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Domesday #1
The Wolves of Savernake
The murder of a wealthy miller beckons two of King William the Conqueror's cleverest men to the town of Bedwyn to uncover dark secrets and find a two-legged killer more savage than any beast. This is the first in a new historical whodunit series set in Norman England. From the author of The Nine Giants and The Trip to Jerusalem.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1993
300 people are currently reading
1679 people want to read
About the author
Edward Marston
239 books466 followersLibrarian 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
March 18, 2015
Love the books by this author. He writes mystery in several time periods and in my opinion they are all great. Good characters and good plots. Total winners
February 17, 2022
Wow... The ending of this one truly shocked me! I am still reeling from the identity of the criminal in here. I certainly didn't see that coming!
This is a mystery that takes place in a small town in England in 1086. Things are very different back then and there were a few new ideas that I was introduced to, like the Domesday book. And yes, that is Domesday and not Doomsday! The Domesday book is this book where everything you own is written down into and where you got it from, how you acquired it, etc. The book is owned by the King and these officials on horseback are sent out to get the information from each town. And there happened to be a discrepancy! So off the officials go to Bedwyn... And this is where we meet some of the main characters like Ralph Delchard who is a soldier and Gervase Bret who is a lawyer. And Ralph has some men at arms with him too.
And they arrive just in time to hear about a death (murder?) in the Savernake Forest! A miller has been attacked and killed by a wolf! Or they think it's a wolf. There is also talk of a witch and curses and magic spells. Truthfully the townspeople really don't know what is actually in the woods but it sure loves to kill people! But the people are very fearful and superstitious, which creates a lot of problems. Things quickly get out of control.
I found this to be a well put-together plot. And it's actually complex too. The dead man in the woods is only part of the plot. Another part has to do with the confusion of young Brother Luke: does he want to stay at the abbey or does he want to leave so he can actually experience a normal life? Because there are many main characters who live at the abbey like Brother Peter, Brother Simon, etc. There is the matter of a charter too and who actually owns a few pieces of land. Several people say the land is theirs, including the abbey. They all have documents too so something crooked is going on...
I enjoyed reading this and the characters were interesting. And I must admit while reading this I had no idea what the thing in the woods actually was. Was it a wolf, a dog or something else? I must say all sorts of things were popping into my mind: even crazy things like a nasty wolverine or something. But the interactions between the characters was great and they all had their own problems too. And the mystery in here was unique enough with such puzzling clues that I was actually thinking about them while I was out doing my errands!
The book moves at a good speed but there were a few slow spots but I quickly got past those. I will definitely read the next book in this series.
One downside to this is the fact this book throws a lot of characters at you all at once. And I do mean a lot! At first I had a tough time keeping straight who was who? But to make up for that is the fact it is very well researched. The past seemed to come alive. I certainly felt that Ralph was a hero at one point! I think it's been ages since I thought that about a character.
I should admit I find the name Savernake a tad awkward. Each time I see it I want to think SaverSnake! Maybe you think the same when you see the name? But it's actually Savernake. This is probably a very famous forest in England but I must say I never heard of it before. The book does give some beautiful descriptions of it too and the wildlife that lives there.
I did google a few terms while reading this that I was unfamiliar with but I am sure you can get by without doing that...but I do enjoy looking up words. The book mentions the Saxons and the Normons often.
This is a mystery that takes place in a small town in England in 1086. Things are very different back then and there were a few new ideas that I was introduced to, like the Domesday book. And yes, that is Domesday and not Doomsday! The Domesday book is this book where everything you own is written down into and where you got it from, how you acquired it, etc. The book is owned by the King and these officials on horseback are sent out to get the information from each town. And there happened to be a discrepancy! So off the officials go to Bedwyn... And this is where we meet some of the main characters like Ralph Delchard who is a soldier and Gervase Bret who is a lawyer. And Ralph has some men at arms with him too.
And they arrive just in time to hear about a death (murder?) in the Savernake Forest! A miller has been attacked and killed by a wolf! Or they think it's a wolf. There is also talk of a witch and curses and magic spells. Truthfully the townspeople really don't know what is actually in the woods but it sure loves to kill people! But the people are very fearful and superstitious, which creates a lot of problems. Things quickly get out of control.
I found this to be a well put-together plot. And it's actually complex too. The dead man in the woods is only part of the plot. Another part has to do with the confusion of young Brother Luke: does he want to stay at the abbey or does he want to leave so he can actually experience a normal life? Because there are many main characters who live at the abbey like Brother Peter, Brother Simon, etc. There is the matter of a charter too and who actually owns a few pieces of land. Several people say the land is theirs, including the abbey. They all have documents too so something crooked is going on...
I enjoyed reading this and the characters were interesting. And I must admit while reading this I had no idea what the thing in the woods actually was. Was it a wolf, a dog or something else? I must say all sorts of things were popping into my mind: even crazy things like a nasty wolverine or something. But the interactions between the characters was great and they all had their own problems too. And the mystery in here was unique enough with such puzzling clues that I was actually thinking about them while I was out doing my errands!
The book moves at a good speed but there were a few slow spots but I quickly got past those. I will definitely read the next book in this series.
One downside to this is the fact this book throws a lot of characters at you all at once. And I do mean a lot! At first I had a tough time keeping straight who was who? But to make up for that is the fact it is very well researched. The past seemed to come alive. I certainly felt that Ralph was a hero at one point! I think it's been ages since I thought that about a character.
I should admit I find the name Savernake a tad awkward. Each time I see it I want to think SaverSnake! Maybe you think the same when you see the name? But it's actually Savernake. This is probably a very famous forest in England but I must say I never heard of it before. The book does give some beautiful descriptions of it too and the wildlife that lives there.
I did google a few terms while reading this that I was unfamiliar with but I am sure you can get by without doing that...but I do enjoy looking up words. The book mentions the Saxons and the Normons often.
March 4, 2009
THE WOLVES OF SAVERNAKE (Hist. Mys-Ralph Delchard/Gervase Bret-England-1086) - Ex
Marston, Edward (aka Keith Miles) – Vol. 1 of The Domesday Books (http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/faqs.ht...)
St. Martin’s Press, 1993, US Hardcover – ISBN; 0312099428
First Sentence: Savernake Forest trembled in the fading light.
Set 20 years after William the Conqueror becomes king, royal tribunals are sent throughout England to compile a comprehensive assessment of his land and resources and the extent of taxes he could raise.
Although one tribunal has already visited Bedwyn, a letter received from the town’s miller has prompted the sending of a second tribunal consisting of knight, Ralph Delchard, lawyer Gervase Bret, Canon Hubert and Brother Simon.
Before they arrive, the miller has been brutally killed, apparently by a wolf. Ralph suspect the cause of death was more human than animal.
This is another of those authors I can’t believe I’ve not previously read. His writing is so visual and his descriptions so lush, I was drawn in from the very beginning. I love that he almost anthropomorphized nature: “…a weeping willow dived angrily downwards…” The scene when the members of the tribunal ride to the top of a hill and look down on Stonehenge is wonderfully done. I am not one for “casting” a book, but I found myself so doing with Delchard and Gervase.
The sense of time and place are so strong but not glamorized. Marston realistically portrays how little power most women had over their own lives and how superstition was rife. The dialogue is effective in conveying a sense of the period without making it difficult to read. There was wonderful humor to offset the brutality of the deaths.
The story is very well plotted. I certainly did not identify the killer until they were exposed. I’m now off to find all the rest of Marston’s books.
Marston, Edward (aka Keith Miles) – Vol. 1 of The Domesday Books (http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/faqs.ht...)
St. Martin’s Press, 1993, US Hardcover – ISBN; 0312099428
First Sentence: Savernake Forest trembled in the fading light.
Set 20 years after William the Conqueror becomes king, royal tribunals are sent throughout England to compile a comprehensive assessment of his land and resources and the extent of taxes he could raise.
Although one tribunal has already visited Bedwyn, a letter received from the town’s miller has prompted the sending of a second tribunal consisting of knight, Ralph Delchard, lawyer Gervase Bret, Canon Hubert and Brother Simon.
Before they arrive, the miller has been brutally killed, apparently by a wolf. Ralph suspect the cause of death was more human than animal.
This is another of those authors I can’t believe I’ve not previously read. His writing is so visual and his descriptions so lush, I was drawn in from the very beginning. I love that he almost anthropomorphized nature: “…a weeping willow dived angrily downwards…” The scene when the members of the tribunal ride to the top of a hill and look down on Stonehenge is wonderfully done. I am not one for “casting” a book, but I found myself so doing with Delchard and Gervase.
The sense of time and place are so strong but not glamorized. Marston realistically portrays how little power most women had over their own lives and how superstition was rife. The dialogue is effective in conveying a sense of the period without making it difficult to read. There was wonderful humor to offset the brutality of the deaths.
The story is very well plotted. I certainly did not identify the killer until they were exposed. I’m now off to find all the rest of Marston’s books.
October 23, 2022
Excellent mystery set in 11th century England 🏴 and it’s centric life around church and King.
November 28, 2021
Medieval Mystery
This author has five different series to his name, and I apparently did try a book of his previously but I frankly can't recall which one. As my Kindle Unlimited subscription is coming to a close very soon I thought the Domesday series sounded most interesting to try. While the action and characters were somewhat interesting I did not enjoy the book as it took forever to make progress in solving a crime. The religious were definitely not appealing.
Kindle Unlimited
This author has five different series to his name, and I apparently did try a book of his previously but I frankly can't recall which one. As my Kindle Unlimited subscription is coming to a close very soon I thought the Domesday series sounded most interesting to try. While the action and characters were somewhat interesting I did not enjoy the book as it took forever to make progress in solving a crime. The religious were definitely not appealing.
Kindle Unlimited
October 13, 2023
The Wolves of Savernake
By Edward Marston
Reviewed October 13, 2023
It’s 1086, and King William has ordered his great survey of the country he’s conquered, the Domesday Book. After all, a king’s got to know how much in taxes he can squeeze out of his subjects! But there’s a discrepancy when it comes to Bedwyn, as there are three claimants to two hides of land (in early English history, a hide of land was the equivalent to about 120 acres) – the abbey, the local lord, and the miller. So Ralph Delchard, a Norman knight with an eye for the ladies, married or not, and Gervase Bret, a clerk of Saxon and Breton origins, are sent to settle the dispute. While in Bedwyn, however, one of the claimants is savagely mauled to death, apparently by a ravenous wolf.
As Delchard and Bret investigate the matter of the two hides of land, other incidents crop up that interfere with the smooth running of things: the discovery that there is a forger and counterfeiter at work, accusations of witchcraft against an old woman who lives alone with her dog, and the suspicions that the wolf isn’t really a wolf, but perhaps some kind of supernatural being.
Add to this mix the distrust between the new Norman overlords and the resentful Saxon villagers and you have all the ingredients for a good medieval tale of murder and suspense, and an unexpected revelation when the wolf is finally exposed.
By Edward Marston
Reviewed October 13, 2023
It’s 1086, and King William has ordered his great survey of the country he’s conquered, the Domesday Book. After all, a king’s got to know how much in taxes he can squeeze out of his subjects! But there’s a discrepancy when it comes to Bedwyn, as there are three claimants to two hides of land (in early English history, a hide of land was the equivalent to about 120 acres) – the abbey, the local lord, and the miller. So Ralph Delchard, a Norman knight with an eye for the ladies, married or not, and Gervase Bret, a clerk of Saxon and Breton origins, are sent to settle the dispute. While in Bedwyn, however, one of the claimants is savagely mauled to death, apparently by a ravenous wolf.
As Delchard and Bret investigate the matter of the two hides of land, other incidents crop up that interfere with the smooth running of things: the discovery that there is a forger and counterfeiter at work, accusations of witchcraft against an old woman who lives alone with her dog, and the suspicions that the wolf isn’t really a wolf, but perhaps some kind of supernatural being.
Add to this mix the distrust between the new Norman overlords and the resentful Saxon villagers and you have all the ingredients for a good medieval tale of murder and suspense, and an unexpected revelation when the wolf is finally exposed.
December 18, 2015
I have been anticipating a good read with this book ever since I bought it a few years ago and maybe it was this expectation that left me disappointed.
I really like the concept of the series, with each book based on an actual entry in the Domesday book. The time period is a great pick, with all the turmoil and change, it creates atmosphere and confusion that works well with the mystery. The author shows well how superstition was a normal and regular part of life and makes it believable.
I do think that the main characters, our mystery solvers, were less than roundly created. I felt they came across as two dimensional. Though in this case I have hopes that they will get better as the series progresses.
The mystery was very contrived, or it read like it was anyway. The whodunit, the why, and how they figured it out didn't flow well together.
I still have hopes that the series will get better and I will be reading at least one more of this series.
I really like the concept of the series, with each book based on an actual entry in the Domesday book. The time period is a great pick, with all the turmoil and change, it creates atmosphere and confusion that works well with the mystery. The author shows well how superstition was a normal and regular part of life and makes it believable.
I do think that the main characters, our mystery solvers, were less than roundly created. I felt they came across as two dimensional. Though in this case I have hopes that they will get better as the series progresses.
The mystery was very contrived, or it read like it was anyway. The whodunit, the why, and how they figured it out didn't flow well together.
I still have hopes that the series will get better and I will be reading at least one more of this series.
September 4, 2008
This is the first of a series of books by Edward Marston which are mysteries centered around the 11th century Domesday Book. The Doomsday Book is actually a nickname for a real historical survey done by King William of all of England for tax purposes. Each book deals with a different part of England and, of course, each mystery is different. The protagonists are commissioners sent out by the kind to resolve disputes over land issues. There is nothing dull or uninteresting in any of them. Lots of good history, tension and very tight plots. Good stuff if you like historical fiction.
March 5, 2008
The first in the Domesday Book series. This mystery series takes place in England after the conquest by William the Conqueror. The series features a lawyer, a norman knight, and two monks who travel the length of England for the King to gather information and on the way they find themselves solving mysteries. Excellent series!!!
October 18, 2023
This is the first in an historical mystery series featuring Ralph Delchard, a soldier who fought at the Battle of Hastings, and Gervase Bret, a talented lawyer, who have been commissioned by William the Conqueror to look into irregularities brought to light during the compilation of the Domesday Book. Thus, they find themselves in the year 1086 in Bedwyn where three claimants, including the local abbey, dispute ownership over two hinds of land. Before the dust settles, the protagonists do more than determine title to these two hinds, they solve the mysteries of two grisly deaths by what appears to be a wolf. The story is entertaining and post-Conquest England is effectively evoked. However, the plot suffers from one too many contrivances. Not only is there an elusive hermit running around who is mistaken for the wolf but the murderer has fashioned a wolf costume complete with silver teeth. My main criticism is that the author paints the characters with too broad a brush: the Saxon women are all beautiful as well as smart and kind while the Saxon men of the village are all louts. For example, Wulfgeat bravely stands up for King Harold and gives in to his daughter’s urging to house the widow and son of his enemy, but that’s not good enough. His daughter, Leogifu (Love giver) feels nothing but hate for him for being a hard and unforgiving man. A little more subtlety, please. Of the two protagonists, Gervase is the more interesting but neither one is given enough “screen” time to develop much complexity. Maybe in future books, the characterizations will become more nuanced.
August 16, 2023
CAWPILE 5.71
This is a true TBR veteran, it's been sitting on my shelves for SOOOO long!
I liked this more than the Railway Detective just because it's less technical about engineering but there was some fantastic atmosphere and I really liked Ralph and Gervase, an odd couple- very different but as a partnership they just work fantastically.
I'm eager to continue the series, I've got books 2 and 3 so I'd like to read them soon.
This is a true TBR veteran, it's been sitting on my shelves for SOOOO long!
I liked this more than the Railway Detective just because it's less technical about engineering but there was some fantastic atmosphere and I really liked Ralph and Gervase, an odd couple- very different but as a partnership they just work fantastically.
I'm eager to continue the series, I've got books 2 and 3 so I'd like to read them soon.
January 16, 2021
3.25🌟
March 4, 2025
Decent book with an interesting mystery but by far the coolest thing about it is the setting. There are a ton of books set during the Norman conquest and plenty in the high middle ages but very few during William I's reign. That this book uses actual passages from the Domesday Book as inspiration only makes it that much better. I hope the rest of the series is equally entertaining.
September 1, 2009
#1 Domesday medieval mystery set about twenty years after William the Conqueror takes Britain by storm. Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret are traveling around compiling The Domesday Book, in which a sort of census is taken along with recording what lands are owned by whom so that the appropriate taxes can be paid to the King. Summoned to the town of Bedwyn near Savernake Forest by the local miller regarding a dispute with the local Abbey over some tracts of land, Ralph and Gervase arrive only to discover that Alric the miller has died--the apparent victim of a brutal wolf attack--throat ripped out and bleeding in the stream. This seems a little too coincidental for our sleuths, and they set out to find who stood to lose by the knowledge the miller would have given to the King's men.
I quite enjoyed this introduction to the characters of Ralph and Gervase, with a solution to the murders that I didn't see coming at all. Lots of period detail and atmosphere which was excellent, though the writing style on the whole is just a bit dry in places. I have a couple more of these and will definitely continue on reading, though.
I quite enjoyed this introduction to the characters of Ralph and Gervase, with a solution to the murders that I didn't see coming at all. Lots of period detail and atmosphere which was excellent, though the writing style on the whole is just a bit dry in places. I have a couple more of these and will definitely continue on reading, though.
February 18, 2022
Good story, but
for me marred by the author’s clear pagan sympathies. The story starts slowly with extended description of a forest, and then by a truly fulsome description of Stonehenge, complete with words about a deeper and more ancient religion than Christianity and Judaism. Later she has a woman who heals with herbs, whose remedies all seem to work, talking about a deeper and more ancient God. Meanwhile her story exposes greed, lies, pride, hatred, and worse, in the local monastery. I admit that all but the worse finds it way into every monastery as into every human institution and society. The author did include one stellar character in the monastery. As for the mystery story, it is complex and interesting, but I find its solution an improbable madman ex machina. I can’t believe that the character as portrayed could have been the mad murderer. The mechanics of the murder seem improbable and unlikely to work.
I am still giving four stars, because I did read the story avidly and I cared what happened to the characters.
for me marred by the author’s clear pagan sympathies. The story starts slowly with extended description of a forest, and then by a truly fulsome description of Stonehenge, complete with words about a deeper and more ancient religion than Christianity and Judaism. Later she has a woman who heals with herbs, whose remedies all seem to work, talking about a deeper and more ancient God. Meanwhile her story exposes greed, lies, pride, hatred, and worse, in the local monastery. I admit that all but the worse finds it way into every monastery as into every human institution and society. The author did include one stellar character in the monastery. As for the mystery story, it is complex and interesting, but I find its solution an improbable madman ex machina. I can’t believe that the character as portrayed could have been the mad murderer. The mechanics of the murder seem improbable and unlikely to work.
I am still giving four stars, because I did read the story avidly and I cared what happened to the characters.
June 23, 2018
This is the best Edward Marston book I have read to date. Almost up there with Margaret Frazer. Set in the months following the initial investigations for the Doomsday book. rechecking some of the info and researching certain recorded 'facts' again because something doesn't quite ring true.
The 'detective types' go about their sleuthing in a very believable way. The two men who lead the investigation complement each other well - opposites in character, but working as one to find out what they need to know.
The 'detective types' go about their sleuthing in a very believable way. The two men who lead the investigation complement each other well - opposites in character, but working as one to find out what they need to know.
December 18, 2014
This novel takes place around 20 years after the Norman invasion and follows two commissioners taking stock of the land. They arrive in a small village to find the man they were supposed to meet dead, supposedly killed in a wolf attack. They proceed to investigate. I have read and loved other medieval crime novels but I found this too cosy and quite long and meandering with little excitement. It was fine but not what I was hoping for.
January 6, 2015
like this mystery thriller based in Wiltshire in the times of the domesday book where a miller has been killed by a wolf and the plot and sub plot is about what lies in this old saxon town and is a easy fast paced story and doesn't disappoint
April 26, 2021
A triumphant first book in series
This is a wonderful story that pits the wits of a royal commission into irregularities of the domesday book who get sidetracked by murder. There are plenty of brilliantly crafted characters and plenty of mystery.
This is a wonderful story that pits the wits of a royal commission into irregularities of the domesday book who get sidetracked by murder. There are plenty of brilliantly crafted characters and plenty of mystery.
June 28, 2017
A good little mystery. One of my favourite lines is "A large craggy face was centred around a prominent nose which kept two furious eyes apart to stop them from fighting each other."
January 10, 2024
The Wolves of Savernake: A Disappointing Historical Mystery
The Wolves of Savernake is an installment in Edward Marston's historical mystery series featuring Inspector Robert Colbeck. Set in 1856 England, the story follows Colbeck as he investigates a series of violent crimes surrounding an aristocratic family and their estate in Wiltshire. Unfortunately, I found it failing to live up to the potential suggested by its intriguing premise.
The opening chapters introduce an array of characters and scenarios that seem ripe for drama, danger, and intrigue. However, once the setup is complete, the plot begins to drag as the mysteries are parsed out slowly without enough momentum to drive the story forward. Clues are revealed at a glacial pace, and even shocking events like murder fail to inject much excitement into the proceedings.
Too much time is spent on mundane daily activities of the characters rather than building the thrills, twists and tensions expected of a mystery novel. Detective Colbeck himself does not make an appearance until over a third of the way into the book, and when he does finally investigate the crimes, his techniques are more pedantic than suspenseful.
The writing evokes the time period of rural 19th century England well, but dense paragraphs of description often stall the plot instead of enriching it. The occasional action sequences feel rushed and inserted out of obligation rather than arriving organically within an intriguing storyline. None of the characters are written with much depth or complexity either.
In the end, The Wolves of Savernake fails to deliver on its promise of an exciting historical mystery. The story unfolds slowly without enough intrigue, action, or character development to maintain engagement. Colbeck's eventual solution to the crimes comes across as lackluster. Readers seeking thrill and suspense in this genre would be better served looking elsewhere. I could not bring myself to finish this meandering, lackluster novel.
The Wolves of Savernake is an installment in Edward Marston's historical mystery series featuring Inspector Robert Colbeck. Set in 1856 England, the story follows Colbeck as he investigates a series of violent crimes surrounding an aristocratic family and their estate in Wiltshire. Unfortunately, I found it failing to live up to the potential suggested by its intriguing premise.
The opening chapters introduce an array of characters and scenarios that seem ripe for drama, danger, and intrigue. However, once the setup is complete, the plot begins to drag as the mysteries are parsed out slowly without enough momentum to drive the story forward. Clues are revealed at a glacial pace, and even shocking events like murder fail to inject much excitement into the proceedings.
Too much time is spent on mundane daily activities of the characters rather than building the thrills, twists and tensions expected of a mystery novel. Detective Colbeck himself does not make an appearance until over a third of the way into the book, and when he does finally investigate the crimes, his techniques are more pedantic than suspenseful.
The writing evokes the time period of rural 19th century England well, but dense paragraphs of description often stall the plot instead of enriching it. The occasional action sequences feel rushed and inserted out of obligation rather than arriving organically within an intriguing storyline. None of the characters are written with much depth or complexity either.
In the end, The Wolves of Savernake fails to deliver on its promise of an exciting historical mystery. The story unfolds slowly without enough intrigue, action, or character development to maintain engagement. Colbeck's eventual solution to the crimes comes across as lackluster. Readers seeking thrill and suspense in this genre would be better served looking elsewhere. I could not bring myself to finish this meandering, lackluster novel.
June 12, 2025
⏱️ PACING
It drags on a fair bit, for a novel of this genre. Everyday distractions in the characters' lives would disrupt the mystery-solving momentum, and tension would build but evaporate very quickly. For example, right after an important discovery in the forest (in Chapter 2 or 3), one of the main characters immediately shifts gears to attend a dinner party, clearly way more interested in the host's wife than the mystery itself.
✍️ PROSE
Descriptions often focus too much on how the environment looks, rather than what it feels like to be there and how the characters interact with them, rendering it less immersive.
👤 CHARACTERISATION
We're often told about characters' personalities directly (and repeatedly), rather than gradually finding out for ourselves through their actions and dialogue, giving them all a very one-dimensional feel. This criticism applied especially to the women. I never did finish the book, but the few female characters were described as "gentle", "demure", "obedient", "kind" and "beautiful". I'd pass it off as historically accurate misogyny, but they honestly didn't even feel like people. While the men were allowed to be as brash, strong-willed, ugly, or arrogant as they liked, the women seemed sanitised of personal character flaws and were only there to tempt or appeal to men.
Overall, I really did want to enjoy it. I was hoping it'd take me out of a really long reading slump, but I wasn't hooked enough to keep at it just for that. At the very least, it was a story that gave me a lot of questions about a time in history I'd never studied. Even if it wasn't the most historically accurate, it helped me contextualise what I did know.
It drags on a fair bit, for a novel of this genre. Everyday distractions in the characters' lives would disrupt the mystery-solving momentum, and tension would build but evaporate very quickly. For example, right after an important discovery in the forest (in Chapter 2 or 3), one of the main characters immediately shifts gears to attend a dinner party, clearly way more interested in the host's wife than the mystery itself.
✍️ PROSE
Descriptions often focus too much on how the environment looks, rather than what it feels like to be there and how the characters interact with them, rendering it less immersive.
👤 CHARACTERISATION
We're often told about characters' personalities directly (and repeatedly), rather than gradually finding out for ourselves through their actions and dialogue, giving them all a very one-dimensional feel. This criticism applied especially to the women. I never did finish the book, but the few female characters were described as "gentle", "demure", "obedient", "kind" and "beautiful". I'd pass it off as historically accurate misogyny, but they honestly didn't even feel like people. While the men were allowed to be as brash, strong-willed, ugly, or arrogant as they liked, the women seemed sanitised of personal character flaws and were only there to tempt or appeal to men.
Overall, I really did want to enjoy it. I was hoping it'd take me out of a really long reading slump, but I wasn't hooked enough to keep at it just for that. At the very least, it was a story that gave me a lot of questions about a time in history I'd never studied. Even if it wasn't the most historically accurate, it helped me contextualise what I did know.
September 23, 2024
I've been on a bit of a historical mystery kick lately, so I figured I'd give a try one of the authors that has been steadily turning out historical mysteries in a variety of series for the last number of years--Edward Marsten. Going into it, I had heard his writing can sometimes drag a bit, but the premise of the Domesday surveyors as detectives was an interesting enough premise that I wanted to try it anyways. Unfortunately, the writing lived up to its reputation. Still, it wasn't bad! I'll certainly return to it at some point, but I won't be rushing out to get more by this author, in this series or other. Maybe in a few month time I will, we'll see!
My rating: 3.5/5 (rounded down)
Would I own/re-read?: Not necessarily.
TW: Death, Gore, Systemic Oppression, Witchhunts
Does the animal die?: Considering it's believed to be a wolf committing the murders here, harm does come to wolves, and also a dog suspected of turning into a wolf via spell. Also, there's reference to a law declawing dogs.
How difficult was the mystery?: Not too difficult, though they indirectly reveal the murder so to the point I had to double check it was actually revealed. I wasn't surprised though, the clues are there.
My rating: 3.5/5 (rounded down)
Would I own/re-read?: Not necessarily.
TW: Death, Gore, Systemic Oppression, Witchhunts
Does the animal die?: Considering it's believed to be a wolf committing the murders here, harm does come to wolves, and also a dog suspected of turning into a wolf via spell. Also, there's reference to a law declawing dogs.
How difficult was the mystery?: Not too difficult, though they indirectly reveal the murder so to the point I had to double check it was actually revealed. I wasn't surprised though, the clues are there.
July 4, 2022
This book is about two men investigating irregularities in the compilation of the Domesday book who arrive in the town of Bedwyn where a man has recently been savagely mutilated in the nearby forest and over the course of their investigations begin to suspect that it might be murder. I went into this book with little to no expectations but it completely surprised me and blew any expectations I did have out the water. This book is just so good. It is well paced and the mystery slowly unravels throughout the story to its conclusion which I thought was very well done and made perfect sense for the story. The characters are very well rounded and they are also all very different from each other, helping them stand out and making it so the reader doesn't get too confused despite the large cast. I also really like this author's writing style as it really brought the setting to life and kept me turning the pages. This book is also full of historical detail and I thought it captured the tension between the Normans and the conquered Anglo Saxons really well. This was a wonderful little book and I will definitely be continuing in this series and picking up other books by this author!
August 31, 2022
20 years after the battle of Hastings, a commission appointed by King William sets out to investigate land disputes. Two of them, the sometimes profane knight Ralph Delchard and the soft-spoken young lawyer Gervase Bret, are unlikely friends who work well together. This is the first in a series of medieval mysteries--because where ever Ralph and Gervase travel, someone inevitably gets murdered.
In this case, the murder victim appears to have been killed by a wolf. But that victim was also involved in a local land dispute, so Gervase and Ralph are obligated to play detective. Soon, they are up to their armpits in forgery, counterfeiting, the threat of mob violence and--eventually--a second murder.
Ralph and Gervase are great characters--opposite personalities who compliment each other nicely. The mystery is intriguing and the author manages to recreate 11th Century England accurately. I also like how the story delves into matters of religious faith with respect, without ignoring the fact that even the most faithful can sometimes go down the wrong path.
It's a solid story by itself and also serves as a great introduction for the rest of the series.
In this case, the murder victim appears to have been killed by a wolf. But that victim was also involved in a local land dispute, so Gervase and Ralph are obligated to play detective. Soon, they are up to their armpits in forgery, counterfeiting, the threat of mob violence and--eventually--a second murder.
Ralph and Gervase are great characters--opposite personalities who compliment each other nicely. The mystery is intriguing and the author manages to recreate 11th Century England accurately. I also like how the story delves into matters of religious faith with respect, without ignoring the fact that even the most faithful can sometimes go down the wrong path.
It's a solid story by itself and also serves as a great introduction for the rest of the series.
February 20, 2023
Some time ago, decades, I read this series, but its been long enough ago that I only remembered this book vaguely. Its a series of books about the Book of Domesday (actually the Great Survey, with King William trying to get a good handle on what and where everything is owned and laid out in his kingdom).
Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret stumble into an area with what is believed to be a monstrous wolf murdering people while trying to settle the proper ownership of an area of property now in the power of the local Abbey.
There's a cast of characters straight out of Medieval Trope central - the witch, the local noble, the hermit, the pretty widow, etc. Its pretty well handled, although some of the conclusions reached are a bit odd. There is an admirable injection of religion in the story as is appropriate for the setting and time (of course the soldier is an atheist who mocks Christians, something that could get you dead at the time).
Its okay, I'll keep up with the series for a while but as I recall I stopped reading these after a while so I am not sure how much longer I will stick with it.
Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret stumble into an area with what is believed to be a monstrous wolf murdering people while trying to settle the proper ownership of an area of property now in the power of the local Abbey.
There's a cast of characters straight out of Medieval Trope central - the witch, the local noble, the hermit, the pretty widow, etc. Its pretty well handled, although some of the conclusions reached are a bit odd. There is an admirable injection of religion in the story as is appropriate for the setting and time (of course the soldier is an atheist who mocks Christians, something that could get you dead at the time).
Its okay, I'll keep up with the series for a while but as I recall I stopped reading these after a while so I am not sure how much longer I will stick with it.
March 15, 2024
I enjoyed this book, but it was also somewhat of a disappointment.
For one thing, I don't trust the author to be historically accurate - he MAY be, but the fact that he misuses the word "obedientiaries" to mean ALL the monks in an abbey, rather than the holders of offices within it (its proper meaning), makes me suspect his knowledge of monastic life in this period.
It's also inconsistent that monks in the story seem to assume that a novice who decides not to stay and be a full monk (as novices are allowed to do) will lose his salvation as a result, but when an ordinary secular man dies they tell his daughter that "he's gone to Heaven". I think they would assume that almost nobody would go straight to Heaven - if he didn't go to Hell he would go in Purgatory.
It was a good story, though, and the setting was interesting. But, I found the resolution a somewhat implausible. I'm not sure if I'll read more of the series or not. I would like to find out "what happens next" to at least one of the characters.
For one thing, I don't trust the author to be historically accurate - he MAY be, but the fact that he misuses the word "obedientiaries" to mean ALL the monks in an abbey, rather than the holders of offices within it (its proper meaning), makes me suspect his knowledge of monastic life in this period.
It's also inconsistent that monks in the story seem to assume that a novice who decides not to stay and be a full monk (as novices are allowed to do) will lose his salvation as a result, but when an ordinary secular man dies they tell his daughter that "he's gone to Heaven". I think they would assume that almost nobody would go straight to Heaven - if he didn't go to Hell he would go in Purgatory.
It was a good story, though, and the setting was interesting. But, I found the resolution a somewhat implausible. I'm not sure if I'll read more of the series or not. I would like to find out "what happens next" to at least one of the characters.
May 20, 2021
This murder/mystery is based on an actual entry in the Domesday Book and set in the period after the Norman conquest of Britain. The local population of Saxons in the village of Bedwyn are resentful and suspicious when a group of religious and legal commissioners are sent by the King to investigate a dispute over a parcel of land. This contested area is claimed by the local miller, a Norman Lord and the Christian Abbey in the area.
The commissioners are faced with the anger, superstitions and intransigence of the locals, while endeavourIng to uncover secrets and find evidence of forgery in the various claims. The grisly murder of two of the villagers, supposedly by the wolf of Savernake, complicates their task.
The history of the time is interesting; the characters quite well drawn; but the plot becomes a little too complicated; the conclusion contrived and unconvincing.
A fast paced story, which kept me reading. But the end was disappointing.
The commissioners are faced with the anger, superstitions and intransigence of the locals, while endeavourIng to uncover secrets and find evidence of forgery in the various claims. The grisly murder of two of the villagers, supposedly by the wolf of Savernake, complicates their task.
The history of the time is interesting; the characters quite well drawn; but the plot becomes a little too complicated; the conclusion contrived and unconvincing.
A fast paced story, which kept me reading. But the end was disappointing.
January 22, 2022
Ugh, why. 0 stars if possible.
I didn't finish it and ranted heavily about it to anyone unlucky enough to be in earshot. This book is a mess. It's set in a Real Historical Period, except it isn't. A couple of authentic details (eg, details of real people from the Domesday Book) are used for flavour, but this is as far as Marston wants to go. The rest is full of really sloppy lack of attention to detail which pulls anyone even a bit more knowledgable on the period out of the world, so why go to the trouble of using real people in a real time?
As for the plot, it's so so, a bit overcomplicated with sub-plots and multiple characters. On plot alone I rate this a solid 'meh'. There's also some unpleasant and completely unnecessary strains of misogyny in how one of the characters treats women, and in turn how Marston has chosen to write about women in the text. Really disappointing because looked forward to this series. It has given me plenty of enjoyable rants, though :-D
I didn't finish it and ranted heavily about it to anyone unlucky enough to be in earshot. This book is a mess. It's set in a Real Historical Period, except it isn't. A couple of authentic details (eg, details of real people from the Domesday Book) are used for flavour, but this is as far as Marston wants to go. The rest is full of really sloppy lack of attention to detail which pulls anyone even a bit more knowledgable on the period out of the world, so why go to the trouble of using real people in a real time?
As for the plot, it's so so, a bit overcomplicated with sub-plots and multiple characters. On plot alone I rate this a solid 'meh'. There's also some unpleasant and completely unnecessary strains of misogyny in how one of the characters treats women, and in turn how Marston has chosen to write about women in the text. Really disappointing because looked forward to this series. It has given me plenty of enjoyable rants, though :-D
January 5, 2025
Rating clarification: 3.5 stars
Starting 2025 with a series that looks very promising.
I had actually bought and read #8 in this series last year, and liked it enough to resolve to get the other 10 books in the series. Found all but #11 via Thriftbooks, and this is the 1st (also a signed copy from the author, so yea!)
The time period is 1086 England, 20 years after the Norman conquest. It's a murder mystery series revolving around the compilation of a land & tax survey for the Domesday Book. I've loved this period of English history since I was a young teen and first read The Conqueror's Wife
This series reminds me a bit of Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series, though I personally think Peters is a superior writer and storyteller to Marston. But I do feel I am going to enjoy this series very much.
Starting 2025 with a series that looks very promising.
I had actually bought and read #8 in this series last year, and liked it enough to resolve to get the other 10 books in the series. Found all but #11 via Thriftbooks, and this is the 1st (also a signed copy from the author, so yea!)
The time period is 1086 England, 20 years after the Norman conquest. It's a murder mystery series revolving around the compilation of a land & tax survey for the Domesday Book. I've loved this period of English history since I was a young teen and first read The Conqueror's Wife
This series reminds me a bit of Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael series, though I personally think Peters is a superior writer and storyteller to Marston. But I do feel I am going to enjoy this series very much.
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