Regent and who has a claim on the Castile throne via his marriage to Castilian princess and a possible treaty between the two. Mysterious murders carried out by garroting but with no signs of any struggling of the victims, also carried out in unusual places - the middle of the Thames, in a locked bedroom! How? On a pilgramge to Canterbury, by Athelstan, his parishioner, Sir John, a Spanish pharmacist and his family, a Spanish monk doing penance. A murder takes place on the Pilgramage so the assassin is amongst them. Who? After an attack on Athelstan himself, the pieces begin to fit together for him and I never saw it coming!
November 30, 2024
It's not just the one devil!!!
Well this story really moved along well. Now we have someone going around killing Gaunts men. He asks Athelstan an our wonderful corner Sir John to look in to this. Then our Bother gets attached not once but twice.. So jump on the wagon an go on a Pilgrimage walk an see what's going on.
Well this story really moved along well. Now we have someone going around killing Gaunts men. He asks Athelstan an our wonderful corner Sir John to look in to this. Then our Bother gets attached not once but twice.. So jump on the wagon an go on a Pilgrimage walk an see what's going on.
October 6, 2017
There are some books that you can just put down and pick up as and when you have time. There are books you have to force yourself to finish reading. There are books, such as the Sorrowful Tales of Brother Athelstan, that you can’t put down and have to force yourself to cast aside in order to get things done.
I almost missed buying this one. On reading, “The Mansions of Murder” I found, from the text that, somehow, I had missed buying the previous book and on searching the list of Brother Athelstan books at the front of said book, I saw “A Pilgrimage to Murder”! Well, I straight away ordered the book from Book Depository (free postage to New Zealand – yea!). I am so glad I did as this is one of the best, it really is. I love to try and solve the mystery before the good Brother, and I had my suspicions from the start, but there are red herrings and other goings on that clouded my vision. In the end I found that I was right about who the assassin, Azrael, was, but also that I had missed some of the cues the author, Paul Doherty, had sown throughout the tale.
Again, this book can be read on its own, but, to really appreciate Brother Athelstan, you are best to start from “The Nightingale Gallery” and work your way through the whole series – trust me, you will not regret it.
I almost missed buying this one. On reading, “The Mansions of Murder” I found, from the text that, somehow, I had missed buying the previous book and on searching the list of Brother Athelstan books at the front of said book, I saw “A Pilgrimage to Murder”! Well, I straight away ordered the book from Book Depository (free postage to New Zealand – yea!). I am so glad I did as this is one of the best, it really is. I love to try and solve the mystery before the good Brother, and I had my suspicions from the start, but there are red herrings and other goings on that clouded my vision. In the end I found that I was right about who the assassin, Azrael, was, but also that I had missed some of the cues the author, Paul Doherty, had sown throughout the tale.
Again, this book can be read on its own, but, to really appreciate Brother Athelstan, you are best to start from “The Nightingale Gallery” and work your way through the whole series – trust me, you will not regret it.
January 4, 2020
When the Great Revolt was squashed, it looked as if London would return to normal. Alas, it was not to be. It is summer, 1381, and Brother Athelstan is preparing for a pilgrimage to St Thomas a Becket's shrine in Canterbury to give thanks for the well being of his congregation after the violent rebellion.
In Paul Doherty’s continuing series (this is book 17 of the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan), we find the good and kindly brother planning to go about his liturgical duties in "A Pilgrimage to Murder." But, of course, this is not to be. Unlike Chaucer’s tales of that journey to Canterbury, a murder most foul is committed before the journey can actually get underway—and Brother Athelstan is summoned to help solve it. The scene is that of a triple murder and one of the victims just happens to be a chief clerk of Crown Regent John of Gaunt’s team. Immediately the thought of revenge by the Upright Men is formulated, they, who’d lost the Great Revolt, and were now in hiding.
Athelstan has been receiving threats ever so menacing from someone who goes by the name of Azrael (the Angel of Death). Not only must Athelstan solve the murders but he has to contend with these threats. Will this Canterbury tale have its own moral—or is it simply a deadly trap? Athelstan once again calls upon members of his St. Erconwald’s parish to help—and, as in the previous 16, the King’s Coroner Sir John Cranston is on hand to make sure that the King’s domain is safe and sound. Doherty doesn’t seem to be running out of ideas, bless him!
In Paul Doherty’s continuing series (this is book 17 of the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan), we find the good and kindly brother planning to go about his liturgical duties in "A Pilgrimage to Murder." But, of course, this is not to be. Unlike Chaucer’s tales of that journey to Canterbury, a murder most foul is committed before the journey can actually get underway—and Brother Athelstan is summoned to help solve it. The scene is that of a triple murder and one of the victims just happens to be a chief clerk of Crown Regent John of Gaunt’s team. Immediately the thought of revenge by the Upright Men is formulated, they, who’d lost the Great Revolt, and were now in hiding.
Athelstan has been receiving threats ever so menacing from someone who goes by the name of Azrael (the Angel of Death). Not only must Athelstan solve the murders but he has to contend with these threats. Will this Canterbury tale have its own moral—or is it simply a deadly trap? Athelstan once again calls upon members of his St. Erconwald’s parish to help—and, as in the previous 16, the King’s Coroner Sir John Cranston is on hand to make sure that the King’s domain is safe and sound. Doherty doesn’t seem to be running out of ideas, bless him!
January 2, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. I had started reading it a while ago, then abandoned until it was the only unread book on my tablet and no internet access to find another one.
I don’t think it helped that this is book 17 and I had read none of the other volumes, meaning I was confused by many of the characters for a while, although the story did stand up without previous reading.
I like Athelstan, and enjoyed the basic plot, albeit in a slightly confused manner owing to my lack of prior knowledge of this series. The research was excellent and the medieval setting well realised.
I began to wonder exactly when everyone was going to go on pilgrimage as there was not much time left, and sure enough the pilgrims were destined, like Chaucer’s lot, never to reach Canterbury. Athelstan’s exposition of the murder was incredibly lengthy, and the ending,while satisfying, was a bit of a deus ex machina.
I did find the book very over written at times. Why use one adjective if two can be crammed in there? The motives for the crimes turned out to be far reaching, with an international flavour, far removed from the more local and salacious reasons hinted at in the early part of the book. Having these motives imposed into the story latterly also made me not care. The reasons didn’t seem integral to the story, rather incidental.
So, mixed feelings about this. Doherty’s fame precedes him, and I expected to enjoy this more than I did. I am going to read the first book in the series, see if that improves my opinion.
I don’t think it helped that this is book 17 and I had read none of the other volumes, meaning I was confused by many of the characters for a while, although the story did stand up without previous reading.
I like Athelstan, and enjoyed the basic plot, albeit in a slightly confused manner owing to my lack of prior knowledge of this series. The research was excellent and the medieval setting well realised.
I began to wonder exactly when everyone was going to go on pilgrimage as there was not much time left, and sure enough the pilgrims were destined, like Chaucer’s lot, never to reach Canterbury. Athelstan’s exposition of the murder was incredibly lengthy, and the ending,while satisfying, was a bit of a deus ex machina.
I did find the book very over written at times. Why use one adjective if two can be crammed in there? The motives for the crimes turned out to be far reaching, with an international flavour, far removed from the more local and salacious reasons hinted at in the early part of the book. Having these motives imposed into the story latterly also made me not care. The reasons didn’t seem integral to the story, rather incidental.
So, mixed feelings about this. Doherty’s fame precedes him, and I expected to enjoy this more than I did. I am going to read the first book in the series, see if that improves my opinion.
February 6, 2017
"A Pilgrimage to Murder" is a historical mystery set in 1381 in England. It's the 16th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this novel didn't spoil the previous mysteries. Much time was spent describing setting and historical details. The pilgrimage didn't start until nearly 60% of the way into the story, and they only traveled one day before it came to a halt.
Since people were being mysteriously murdered throughout the story and Athelstan was a target, it could have been very suspenseful. But so much time was spent describing the setting that it slowed the pace and dulled that suspense.
There were clues as to whodunit, but Athelstan kept some of the clues to himself until the big reveal. Still, I was able to guess whodunit (and was mostly correct). There was enough complexity to what was going on that there will be surprises as Athelstan describes who did what.
There were no graphic sex scenes or bad language. However, the many dead bodies were described in detail, from strangulation to decapitation to rotting heads on pikes. I enjoyed the historical detail and the characters, but I would have preferred less graphic detail about the corpses.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Since people were being mysteriously murdered throughout the story and Athelstan was a target, it could have been very suspenseful. But so much time was spent describing the setting that it slowed the pace and dulled that suspense.
There were clues as to whodunit, but Athelstan kept some of the clues to himself until the big reveal. Still, I was able to guess whodunit (and was mostly correct). There was enough complexity to what was going on that there will be surprises as Athelstan describes who did what.
