Servant of Death

A Bradecote and Catchpoll Investigation #1

by Sarah Hawkswood

The much-feared and hated Eudo - the Lord Bishop of Winchester's clerk - is bludgeoned to death in Pershore Abbey and laid before the altar in the attitude of a penitent. Everyone who had contact with him had reason to dislike him, but who had reason to kill him? The Sheriff of Worcestershire's thief taker, wily Serjeant Catchpoll, and his new and unwanted superior, Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, have to find the answer. And as the claustrophobic walls of the Abbey close in on the suspects, the killer strikes again.

Previously published as The Lord Bishop's Clerk.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Medieval, Crime

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2014

About the author

Sarah Hawkswood describes herself as a ‘wordsmith’ who is only really happy when writing. She read Modern History at Oxford and her factual book on the Royal Marines in the First World War, From Trench and Turret, was published in 2006. She also writes Regency romance as Sophia Holloway. The Bradecote and Catchpoll series are her first novels.

She takes her pen name from one of her eighteenth century ancestors who lived in Worcestershire, and selected it because the initials match those of her maiden name. She is married, with two grown up children, and now lives in Worcestershire.

She is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association, the Historical Writers’ Association, and the Historical Novel Society.

You can contact her at sarahhawkswood@gmail.com

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful English historical mystery is the 1st part of the "Bradecote & Catchpoll" series.

Its has been my first experience as a reader with this author and I have to admit that it has been an excellent and also a very enjoyable one.

Storytelling is excellent, and although its a new kind of style for me it will certainly get a new kind of appreciation from me, all characters, real historical or likeable fictional, are very believable, and the atmosphere and surroundings in this time history filled with lots of turmoil and upheaval come wonderfully and realistically off the pages within this tale, which is set in and around Pershore Abbey, Worcestershire, England.

At the start of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of Pershore Abbey and surroundings, while at the back you'll notice some useful information within the Historical Note.

This first book is set in the year AD 1143, at Pershore Abbey, and its there that the much-feared and hated Eudo, the Lord Bishop of Winchester's Clerk is found murdered.

Having just arrived with William de Beauchamp, Sheriff of Worcestershire, and having heard of this murder Hugh Bradecote, a young, but also a bit haughty and lettered noble but with a sharp mind will be made Undersheriff, and he will be accompanied by Serjeant Cathpoll, an older man, but also a down-to-earth and unlettered individual but with the cunning and wit of a fox as two complete counterparts, but still they will complete each other shortcomings and finally solve this case.

What is to follow is a very exciting first Bradecote & Catchpoll episode, where more murders will follow and where treachery, intrigue and scheming are the main ingredients, and in this environment of hostilities and death our two friends must deal with some dangerous people, but after some twists and turns and a well structured plot, our culprit will be revealed and dealt with.

Highly recommended, for this a very engaging start of this series and that's why I like to call this first outing: "A Very Satisfying Lethal Servant Mystery"!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this is my third book from the series, but I did not remember having read two others. My oh my...brain freeze/memory failing...old age. I see I liked the other two books and I have a feeling I would not have gone on with the series had I read the first one first. I thought there were entirely too many words and too much time spent introducing enormous number of characters at the Abbey, the setting for several murders. I usually love medieval murder mysteries, so maybe I am having off day.

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[Tom Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly fine - but nothing more than that. It was a simple and diverting murder mystery, but lacked the charm or style of Ellis Peters, an inevitable comparison given it's set in an abbey during the war of Stephen and Maud. the investigation was a little plodding and laid out rather too simply in many ways.

I'd expect future books to be better because a) this reads like a classic 'historian's first effort' (and we all have to start somewhere), and b) the main characters aren't new to each other and hopefully won't spend so much time obsessing about their relationship, but this was a bit of a drag in parts. Mostly the issue is the author's need to tell scenes from so many POVs - it's not confusing, but the charm of Cadfael for example is that you get to know and like him so well because he's overwhelmingly the focus. Here the author sets up the suspects all too carefully and we hop around their thoughts and perspectives far too much, with both investigators lacking a huge amount in personality beyond what you're directly told about them. Hopefully an editor will have given notes for future ones so I might well give the next a try, but don't expect to be blow away by this.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

A medieval mystery that plods along a predictable path. The ill-matched detectives come to respect each other by the end; there is a nod toward romance; the villain gets his just reward. I was nodding off in my choir stall after fifty pages. Better choices, if you like the genre, might be Umberto Eco, Candace Robb, or Ariana Franklin.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set at Pershore Abbey, 1143. Eudo, the malevolent clerk of the Bishop of Winchester, is found battered to death in the chapel. There are a number of guests at the abbey as well as the brothers themselves, but would any of them have killed Eudo? Hugh Bradecote has just been appointed undersheriff of the county, and must investigate the crime, assisted by old hand Serjeant Catchpoll.

Medieval mysteries always appeal to me, and this was a sound and satisfying debut example. The contrast between the religious atmosphere of the abbey and the brutal secular world of the War between Stephen and Maud is well described, and the historical research nicely integrated into the story.

As this is the first in the series, there is significant time spent on establishing the characters of Bradecote and Catchpoll, and the prickly relationship between them, but this is beginning to be smoothed out and will undoubtedly work much better in future books. Although inevitably suffering from comparisons with Ellis Peters’ Cadfael books, this series promises neat mysteries and likeable characters and I will definitely continue.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - not the greatest mystery I've ever read but good enough to make me want to read the next in the series. I like Bradecote as a character, and his tense relationship with Catchpoll was well done.

Edit: I don't know why my review is saying I've read this twice. I haven't. I shelved it 'to read' under its previous title, The Lord Bishop's Clerk.

[Jazzysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, the first in the Bradecote and Catchpoll murder series was recommended by a goodreads "book friend".
It is set, not quite a 100 years after the conquest by William of Normandy and during the time of strife between Stephen and Maud over the throne.
The time period reminds me of the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, and it is hard not to make comparisons.

I did enjoy it and the introduction to the pair who will investigate during this continuing series.
I did feel a little overwhelmed at first, by the number of characters to keep track of and wished the author had included a cast list with a short description.
But as I got into things it flowed well.
It suffered from I think, a first book in series need to set up protagonists and scenes, time, and to get used to the writer's style and telling etc.

i am into the second book, and recommend this to those who like medieval whodunnits!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started with so many characters, that it was hard for me to remember who was who. That got easier as the book went on, but I did find it a plod, and I can't say that I really liked the two main characters. Maybe as the series goes on it will improve.
The story is set in the 12th century, during the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud, making a time of spies, where many were suspected, even within the church. The murder of one of the guests staying at the monastery, was an unliked man, and so there was no shortage of suspects.
As this was the first book of the series where the scene was set, and the characters introduced I am willing to try another.

[Ice Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to series and characters.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in a series of historical novels by a new author to me.

The time is the mid-1100's at the time of civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud the widow of the holy roman emperor and the setting is the Abbey at Pershore. The clerk to the Bishop of Winchester is found murdered in the church and the Under Sherriff Bradecte and Sergeant Catchpole are set the task of discovering the culprit.

The book is an easy read that flows along quickly and soon becomes addictive. Characters are good and fit their parts well. Unfortunately, the plot was lacking serious twists and the perpetrator was quite easy to see. A good enough story for me to try another. A good 3 stars worth.

[Clbplym · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this medieval mystery set during the Stephen/ Maud conflict. A particularly unpleasant monk is killed and Hugh Bradecote is left to investigate alongside Sergaent Catchpoll. Hugh should be the boss but is very inexperienced compared to Catchpoll and their growing relationship is fun. I will look forward to exploring it in future books. This is a sort of historical police procedural as they go about interviewing all of the suspects. A good fun read.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duration: 8 hrs 11 mins.
Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd.

Servant of Death, Bradecote and Catchpoll, Book 1 by Sarah Hawkswood is an immersive 12th Century murder mystery, and the first adventure for mediaeval men-of-law, Bradecote and Catchpoll.

As anticipated, there is a great deal of historical detail in this audiobook, all woven into the backdrop upon which the story plays out. It is not overwhelming, but provides the listener with enough information to understand the cultural and political temperature of the time, especially as it shifted so greatly, and with such frequency.

Due to the introduction of so many characters at the start, it took until I was almost halfway through this audiobook to really feel as though I was beginning to know Bradecote and Catchpoll, and from then it picked up some pace and was more engaging.

The author's decision to have the less experienced officer in the superior position allowed for a more nuanced dynamic than the traditional 'seasoned cop takes on a rookie' plot we see so often in popular fiction. Though Catchpoll does not have Bradecote's standing or education, Bradecote's experience pales beside Catchpoll's expert efficiency. Where one is rough, the other is smooth - in many aspects - and yet they still feel similar, for their occupation is underpinned by complementary values.

The impenetrable confusion exhibited by most of the novel's males when dealing with calm and competent women was amusing. Even today there is a prevailing expectation of some hysteria when women are involved in a crisis, and I enjoyed the Under-Sherriff's discomfort when interviewing women like Mistress Weaver and Sister Edeva, who did not conform to his, or the Serjeant's, preconceptions of delicate feminine sensibility.

The mystery itself felt rather bitty at times, but I think much of that is because there were so many characters to get to know that the tension and intrigue were sometimes lost within the individual reminiscences. Despite this, I enjoyed Bradecote and Catchpoll's inaugural outing, and am very much looking forward to continuing the series, thanks in equal part to the efforts of both author and narrator.

Once again I was impressed by Addis' performance, and not least for how natural he made many of the mediaeval pronunciations seem. He always has such a deft understanding of pace, never racing through scenes or letting them drag, and ensuring the listener remains fully engaged along the way.

Addis' talent for making the characters feel not only tangible but recognisable presents this unfamiliar landscape and its people as though we could be within touching distance of their time.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and most especially mysteries of Cadfael's ilk. It is likely to hold particular appeal for anyone who enjoys period novels that offer a broad glimpse into life at the time, with the women's situations explored in no less depth than the men's.

*I received this audiobook free of charge in the hope of an honest, unbiased review.

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[Susan in NC · Rating 3 out of 5]

First in a series, I find, is often a bit plodding, burdened with setting the scene, introducing the characters to the reader, and in the case of a historical mystery series, evoking an accurate idea of the milieu in which the action takes place. Here, it’s Pershore Abbey in England 1143, during the Civil War between King Stephen and Empress Maud.

This is the same period covered by Ellis Peters’ classic Brother Cadfael series, one of my favorites. The first couple chapters were not encouraging; seemed historically accurate, but so many characters were introduced, so much jumping around to different points of view. I mainly wanted a “taste” of the series, to see if I wanted to read on. I’m used to first books being awkward, I can usually tell if I’d want to continue on. It didn’t help that I was mostly listening to the audiobook, and the narrator was not pleasing to my ear. I’ve heard him narrate other books and it worked for me; here, not so much. I figured I’d skim:along to see if the main two characters, Bradecote and Catchpoll, worked for me as a team. They were okay, I would try book 2.

Things settled a bit when the murder happened-Eudo, a nasty, manipulative viper of a clerk, is bludgeoned in the abbey church, and laid out like a penitent in front of the altar. There are plenty of suspects from that slew of characters introduced earlier, plus political intrigues to consider. We also have the experienced, grizzled Catchpole vying to run the investigation rather than allowing his superior officer, Bradecote, to be anything but a puppet.

They managed to catch the killer and by the end, appeared to be able to work together amicably. It’s not Cadfael, but not much is! I would try book 2 to see how the duo carries on.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book # 1 of Bradecote and Catchpoll did not disappoint, it was a great read! I started the series with Book # 4 which is Hostage to Fortune which I got as an ARC at NetGalley. I plan to review all of them there and also at Edelweiss.

Hugh Bradecote is performing some obligatory rounding up of a lawless band for his overlord the Sheriff of Worcester. They stop for the night at Pershore Abbey,to find the Sheriff was to be sent for as Eudo, clerk of the Bishop of Winchester had been murdered.

The Sheriff quickly deputizes Bradecote as Undersheriff to fill a temporary vacancy and leaves him and Serjeant Catchpoll to solve the mystery. A rough five days ensues with all suspects kept in the Abbey, where murders kept happening.

A great entry into this series, which leaves Hugh as permanent Undersheriff to fill a now permanent vacancy, thereby yoking he and the Serjeant together.

[Johanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm
It was ok but really needed a good editor; it felt like a slog - it took a long while to get going and then there was quite a chunk after the denouement. Some very long sentences too and the whole thing never quite got going. The characters felt rather stereotypical, a villain who practically screams of a twirling mustache despite being 700 years too early and thus was fairly unsubtle and spottable...
It is a promising start but it isn't there yet and inevitably it is the start of a series...where are the standalone detective novels with proper character development within one book?

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining Medieval murder mystery that could have done with a little polishing and less head-jumping (omniscient narrator doesn't work too well with suspense); still quite well detailed and does a good job of catching the spirit of the period.

[Rob McMinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cod Cadfael? Hmm. I love a Cadfael novel, so I was intrigued enough when this mediaeval murder mystery popped up for 99p. Am I being unfair to immediately make that comparison? You decide.
Here we have a murder mystery set in a 12th century Benedictine monastery during the so-called Anarchy (essentially the civil war between Stephen and Maud which upends everybody’s lives for years on end and results in the son of the loser ending up as King anyway). A visitor from Winchester turns up murdered, and a number of other people staying in the monastery’s guest house come under suspicion.
All of the above could be a description of a Cadfael novel. The one difference is that the main investigators are the Hugh Beringer-alike under sheriff and his chief deputy. These two are the Bradecote and Catchpoll who give their names to the series.
So far so Ellis Peters. I’m fine with all this. But then we get to the “singer not the song” part of the storytelling, and this is where the novel falls. One of the pleasures of the Cadfael novels is the sense of time and place you get, the descriptions of nature, the changing of the seasons, all told with a masterful grasp of how the pace of life might move for a 12th century herbalist monk.
Here’s the narrative pace feels a bit more breakneck, and the mystery is solved essentially through a series of Golden Age style character interviews, rather than, say, finding a crushed blue flower under somebody’s foot that only grows on a particular stretch of river.
Not everybody can be Ellis Peters, but the other thing that kind of winds you about this is the opening chapter, which has a roving narrative viewpoint that takes in all the main players, giving them a couple of paragraphs of focus each before swinging onto the next. It’s all a bit flashy and fast-cut, and you can almost hear the whoosh noise as the “camera eye” sweeps or pans to follow the next character. For me, it was all slightly unnecessary, and there were too many characters. Fortunately, it settles down after that and becomes a more straightforward mystery, quite engagingly told. I’d read another, given that there are no more Cadfaels, and I’d hope that the author will develop the main characters more.

[PR · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New Surprise for Me

"Wordsmith" Indeed! I felt inadequate at first...thinking I had a pretty good vocabulary...Wow...this introduction to the series was a tad daunting, though the extensive use of vocabulary I had not heard of it did not know...from the period and from the dictionary!...made me feel I was on a linguistic journey so challenging it ended up being fun! I feel a deal smarter just reading it and discovering some highly descriptive words in the bargain! The story was challenging and fully satisfying. The main characters are wonderfully described and I am trying to decide which one I am more in love with. The writing is terrific. The plotting well crafted. The characters fully realised. The plot was a bit hard to follow at times but the explanation when Bradecote and Catchpoll review their findings near the end made all clear. Whew, thank goodness and the author. I cannot wait to read more. Just hope Bradecotte finds his wife more appealing in future, especially with a child on the way..if not, he may find himself in many more. compromising situations! Cannot wait to expand my vocabulary and find out more about this period in history as I read more of Ms. Hawkswood's (what a great name..evocative...like her character's names) books.So happy to have found another medieval mystery series to follow so many others I have read and love...happy 📚.

[John M. Hopfner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first installment (out of, currently, eleven) of a series of historical mysteries set in Worcestershire, England, during the unsettled reign of King Stephen. I decided to try it based on its appearance in a "You Might Also Enjoy..." list, and enjoy it I did. There's an interesting dynamic here: normally when I see a series named something like "Bradecote and Catchpoll," I'm expecting that the protagonists will be, if not friends, then established partners. In these books the protagonists are partners in a sense, but only in an uneasy sense: Catchpoll is a grizzled veteran sergeant who would just as soon investigate crimes on his own, without oversight; Bradecote is a younger man, designated as a deputy under-sheriff unexpectedly. This makes him Catchpoll's superior in rank, though not in experience. So the two men need to develop a working relationship that suits them both, even as they focus on trying to solve the initial murder in Pershore Abbey, which is followed by additional deaths within the Abbey grounds. I liked this book enough to have purchased the next several installments for later reading. Recommended.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in this mystery series is set in 1143. A group of people are staying at Pershore Abbey, while Eudo, the Lord Bishops clerk is obviously known to all of them. Before long, Eudo is murdered, his body discovered in the church and it is up to Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote and Serjeant Catchpoll, to discover the culprit.

This is set during the same period as the Cadfael books, in the 12th C at the time of the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud. However, the series are not really alike, despite having a clerical setting in this mystery and being set in the same period.

Overall, I found this a somewhat disappointing start to a series. The number of characters introduced so quickly were confusing and I had little sense of place. However, this is a first book, so I will try a second if my reading group continues reading on.

[Nance Roepke · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5. This is a quiet, peaceful , very British mystery . There is almost no humor and, except for one fight scene, no real feeling of danger despite four people dying in the course of the book. The book just moves lanquidly through the events of five days. A lot happens in those five days but the book itself does not generate much excitement. The narrator is another problem or perhaps he actually creates the problem for the book. His voice is quiet And British but with some slurring of words and dropping the ends of words. Also his accent for Catchpol is very hard to understand. I like the main characters and the way they play off of each other . So I may try the second book in the series although perhaps I should read it rather than listen to it .

[Ingrid · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Obs! I listened to the audiobook version, read by Matt Addis. Addis does a good job.)

Hawkswood knows the setting well, creating a background that feels authentic. The relationship between the two lawmen, the younger, inexperienced Lord Bradecote and the old, experienced Sergeant Catchpoll, is cleverly shaped by their medieval society, creating interesting tension.

Unfortunately, the author's lack of experience with fiction shows. There's pacing problems, too much time is spent telling us how the characters feel even when it's obvious, and the omnicient narrator makes the mystery harder to build and easier to guess, although the final reveal fell pretty flat for want of foreshadowing.

[Derek Sanderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery, entertaining narrative

I enjoyed the engaging banter in this book, and the overall writing style which is fairly descriptive and often amusing. I did find the initial barrage of characters to be a little confusing, especially since I was using audio and could not see the paragraph breaks. Accordingly, I was lost the first half hour of listening. Once I got a hold on who's who, I was able to follow the story better and enjoy it. To readers, if you are not immediately hooked, give it time. The book is a decent mystery, perhaps not gripping but quite interesting and unpredictable enough to keep you guessing to the end.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

Very enjoyable and brought history to life. I often wonder, when reading historical mysteries what life was really like, and can only conclude that if novels are anything to go by I would have hated the smells; of the streets and of unwashed bodies! To this book however, it was well written and conveyed the differences between the classes in a way that not many other authors do. Even to the way that the Sergeant looked down on his 'superior' for knowing less than he did. In a way it was refreshing to see, but also to see the grudging respect these two very different men begin to have for each other. I look forward to reading more.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eudo, the clerk of the Bishop of Winchester is murdered at Purshore Abbey. The Sheriff appoints Hugh Bradecote as Undersheriff to work with Serjeant Catchpoll to solve the case. The first suspect is Elias, the master mason working at the Abbey, but their are other visiters to the Abbey as well, Waleran de Grismont, Isabell d'Achelie, Sisters Ursula and Edeva, Lady Courtney, and Fitzhugh. When an apprentice is also killed, Bradecote and Catchpoll are perplexed.

As we near the end of the story, an older woman is killed, and then things really come to a head, and Bradecote manages to solve his case with some injury to himself.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable historical murder/mystery.
Set against the backdrop of the war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda, Bradecote and Catchpoll are entrusted with the job of investigating the murder of Eudo the cleric, who works for Bishop Henry of Worcester, King Stephen's brother.
As the investigation progresses, more of the people staying in the monastery are suspected, then rejected out of hand, by the two investigators.
More bodies are discovered before Bradecote and Catchpoll discover the real murderer.

[Glyn Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never read this author before but a very good read, it is set around the fourteenth century at the time of stephen and maude. It involves bradecote ( undersheriff) and his sergeant catchpoll solving crimes. The story telling is excellent and there is a real depth to the main characters, thoroughly enjoy Bradecote and Catchpoll they have great chemistry. This concerns murder most fowl and is a tad slow to start but soon picks up at a good rate. So go out and BUY this book and enjoy( no spoilers )onto number two in the series.

[Ann Morrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable

I really enjoyed this story- the characters were well written and the historical accuracy added to the atmosphere of the narration. It was believable and you cared for the people's reasons for their actions.
The first narrator was excellent and really made the characters live but for some reason it changed to a different narrator towards the end who wasn't as good and I ended up finishing the book by reading it rather than listening.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely Well Done!

Terrific historical mystery in England during the wars between Stephen of Blois and Lady Maud to determine who was the rightful ruler of England. Murder occurs in an abbey and our two “ heroes” are appointed by the Sheriff to solve it. Very good description of the time, the people, and the investigation. Story moves quickly and the plot is very good—- exciting finale!

[Ciara O'Dwyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This murder mystery only swells from the first page and the facts and conspiracies begin to constantly turn in the readers head. The second half of the book is comprised of twists and turns that effortlessly keep you on your toes. The first half, however, is comparatively slower and the lack of cooperation between the two detectives make it harder to push through.
Overall, exciting and explorative