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Joan & Matthew Stock #4
The Bartholomew Fair Murders
An authentically detailed tale of murder and intrigue set in Elizabethan England.
Matthew Stock, country constable, becomes involved in murderous matters when he discovers that a bear, trained to kill dogs for the St. Bartholomew Fair, attended by Queen Elizabeth of England, has its sight set on a higher prize...
Matthew Stock, country constable, becomes involved in murderous matters when he discovers that a bear, trained to kill dogs for the St. Bartholomew Fair, attended by Queen Elizabeth of England, has its sight set on a higher prize...
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
21 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Tourney
23 books25 followersLeonard Tourney came to BYU in 2006 after teaching at Western Illinois University, the University of Tulsa, and the University of California at Santa Barbara. A specialist in composition pedagogy and creative writing, Professor Tourney has authored scholarly articles in l7th century British literature, a critical biography of Joseph Hall, short fiction, and nine historical novels, the most recent a fictional memoir of William Shakespeare.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 22, 2015
Not to my taste, I'm not a fan of hearing the villains POV.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
October 9, 2021
"On the eve of the Feast of St. Barnabas, Elizabeth the Queen, Good Queen Bess, who had ruled her country longer than most of her subjects could remember, decided she wanted to go to the Bartholomew Fair, the greatest fair in England. And so she told Sr Robert Cecil, a man of refined tastes, who shuddered, and tried to dissuade her. But she was Queen, and she would have her way.
"The fair drew people from all across the land, among them County Constable Matthew Stock and his devoted wife, Joan, whose initial pleasure in the fair was tempered by the murder of a puppeteer on the road to the fairgrounds. An odd murder, for the killer had left marks on the dead man's forehead.
"And at the fair, in the midst of its usual hurly-burly there was more trouble -- much of which centered around Matthew's old school friend Ned Babcock and his trained dog-fighting bear. A very dangerous bear -- and not just dangerous for dogs.
"There was much that was entertaining at the fair, entertaining for both the Queen and her people, but there were matters savage and murderous, too, that went as high as the Queen's court."
~~front and back covers
A nice little mystery, with a good plot and nice characterization. The flavor and sense of Elizabethan England were nicely conveyed as background for the plot of religious fervor and ordinary greed,
"The fair drew people from all across the land, among them County Constable Matthew Stock and his devoted wife, Joan, whose initial pleasure in the fair was tempered by the murder of a puppeteer on the road to the fairgrounds. An odd murder, for the killer had left marks on the dead man's forehead.
"And at the fair, in the midst of its usual hurly-burly there was more trouble -- much of which centered around Matthew's old school friend Ned Babcock and his trained dog-fighting bear. A very dangerous bear -- and not just dangerous for dogs.
"There was much that was entertaining at the fair, entertaining for both the Queen and her people, but there were matters savage and murderous, too, that went as high as the Queen's court."
~~front and back covers
A nice little mystery, with a good plot and nice characterization. The flavor and sense of Elizabethan England were nicely conveyed as background for the plot of religious fervor and ordinary greed,
July 2, 2020
An odd book
A great medieval story, but there was a sort of oddness between Matthew and his wife, and sadly a couple of chapters before the end of the book, Matthew made a boring meal explaining how he’d reached certain conclusions. Not the best novel in this series!
A great medieval story, but there was a sort of oddness between Matthew and his wife, and sadly a couple of chapters before the end of the book, Matthew made a boring meal explaining how he’d reached certain conclusions. Not the best novel in this series!
April 10, 2023
An interesting step back in time to Elizabethan England with all its drudgery, dirt, and superstitions.
November 16, 2023
A cracking good tale! A genuine page turner. Highly recommended.
December 19, 2025
Excellent
One of my favorite series. This is the best one, so far. Looking forward to the next. Will be sorry when there are no more in this wonderful series.
One of my favorite series. This is the best one, so far. Looking forward to the next. Will be sorry when there are no more in this wonderful series.
September 1, 2023
1602 the Sticks are on their way to the Bartholomew Fair when they come across a body. But more are murdered at the fair. They must find the killer as instructed as Queen Elizabeth intends to visit.
We know who the murderer is but is there more than one.
An entertaining historical mystery.
We know who the murderer is but is there more than one.
An entertaining historical mystery.
August 27, 2016
An interesting Elizabethan mystery that was logical, realistic and engrossing. This is the first of the series that I have read that feature county constable and clothier Matthew Stock and his wife, Joan. The Stocks are traveling to theBartholomew Fair where they hope to make a profit selling their wares and Matthew has the opportunity to meet with an old friend, a bear baiter.
On the same day as their leaving, however, Matthew is called to the scene of a murder.Its a ominous sign to begin their journey, but there is more. Soon the Stocks are embroiled in another death, this time looking like it was done by Matthew's friends bear.
I found the characters pretty realistic and the situations played right. A good read.
On the same day as their leaving, however, Matthew is called to the scene of a murder.Its a ominous sign to begin their journey, but there is more. Soon the Stocks are embroiled in another death, this time looking like it was done by Matthew's friends bear.
I found the characters pretty realistic and the situations played right. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews