What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ravens' Corpse: An Elspet Stafford Mystery
Book 2 of The Elspet Stafford Mysteries starts off only months after Book 1 ends. Set in 1513, the Tudor Era when Catherine of Aragon was still the beloved wife of Henry VIII, this murder mystery is filled with fun twists and turns - even more than those new chimney stacks commissioned by the Earl of Surrey, Thomas Howard at Framlingham Castle.
With another murder to solve, aspiring courtier, Elspet Stafford and her sharp-tongued, elderly companion, the Dowager Duchess Lettice, are put to work to solve this case which is once again covered up by the Earl. With memories of last summer's attack still fresh in Elspet's mind, murder is the last thing she wants around her. But as always, the Dowager has other ideas.
Elspet and the Dowager are summoned by the Queen to Framlingham Castle, the family seat of the Howard family over the Christmastide season to distract Princess Mary from fretting over her upcoming wedding. However, nothing is as it seems in the Howard household – every servant is a potential spy and one servant, who walks and talks like a courtier, is well remembered by the Dowager from her time at court.
Hearing a scream in the middle of the night, Elspet is compelled to discover its origins only to find an astrologer dead at his work table, surrounded by curious symbols on parchment and overlooked by twelve stuffed ravens.
While Elspet's relationship with Lord Ufford becomes more complicated, she must also keep her head and heart safe to discover who was responsible for the man's murder before the Queen arrives.
What had the astrologer done to have inspired the fear and hatred of the entire village? Who screamed in the night? What is the significance of the ravens? And where has the man's apprentice disappeared to?
With another murder to solve, aspiring courtier, Elspet Stafford and her sharp-tongued, elderly companion, the Dowager Duchess Lettice, are put to work to solve this case which is once again covered up by the Earl. With memories of last summer's attack still fresh in Elspet's mind, murder is the last thing she wants around her. But as always, the Dowager has other ideas.
Elspet and the Dowager are summoned by the Queen to Framlingham Castle, the family seat of the Howard family over the Christmastide season to distract Princess Mary from fretting over her upcoming wedding. However, nothing is as it seems in the Howard household – every servant is a potential spy and one servant, who walks and talks like a courtier, is well remembered by the Dowager from her time at court.
Hearing a scream in the middle of the night, Elspet is compelled to discover its origins only to find an astrologer dead at his work table, surrounded by curious symbols on parchment and overlooked by twelve stuffed ravens.
While Elspet's relationship with Lord Ufford becomes more complicated, she must also keep her head and heart safe to discover who was responsible for the man's murder before the Queen arrives.
What had the astrologer done to have inspired the fear and hatred of the entire village? Who screamed in the night? What is the significance of the ravens? And where has the man's apprentice disappeared to?
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 8, 2017
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.