The Black and the White: The Black Death is raging but are some the victims of murder?

by Alis Hawkins

A thought-provoking Medieval mystery you don’t want to miss! Perfect for fans of S D Sykes, L C Tyler, Karen Maitland and S J Parris.

Not every corpse put in a pit has died of the plague…

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

393 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2020

About the author

Alis Hawkins grew up on a dairy farm in Cardiganshire. Her inner introvert thought it would be a good idea to become a shepherd and, frankly, if she had, she might have been published sooner. As it was, three years reading English at Corpus Christi College, Oxford revealed an extrovert streak and a social conscience which saw her train as a Speech and Language Therapist. She has spent the subsequent three decades variously bringing up two sons, working with children and young people on the autism spectrum and writing fiction, non-fiction and plays. She writes the kind of books she likes to read: character-driven historical crime and mystery fiction with what might be called literary production values.

Series: The Teifi Valley Coroner historical crime series, featuring Harry Probert Lloyd and John Davies. Published by Freight Books 2017, due for reissue by The Dome Press October 2018

Trilogy: The first of the Black Death trilogy, The Black and The White, coming soon from Sapere Books (summer 2018).

Standalone: Testament – previously published by PanMacmillan, soon for reissue by Sapere Books (summer 2018).

You can find more on Alis and her writing on her website (see link below) on Facebook - Alis Hawkins Author - and on Twitter (see link below)

Reviews

[Julie Griffith Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alis Hawkins, The Black and the White, Sapere Books, 2020.

Martin awakes coughing. He is in pain. Slowly it comes to him that most of his family is dead of what will come to be known as the Black Death--the bubonic plague. Nearby his father lies dead. Martin does not know why he lives when his father has died, but he does know that his father was devoted to St. Cynryth, the Maiden of the Well. He even built a shrine to her at the family's well in the forest. He also placed a whittled statue of her on Martin's shoulder while Martin was ill.

Martin goes to the well to fetch water. He finds a beautiful likeness of the saint in painted wood. Did the saint save his life? He buries his father near the saint's shrine, but fears for his father's soul. Taking up the beautiful painted saint, he sets off on a pilgrimage of thanksgiving and intercession to Salster, the original home of St. Cynryth, if, indeed, she existed and is a saint. On his way, he is joined by Hob Cleve, a man with secrets of his own. Together, they travel as the plague spreads through England. But deaths that may not be related to the plague follow them.

The Black Death foreshadowed a time of great change in England. The Church proved to provide no protection from illness and death and it's proscriptions were questioned. Similarly, as common folk found that death was no respecter of wealth or position, they became more likely to speak up for themselves and enter into roles that had previously not been open to them. Hawkins ably weaves these narratives into Martin's and Hob's stories. Their journey through plague ridden England is riveting as we find ourselves at a similar crossroads. Hawkins vividly brings alive a time when a rigid class system and an agrarian economy ruled absolutely by King and Church met with a disease that killed indiscriminately and led to chaos. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Alis Hawkins, Sapere Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘He has not made a good death and I am in terror for his soul.’

England 1349. The Black Death is raging across the land. Martin Collyer, whose last memory was receiving the last rites, wakes up to find his father dead beside him. Martin is clutching a small statue of his family’s patron saint: Saint Cynryth. His father’s body, half sewn into his shroud, shows no sign of the plague. Martin decides that he must seek salvation for his father’s unconfessed soul: he will undertake a pilgrimage to Salster, which is where he understands Saint Cynryth’s shrine to be.

Martin sets off on his pilgrimage, accompanied by an opportunistic young man called Hob.

‘Not every corpse put in a pit has died of the plague.’

The story unfolds slowly, as befits a dangerous journey. Martin and Hob meet others, the statue of Saint Cynryth inviting attention along the way. Martin is both naïve and devout: which Hob seeks to take advantage of.

‘Nothing is as it was.’

This is a novel best read slowly, without spoilers. It’s easy, during the current COVID-19 pandemic afflicting much of the world, to imagine the fear endemic in the setting. It’s easy to appreciate that Martin wants to do what is right, even if it isn’t clear exactly what that might be.

This is the second of Ms Hawkins’s novels I have read, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alis Hawkins' The Black and the White is a fictional exploration of how those living in 14th Century England might have experienced the black death. We have two main characters: Martin, a devout young man on pilgrimage after the death of his collyer father (it's a bit more complicated than that, but we'll leave it here to avoid spoilers); Hob, the bastard son of a minor noble turned flimflam man, trying to make a profit while staying a step or two ahead of the sickness.

The story is told from Martin's perspective, so we see the challenges in reconciling the reality of the epidemic with assumptions that God rewards goodness and the the church can intercede on behalf of the ordinary populace. Martin is a bit naive, which is the main fault of this novel, but an interesting thinker. While readers may see where the plot is heading, they will nonetheless be surprised by ending.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

[Midu Hadi · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I Did Like

I do like the timing of the release of this book. With coronavirus forcing us into seclusion and wreaking havoc all over the globe, the story seemed to be mirroring the present. The callousness that many people showed in the book is also evident in the real world. We've shopped the supermarkets dry and bare. Then there are those who consider this a vacation and won't stop going to the beaches. In the book, the coroner stops visiting every person who dies unless the cause of death isn't the infection that's ravaging London and adjoining areas. There's a limit to how much we can take and the book describes that very well.

What I Didn't Like

There's a kind of a slow burn that makes books uputdownable. You keep turning page after page eager to find out what will happen next. And then there's the other kind that makes you want to skip chapters. I get that the whole story is about two unlikely allies journeying across a diseased landscape. And maybe, it wasn't the book, it was me. But there were times when I got really impatient with the slow pacing of this story.

Moreover, maybe it would have held my interest longer, had I not guessed the identity of the serial killer. But that wasn't the case, either.

In short, this wasn't too good a read for me. Lastly, the ending is sort of unfinished presumably because this book is part of a series. It doesn't look like I'll be reading the sequel if that's the case.

I received this book from Netgalley.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, first things first, I would say this is more slow-burn historical drama with slight hints of fantasy rather than a mystery novel or a crime thriller. If I’d have read the full blurb before going into it, I’d have likely been really disappointed, so I think this has been marketed badly if I’m honest. That’s not to say it isn’t a good book - it is, but it isn’t what you think you are getting and it doesn’t really do what it says on the label. The crime and murder elements are glossed over throughout, and whilst the reader can figure out something isn’t quite right, it takes our main character Martin close enough to the entirety of the novel to get there. He’s set up as a gullible, naive and really rather clueless character but it does mean that the reader has a very limited view on events. There isn’t the build up with whodunnit elements that you might expect to find in a mystery novels, the potential victims are forgotten about quickly and the novel is more focussed on the day to day life of our characters and the validity of the Saint that Martin carries than on any deaths, usual or unusual.

What this book does very well indeed is to propel you into 14th century England as the Black Death decimates the population, killing entire villages and leaving those few lucky enough to survive displaced and uncertain of their future. Martin, like many others, has lost his entire family to the death that swept through the lands, but unlike most he survived the Black Death. He awakes with the carved image of his father’s saint clutched in his hands, his father dead and cold beside him. His options being limited, he buries his father unshriven and in unconsecrated ground. Fearing for the fate of his father’s mortal soul, he begins a pilgrimage to a shrine nobody else has heard of, for a saint only his father seemed to pray to. So begins a novel that is a journey through human faith, resilience in crisis and psychology. It makes for an engaging and deep read that kept me turning the pages from beginning to end.

The era and the fears of the population are portrayed well, with the religious fervour that comes from both indoctrination and desperation in clear view. As is the civil unrest that builds as the feudalistic hierarchy of life is challenged In the wake of the shortages of labour that the Black Death brings. It’s a fascinating period of history and it comes to life around you as you read. Both Martin and his companion Hob are interesting characters and the novel revels in diving into the psychological aspects of their thoughts and behaviours. Martin’s naivety is counterbalanced by Hob’s more worldly view and the two characters worked well together, which is fortunate as they are the only two characters who stick around. Some of the individuals they meet on their pilgrimage are wonderfully idiosyncratic though and it’s a shame most of them are forgotten as soon as our two pilgrims move on for the next town or village.

What this isn’t however is a mystery or a whodunnit or a crime novel of any variety. It is an excellently written piece of character driven period drama, but that’s not how the author has chosen to portray it. There are only two characters who could possibly be responsible for the occasional suspicious deaths and despite some attempts at false trails and red herrings, the reader will have it pegged by the time the two leave the first town. There’s no real suspense or mystery. More importantly, the deaths are given so little importance for much of the narrative that it’s easy to gloss over them entirely. This is exacerbated by the fact that you don’t engage with any character other than Martin or Hobb for any length of time, so the reader simply doesn’t care about the death of a character who was going to disappear from the narrative in a chapter or two anyway.

So, I enjoyed this and found myself drawn to the narrative and the characters. I appreciated how the author dealt with the importance of religion and of hierarchy in the Middle Ages and felt the world come to life around me. But if you’re picking this up because you want a historical crime mystery, don’t. It’s just not that book. It’s excellent in its own right but I can’t help thinking that the author is setting some readers up for disappointment through mismarketing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

[Oneofthefoxes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel actually stands out from the series of historical crime novels. Especially by the way the story is told. The author lets us dive deep into the world of feelings and beliefs. It is of course only an approximation of the imagination of the Middle Ages at the time of the great plague waves, but I think it has succeeded.

The extent to which the Church was able to provide answers to the questions that people asked themselves because of the many deaths also plays a role. In view of this background, a strong focus on reliqiues and saints seems understandable. In my opinion, the author manages very well to work out precisely this tension between people's fears, questions to the church that they were not always able to answer to their satisfaction, and working out individual beliefs.

The background to the outbreak of the plague was not known at the time. The medical expertise, generally the task of science as such has been attributed to another. The Church explained the world and placed it in a larger context with God.

Interesting, but also annoying was the dynamic between Hob and Martin, which was mainly due to the fact that Martin is partly very naive and gullible. At the same time, it is easy for the reader to see through Hob, which is why I did not always find it completely credible that he could do whatever he wanted with Martin. However, because of his cunning, he was the more interesting character for me. Martin somehow remains such a pale figure. Although the story is told from his point of view.

Unfortunately, personally, the crime story was a bit too small. Since the title and the table of contents suggested something else to me, my expectations were not fully met here. I also found that the plot dragged on quite a bit, even though the novel has a rather average number of pages. It felt like the story would never end. The two men are traveling, but it looks as if they are barely getting anywhere.

Overall, the book is not a bad book in this sense, but the good ideas are slowed down by the way the narrative is too slow. That partly motivated me to keep reading. There end seems as there might be a sequel, but I admit that despite the book's weaknesses, I would be interested.

[Judith Barrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

he Black And The White is what I call a slow burner; it took me a while to get into the story. But this didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the reading of it. As always Alis Hawking’s research into creating a world for her characters is impeccable; this truly is fourteenth century England, torn apart by plague, stifled by religion and ruled by those who control; through the ministry of the church and those who own land. The author’s attention to the smallest detail fills the pages, both before and after the main protagonist, Martin Collyer, begins his slow and dangerous pilgrimage from the Forest of Dean to Salster.
Told from the first person point of view of Martin Collyer, the internal dialogue reveals his character.His gratitude that he has overcome the plague juxtaposes his fear that his father has died without confession of his sin, without absolution, and his certainty in Saint Cynryth's ability (the statue he carries with him),to save his father’s soul. The whole thread of the story is his determination to place the statue in the shrine in the woods outside the town of Salster; the place he believes the saint belongs, where it will do most good for the people who comes to bow before it. The portrayal of his innate goodness and innocent naivety and superstitious innocence, alongside his doubts and lack of confidence, make him an easy target for evil. The reader is left to puzzle through many pages whether the companion who first rescues him from a violent situation then that joins him on his pilgrimage, Hob Cleve, is a true and caring friend to Martin or a cynical foe.
The descriptions, the details given, of superstition, religion, the charcoal burning, the horse and cart, the clothes, the buildings, all give a brilliant sense of place and era.
I actually read The Black And The White over two weeks, it was essential for me to read slowly, to take in the atmosphere that pervades the whole story; that of a credulous and mostly illiterate people ruled by a ubiquitous God and yet mostly living on their wits and hard work.
My only problem, though slight, was the denouement. I wasn’t sure how I thought the book would end. And, as I never give spoilers of any novel I review, I won’t reveal it here. All I can say is that I was surprised (though, on reflection, it was inevitable). I’ll leave that there
But, without doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend The Black And The White to any reader who enjoys both historical and crime genres and a good story, well written, that builds in tension throughout

[Karen Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely read considering the world we find ourselves living in, and I was utterly absorbed by this historical tale, set during the Great Plague and following a man on a mission of discovery. Not easy when you are joined on your journey by a man who has completely different values and outlook on life.

Martin finds himself waking up alongside his dead father, while the plague ravages family and villages, and wonders why he's been spared. He wakes up clutching a figure of Saint Cynryth, a figure his father idolised, and Martin sees this as a sign to seek salvation for his father and to spread the word of this Saint that may, or may not, have saved his own life.

Martin is a quirky character! He is utterly devoted to doing the right thing and playing by the rules, but is troubled by nightmares - during the day he's lonely, by night he's terrified by demons. As he travels from village to village on his way to Salster, where the shrine to the Saint is said to be, he is joined by Hob, who appears from nowhere to save him from being attacked.

Wary but glad of the company, they make an odd duo travelling along and I loved watching their different attitudes towards the 'miracle' - Hob is a cynical soul and is bemused by the hold that this Saint has over Martin! The way they challenge each other and their way of thinking was a fascinating part of the journey for me, and wondering if either of them really trust one another. There are also a number of strange goings on that happen along the way which were an added twist to try and unravel! It's a story that plays on the emotions of the characters - Martin especially as he's trying to find meaning amongst grieving for the loss of his family and finding himself alone.

It's a slow burner of a story but that allows you to immerse yourself more in the characters and get to understand their state of mind, and I thought the ending was particularly bittersweet and unexpected!

[Hannah Mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adore anything about the Black Plague, that sounds really strange but the period of history in the 1300s really fascinates me.

After Martin’s father dies of the pestilence, Martin is left in his hut with nothing but a statue of a strange saint who his father believed in. He doesn’t know why he was spared the Black Plague, he is banished by his brother from their manor and he sets off to find his way by himself.

Soon after he meets Hob who has only survived by staying away from the towns and villages, they start out together, finding everywhere deserted. It soon becomes clear that Hob has ulterior motives and he has a very dark side.

Martin starts to distrust Hob as strange things keep happening to them, people dying, money going missing, we follow their relationship evolving and changing from a one of necessity to stay alive to one that could potentially be fatal.

This is a tale of two young men, trying to keep their faith in testing times when the world feels abandoned by their god, trying to avoid the pestilence and stay out of the troubles of the people they come across, a good story with a bittersweet ending as Martin reaches his destination but things aren’t as he planned!

[Allyn Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A good story, well designed characters that you can really get to know. Good narrative in keeping with the time period and an incredibly well described environment. Historical fiction fans will lap it up.

[Steph Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, Sapere Books and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

It took me a little while to fall into the rhythm of Martin’s narrative in this story.

We start with the shock opening of Martin’s apparent recovery from death and his father’s submission to it, but then begin a very slow procession with Martin as he sets off on a pilgrimage to take his father’s saint – Saint Cynryth – to her northern shrine to beg for his father’s safe passage to heaven.

The factual details of the story are fascinating, as the author has clearly thoroughly researched the period and effects of the Black Death plague in England, and the work of a charcoal burner. Similarly, the intricacies of faith and rituals of the time are faithfully represented and we see the opposing attitudes most starkly outlined by Martin and Hob: the one devout, if plagued by doubts, and the other bitter and cynical. These aspects provide a strong and realistic frame for the plot of the story.

Sly Hob and naive Martin’s pairing as travel-buddies reminded me very much of Oliver and The Artful Dodger. Time and again we see Martin question his companion’s trustworthiness, only to find Hob has a plausible explanation and is saddened by the suspicions of his good friend. Then, when poor Martin is sent further trials of his faith, we discover that he cannot even trust himself, as his senses and memory may be playing him false. This constant atmosphere of mounting fear and suspicion begins to slowly drive Martin insane as he attempts to cleave to his goal, and he takes the reader with him into his spiral downwards.

There are quite a few questions and mysteries here. How did Martin recover when his father died? Has the plague mutated, or is there another cause of death following the young men from town to town? Is Saint Cynryth a genuine saint, or a peddlar’s con? Is Martin possessed by a demon, or in the company of one? Most of these were answered by the ending, but the overall resolution of the story left me surprised and disappointed, as it didn’t seem to fit with the tone and overall direction of the rest of the narrative.

This is a very slow-paced story of faith and doubt, and the challenges faced by the faithful during times of crisis, which feels very appropriate to our current world situation. The mystery elements are quite sparse and scattered, with lots of painfully trudging travel in between, which made the book seem like a bit of a long trek to a dispiriting conclusion. If I had picked this up as a historical fiction account of plague and faith, I would likely have enjoyed it, but as a historical murder mystery, I felt it didn’t quite fulfil the promises of the blurb and cover.





Coughing wakes me again. The pain of it is like a blade, its edges chipped and jagged, cleaving my chest, tearing up through my gullet. And the very sound — the hack of it — takes me home. Back to our house in Lysington, back to my sweat-soaked bed and my father’s hand holding a cup of water. The memory rips a greater pain through me, the pain of pestilence, deaths, burials.
My father’s hand held the cup because my mother is dead. They are all dead. My family. All dead.
A cold terror raises the flesh on my scalp. I was dead, too.

– Alis Hawkins, The Black and the White


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martin Collyer awakens, having survived the plague, to find his father dead and half-stitched in his shroud. Considering himself to spared by the miraculous intervention of his father’s beloved but obscure saint and wishing to atone for his father’s soul, Martin begins a pilgrimage to the saint’s shrine. Soon, however, the road proves dangerous and his accidently acquired and mysterious companion, Hob, soon proves himself untrustworthy. And why do so many mysterious deaths accompany them where they go?

There were a lot of aspects of Alis Hawkins’s The Black and the White that appealed to me. Martin’s desire to become a priest, the mysterious saint he’s devoted to, his fears of demons, the back drop of the Black Death. For me, the character of Martin and the world he inhabited were compelling and the slow pace of the story was fine.

What didn’t gel with me so well was the “mystery”. Hawkins tries to create tension with the possibility of Martin as an unreliable narrator yet his naivety is too compelling and well-established for it to feel anything but a plot device. This, in part, leads to the mystery feeling weak – the audience knows well before Martin what’s going on, and it’s hard to build tension and emotion about the deaths of a handful of briefly appearing characters (and sometimes not very nice ones) in a world where so many are dying of the plague. Other elements of mystery are added – is the saint real or a peddler’s story? What happened to Martin’s father? – but there’s no clear resolution for these strands, the reader is left to assume what the answer is.

I also found the ending rushed. Having spent so long with Martin, having found him a sympathetic if frustrating narrator, I wanted to spend a little longer with him to know what his life would be like in the aftermath. For me, The Black and the White was a less a mystery than a character study and, having become invested in Martin, I wanted to see how the discoveries of the last pages impacted him and what he would go on to become. And that he would go on and become something, even if it wasn’t what he thought it would be.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publishers via Netgalley to review.

[Jeannine Healy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I wouldn't reach for a historical fiction book. It's not my preferred genre but I was very pleasantly surprised by this story!

The book follows a young man called Martin who wakes up in his Collyer's hut to find his father dead from the plague. Meanwhile, Martin can remember being given his last rites but instead of being dead, he wakes up clutching a small statue of his families patron saint, Saint Cynryth.

What follows is his pilgrimage to Salster to get to Saint Cynryth's shrine to bring back the mysterious statue (that was found at a well close to his hut) and to also pray for his father's soul.

Martin meets another young man called Hob who may not be all that he seems...

I really enjoyed this book, it wasn't action packed by no means but I was surprised by how much I liked the easy pace of it. The narrative flows well even if it is a bit too descriptive of fields at times. Martin is a very religious character at the start of the book and even though his relationship with his father was strained while he was alive, he is doing everything in his power to save his soul, as he sees it. He's constantly grappling between what's right and what is wrong at the start of his story and is hounded by his anxieties and loneliness on his pilgrimage.

When he meets Hob you can see that the two characters could not be more different. Hob has no faith and is ruled making his fortune. He's a ruthless character who Martin feels he has no choice but to stick with or risk being lonely and isolated... safety in numbers...

I loved the character development and thoroughly enjoyed their journey. I found myself getting so angry at times and I felt like shouting at the book!

The ending is great but also entirely frustrating and I can (hopefully!) see a sequel to this book. I really felt for Martin and I could identify with some of his anxieties and the reasons behind the choices he makes.

A solid 3.5 stars from me and I'll definitely be checking out more of Alis Hawkin's works!

**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publishing date - 30th March 2020.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Coming across this book on Netgalley, I was instantly drawn to the description- a murder mystery set during the time of the Black Death, with two strangers teaming up to travel across England and a heavy mix of religion and superstition. 'The Black and the White' seemed to have all of the elements required to create a top notch Mystery. And indeed, the story started off at a good pace with young Martin Collyer, waking up to discover that he has recovered from the terrible plague. Though his father has now perished- and strangely, his father is also half sewn into his own funeral shroud. Added to the strangeness of this scene, is the addition of the statue of the St. Cynryth beside Martin. This opening scene sets up the story nicely as the reader is introduced to a perplexed Marrin who wonders if his father offered his own life to the St in exchange for saving his son. Or even if Narrin himself could have played a role in the death.
After burying his father and visiting his older brother, Martin then sets out for Salster to visit the site of the original shrine to St. Cynryth and pray for his father.
Along the way, Martin encounters another young man called Hob and they journey onwards together.
Their time together causes Martin to seriously question his faith and as the body count raises around them, Martin truly cannot tell if he is responsible or if he can trust Hob.
Unfortunately, for me, it was far too easy to guess the ending of the story and to realise who was the killer. There were some clues scattered throughout the story and these pointed to the killer from early on.
Well written and for the most part, very enjoyable, with good pacing. Just a pity that it was predictable- I would have loved a twist that was unexpected.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Lu Etchells · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martin’ awakes after battling the pestilence, and hails his survival a miracle; not least because his father, who had cared for him, has died, and apparently sewn himself in to his own shroud. Of course, his father’s body is buried in unconsecrated grounds, and Martin must now go on pilgrimage to save his soul from eternal damnation.

Along the way Martin shares the tale of his family’s Saint, reluctantly showing off her statue, which he is carting across country. Along the way he teams up with an unlikely ally, Hob, and it soon becomes clear he may not be all he’s cracked up to be.

What follows is a long and meandering traipse across Medieval England, which at times felt exceptionally dull. Sections of the story were very laboured, and the temptation to skip ahead was too great to ignore., which meant I did skip paragraphs detailing fields, tracks and the flights of birds. Had the rest of the story been pacier, it wouldn’t have mattered, but the whole thing was a bit of a struggle.

I don’t know if I missed something along the way (though, I assure you, I didn’t skip that much!) but I have so many unanswered questions at the end. Too much was left, the ending was disappointing, and it all feels set up for a sequel, which just isn’t needed.

All in all, I felt this wasn’t the book it was set up to be, which means my expectations weren’t met. This isn’t generally my type of genre, and the blurb convinced me this could work, but what I read just doesn’t marry with the description, so I feel duped.

[MARGARET WOODWARD · Rating 4 out of 5]

In these days of Covid-19 it is eerie to read about people facing an even more destructive pandemic in the 14th century. Written before our own scourge, and based on historical evidence, this book illustrates how the citizens had to adopt very similar methods of self-protection to those imposed today, but it also highlights the stark contrast in their death toll, sometimes involving the eradication of entire villages, partly because they had little of today’s understanding of what caused the diseases. The author has caught the fear, confusion and distrust corroding society which would lead to huge changes in the social norms, both religious and civic.
The two protagonists are very young men, travelling from the West Country to Kent during the worst of the plague. One is semi-educated and honest, with ambitions to enter the church and credulously believing he has to return the statue of an ancient saint to its original home. The other is a bright, ambitious, resourceful and dangerously amoral charlatan more representative of those who will bring about the changes that are coming. If they are to reach their destination, indeed if they are to survive at all, these two must find a way to work together, or more ominously use each other, to keep themselves free and fed. Their road takes many turns, often unexpected, and the vivid characters they meet are much like the worried, conniving or kindly folk you would expect in today’s communities. An absorbing read leads you to an unexpected ending.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was finishing this book, my sister was wondering how a death was accurately attributed to Covid19, as opposed to some other cause: heart attack, old age, just plain old pneumonia. Her musings strangely echoed this book's main source of tension: in the mid-14th century, have all the lime-covered dead piled into the common pits succumbed to the Great Death? Or is murder being covered over too?

Welcome to the plague in 1349, with the main character, Martin, making a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Cynryth to commune with the saint and pray for his father, a difficult man, dead of plague in the same hut while Martin lived. After some time traveling alone, Martin reluctantly allows a stranger who comes to his aid, Hob, to travel with him though staying away from others seems safer.

The reader is taken on a journey to ancient landscapes, customs and religious practices, all deftly drawn by the author. Sometimes, the almost 700 year difference to the present is hardly noticeable. Sometimes, the time travel is jarring, yet still familiar.

I enjoy well written and researched historical fiction set in England. To be honest, the 14th century is not a favorite period. The plot and characters kept my interest but the drudgery of the times was too well evoked for true enjoyment, perhaps a sign of these times as much as anything.

I am grateful to Sapere Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Soozee · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I didn't think I was going to like this book at all - the cadence of the language seemed wrong for Medieval England. However, this was quickly dispelled and once into the story, it was extremely interesting. England in the 1340s, the Black Death stalks the land, laying waste to whole villages (quite prescient, given the current pandemic). Martin Collyer wakes to find he has somehow recovered from the plague which has taken all his family, and decides the reason is the saint that his father revered - St Cynryth, the White Maiden.

He resolves to take a large statue, which seems to have appeared from nowhere, to her shrine in the forest by Salster. On the way he meets Hob, a rather ruthless fellow, determined to make his fortune. The author portrays their journey well, arriving at villages devastated by plague or frightened they are bringing it with them. She shows the belief in saints and miracles so prevalent at that time, the desperation to find a way to preserve a family from the disease over which they had no power or understanding.

The story is different from the usual Medieval 'whodunnits' - there are no obvious murders to solve, although plenty of corpses! It paints a good picture of England during that terrible time, woven into an interesting tale.

The tale is told well and I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: Martin has been saved from The Black Death and sets out on a pilgrimage to return his father’s chosen saint to the place of its origin across the country. He meets up with Hob who saves his life and protects him but Hob’s motives are anything but holy. He sees the icon as a means to secure his fortune and he seems to be prepared to do anything to make sure he gets there.
He even convinces Martin that he is being beset by a demon while he sleeps. Martin now wonders if he has killed perhaps even his own father. His doubts cloud his judgement until one night it all becomes clear. For Martin, that is when the trouble really starts. He discovers just how far Hob will go to reach his goals.
It is a story that starts off slow and heavy but gets more exciting as the journey continues. The reader gets pulled into the horrors of the time: violence, pestilence and superstition. While well done with an exciting finish, it may not be a story for those house bound with COVID 19. But then again, perhaps it helps us realize people have had it far worse than us.
Four purrs and two paws up.

[Debra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martin Collyer wakes alone in a charcoal burner's hut in the Forest of Dean. The plague is running riot in England. He remembers the last rites but nothing more. How is he still alive? He attributes this to a miracle and sets off of a journey (both physical and spiritual) to give thanks for being spared. He meets Hob Cleve on his way & although thankful for company he cannot quite settle with the man.
I struggled with this book. I found it slow & the characters quite wooden. I enjoy books set in this time period & am a big fan of Karen Maitland and of the new series by Minette Walters. I felt that this book fell a long way short of their brilliant works.
The book lacked atmosphere and realism. I didn't feel that I was part of this and it never became three dimensional to me. The story dragged and I just didn't take to the characters. Martin wasn't very bright, interesting or cautious whilst Hob was manipulative and nasty. The supporting cast really didn't trouble my memory.
This book just didn't work for me on so many levels. It didn't come to life and wasn't particularly interesting.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Ruth Matheson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall 3.5*
“It is a bitter thing to watch a new day dawn knowing that the world is not, today, as you thought it was yesterday” (Chapter 31 opening). This book is probably the most surreal one I have ever read. Reading it in the week that the Covid 19 virus is pandemic about people in the mid 14th century battling the plague which swept Europe was just weird. The author Alis Hawkins would have no idea what was just around the corner for the world when she set about writing the story.
That being said, I enjoyed the novel to a point however it might not be to everyone’s liking. The story is set around Martin, a young lad whose whole family and village has been decimated by the plague and believing himself to have survived it, takes a family statue of St Cynryth on a journey across England to what he believes should be its home. Along the road he befriends Hal who saves his life, but then certain people who threaten them on the road, die suddenly and it cannot all be put down to the plague!
Thanks to Sapere Books for the ARC to review.

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in England during 1349 when the Black Death was making its stealthy way throughout the country leaving tragedy in its wake. When Martin Collyer discovers his father dead one day, apparently from the plague, and half sewn into his shroud, he sets off on a sort of pilgrimage to Salster. On his way he comes across a man called Hob Cleve, they become allies, but Hob seems to have an agenda and secrets of his own.

I thought this was a well written and researched story. It explores the effects of the plague on the land and its people splendidly. The descriptions are very vivid, so it was all very easy to visualise. The characters are intriguing and seemed realistic. However, the pacing of the story was a little slow for me. It seemed never ending at times. There didn’t seem to be much plot and the ending didn’t really work for me.

I was looking forward to reading this book as I’d enjoyed Testament by the same author, but even though it is thought provoking and historically interesting, I did find it a little long winded.

[Katy Holmes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enter Martin Collyer who survived the black death and is now off on a pilgrimage to give thanks for saving his life and to ask for prayers for his father who didn't survive. Yes, he's off on a cross-country pilgrimage whilst the black death is also making the same journey.

To Martin though, the danger doesn't matter. He needs to sort out his father's soul and the only way to do that is to get to Salter to restore his family saint of Saint Cynryth to her shrine. Along this journey he falls in with the disreputable Hob Cleve who shows him the murkier side of pilgrim life- fights, gambling, lying, cheating and sex.

This isn't a novel about pilgrimage in the way of Canterbury Tales or Pilgrim's Progress, but shows the real life situation people encountered when heading off on pilgrimage. It isn't gruesome and gory considering the plague is ongoing, but about the hysteria it can cause (sound familiar?).

I had expected this book to be a sequel to Testament which I adored, it isn't which was a slight letdown. That being said, it is a good book but I just preferred Testament.

[Ann-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Black Death is spreading fear across England and leaving destruction in its wake. Martin, having miraculously survived, is determined to take the family’s saint to her home so he can obtain salvation for his father who died without receiving the last rites. On the way he meets Hob, who may not be what he seems.

Having read another book by the author, Testament which I had really enjoyed, I was looking forward to reading this one. But I was very disappointed. The story dragged and the two main characters were almost caricatures – Martin was almost saintly but a very weak character and Hob had little or no redeeming features.

I understand that in these times omens and portents were important to people but I was bemused why most of the miracles were called, and believed to be, miracles. However there was one redeeming feature – the ending was one that I was not expecting.

Thanks to Sapere Books for a review copy

[R Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really do enjoy Ali’s Hawkins books, and enjoy her refreshingly clear yet detailed and ultimately absorbing style.
The entire canvas on which the stories are drawn is as entertaining and captivating as the main plot line itself. Here the Black Death is described from “grass roots” level, while the impact on medieval society is hinted or described to make the whole subject much more interesting than it has ever appeared before.
A popular theme in Hawkins books is the influence and development of the church and religion. It is again dealt with in a sensitive and thought provoking way.
Now here comes the But... I didn’t buy into the entire main storyline. I want to accept the personalities and actions of the two main characters but however convincing an attempt has been made I just felt disappointed by the ending. Maybe it’s just me!
I am however still a huge Ali’s Hawkins supporter and am looking forward to her new book.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

**First up: I'd actually give this 3.5 stars, but can't see how to do so **

The timing of this book couldn't be more apt! Reading this in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic made me draw (not for the first time) parallels with the spread of previous infectious diseases in our country - and the attitudes and behaviour of some people.

I enjoyed the book, in fact I was glued to it as the plot unfolded and our travellers made their way slowly but surely in pursuit of their goal - but the whole thing was let down by the ending. It felt rushed and I was greatly disappointed. Maybe there will be a sequel to redress the balance and tie up loose ends? If not, I can't really understand why the finale book seemed so hurriedly finished.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

[Verity Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure that reading a book about the plague during a coronavirus pandemic is necessarily the best idea, but I thoroughly enjoyed The Black and the White by Alis Hawkins.

I was attracted to this title initially because I read Hawkins' book None So Blind last year and it was one of my favourite reads of 2019. That book was set in 19th century Wales and so I wondered whether 14th century England would be as fascinating and well-realised.

Good news, it was. I was completely absorbed by Martin and Hob's pilgrimage to Salster and felt the oppressive doom-laden atmosphere of the pestilence was very well done. The religious aspect was also very convincing.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in 1349 England during the plague, this is the story of Martin Collyer. Told as a first person narrative, Martin wakes to find he has survived the plague. He sets out on a pilgrimage to recompense for his father's death. On the journey he is joined by Hob Cleve. Various unexplained happenings cause doubt and mistrust between them.
The story is atmospheric and emphasises the religious superstitions of the time. From the blurb, I felt that there was a lot of potential in the story, however this was never realised. The pace is very slow and the story never really gets going. The ending is entirely predictable and indecisive. A disappointing read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

February 1348. The Black Death has come, and in the Forest of Dean Martin Collyer wakes up having survived, unlike the most of his family. Believing that Saint Cynryth, The White Maiden has protected him he vows to return her statue to Salster, on the other side of the country. On the way he is helped by Hob Cleve , a young man who saves him from an attack. On their pilgrimage deaths occur but are all the result of the plague.
An interesting and well-written historical story. Certainly shows the means that people may go to escape the plague, and survive to hopefully make a living once the plague withdraws
Received an ARC from the publisher

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sapere Books for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.

The Black and the White is a Medieval Mystery. Set in England during the black plague. You have two main characters, Martin and Hob that are complete opposites in every way. One religious, one just out for himself.

This is the first Medieval Mystery I have read and not my normal read, so I am finding it harder to review since I have no other Medieval Mysteries to compare it too. Overall a good book, well written and the author did a good job researching the Black Plague for accuracy. Definitely check it out.