The Final Toll

Servant of the Crown Mystery #4

by Denise Domning

RING FOR THE ANGELS!


Sir Robert of Offord dies mysteriously just after accusing his new wife of adultery and his son-by-marriage wants the shire’s new Crowner to prove the knight was murdered. Instead, Sir Faucon de Ramis discovers that a bell owned by the dead man is missing. But who could have taken it— the daughter who loved it as a child, the knight who wants it as collateral, or the prior who wishes to restore it to its holy purpose of calling the angels? Follow Warwickshire’s new Servant of the Crown as Sir Faucon embarks on his most unusual and convoluted hunt yet.

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

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2018

About the author

What can I say? I’m single and over sixty, I write and I farm on eight acres of slowly improving red earth (it originally looked like Mars had exploded!) on Oak Creek in northern Arizona. I started with chickens, then there were turkeys and Jersey milk cows. But with livestock came the predators: coyotes, bald eagles, black hawks, mountain lions, and, worst of all, raccoons. Dang those nasty creatures! They kill just because they can; think dogs with opposable thumbs. (Five chickens in one night–they reached in through the chain link and killed the birds with no expectation of being able to eat them.) They are the reason I keep livestock guardian dogs. There's the massive Polar Bear, a 135 pound Hungarian Kuvasz, Radha, the svelte and sleek 90 pound Anatolian Shepherd and her new chew toy, Rupert who is some sort of terrier mix and small enough to walk under her belly.

As for what my dogs guard, it's my growing herd of Dorper Sheep, a South African breed that (supposedly) doesn’t need to be sheared and gains all their weight on grass alone. I've also fallen in love with pigs, which are just dogs with snouts. Oh, how those rapscallions make me laugh!

If you're interested in keeping up with my farm antics, you can visit my blog at denisedomning.com or thefarmonoakcreek.com

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had hoped the fourth would continue as a more successfully integrated plot as book 3 had accomplished. It was rather a long wait between 3 and 4 to remember the key characters and keep up with the series for which the dear author apologized. This "poison" plot rolled out confusingly with a surfeit of characters.
For any reader starting out afresh, reading books 1-4 there may be no sense of confusion (or less, perhaps).
I do love historical fiction and feel certain there will be enjoyable additions to this series as the main character is built to last.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even the author admits she struggled with this one, and thus one has to admire her dedication. And we have to admire her for Sir Faucon de Remis being an engaging, dogged character through it all. And then there's Edmund... I'll continue to read the series for the characters. But that side story of the mysterious killer... right tired of that. Let's end it in the next book, please!

[Candida · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than the last. This book in the series really felt like it touched on the complete lack of respect for women back in this time period. It was sad in that respect but the underlying second mystery of the murdered little girls is not touched in more than a page of information. We get to hear directly from the ailing oldest brother of the Coronarius.

[English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Medieval Mystery with plenty of twists and turns featuring Sir Faucon, the coroner, and his assistants the monk Brother Edmund and Alf. Brother Colin, a friend and occasional assistant comes returns in this one as well. Imagine a younger brother Cadfael.

Ms Domining's Servant of the Crown series have proved that its possible to write a gripping historical mystery series without sex scenes and lots of graphic violence. These stories are more character driven with an emphasis on the investigation and legal principles involved: but also a sense of humanity and compassion for the people involved. The characters don't condone wrongdoing, but do sympathize with those driven to extreme action by the hatred of others or by circumstances.

I rather hope there will actually be some more adventures for Sir Faucon and company after the next and fifth book in the series which is said to be the last one.

I'd recommend this series for all those Mystery Buffs and those who enjoy historical mysteries.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Review

The last book had Faucon wrapping up a deeply painful mystery and headed home only to be surprised by his volatile older brother waiting for him at his home keep. Now, Faucon has a new death to investigate while walking the middle path between flames with his brother's trouble with him on one side and the corrupt sheriff of the shire out to get him on the other. But, with the irascible clerk, Brother Edmund and his cranky donkey in tow, Faucon sends his man at arms Alf off to bring herbalist lay monk Brother Colin, while Faucon and his brother proceed with a temperamental knight to investigate his father in law's sudden death following a sudden mysterious illness.

I have really gotten into this medieval mystery series and am jazzed when I catch sight of each new release so I can delve back into Sir Faucon de Ramis' 12th Century world that is told so well. Both historical setting, plot and characters are given careful attention so the story feels organic from start to finish.

This latest felt a little draggy for me in the middle third, but in the end, I learned why. It had to set up certain things so that later after a few twists that made sense of it all. Clever! I was almost totally fooled on this one. Even though I figured out a big part of it, it still wasn't the right solution.

Gildart Jackson continues to leave me in wonder with his fabulous work as narrator for the series. There were elderly, adults, youths, and children, different social classes and ethnic groups, and let's not forget jargon and phrasing of the period. Superb work and he's the voice of the series for me.

All in all, this was another splendid entry in the series and now I must wait patiently for the next installment to see what happens after that teaser at the end with the ongoing serial killer plot. Soon I think, with that. Historical Mystery fans who love knights and ladies and medieval life should give this series a go, but get it in order for full benefit.

My thanks to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this series in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Adam Bagot summons Sir Faucon de Ramis - the Keeper of the Pleas- to Offord as his father by marriage, Sir Robert Offord, has been murdered by Lady Offord, Sir Robert's third wife, or so he prefers to believe. But the evidence is somewhat lacking, but it does seem as theft as been committed.
Very enjoyable well-written murder mystery.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Another wonderful who done it story. I don’t want the series to end. The sheriff needs to be called to account for his malfeasance in office.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #: 24
Title: The Final Toll
Author: Denise Domning
Series: Servant of the Crown #4
Format: 244 pages, Kindle Edition, own
Pub Date: First published May 30, 2016
Started: 3/7/24 Finished: 3/17/24
Awards: none
Categories:
PS16 A book set 24 years before you were born; GR9 A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads (738); GR10 A history or historical fiction book; GR12 A book that has been on your TBR for over a year; GR37 A book that is part of a series; CCLS32 A Book by a Female Author; CCLS35 A Mystery; CCLS37 A Book set in a Different Country (England); CCLS42 A Book with more than 200 Pages;
Rating: ***** five out of five stars
* The Final Toll by Denise Domning

Sir Robert of Offord has retired from tournament life. He has two daughters, but no son. One daughter has given him a grandson. Late in life, he remarries, his wife young enough to be another daughter. When she apparently becomes pregnant, his son-in-law thinks that he will lose his inheritance if she delivers a son. Shortly afterward, Robert dies of a mysterious ailment that the herbal monk recognizes as hemlock poisoning. Murder? Accident? How did he ingest hemlock when they all shared the family meal? And why is everyone concerned about a bell? Everyone has laid claim to it, his youngest daughter, his new wife and the church itself.

Sir Faucon de Ramis, a retired crusader, has been appointed Keeper of the Pleas (a circuit court judge) and Crowner (a representative of the Crown from which the word Coroner is derived.) the first for the village of Priors Holston. It's his job to determine how Robert died . . . and where the missing bell is and who gets it. I'm loving this series.

[c m abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful series. I will miss Sir Crowner and the thirteenth century peasant and gentry world he and his assistant travel seeking justice for those who cannot seek it for themselves.

A wonderful series. I will miss Sir Crowner and the thirteenth century peasant and gentry world he and his assistant travel seeking justice for those who cannot seek it for themselves.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5/4 stars ⭐️

[Cindy Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit convoluted

This latest addition to the series isn't my favorite. It was just a bit convoluted by plot and had so many characters to follow I found it a task to keep straight at times.

I do love the attention to historic 12th century detail, though. It makes Domning's stories something very special for me.

The mystery, unfortunately, seemed to het lost in the many faceted storyline. I would recommend to readers of historical fiction if they have been following this series.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series! Very few books make me stay up until the wee hours of the night to finish reading them, but each of these did. The stories are very well thought out, move quickly through the plot and have great character development. I can't wait until Book 5 comes out!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Final Toll Earns 5+/5 Handbells & Quails…Brilliant!

I can’t lavish enough praise onto Denise Domning’s Servant of the Crown Mystery; this five-book gem is a personal favorite and a must…must read! It brings to life a medieval world rich with intrigue, diverse characters, and clever drama along with illustrating social status, class and gender struggles, and investigation methods not enriched by technology and forensic labs. In the fourth book, “The Final Toll,” Sir Faucon, the newly appointed “Keeper of the Pleas,” has been approached by Sir Adam of Bagot reporting that yesterday his father-by-marriage, Sir Robert of Offord, after accusing his third, and very young, wife of adultery, died under strange circumstances, and Sir Adam is accusing the victim’s wife of murder. A Coronarius, or Crowner as the shire has dubbed him, is the authority to examine claims of murder, sexual assault, and theft, and as first of its kind, Sir Faucon has been, as he goes, defining the parameters under which this position will act, with the knowledgeable assistance from his clerk Brother Edmund. Although he has gained respect for his successes in the shire, he has made a serious enemy of the sheriff Sir Alain. Making it three, with Faucon’s elder brother Will in tow, Faucon has requested the presence of Brother Colin for his forensic knowledge and with whom he recently became acquainted. Sir Faucon arrives at Offord finding not only the dead Sir Robert, sans any obvious signs of murder, but a fearful, sickly widow, an emotional daughter of the victim, a more threatening nature in Sir Adam, his suspicious brother Sir Luc, and a missing handbell with provenance that entangles Prior Thierry. The missing bell’s ownership is in dispute claimed by almost all involved, and Faucon will use all his resources to uncover a murderer and a thief. Brilliant. Engaging. Clever.

Denise Domning has again entangled me in this twelfth century mystery filled with fascinating details, twists, red herrings (or quails), and a final reveal that did well to achieve an acceptable level of justice for the time as well as illustrate Faucon’s humility and desire to right “his” wrong. Domning’s writing style has the medieval cadence in the third-person narrative and banter presenting well the varied personalities, as well as including an accuracy in the law and practices for marriage, dowry, and inheritance. Her descriptions expertly painted the Offord manor, character appearances, rural nature of the estate, and a chilly environment along with the emotions attached to Will’s illness, fears and feeling of the troubled women, and the anger of servant and knight alike. The story of the serial killer has been slowly revealed over the first four books, and the last line of this book suggests book five, “Caught Red-Handed,” will bring it all to its pinnacle and directly into Faucon’s lap. This series is exceptional!

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Medieval coroner, Sir Faucon de Ramis, is once again called upon to evaluate a mysterious death. This time it's a knight who died suddenly and horribly after a family celebration.

The story itself hinges on the whereabouts of a missing bell - I thought it was fairly obvious where the bell was hidden, but it took Faucon a long time to get there - and who might have taken it. In addition to the shifty family of the victim, Faucon has the extra worry of his volatile brother accompanying him to the scene. Will has suffered a brain injury that makes him unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.

Faucon gathers together his usual team of Brother Edmund, Alf and Brother Colin, each of whom brings their own unique gifts to the situation.

The mystery itself isn't all that compelling and I do find the author's way of describing the investigative process a little irritating. Faucon makes jumps of logic that don't stack up for the reader with the information we're given. For instance, among other things, Faucon deduces that Lady Martha is not Sir Adam's child but his brother's without any kind of evidence or suggestion for the reader that it may be the case.

However, Faucon is strong character, a decent, fair man, capable of establishing lasting bonds with his group of sidekicks. Even if this was not the strongest of plotlines, I still enjoyed reading about Faucon and his adventures.

[Rachel Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing tour de force

I've a passion for Ms Domning's books. Every one is different - the characters, the story line, the settings, etc. And every one has transported me back to the era of knights and damsels, though these are not spun sugar fairytales. Nay, they are sometimes brutal visions of medieval life. The lives of women, and their heavy cultural repression, are always highlighted and I find myself rooting for those strong enough to effectively rebel.
The Final Toll is especially original in that it's told mostly from a man's point of view, albeit a semi enlightened man. Faucon is the medieval equivalent of a murder detective. He has been appointed by the king to investigate any suspicious deaths within a specific geographical area. In this case, the hale and hearty lord of a nearby castle has died unexpectedly. Faucon struggles to unravel the complicated circumstances with only primitive forensic tools. As he digs deeper we meet a truly fascinating and complex group of characters and suspects, each with their own peculiar motivations.

[Darren John Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another corker from Denise.

I haven't read a poor book by Denise. She manages to write heroines who are true to the 12th C., and yet somehow manage to be women of intellect and just a bit feisty. It's only taken another 9 centuries to challenge the status quo. However, I was a bit concerned about Faucon's reaction to little Martha, doesn't bode well for any marriage in his future.
That not withstanding, Faucon really is shaping up to be a very decent young man. And this is Denise's great skill, she creates characters with depth.
Murder mysteries are so hard to write well. But, each adventure with Faucon is well developed and has no obvious holes.
Well done Denise! An achievement you can be proud of.

[Voirrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so pleased to see that the book had been published and was so pleased to have time to sit and read now the festivities are over.

It was good to reacquaint myself with Faucon, Brother Edmund, Alf and Brother Colin and I found it to be a fascinating plot.

Again I love the way the story is so deeply set within time and place.

I reckon five stars as I only put this down when I was too tired to carry on, and then spent all the next afternoon so I could finish it ... And never felt tempted to go to the last chapter about half way through to see what happened - which I am know to do!

That epilogue is a bit scary....

[Yehudit Reishtein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy mysteries/historical fiction. Although the period and the setting in rural England are well portrayed, and most of the characters are interesting, this one just didn't quite work for me. A few things seemed to take too long for Sir Faucon, the King's Crowner (a colloquial corruption of Coronarius, which in late centuries became coroner) to figure out (like what happened to a valuable bell that went missing, the cause of death of the deceased, the identity of the murderer). It seemed like every time he had it figured out, someone said something that led him down another false line of reasoning, although he did finally figure it out.

[Ms M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steeped in 12th century

I am loving this series: the confusion of a country making its way with two languages that delineate class and occupation, the monk apothecary / herbalist who surely crossed paths somewhere with Cadfael, out spoken Brother Edmund who clerks by the book, but most of all Sir Foucon learning his way in the newly created position of Crowner and ever on the hunt for justice.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth, and thus far, final of the series of Servant of the Crown. I enjoyed this book as much as the previous three. Sir Faucon de Ramis, the "Crowner" for a swatch of land in Medievil England, is tasked with investigating murders, rapes, and thievery. His clerk, a monk named Edmond, is quite the curmudgeon and often forgets his role as being subservient to Sir Faucon.

The mysteries always keep you guessing and the description of the time and setting quite enjoyable.

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series and was glad to finally see this fourth book. Faucon and the trials of his 'new' career, but also his rewards, are a good mix. Add to that the major trial of having Brother Edmund to deal with, well....religious fruit cake, but great law clerk. This one deals with a lot of what women suffered at the time. I must have missed something as the first and last chapter seemed totally removed from this story.

[Mary R · Rating 3 out of 5]

You've got to be dedicated to fight through this book and, in a strange way, that's why I liked it somewhat. Too many varying names for the characters until you got used to it so the beginning was brutal ! The solution was very convoluted but ultimately OK.....I think. Oh my! But I do look forward to a sequel or something because the main characters are good.

[Elizabeth Ledbetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I and I love the characters, especially Alf. Keep up the good work, Denise

I like medieval mysteries, but this series is my hands-on favorite. I always learn something new, and the action keeps coming. The plot twists and turns keep me involved and I love the characters, especially Alf. Keep up the good work Denise!

[Kathie Frobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read

Servant of the Crown is a very enjoyable series, full of historical and cultural detail, with interesting recurring characters. The Final Toll is the most complex of the series and very engaging, with a continued fleshing out of the main characters. I look forward to reading the next book.

[Judy King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one

While not as riveting and driving as the first 3 books in the series. I still enjoyed the read. I want surprised to learn that in her notes, the author reorts that she got lost in the middle of this Tale and that it took a while to get untangled. I felt that and had the same problem reading. Once she was back on the right g
Track, it was a joy.

[Sue Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denise Domning has a great grasp of the period and I love how she uses the correct style of speech one would expect from that time.

This book ably portrays the nuances of life and the class system of the period. Great characters and a well told story. I will be reading the next book in the series soon.

[Kathy Workman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Read from Denise Domning

Another good read from Denise Domning with protagonist Falcaun. Her description of medieval life is fascinating. There are enough red herrings to keep the mystery lively. And the development of the characters grow with each installment of the series.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denise Domning Struggled On.

The author admits in her notes following the end of this book , that writing this book was not easy.
Thank you for working out whatever problems there were .
It is a splendid example of mediaeval murder mystery literature .
Very enjoyable !

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like this author and her plots. It does make me a little anxious when we end a book with a 12th century serial killer planning the next murder, but still like the books. Will wait patiently for # 5 of this series.

[Bronwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still enjoying this series

Another interesting mystery. The story is a bit convoluted,but you can follow it if you pay attention. Characters still feel alive and continue to develop.