The Stallions of Woodstock

Domesday #6

by Edward Marston

Ralph Delchard, a former soldier in the notable Battle of Hastings, and Gervase Bret, an exceptional lawyer, continue to travel the length of England inspecting anomalies uncovered during the collection of information for the Domesday Book, the great survey of the country commissioned by William the Conqueror. The pair frequently find that where matters of property are concerned, there are often distasteful and unlawful consequences. The king's work is a dangerous business.
In the forest of Woodstock an excited crowd waits for the first horse to pass the post, but the winning steed has an empty saddle, its rider lying in a copse with a knife in his back. While guests of the Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Delchard and Bret inevitably find their attention drawn to the tragedy and uncover a startling truth.

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

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

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

[Stephen]

The further adventure of the royal commissioners this time in Oxfordshire but felt this one was the weakest in the series so far.

[David Burkhardt]

Excellent

Excellent read
Good plot, a touch of humour in delivery, and good historical narrative, - which I hope is reasonably accurate.

[Spuddie]

Another decent book in this series set a couple of decades after William the Conqueror stormed the shores of the British Isles. Sir Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret are commissioned by the King to travel around settling land disputes, levying taxes and keeping the Domesday Book up to date. Traveling with them in place of the ailing Canon Hubert is a new member of the team who is soon to be discovered not at all what he seems. The group is also accompanied by Sir Ralph's new wife Golde, a Saxon woman he met on one of their previous cases. A horse race gone wrong--one of the contestants was murdered along the race course--is detracting from the settlement of the land dispute the commissioners have come to hear, but as their new member has been dismissed and Canon Hubert has not yet arrived, Ralph and Gervase take an interest in the murder since the disputants are also involved in the horse race.

I really like this time period, and the stories are generally quite good, although the dialogue feels unnaturally stiff most of the time. It's what I've come to expect, though. I still like the series well enough to carry on reading.

[Ktmholm]

Gervase Bret, Ralph Delchard and their entourage were traveling around England, settling property disputes on behalf of the king, William the Conqueror. But when they arrived in Oxford, they learned of another event that took precedence: a horse race in which one of the riders was murdered. As the owners of the horses were the same landowners involved in the property dispute, Ralph and Gervase took over the investigation of both the initial murder and subsequent crimes as well.
This was an entertaining medieval mystery, filled with mounting suspense, while providing an abundance of historical detail that brings the period to life. Though 6th in the series, it can also be read as a stand-alone. Recommended.

[Colin Mitchell]

Not a spectacular story, but interesting enough, although the plot was easily seen through. Ralph and Gervase, King's commissioners, are at Woodstock, near Oxford and, following their usual pattern, help to fight against a man wrongly accused, prevent an assassination, and uncover that their new commissioner, Maurice Pagnall, has taken bribes. There is also a sex fiend to discover. A good 3 stars.

[Ma'lis Wendt]

The King's Commissioners, Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret have been sent to Oxford to review several disputed land cases based on the King's Doomsday land accounts. As they arrive at the castle they discover that in the midst of a horse race, one of the riders has been murdered. Once again they are caught up in a murder and must put aside their interviews until the murder is solved.

[ELzabeth Livingstone]

Excellent

Without fail, irrespective of which series he writes, each storyline
is brilliant with the main characters keeping to their characters and resulting in a good finale. I did guess about the priest quite early on but it didn't detract from the enjoyment!

[Stephen Williams]

Another brilliant story to add to the series

This is another brilliantly crafted story that is a great addition to the series. This is another set of mysteries that the royal commission needs to solve before being able to complete their task of presiding over land disputes.

[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.

[Monica Bond-Lamberty]

Great historical fiction - really gives a nice view of the time, also a fast read.

[K.L.]

A horserace between 3 Norman Lords and a Saxon serf goes wrong when the rider of the winning horse is brutaly murdered during the race. None of the suspects were particularly pleasant, the priest was also NOT a good chap, but Ralph and Gervase were great as always, and always enjoyable to read a book set in medieval Oxford

[Joan]

I like this series but this story was a bit too predictable once the reader met all of the characters.

[Sue]

Another great read and again one where I worked out the villain.

[WIlliam Hill]

Excellent

I really enjoyed this novel ,it intrigues you and makes you want.not to put the book down.This author just keeps getting better. Highly recommend.

[Saundra Lawson]

best yet‼️

Excellent mystery. I think it is the best, so far, in this series. I would recommend it to those who enjoy mid evil reading

[Mrs Rosemary]

Great series

This is a great series by Edward Marston. I love all his books and this one was no different. Recommended.

[Ian]

another light fun read

[Sadie Lewis]

I enjoyed this medival crime thriller. This writers books just get better and better.

[Marie Anderson]

Another Edward Marston book at its best. Excellent read.

[ANDREW]

Excellent read will read again.

[Brenda]

Not really what I was looking for at the moment

[Hannah]

My least favorite of the series thus far, although it did get better by the end.

[Cat.]

This is in the Domesday Book series, in which the commissioners travel to Oxford from Winchester to oversee counter claims on property, as is their job. This time, Canon Hubert and Brother Simon have been sricken ill and are replaced by another commissioner and scribe. The new scribe is a friendly sort, not particularly solemn and quiet different in every way from Simon; the new commissioner is also quite different from the man he replaces. For one thing he is much more prone to a military view of the world. This would seem to put him and Relph Delchard on similar footing, but somehow he seems much less likable.

When they arrive in Oxford, it is to find the castle in a small uproar: a knight has been killed, and a suspect has been brought to for questioning. He is summarily thrown into the dungeon: guilty as charged before a trial has taken place.

Quite soon the commissioners are presented with a case they cannot resolve amicably. Maurice Pagnal insists on resolving against the church claimant, while the other two are less easily persuaded. Finally, the monk representing the church rises to charge Pagnal with taking a bribe. In private, he confesses to Ralph and Gervase that the monk isn't wrong; they forcefully tell him to leave Oxford immediately, and then they send for Canon Hubert. In the meantime, all commission activities cease.

There follows a horse-theft, a suicide (a young garrison chorister, the former star of the chapel choir, who was forced to quit by her brother and who, despairing, took rat poison--she was pregnant), the beating of the owner of the stallion by a jealous husband, the release of the murder suspect, and the attempted rape of another choir soloist.

This is a complicated book, with lots of red herrings and a much more complex plot than the norm. While it's clear fairly early on who killed the knight, it's not clear why, nor is it clear why this individual would do several of the things we know he's doing. The choir/suicide/rape subplot is also quite clear; it's just a matter of proving it, as this individual is a note-perfect actor in his role of peacemaker and Christian charity.

Probably the best of the series so far.

[Ensiform]

Volume VI of the Domesday Series. This time the commission is lacking Canon Hubert, due to illness, and his replacement is another gruff soldier, Maurice Pagnal. Another town and another murder --- this one during a horse race, the victim the knight of a landowner involved in a dispute. But is the murder a revenge for his lord Betrand’s misdoings, on an attack on the knight himself, or jealousy of the race’s constant winner? The usual subplots and red herrings abound --- is Maurice all he appears to be? What is wrong the commission’s new scribe, Brother Columbanus? Why has the daughter of another lord killed herself, and who is the father of her unborn child? With Norman-Saxon tensions high and everyone with a secret to keep, it’s again wonderful fun to see Ralph and Gervase sniff out the truth(s). Great.

[Booknblues]

I've come to love Marston's Domesday Books with Ralph Delchard and Gervase Bret as the king's commisioners who settle property disputes, but always seem to be caught up in a murder as well. In this one a man is murdered during a horse race between 4 man who are in a property dispute.

I love the setting and Edward Marston always does enough research to bring it to life and make it interesting. In The Stallions of Woodstock we learn about bishop of Coutances, Geoffrey de Montbray who during the Revolt of the Earls ordered that all rebels have their right foot cut off, certainly a gruesome way to settle the score and to prevent further rebellion.

It isn't a mystery that will be impossible to solve although there are several interesting side stories and paths in it. I'm planning on continuing to read the series and would encourage those who love a medieval mystery to give them a try.

[Cece]

I know these titles sound like a cross between "Old MacDonald" and "Who Did You See at the Zoo" but they are well-written, if fairly short, historical mysteries. Not the depth of Sharon Kay Penman, but not anacronistic silliness, either.
However-I really saw this solution coming. Didn't need to try at all. So that earned it only 3 stars. I like the surprise twist.

[LJ]

First Sentence: Most of the riders were there well before the race was due to begin.

I always love the history I learn from this series; great characters and dialogue, very good sense of place and a very clever mystery.

THE STALLIONS OF WOODSTOCK (Hist Mys-Eng-Middle Ages) - G+
Marston, Edward - 6th in series
St. Martin’s Press, 1997

[Aspin]

This series seems to be gradually running out of steam. This was my least favourite yet. Golde is really getting on my nerves now.

The plot was thin and not intriguing enough to encourage page turning.

[ghostlibrarian]

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