There were no graphic sex scenes or bad language. However, the many dead bodies were described in detail, from strangulation to decapitation to rotting heads on pikes. I enjoyed the historical detail and the characters, but I would have preferred less graphic detail about the corpses.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
March 26, 2017
Brother Aethelstan , Dominican friar and a parish priest, is summoned to the house where 3 deaths have occurred. One, seemingly, of natural causes, but the other 2 of strangulation. Curiously, there were no disturbances in the household furnishings. How was that possible? Along with the corpses is a note from Azrael, the apparent "angel of death". Aethelstan performs the blessings and continues on with his day and preparing for a pilgrimage with members of his parish. But Azrael strikes repeatedly, bringing Aethelstan deeper and deeper into the strangulation deaths of his parishioners. As the pilgrimage begins, Aethelstan is convinced that Azrael is among those he is leading. But who is Azrael? And can Aethelstan discover his identity before other murders are committed?
This is a new series for me, by an author with which I'm very familiar. As I expected, the characters are well developed and the plot quite twisted. I enjoyed the book and will definitely be looking for more in this series.
This is a new series for me, by an author with which I'm very familiar. As I expected, the characters are well developed and the plot quite twisted. I enjoyed the book and will definitely be looking for more in this series.
January 5, 2019
Dull, repetitive and overwritten. So much alliteration! "Around these swirled the lords of the sewers, the barons of the gutter, the earls of the dagger and the bolt as well as the pimping pontiffs who looked after their shoals of whores as shepherds would their flocks of sheep". Pimps being famously caring pastors, of course. Later we have pimping princes too. And enough with the miraculous wineskin for goodness sake.
Far from being a novel about a pilgrimage - the characters hang around in London for most of the book, finally travelling to their first stopping point (and making no further progress by the time we conclude). I wasn't even convinced by the mid-novel unmasking sub-plot about Peter the Penniless - Athelstan forcing a confession on what seems very shaky evidence.
This is the first (and only) Athelstan mystery I have read and I am glad to be done with it.
Far from being a novel about a pilgrimage - the characters hang around in London for most of the book, finally travelling to their first stopping point (and making no further progress by the time we conclude). I wasn't even convinced by the mid-novel unmasking sub-plot about Peter the Penniless - Athelstan forcing a confession on what seems very shaky evidence.
This is the first (and only) Athelstan mystery I have read and I am glad to be done with it.
May 16, 2023
I have always enjoyed Paul Doherty’s books, they invoke the time they are set in vividly.
In this story, men working for or engaged in some way with John of Gaunt are being murdered viciously. Brother Athelstan and Sir John are caught up in the investigation and for some reason, Brother Athelstan is also targeted by the murderer. I have to admit I guessed one person for the guilty one and was totally wrong. As well as the crimes, this book involves a pilgrimage to Canterbury which starts with just Brother Athelstan’s parish and Sir John but ends up with lots of stragglers who are going for their own, and maybe not good, reasons.
This book gripped me from the beginning…..
In this story, men working for or engaged in some way with John of Gaunt are being murdered viciously. Brother Athelstan and Sir John are caught up in the investigation and for some reason, Brother Athelstan is also targeted by the murderer. I have to admit I guessed one person for the guilty one and was totally wrong. As well as the crimes, this book involves a pilgrimage to Canterbury which starts with just Brother Athelstan’s parish and Sir John but ends up with lots of stragglers who are going for their own, and maybe not good, reasons.
This book gripped me from the beginning…..
June 2, 2025
A Pilgimage
How can one assassin be in different places at the same time? What is supposed to be a peaceful pilgrimage to Canterbury becomes a dangerous one. Athelstan needs to solve the crimes before they reach the tomb of Thomas Becket. The only clue is from the Scriptures, My name is Legion for we are Many. Can Athelstan figure it out before he is attacked? A great book. I enjoyed it.
How can one assassin be in different places at the same time? What is supposed to be a peaceful pilgrimage to Canterbury becomes a dangerous one. Athelstan needs to solve the crimes before they reach the tomb of Thomas Becket. The only clue is from the Scriptures, My name is Legion for we are Many. Can Athelstan figure it out before he is attacked? A great book. I enjoyed it.
August 18, 2017
Sorry, I know this is supposed to be a great series by a good author, but I simply can't seem to enjoy Doherty's work.
I can't even explain why his books don't work for me, as I don't understand it myself.
I love historical fiction, I enjoy a good murder/mystery and I'm great with the periods and eras he covers... I just don't like his books.
I can't even explain why his books don't work for me, as I don't understand it myself.
I love historical fiction, I enjoy a good murder/mystery and I'm great with the periods and eras he covers... I just don't like his books.
May 4, 2017
I really enjoyed this one and devoured it quickly. The solution reasoned by Athelstan was very logical and followed the clues well. I was particularly taken with the clue from the book of Luke. Well done, Paul Doherty. This entry to the series was pretty bloody and gruesome. Awful to be shot by an arbalast bolt at short range.
September 6, 2020
Pilgramage of AMurder
Great thriller, good writting you never know until the end who the killer is. The cast of characters are always very interesting and gives a feeling of intimacy for the reader.
Great thriller, good writting you never know until the end who the killer is. The cast of characters are always very interesting and gives a feeling of intimacy for the reader.
November 21, 2023
Another great mystery and history lesson
I had suspected “who” in some of the subplots but part of the “why” was a horrid yet fascinating surprise. Glad to be living in these times which at worst are better than even the best of those times in my opinion.
I had suspected “who” in some of the subplots but part of the “why” was a horrid yet fascinating surprise. Glad to be living in these times which at worst are better than even the best of those times in my opinion.
March 31, 2024
This Was A Twisty One
Darker, less personal than others in the series, this had a complex plot. Usually, you spend some comfortable time with the characters but here it is all tense business.
Darker, less personal than others in the series, this had a complex plot. Usually, you spend some comfortable time with the characters but here it is all tense business.
November 4, 2017
ok but pretty descriptive - too descriptive.
June 4, 2018
Loving this series!
June 21, 2019
Superb
I like all of Paul Doherty books, and I really love these characters,I could read about them for ever,cracking good reads
I like all of Paul Doherty books, and I really love these characters,I could read about them for ever,cracking good reads
July 30, 2019
J'ai bien aimé ce livre, mais je ne suis pas objective, puisque je suis une fan de la série. Mais je suis et reste fascinée par la résolution d'enquêtes de Frère Althestan.
April 1, 2021
Well done
I still like the stories and the complex webs that are woven. Can't wait for the next installment to be available.
I still like the stories and the complex webs that are woven. Can't wait for the next installment to be available.
May 9, 2022
I didn't see the ending coming, which is always fun in a murder mystery.
July 9, 2024
As usual, I found this sorrowful mystery of Brother Athelstan engaging and cleverly written.
I’ve just re-read this but had absolutely no memory of having read it before so it was a nice surprise to find myself absorbed in a new mystery. A shadowy, murderous figure calling himself Azrael is worrying the authorities in London in the months following the Great Revolt. One by one, clerks in the Secret chambers of Westminster are being garrotted and messages left claiming the death to be the work of Azrael. Athelstan and Cranston are called upon to find out who this is, all why they are planning to take Athelstan’s parishioners in pilgrimage to Becket’s shrine at Canterbury. Athelstan himself is threatened and attacked twice, and threats are left for Sir John and Gaunt and Thibault, and as the great throng moves out towards Canterbury, it soon becomes clear that Azrael is among of their number. Stopping the first night at the Sign of Hope, the great tavern and inn at the start of the pilgrims’ way, death stalks in and Athelstan is under even more pressure to resolve the mystery.
I’ve just re-read this but had absolutely no memory of having read it before so it was a nice surprise to find myself absorbed in a new mystery. A shadowy, murderous figure calling himself Azrael is worrying the authorities in London in the months following the Great Revolt. One by one, clerks in the Secret chambers of Westminster are being garrotted and messages left claiming the death to be the work of Azrael. Athelstan and Cranston are called upon to find out who this is, all why they are planning to take Athelstan’s parishioners in pilgrimage to Becket’s shrine at Canterbury. Athelstan himself is threatened and attacked twice, and threats are left for Sir John and Gaunt and Thibault, and as the great throng moves out towards Canterbury, it soon becomes clear that Azrael is among of their number. Stopping the first night at the Sign of Hope, the great tavern and inn at the start of the pilgrims’ way, death stalks in and Athelstan is under even more pressure to resolve the mystery.
May 11, 2024
I haven't indulged myself in a full length Brother Athelstan read for awhile, and now after reading this offering I see why.
I simply can't put them down!
This 17th offering was masterpiece, well plotted, numerous twist and turns, and the delightful parishioners of St Erconwald's Southwark London. Plus the delightful Coroner Sir John Cranston.
But the clever Brother Athelstan got his murderer in the end, this time at some cost to his peace of mind
Paul Doherty is extremely knowledgeable about this era and writes engagingly and beautifully.
The Middle Ages spring to life; with all their smells, plots and problems.
Highly recommended for Historical mystery fans.
And I think I might have to indulge myself with the next one.
I simply can't put them down!
This 17th offering was masterpiece, well plotted, numerous twist and turns, and the delightful parishioners of St Erconwald's Southwark London. Plus the delightful Coroner Sir John Cranston.
But the clever Brother Athelstan got his murderer in the end, this time at some cost to his peace of mind
Paul Doherty is extremely knowledgeable about this era and writes engagingly and beautifully.
The Middle Ages spring to life; with all their smells, plots and problems.
Highly recommended for Historical mystery fans.
And I think I might have to indulge myself with the next one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews