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The Chronicles of Brother Hermitage #4
Hermitage, Wat and Some Murder or Other
Humour ahead: The works of Howard of Warwick are hilarious and very silly. If you value your historical proprieties look away now.
After 1066 not all the Normans were in England. Those left in Normandy were up to no good and the ghastly Le Pedvin, wants one of them dealt with.
Brother Hermitage, the most medieval of detectives, and his companion Wat, weaver of tapestry you wouldn’t want your children to see, are dispatched to the Norman home-land to bring a killer to justice. How they do it is up to them and why they’re doing it is none of their business; they have their orders and the consequences of disobedience will be death – as usual.
It’s not clear what Le Pedvin is up to.
It’s not clear that anyone is actually dead.
Not much is clear about Norman villagers at all.
It’s definitely not clear how Hermitage and Wat are going to get out of this alive.
But it will be….
Also by Howard of Warwick
The Heretics of De’Ath: Hermitage and Wat’s first outing, setting the bar pretty low.
The Garderobe of Death: Murder most foul. Really, really foul.
The Tapestry of Death: Deceit, denial and the defective detective.
The Domesday Book (No, Not That One): 1066 as it might have happened, but probably didn’t.
The works of Howard of Warwick are soon to be major books, with paper and everything.
What people have said about Howard of Warwick
"The funniest book you will read for the next 1,000 years." 5*
"Hilarious." 5*
"A hit, a palpable hit." 5*
"Started ridiculous and went down hill from there." 1*
Compared to Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Monty Python and Carry-on - you get the picture.
After 1066 not all the Normans were in England. Those left in Normandy were up to no good and the ghastly Le Pedvin, wants one of them dealt with.
Brother Hermitage, the most medieval of detectives, and his companion Wat, weaver of tapestry you wouldn’t want your children to see, are dispatched to the Norman home-land to bring a killer to justice. How they do it is up to them and why they’re doing it is none of their business; they have their orders and the consequences of disobedience will be death – as usual.
It’s not clear what Le Pedvin is up to.
It’s not clear that anyone is actually dead.
Not much is clear about Norman villagers at all.
It’s definitely not clear how Hermitage and Wat are going to get out of this alive.
But it will be….
Also by Howard of Warwick
The Heretics of De’Ath: Hermitage and Wat’s first outing, setting the bar pretty low.
The Garderobe of Death: Murder most foul. Really, really foul.
The Tapestry of Death: Deceit, denial and the defective detective.
The Domesday Book (No, Not That One): 1066 as it might have happened, but probably didn’t.
The works of Howard of Warwick are soon to be major books, with paper and everything.
What people have said about Howard of Warwick
"The funniest book you will read for the next 1,000 years." 5*
"Hilarious." 5*
"A hit, a palpable hit." 5*
"Started ridiculous and went down hill from there." 1*
Compared to Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Monty Python and Carry-on - you get the picture.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2014
56 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Howard of Warwick
52 books89 followersHoward of Warwick is but a humble chronicler with the blind luck to stumble upon manuscripts which describe the goings-on of Brother Hermitage and his companion Wat the weaver.
His work has been heard, seen and read, most of it accompanied by laughter and some of it by money. His peers have even seen fit to recognize his unworthy efforts with a prize for making up stories.
There are now eighteen - make that twenty - novels of Brother Hermitage, the most medieval of detectives, loose on the world and they have found considerable success with the buying public.
The most recent outpouring from the scriptorium is The King's Investigator Part II.
Tales of Hermitage continue to flow forth with few checks for accuracy. There are even short stories available for free.
There is a dedicated web page, HowardofWarwick.com.
Messages can be left care of Howard@howardofwarwick.com and Howardofwarwick can be followed on Twitter
There is even tweeting @HowardofWarwick
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 26, 2021
Romped through this one!
Wat and Hermitage are sent to Normandy to clear up some murder of other. Of course, it's never that simple and Cwen isn't one to be told what she can't do. So it's all very complicated, and as someone who reads and writes crime, I was truly surprised by several of the twists and thoroughly enjoyed the denouement.
Laugh out loud funny and well worth the read.
Wat and Hermitage are sent to Normandy to clear up some murder of other. Of course, it's never that simple and Cwen isn't one to be told what she can't do. So it's all very complicated, and as someone who reads and writes crime, I was truly surprised by several of the twists and thoroughly enjoyed the denouement.
Laugh out loud funny and well worth the read.
September 7, 2023
I know that I'll eventually bore of this formula but for now, I'm loving it. Hermatage's bumbling investigation never fails to leave me chuckling.
April 6, 2025
Another amusing story set after the Norman Conquest. This time Wat and Hermitage are tasked with 'dealing with a murderer'. Problem is nobody seems to have been murdered.
May 6, 2021
I freaking love Howard of Warwick. I love Hermitage because he is so very pure. I love Wat, because he isn't. And I love Cwen, because she's pretty badass. And even though these novels pretty much all read the same now (Hermitage reluctantly becomes ensnared in a mystery, dungeons are involved, eventually it all comes clear in the end) I still read them because when you need a palate cleanser after something heavy, nothing beats these characters. My absolute favorite part in this was the trip from Derby to Normandy and poor Hermitage trying to acclimate his body to the speed of travel. Six miles an hour! Imagine the wonder! Were humans even supposed to go this fast?
I love everything about these books.
I love everything about these books.
August 8, 2020
The humour tapers off around page 190, and there is too much time spent wrapping up all the loose ends. Still, there are moments of excellent humour in it, and it's a light historical read with some nice detail to the actual mystery, and that mystery does play fair with the reader. There's enough information for the reader to solve it before the characters do, and that's always good in a mystery and in a comedy, too.
For a lesser writer I' would've rated it four stars, but I already know Howard of Warwick can do better.
For a lesser writer I' would've rated it four stars, but I already know Howard of Warwick can do better.
November 28, 2020
An easy read & funny. I love the adventures Hermitage & Wat and this time they are sent to France to investigate murders which may or not have been carried out by Lord Bonneville. Thank goodness Cwen ignored orders to stay at home. A thoroughly enjoyable book in which you can escape real life for a while.
August 11, 2016
Howard does it again. Hermitage and Wat are off on an adventure and it is so funny and intriguing. I had fun reading this, I love the way that Howard writes and his one lines are just hilarious.
The plot moves along at a nice pace and is interesting enough so that it never gets boring.
The plot moves along at a nice pace and is interesting enough so that it never gets boring.
August 6, 2014
Very good, more rounded as a novel but has lost a bit of the Monty Python feel the earlier books have.
November 30, 2020
All of the Brother Hermitage books are wonderful!
September 5, 2019
Howard of Warwick’s Chronicles of Brother Hermitage apparently are very popular, consider the number of works published. So more power to him (or her, whoever Howard is, not that it matters). However, having read only one, “Hermitage, Wat and Some Murder or Other,” one is enough. The liner lines say “Funniest book you will read for the next 1000 years.” Hyperbole, infinite, here. But, again, it’s a popular series. I’ll let the faithful be content.
First, I found the plethora of typos and punctuation mistakes far too many for this ole English teacher’s comfort. Granted, often English and American English are not always the same, but punctuation basically stays the same: you know, apostrophes, commas in the right places, no run-on sentences in the narrative. The editing (omitted words or wrong words) was also bothersome.
Second: I found the plot way to simple. Ellis Peters, Paul Doherty, and C.J. Sansom Howard is not. And the resolution simply is either too weak or inexplicable (choose one).
Third: while this isn’t the first episode for Hermitage, Wat, and Cwen, I felt that their characters simply were either too think or just not developed properly. I need to be able to understand (often empathize) with the central characters. No such situation here, even when they’re in the dungeon those times.
And while I don’t feel I wasted my time, as I love medieval stories, especially mysteries and especially that whole 1066 thing, I finished the book. I did NOT read the first chapter of the Fifth Chronicles which was included at the end. But I wish the author (and the readers) the best of luck. Perhaps if I had read more of this series I might be more appreciative, but I’ve not the time. I’ve got the new C.J. Trow Kit Marlowe book (“Black Death”) to read and after that Paul Doherty’s latest Brother Athelstan (now THERE’S a real good detective!) plus another stack that isn’t historical mystery. But, dear readers, if you’re happy with this series, please keep reading! As Doris Duke said, “you can’t be too thin, too rich, or too well read!”
First, I found the plethora of typos and punctuation mistakes far too many for this ole English teacher’s comfort. Granted, often English and American English are not always the same, but punctuation basically stays the same: you know, apostrophes, commas in the right places, no run-on sentences in the narrative. The editing (omitted words or wrong words) was also bothersome.
Second: I found the plot way to simple. Ellis Peters, Paul Doherty, and C.J. Sansom Howard is not. And the resolution simply is either too weak or inexplicable (choose one).
Third: while this isn’t the first episode for Hermitage, Wat, and Cwen, I felt that their characters simply were either too think or just not developed properly. I need to be able to understand (often empathize) with the central characters. No such situation here, even when they’re in the dungeon those times.
And while I don’t feel I wasted my time, as I love medieval stories, especially mysteries and especially that whole 1066 thing, I finished the book. I did NOT read the first chapter of the Fifth Chronicles which was included at the end. But I wish the author (and the readers) the best of luck. Perhaps if I had read more of this series I might be more appreciative, but I’ve not the time. I’ve got the new C.J. Trow Kit Marlowe book (“Black Death”) to read and after that Paul Doherty’s latest Brother Athelstan (now THERE’S a real good detective!) plus another stack that isn’t historical mystery. But, dear readers, if you’re happy with this series, please keep reading! As Doris Duke said, “you can’t be too thin, too rich, or too well read!”
May 18, 2022
I loved the first 3 books of the Chronicles of Brother Hermitage.
This is the fourth and I still really enjoyed it, though I must say it's getting difficult to write a review without repeating the same things.
The series combines British humour, whodunnit (with a resolution you often won't see coming) and history, so what's not to like?
My problem is that the punctuation is not often great, but the story remains enjoyable nonetheless.
This is the fourth and I still really enjoyed it, though I must say it's getting difficult to write a review without repeating the same things.
The series combines British humour, whodunnit (with a resolution you often won't see coming) and history, so what's not to like?
My problem is that the punctuation is not often great, but the story remains enjoyable nonetheless.
May 16, 2021
I have read many of Hermitages adventures and they just get better. The humour works for me and I would recommend these books.
July 10, 2021
Love this series of books!
August 3, 2022
Well, it was very slow and Brother Hermitage did not entertain me in the slightest. Not particularly funny either
November 30, 2022
Lighthearted Medieval Mystery
It's a clever story with likable characters. Not exactly historically accurate but very funny at times. An entertaining and enjoyable read.
It's a clever story with likable characters. Not exactly historically accurate but very funny at times. An entertaining and enjoyable read.
February 29, 2024
Uproariously funny? Absolutely not. Don't waste my time.
Read
June 24, 2014light hearted humor - just the book for a rainy day
January 28, 2017
More fun and games
More fun and games for Hermitage and Wat! And a village full of interesting characters. The mysteries just keep coming! Love this series!
More fun and games for Hermitage and Wat! And a village full of interesting characters. The mysteries just keep coming! Love this series!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews