The Hawks of Delamere

Domesday #7

by Edward Marston

When Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, leads a hunting party into the Forest of Delamere his prized hawk is killed by an arrow. Two poachers are discovered hiding in the forest, and the Earl demands that they be imprisoned, but unanswered questions linger. Meanwhile, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret, Domesday commissioners for the King, are guests of the Earl while they settle a land dispute in nearby Winchester. Exploring their new surroundings, they uncover secrets that bear directly on the shooting incident, and they discover that the intended victim was not the hawk, but the Earl himself. Inspired by genuine entries in the Domesday Book, this thrilling and richly evocative eleventh-century tale will appeal to crime and history lovers alike.

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

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 1998

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
AKA A.E. Marston

Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theatre. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book, a series of The Railway Detective and a series of The Home Front Detective.


Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal

Reviews

[ANDREW]

Good Read

[Cat.]

The seventh volume of the Doomsday series takes the intrepid agents back to Western England. This time they are in Chester, on the northern edge of Wales, where they are hosted by the Earl, a crude, rude and socially unacceptable man with a surprisingly spiritual side. In the course of their visit, the Earl's favorite hunting hawk is killed, and then his favorite huntsman is shot as well, bringing Earl Hugh to the point of rage.

The upshot of all of this is that Welsh appear to be on the verge of invading England in spite of the Earl having as hostage their prince. It's all a bit confusing, but also familiar--especially Golde's friendship with the Earl's wife, a good and kind woman who 'married badly.'

In the end, the plotters are foiled and war is averted. Everyone--those who aren't sacrificed as plot devices--ends up happy, except perhaps the Welsh prince who is still imprisoned. He is raised to more princely treatment however, and the commissioners are able to sort out all the monkey business with land deeds to their (and the Church's) satisfaction.

Another comforting story.

[Booknblues]

Edward Marston's Domesday series continues to be a delight for me. Set in 11th century England during William the Conqueror's reign the series follows a group of Royal commissioners and they sort out property disputes. Of course as this is a mystery series, there is always a murder. In this book set in Chester there are two, a hawk and a huntsman.

Ralph Delchard, a knight and Gervase Bret, a lawyer combine their skills to sort out the most difficult of scenarios. In this one they are staying at Earl Hugh's castle on the border of Wales. Hugh has as his hostage Prince Grufyydd of Wales to keep his countrymen in hand. However things seem to be slipping beyond control and it seems that a revolt is about to take place.

As always these books are entertaining and I find them a delight to read.

[Susan]

Another disappointing medieval mystery. Plenty of historical detail but no life. I've just finished another mystery by the same author set in the Victorian time period and though it was still not a great read, it was better. I had the same experience with Ellis Peters: her Brother Cadfael mysteries fell flat for me but her George Felse series set in modern times was very good. I wonder if the 11th century is just too far distant for us to put ourselves in their shoes (or them in ours). On the other hand, Ruth Downie's Romans are as human as any contemporary characters - so far in the past that we're ok with making them just like us.

[Stephen Williams]

Another great addition to the series

This is another great addition that continues the series. The royal commissioners have more mysteries to solve as well as plenty of land disputes arising from the domesday book.

[Diane]

Edward Marston's books are okay, but this series is extremely formulaic, even for him. From book to book, each has exactly the same setting, exactly the same plot, exactly the same characters with the same personalities and character traits. The only thing that changes is the town of the book's setting, and the characters' names. The titular animals also change, but since they are only barely connected with the story in the first place, this is hardly worthy of comment. I listen mostly on audiobook (although I have read a few), and the narration is perhaps the saving grace of my experience.

[Ma'lis Wendt]

King William's commissioners, Ralph Delchard, Gervase Bret, Canon Hubert and Brother Simon have been sent to Chester to review some records from the Doomsday census--but before they can even start their hearings their host, Earl Hugh d'Avranches, has been attacked, his best hawk killed as well as one of his hunters. The Welsh seem to be gathering for battle. The commissioners have to wait until everything settles down and help with the mysteries that have arisen.

[Robert Hepple]

First published in 1998, 'The Hawks of Delamere' is a murder mystery set in 11th century England and is part of the Domesday series of crime stories. The plot is set in Chester, against a background of regular border disputes with the nearby Welsh. The tale features the usual two-dimensional characters who speak in clipped sentences that are so distinctive of Marston. I enjoyed the historical setting, but found the story a bit rushed, especially the ending.

[Desirae]

2.75. Just slightly better than mindlessly entertaining. The historical setting makes the lack of convincing dialogue less annoying than had it taken place in modern times. Not a bad plane or beach read.

[Hannah]

Another solid entry in the Domesday's series, but I do confess that it was hard to think of one character in this book as anything less than a time traveling Hobbit from the Shire. His name??? Why, Frodo, of course.

[Spuddie]

Fairly predictable entry in this mostly enjoyable historical series. The dialogue still feels a little stilted to me, though.

[Monica Bond-Lamberty]

Quick and entertaining read.

[Joan]

Not the best in the series. The story line was a bit stale.

[Sue]

Another great story from Edward Marston.

[Thomas]

My least favourite of these in the series so far. Comes across as a bit formulaic and doesn't really explore new ideas and there is little character development.

[Eirwen Abberley]

Not the kind of book I’d usually read but my Nan sent it to me because it’s set in Chester. It was an easy read and lots of mentions of Wales!

[Marina.Downing]

Once again you are transported back in time you see every thing that is happening I can't wate to read the next one

[Maeghan]

This was twisty......

This is a wonderful series and this is particularly good. Usually I have at least a vague sense of the answer but this was totally unexpected.

[Amelia Lethbridge]

Not the most captivating book I’ve read but I enjoy the perspective of the century it was based in.

[Katherine]

3.5 start

[Ensiform]

Volume VII of the Domesday Books. The commission again travels to the Welsh border, where the gluttonous and powerful Earl Hugh d’Avranches rules like a king, keeping a forced peace while engaging in all his sundry pleasures. But when the Earl’s prized hawk, and then his favored huntsman, are killed it looks like war with the Welsh is imminent.

While this entry in the series is as readable as the first, and the characters are as witty and engaging as ever, perhaps at this point Marston overextended himself (did he really write the last three books in one year?). There’s nothing wrong with the plot or pacing of this book --- it trundles along, filled with adventure and suspense---— but the ending was just a bit too neat and wrapped up, every player given just what the modern reader might hope for. It’s not the happy ending that grates, exactly --- though it was bit too Hollywood, and not so much medieval England — but the rapid, desultory way in which every loose end is told, not shown, to be wrapped up, as if Marston got tired of writing after the murder was solved. Even so, I’ll still keep reading this series!

[K.L.]

Good old Hugh le Gros, choleric, self important and hot tempered is about to go to war with the Welsh (again!) after his favourite raven is shot with an arrow and killed. After his retainer is also shot in front of him, Hugh becomes convinced it's a plot against him. Ralph and Gervase, along with the malodorous Archbishop Idwal need to find the culprit before the Welah border goes up in flames again

[ghostlibrarian]

I found this series fascinating and I love the setting. What an imaginative way to present the writing of the Domesday Chronicles.

[Cece]

This was a bonbon-quickly finished. A good light read.

[Cheri Edwards]

The description of the story is slightly wrong, about the 2 poachers, 'demanding that they be imprisoned'. I love these books.

[Marisa]

This is one of the few novels in this series that I have almost figured out.