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Sir Geoffrey Mappestone #1
Murder in the Holy City
The First Sir Geoffrey Mappestone Mystery
Holding on to the Kingdom of Jerusalem after the First Crusade was difficult enough, but suddenly a series of murders threatens the entire security of the City.
In 1097 the Pope appealed to all virtuous and God-fearing men to join the Crusade to wrest Jerusalem from the Infidel. But by 1100, Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is one of the few knights who has survived the harrowing journey, the battle to take the city, and the political infighting over the rule of the kingdom.
Upon returning to Jerusalem one day following an exhausting desert patrol, Geoffrey hears screams coming from the house of a Greek baker and discovers that one of his closest friends, a fellow knight, has been murdered in the woman’s bedchamber. But this is not the first suspicious death in the city – other knights and priests have also been killed, and all, it is discovered, with the same type of curved dagger with a jewelled hilt.
Ordered to investigate the deaths by his liege lord, Prince Tancred, Geoffrey realises too late that they are somehow part of a plot to topple the most formidable lords from their uncertain hold on power. It is not long before he finds himself drawn into dire straits involving some of the most dangerous men in the city – and learns that his closest friends could also be his deadliest enemies.
Holding on to the Kingdom of Jerusalem after the First Crusade was difficult enough, but suddenly a series of murders threatens the entire security of the City.
In 1097 the Pope appealed to all virtuous and God-fearing men to join the Crusade to wrest Jerusalem from the Infidel. But by 1100, Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is one of the few knights who has survived the harrowing journey, the battle to take the city, and the political infighting over the rule of the kingdom.
Upon returning to Jerusalem one day following an exhausting desert patrol, Geoffrey hears screams coming from the house of a Greek baker and discovers that one of his closest friends, a fellow knight, has been murdered in the woman’s bedchamber. But this is not the first suspicious death in the city – other knights and priests have also been killed, and all, it is discovered, with the same type of curved dagger with a jewelled hilt.
Ordered to investigate the deaths by his liege lord, Prince Tancred, Geoffrey realises too late that they are somehow part of a plot to topple the most formidable lords from their uncertain hold on power. It is not long before he finds himself drawn into dire straits involving some of the most dangerous men in the city – and learns that his closest friends could also be his deadliest enemies.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
34 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Simon Beaufort
26 books48 followersAKA Susanna Gregory with Beau Riffenburgh (her husband).
Simon Beaufort is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She writes detective fiction.
Simon Beaufort is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She writes detective fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 20, 2020
1100 Jerusalem Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is 'asked' by his liege lord Prince Tancred to investigate the recent killings of the two knights and three Brothers. During the investigation he is instructed by the Advocate and Patriarch to report the results to them. But these will not be the last of the deaths. But what links these murdered men and what is the motive.
Really enjoyed this historical mystery, a very good start to the series with some very likeable characters
Really enjoyed this historical mystery, a very good start to the series with some very likeable characters
June 20, 2015
It never really hooked me, the characters didn't behave realistically, and Geoffrey is not really a protagonist who interests me.
But the setting is interesting and the plot, though convoluted, is good enough.
But the setting is interesting and the plot, though convoluted, is good enough.
Read
May 15, 20192.5 stars. Too many murders, too many suspects. Making it overly complicated took away from the characters and story.
July 6, 2009
An interesting mystery set in Jerusalem after it was captured by the crusaders. A raft of murders takes place that seem to have no connections. Knight Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is assigned to find the murder and the reasons behind the deaths. The political situation and the list of who is in charge of what is confusing, perhaps it was equally confusing to the people of Jerusalem at the time.
October 24, 2017
Geoffrey Mappestone, an English knight and crusader, is tired of fighting, intrigue, heat, and the desert and longs to leave the Holy Land and pursue his interest in medicine, science, and other scholarly subjects but when a series of murders occur in Jerusalem he is tasked with solving the mystery. His friends Hugh and Roger join him in the investigation as he seeks to unravel the puzzle as a more important question, whom should he trust, looms large.
This is the first in a series featuring a reluctant crusader and his lazy and often faithless dog.
No sex
No violence
This is the first in a series featuring a reluctant crusader and his lazy and often faithless dog.
No sex
No violence
September 10, 2018
This is an excellent mystery, set in Jerusalem during the Crusades. It paints a good picture of life for the crusaders - the whoring and drinking, the dirt and dust, as well as the politics and intrigue of the time. The murders are well handled and the tension is kept as we try to guess the culprit(s).
The hero, Geoffrey Mappestone, comes over as a very human and compassionate man, ahead of his time, literate and knowledgable.
I look forward to reading others in the series.
The hero, Geoffrey Mappestone, comes over as a very human and compassionate man, ahead of his time, literate and knowledgable.
I look forward to reading others in the series.
October 2, 2021
I almost didn't finish this one. As someone who teaches a course on the Crusades, the anachronisms that showed up early in the novel almost turned me off. In the end, the story was ok, but there was a bit too much killing throughout - the solution to every problem is "just kill 'em" until the end when the murderer doesn't kill our hero but, James Bond-style, just throws him into a pit. This is the first book in a series that I won't be reading any more of.
February 10, 2024
I enjoyed this book! There were a lot of characters to keep up with initially, so I made a sticky note of the murder victims and how they were connected. I feel like the ending was a little bit rushed but I was pleased to not have immediately figured out who the culprit was XD. I'm considering reading the rest of the series! It was nice to read the epilogue as well, since I enjoy reading interesting facts about history and how they did things in the past.
November 28, 2023
As much as I enjoy reading about this time period (AD 1100), the story didn’t interest me nearly as much as learning about life in Jerusalem during this time. There were factions from all over Europe and Western Asia claiming control. It was a bloody time evidently and that part doesn’t interest me.
Unnamed dog who had mostly no part except as comic foil and then finesse at concussion n
Unnamed dog who had mostly no part except as comic foil and then finesse at concussion n
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2018
I enjoy these Sir Geoffrey stories. This is the second one I have read and I will read more.
June 6, 2020
A little disappointing. The plot was a bit convoluted and the murderer was obvious halfway through the book.
June 18, 2020
This series is absolutely wild. I’m hooked.
January 30, 2021
Good
I had read about three chapters when I realised that I had already read this book, in fact all of the series quite a few years ago. Still found it very enjoyable.
I had read about three chapters when I realised that I had already read this book, in fact all of the series quite a few years ago. Still found it very enjoyable.
October 25, 2023
A murder mystery set on Jerusalem. Start of a series
August 8, 2017
3 1/2....slow start.
January 7, 2009
MURDER IN THE HOLY CITY (Hist Mys-Sir Geoffrey Mappestone-Jerusalem-1100) – Good
Beaufort, Simon (aka Susanna Gregory) – 1st in series
St. Martin’s Press, 1998, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312195664
First Sentence: Sir Guibert of Apulia’s head snapped up from the ground, and he was alert instantly as he heard the city outside his tent.
Sir Geoffrey Mappstone has come to the Holy City pas part of the Crusades. Before the army even reached the Holy Land, it became less about a noble Christian undertaking, than fighting, and amassing wealth and power. Geoffrey, in the employ of the Tancred, who is allied to the Patriarch the head of the Latin Church in the Holy Land, speaks several languages and is more interested in learning than fighting.
One of Geoffrey’s fellow knights is murdered with a curved dagger. Other, seemingly unrelated victims follow, the common element being the dagger. As Geoffrey investigates, his suspicion falls upon a friend.
No matter the name under which she writes, Beaufort knows how to tell a good story and teach me a bit of history. She describes the complicated politics of the time and the different groups all trying to find their place in this conflicted land.
Geoffrey is an appealing character. He is realistically written being both intelligent and a solid soldier. I did enjoy the bathhouse scene and his comment about it being four years between baths.
In fact, what marks Beaufort is the quality of the writing, the depiction of life during the time, clear depth of research and the simple fact that it is a great story. I am delighted that this is only the first of the series as it means I’ve a number of wonderful books awaiting me.
Beaufort, Simon (aka Susanna Gregory) – 1st in series
St. Martin’s Press, 1998, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312195664
First Sentence: Sir Guibert of Apulia’s head snapped up from the ground, and he was alert instantly as he heard the city outside his tent.
Sir Geoffrey Mappstone has come to the Holy City pas part of the Crusades. Before the army even reached the Holy Land, it became less about a noble Christian undertaking, than fighting, and amassing wealth and power. Geoffrey, in the employ of the Tancred, who is allied to the Patriarch the head of the Latin Church in the Holy Land, speaks several languages and is more interested in learning than fighting.
One of Geoffrey’s fellow knights is murdered with a curved dagger. Other, seemingly unrelated victims follow, the common element being the dagger. As Geoffrey investigates, his suspicion falls upon a friend.
No matter the name under which she writes, Beaufort knows how to tell a good story and teach me a bit of history. She describes the complicated politics of the time and the different groups all trying to find their place in this conflicted land.
Geoffrey is an appealing character. He is realistically written being both intelligent and a solid soldier. I did enjoy the bathhouse scene and his comment about it being four years between baths.
In fact, what marks Beaufort is the quality of the writing, the depiction of life during the time, clear depth of research and the simple fact that it is a great story. I am delighted that this is only the first of the series as it means I’ve a number of wonderful books awaiting me.
February 2, 2015
Set in Jerusalem in 1100 Crusaders find that there is a great deal of infighting. Geoffrey Mappestone is called on to discover who is murdering knights within the city. He spends a lot of time running around the city, more murders happen, he suspects one of the men who has been helping him, goes through lots of gyrations in his thinking to come to his conclusions. As always, there's a surprise as to who the actual murderer is and also to all the various connections of supposedly unrelated people.
April 8, 2010
A series I will gently pursue when in the library, but will not buy. Pleasant (as pleasant as a murder mystery set in Crusader-controlled Jerusaleum with double digit murders and several sword fights can be) and easy to read. Good as the leaven between heavier books or for mental bonbon time.
February 12, 2015
It took me a little while to get into the book but then the pace picked up with more incidents and all sorts of confusing information. That got me really interested and I liked learning what it was like living in that time and place.
November 3, 2007
Great setting! My favorite of the Simon Beaufort mysteries.
January 7, 2009
FM Very descriptive and interesting mystery involving monks and knights in 1200 Jerusalem.
February 19, 2009
Very descriptive of battles with good explanation of the history of the Crusades. I grew bored with the battle scenes and skimmed it...
Want to read
July 9, 2011on page 16.
December 31, 2014
Started really slow. I almost put it down. Finally it got really interesting and I couldn't put it down.
March 17, 2018
3.75 stars
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews