What do you think?
Rate this book
Crowner John Mystery #13
Crowner Royal
London, 1196. At the command of Richard the Lionheart, Sir John de Wolfe has left his beloved West Country for the Palace of Westminster, where he has been appointed Coroner of the Verge. But with the king overseas, embroiled in a costly war against King Philip of France, Sir John is dismayed to discover that the English court is a hotbed of greed, corruption and petty in-fighting.
The murder of one of the palace clerks, stabbed in broad daylight and thrown into the River Thames, leads John to suspect that there's a conspiracy underway to overthrow King Richard. And with the visit of the dowager Queen Eleanor fast approaching, the new Coroner must risk his life to prove his suspicions are right, root out the traitors within and prevent a national catastrophe.
The murder of one of the palace clerks, stabbed in broad daylight and thrown into the River Thames, leads John to suspect that there's a conspiracy underway to overthrow King Richard. And with the visit of the dowager Queen Eleanor fast approaching, the new Coroner must risk his life to prove his suspicions are right, root out the traitors within and prevent a national catastrophe.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
42 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Knight
104 books137 followersAka Bernard Picton.
Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, (born 1931) became a Home Office pathologist in 1965 and was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, in 1980. He has been writing since before 1963, when his first crime novel was published. Since then, he has written about thirty books, including contemporary crime fiction, historical novels about Wales, biography, non-fiction popular works on forensic medicine, twelve medico-legal textbooks and the Crowner John Mysteries series of 12th-century historical mysteries.
In addition, he has written scripts for radio and television dramas and documentaries, including the forensic series The Expert starring Marius Goring, in the 1970s. He has contributed to many other textbooks and has edited several medical journals - he was Managing Editor of Elsevier's Forensic Science International, the leading international publication in the field.
Currently, he is a founder member of The Medieval Murderers, a select group of historical crime-writers within the Crime Writers' Association, who give presentations at literary festivals, libraries and bookshops, to promote their work amongst the public. He is also one of the non-fiction judges for the annual 'Dagger' Awards of the Crime Writers' Association and a regular reviewer of crime books for the Internet site Tangled Web.
He was born and lives in Cardiff and as well as being a doctor, he qualified as a barrister and was awarded the CBE in 1993 for services to forensic medicine. In the 1950s, he served as a Regular Army medical officer in Malaya during the terrorist campaign, in a military hospital which he compares with 'MASH'.
-Wikipedia
Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, (born 1931) became a Home Office pathologist in 1965 and was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, in 1980. He has been writing since before 1963, when his first crime novel was published. Since then, he has written about thirty books, including contemporary crime fiction, historical novels about Wales, biography, non-fiction popular works on forensic medicine, twelve medico-legal textbooks and the Crowner John Mysteries series of 12th-century historical mysteries.
In addition, he has written scripts for radio and television dramas and documentaries, including the forensic series The Expert starring Marius Goring, in the 1970s. He has contributed to many other textbooks and has edited several medical journals - he was Managing Editor of Elsevier's Forensic Science International, the leading international publication in the field.
Currently, he is a founder member of The Medieval Murderers, a select group of historical crime-writers within the Crime Writers' Association, who give presentations at literary festivals, libraries and bookshops, to promote their work amongst the public. He is also one of the non-fiction judges for the annual 'Dagger' Awards of the Crime Writers' Association and a regular reviewer of crime books for the Internet site Tangled Web.
He was born and lives in Cardiff and as well as being a doctor, he qualified as a barrister and was awarded the CBE in 1993 for services to forensic medicine. In the 1950s, he served as a Regular Army medical officer in Malaya during the terrorist campaign, in a military hospital which he compares with 'MASH'.
-Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 5, 2015
Description: London, 1196. At the command of Richard the Lionheart, Sir John de Wolfe has left his beloved West Country for the Palace of Westminster, where he has been appointed Coroner of the Verge. But with the king overseas, embroiled in a costly war against King Philip of France, Sir John is dismayed to discover that the English court is a hotbed of greed, corruption and petty in-fighting.
The murder of one of the palace clerks, stabbed in broad daylight and thrown into the River Thames, leads John to suspect that there's a conspiracy underway to overthrow King Richard. And with the visit of the dowager Queen Eleanor fast approaching, the new Coroner must risk his life to prove his suspicions are right, root out the traitors within and prevent a national catastrophe.
Total reboot. Of course I want to read Bernard Knight: my current slow-drip non-fic is 'Corpse', where Knight is frequently quoted and invoked.3* The Tinner's Corpse (Crowner John Mystery #5)
3* The Grim Reaper (Crowner John Mystery #6)
3* Fear in the Forest (Crowner John Mystery #7)
3* The Witch Hunter (Crowner John Mystery #8)
3* Figure of Hate (Crowner John Mystery #9)
3* The Noble Outlaw (Crowner John Mystery #11)
CR Crowner Royal (Crowner John Mystery, #13)
3* A Plague of Heretics (Crowner John Mystery #14)
2* Brennan
4* The Tainted Relic: An Historical Myster (The Medieval Murderers, #1)
4* The Sword of Shame (The Medieval Murderers, #2)
4* House of Shadows (The Medieval Murderers, #3)
3* The Lost Prophecies (The Medieval Murderers, #4)
3* Hill of Bones (The Medieval Murderers, #7)
3* The First Murder (The Medieval Murderers, #8)
April 17, 2018
Hadn't read any of the Crowner John books in years when I picked this up at a library sale back in February.
I had forgotten how good the books could be.
John, Gwyn and Thomas as in Westminster as John has been made the Crowner of the Verge, responsible for dealing with crimes in the environs of the court.
A delightfully tangled plot with several stunning twists and a delightful ending.
Highly recommended. You don't need to have read all the others as enough background information is given for the newer reader.
I had forgotten how good the books could be.
John, Gwyn and Thomas as in Westminster as John has been made the Crowner of the Verge, responsible for dealing with crimes in the environs of the court.
A delightfully tangled plot with several stunning twists and a delightful ending.
Highly recommended. You don't need to have read all the others as enough background information is given for the newer reader.
July 4, 2009
This is the thirteenth novel in the Crowner John series, where a medieval detective gets the nasty job of determining the various whodunit's that all seem to happen at the same time. This one has a little bit of everything in it, from the main character brooding about women troubles to him avidly supporting his absent King. There are bodies floating in rivers, lying face down in marshes, missing suspects, and the very important English treasure trove has been looted as well.
Before one mystery even gets close to solving another one occurs.. I was getting a little aggravated at the lack of expertise on the "coroner's" part. Crowner John was just recently awarded the post of "Coroner on the Verge" where he is in charge of all investigations that occur within the 12 mile radius of the Royal Palace of Westminster. Even that comes into question, where John needs to fight for his right to investigate the second murder. There was a lot of eating, in the Hall or in his rooms with the fare always being described in detail. The author takes a lot of time to create the atmosphere with his back story of the palace and the politics of the times.
I was not overly fond of the characterization of John: he was gruff, moody, facetious. His two sidekicks were not quite as rough as John but added a bit of human to the story. They clearly wanted to be back in their homes in Exeter and not in London. I enjoyed the mini history lessons and facts that were inserted throughout the mystery story line, but I did find the solving the actual mysteries a bit long winded due to the repeated discussion of the times. The medieval era is certainly something the author has a lot of knowledge of, I would have preferred a bit more drama for the present as well as the history. Once we got to the last quarter of the book, things started occurring and advancement in unraveling the conspiracies was being made, which were quite comical in some parts.
When we are not learning about the dark and musty residences, we are treated to John's apparent acute sex appeal, as the wife of a noble immediately sets him in her sights and blatantly makes passes at him during the aforementioned meals. John is portrayed as a man with an appetite for women and several times is caught commiserating about the wife he left behind in a nunnery. Yup. Seems I missed something in the previous novels, but despite John's attractiveness his wife has put herself in exile to be far from him and is now Sister Matilda. What's a man to do? He entertains an old girlfriend and of course has no qualms about bedding the married woman who bats her eyelashes. (OK, he does ponder his issues a few times.) Wait.. is this a conspiracy amongst the knights or the priests? The Old Queen Eleanor is on her way.. Her son Prince John does not have a good reputation yet some are talking behind closed doors about supporting him instead of his brother King Richard..Can John find the missing treasure trove pieces before she arrives, and can he find out who is behind all the dead bodies surrounding him?
An interesting medieval mystery, and recommended for those who enjoy slow developing mysteries with interesting twists.
Before one mystery even gets close to solving another one occurs.. I was getting a little aggravated at the lack of expertise on the "coroner's" part. Crowner John was just recently awarded the post of "Coroner on the Verge" where he is in charge of all investigations that occur within the 12 mile radius of the Royal Palace of Westminster. Even that comes into question, where John needs to fight for his right to investigate the second murder. There was a lot of eating, in the Hall or in his rooms with the fare always being described in detail. The author takes a lot of time to create the atmosphere with his back story of the palace and the politics of the times.
I was not overly fond of the characterization of John: he was gruff, moody, facetious. His two sidekicks were not quite as rough as John but added a bit of human to the story. They clearly wanted to be back in their homes in Exeter and not in London. I enjoyed the mini history lessons and facts that were inserted throughout the mystery story line, but I did find the solving the actual mysteries a bit long winded due to the repeated discussion of the times. The medieval era is certainly something the author has a lot of knowledge of, I would have preferred a bit more drama for the present as well as the history. Once we got to the last quarter of the book, things started occurring and advancement in unraveling the conspiracies was being made, which were quite comical in some parts.
When we are not learning about the dark and musty residences, we are treated to John's apparent acute sex appeal, as the wife of a noble immediately sets him in her sights and blatantly makes passes at him during the aforementioned meals. John is portrayed as a man with an appetite for women and several times is caught commiserating about the wife he left behind in a nunnery. Yup. Seems I missed something in the previous novels, but despite John's attractiveness his wife has put herself in exile to be far from him and is now Sister Matilda. What's a man to do? He entertains an old girlfriend and of course has no qualms about bedding the married woman who bats her eyelashes. (OK, he does ponder his issues a few times.) Wait.. is this a conspiracy amongst the knights or the priests? The Old Queen Eleanor is on her way.. Her son Prince John does not have a good reputation yet some are talking behind closed doors about supporting him instead of his brother King Richard..Can John find the missing treasure trove pieces before she arrives, and can he find out who is behind all the dead bodies surrounding him?
An interesting medieval mystery, and recommended for those who enjoy slow developing mysteries with interesting twists.
February 22, 2011
I like this series but, like John, his officer and his scribe, I prefer Devon to London for the setting.
In the description of the journey of Queen Eleanor, I could see Bernard Knight as an earlyday Dimbleby.
In the description of the journey of Queen Eleanor, I could see Bernard Knight as an earlyday Dimbleby.
November 20, 2020
This particular book finds Crowner John being brought from his beloved Exeter, where his estranged wife has threatened to take orders, to serve as the first royal coroner for the English court at Westminster. Naturally, there are problems. One of them is the ambiguous place of the royal coroner himself given the religious jurisdiction of Westminster and the hostility of the London tradesmen to the existence of a royal coroner at all. Naturally, the person to deal with this is Crowner John himself, who seems to be trusted by King Richard (and hostile to the future King John, which bodes ill for his longevity and power), William Marshal (a bit character here), and other people who are in high power. The bigger question is why the protagonist is trusted aside from the workings of authorial providence, since he seems remarkably slow on the uptake regarding the plots of others around him, since he seems so intent on chasing skirts--such as the wife of a French nobleman who openly flirts with others around him, as well as his sleeping business partner in a wool exporting business out of Exeter. And once again the author finds himself spending too much time showing the interior life of an unsympathetic protagonist who is a bully and an exploiter of women (and others) as well as venting his spleen about his hostility to religious figures.
The plot of this book is admittedly a strong point. A series of deaths ends up being connected, beginning with a member of low orders who listens in to treasonous conversation and finds his life snuffed out, and in the course of trying to figure out jurisdictional matters Crowner John finds himself being enlisted to guard the transfer of part of the royal treasury from Winchester to London, where it is needed to pay for King Richard's wars to preserve his Angevin patrimony. Meanwhile, the impending visit of the imposing Eleanor of Aquitaine to England puts the whole court under a fair amount of stress, while John deals with stress in his own personal life, which he does not handle well. If the author's dealing with matters of faith and with populist politics is not a strong suit (for some reason the author seems to dislike the lower classes, a snobbery that is not in any way earned by any sort of cultural or moral excellence on the part of the author's worldview), the plot itself has plenty of enjoyable setpieces, including the coroner browbeating juries into accepting his interpretations of events and a fortuitous discovery of the identity of the culprits at the end that ties everything together nicely and gets Crowner John back to his home of Exeter.
As is often the case, this is a book that leads one to question the character of the author. Does the author think that Crowner John is an appealing hero? Clearly the flaws that the character has are intentional--one does not make a sexually promiscuous bully who is frustrated by the demands of temporary celibacy on accident. But is the protagonist meant to stand in for the author at all in being rationalistic, not particularly devout, and lucky rather than good at his job as a coroner? As a coroner the titular hero shows himself far more interested in dealing with the political aspects of his job than in addressing the moral aspects of life or in being a suitable figure that others might want to model themselves after him. He seems a loyal enough servant of the Plantagenets, with a fondness for bringing revenue their way, and yet the moral failings and snobbery of the man make his politics more than suspect, and undercut the design of the coroner system in the first place as being something that the reader should support and endorse.
The plot of this book is admittedly a strong point. A series of deaths ends up being connected, beginning with a member of low orders who listens in to treasonous conversation and finds his life snuffed out, and in the course of trying to figure out jurisdictional matters Crowner John finds himself being enlisted to guard the transfer of part of the royal treasury from Winchester to London, where it is needed to pay for King Richard's wars to preserve his Angevin patrimony. Meanwhile, the impending visit of the imposing Eleanor of Aquitaine to England puts the whole court under a fair amount of stress, while John deals with stress in his own personal life, which he does not handle well. If the author's dealing with matters of faith and with populist politics is not a strong suit (for some reason the author seems to dislike the lower classes, a snobbery that is not in any way earned by any sort of cultural or moral excellence on the part of the author's worldview), the plot itself has plenty of enjoyable setpieces, including the coroner browbeating juries into accepting his interpretations of events and a fortuitous discovery of the identity of the culprits at the end that ties everything together nicely and gets Crowner John back to his home of Exeter.
As is often the case, this is a book that leads one to question the character of the author. Does the author think that Crowner John is an appealing hero? Clearly the flaws that the character has are intentional--one does not make a sexually promiscuous bully who is frustrated by the demands of temporary celibacy on accident. But is the protagonist meant to stand in for the author at all in being rationalistic, not particularly devout, and lucky rather than good at his job as a coroner? As a coroner the titular hero shows himself far more interested in dealing with the political aspects of his job than in addressing the moral aspects of life or in being a suitable figure that others might want to model themselves after him. He seems a loyal enough servant of the Plantagenets, with a fondness for bringing revenue their way, and yet the moral failings and snobbery of the man make his politics more than suspect, and undercut the design of the coroner system in the first place as being something that the reader should support and endorse.
October 26, 2020
In this book, Crowner John, along with his assistant, Gwyn, and his clerk, Thomas, have settled in at their new places at the Palace of Westminster, where John has been given the role of Crowner of the Verges, directly from King Richard - with no choice in the matter - and Gwyn and Thomas have moved there with him, to help him in their usual roles.
With his mistress, Nesta, now married to her Welsh Master Stonemason, and his wife, Mildred, still at the Priory of Plesloe, then his long-term friend, part-time lover, and recent business partner, Hilda, deciding that she prefers her much loved Devon, to the crowded streets of London, John is feeling decidedly down.
But this new job isn't giving him the distractions he needs, as there has been no claim in his ability as Coroner ever since they had arrived, around five weeks before.
And then life starts to get interesting, with the death of a Palace clerk, which was witnessed by himself and Gwyn.
So things start to become rather more interesting than John had wanted, with further murders, the stealing of part of a royal treasure trove, rumours of french spies, and a rather forward french lady, who John can't decide if she is after his body, or any secrets he might have!
With arguments happening between himself, and the sheriffs of London, as to who should deal with any dead bodies, and where the lines are drawn, between the Palace of Westminster, and the City of London, John and his men are finding it all but impossible to find out why, and by whom, the clerk was killed - and then a Cannon goes missing, and is reported as dead by the monks at St. Barts hospital.
Between searching for the stolen treasure, trying to solve the murders, and recovering from an attack on himself, John is finding it very hard to cope, and is wishing that he'd never left Exeter.
Then the Queen Mother, Eleanor, is due to visit Westminster, on her way to visit her younger son, Prince John, and things get even more complicated.
How John sorts out all these various problems is done more by luck, than judgement but, in the end, the treasure is found, and the murderers caught and, just as John has asked if he can leave this job, and go back home, Mildred turns up at the house!
I really enjoyed this story as, once again, it was rich in the details of both everyday life in the 12th century, and full of interesting facts about the people who ruled England at that time. It was also a great whodunnit, too 🙂
Now I'm on to the final book in the series: A Plague of Heretics!
I'm so sad that this series is almost done - but glad that, when I get back to it again, I'll have the great task of reading them all once again 🙂
With his mistress, Nesta, now married to her Welsh Master Stonemason, and his wife, Mildred, still at the Priory of Plesloe, then his long-term friend, part-time lover, and recent business partner, Hilda, deciding that she prefers her much loved Devon, to the crowded streets of London, John is feeling decidedly down.
But this new job isn't giving him the distractions he needs, as there has been no claim in his ability as Coroner ever since they had arrived, around five weeks before.
And then life starts to get interesting, with the death of a Palace clerk, which was witnessed by himself and Gwyn.
So things start to become rather more interesting than John had wanted, with further murders, the stealing of part of a royal treasure trove, rumours of french spies, and a rather forward french lady, who John can't decide if she is after his body, or any secrets he might have!
With arguments happening between himself, and the sheriffs of London, as to who should deal with any dead bodies, and where the lines are drawn, between the Palace of Westminster, and the City of London, John and his men are finding it all but impossible to find out why, and by whom, the clerk was killed - and then a Cannon goes missing, and is reported as dead by the monks at St. Barts hospital.
Between searching for the stolen treasure, trying to solve the murders, and recovering from an attack on himself, John is finding it very hard to cope, and is wishing that he'd never left Exeter.
Then the Queen Mother, Eleanor, is due to visit Westminster, on her way to visit her younger son, Prince John, and things get even more complicated.
How John sorts out all these various problems is done more by luck, than judgement but, in the end, the treasure is found, and the murderers caught and, just as John has asked if he can leave this job, and go back home, Mildred turns up at the house!
I really enjoyed this story as, once again, it was rich in the details of both everyday life in the 12th century, and full of interesting facts about the people who ruled England at that time. It was also a great whodunnit, too 🙂
Now I'm on to the final book in the series: A Plague of Heretics!
I'm so sad that this series is almost done - but glad that, when I get back to it again, I'll have the great task of reading them all once again 🙂
May 25, 2022
I have read several books in this series and liked them a lot. It amuses me that the covers sometimes read, "Gripping" or "Pulse-pounding" because one of the things I like about these books is that I can read them at bedtime and nod off to sleep. Yes, they are interesting, and yes, they are really really well-researched which, being a former history teacher, I appreciate. John, the aging but determined Crusader, is likable and so are his friends. When you start one of these books, you know what you are getting, and for a bedtime read, when you have to work the next day, I like that. I'm glad that the drama concerning John's brother-in-law ended, but the situations regarding Nesta and John's wife went on entirely too long, and had no resolutions at all until Book 12. In Book 13, we enter new territory and meet new characters, but still in the same laid-back but dependable style I have grown to enjoy.
April 29, 2023
We've spent a lot of time with Crowner John in Exeter so it was fascinating to follow him to London, operating among the machinations and intrigues of Richard's court. Another complex web of murder and mystery with a lot more at stake than ever before. The author's depiction of medieval London was great and added depth to the story. Five stars!
December 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I was into the story, I liked the characters (flaws and all) and I found the historical context interesting. I was impressed at how Knight built the tension using a very slow progression towards solving the “mystery”. It was well done. I will read more in this series for sure.
January 25, 2022
I read so many good reviews about Bernard night writing and I decided to try one of his books. I was definitely disappointed. The main character seems more interested in is lustful ways than in solving a murder. So, for me, Bernard night will not be one of my go-to authors.
July 19, 2019
Makes one want to visit London again. Excellent for history buffs.
August 28, 2020
Crowner John is maturing well
The story and plots are exciting and include some nice twists. Delving into John's emotional love life was a little tedious.
The story and plots are exciting and include some nice twists. Delving into John's emotional love life was a little tedious.
July 5, 2022
Weak plot and very sloppy writing.
January 12, 2023
courtly intrigue
Fast paced page turner that casts Crowner John in a different light.
Great twist at the end. Where is the next instalment going to lead?
Fast paced page turner that casts Crowner John in a different light.
Great twist at the end. Where is the next instalment going to lead?
October 25, 2025
Had me in the first half😂
It takes a minute to settle in but once you do, you won't put it down.
It takes a minute to settle in but once you do, you won't put it down.
March 20, 2017
A little too drawn out.
November 23, 2011
Crowner John has moved from the Devon west country where he was the Coroner for the county of Devon, but now at the behest of his king has become Coroner of the Verge, dealing with cases within a 12-mile radius of the King's Court, wherever it might be. He's homesick (as is his assistant Gwyn) and bored, as there seems to be very little activity--and when a dead body or two do show up, his jurisdiction is questioned at every turn by the local sheriff.
I wasn't as fond of this book as previous ones in the series...I liked the Devon setting as it's where my husband sister lives, so it was interesting reading about local history there. London and Winchester have been done to death, so to speak. LOL This book was also more fraught with political intrigue on the Royal level (as opposed to local political infighting as in previous books) which has never been a huge interest of mine. So far there's only one more book in this series, so perhaps the author also realizes that the series is growing a little lackluster and is stopping it. I'll certainly finish it off, but if Plague of Heretics is indeed the last, I think it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
I wasn't as fond of this book as previous ones in the series...I liked the Devon setting as it's where my husband sister lives, so it was interesting reading about local history there. London and Winchester have been done to death, so to speak. LOL This book was also more fraught with political intrigue on the Royal level (as opposed to local political infighting as in previous books) which has never been a huge interest of mine. So far there's only one more book in this series, so perhaps the author also realizes that the series is growing a little lackluster and is stopping it. I'll certainly finish it off, but if Plague of Heretics is indeed the last, I think it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
January 16, 2016
c2012: Westminster, spy, jewels, monks, conspiracy. Once again, the synopsis did not really do the book any justice at all. I am not a lover of conspiracy stories of any age but sadly this is such a common plot device that I can't seem to get away with it. At least in this book there is no plot revolving around danger to a loved one. It is a trip through medieval England and you are immersed in the sounds, smells, food, clothing and general routine which removes the focus from the plot which, I have to admit, is not one of the better ones. Whilst the main character has somewhat Non PC thoughts about women, they are not anachronistic and actually the women normally get their own back in subtle ways. So, I enjoyed this outing of Crowner John and wonder what Mr Knight has in store for him now. Definitely recommended to the normal crew.
July 29, 2012
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, but gave it three stars because Mr. Knight was a bit long winded about his enlightenment of the history of Richard the Lionheart. This was a bit taxing at times, but overall interesting. The narrator with his accent landed ideally to the authenticity of the story.
Once the story took off, I was captivated and really caught up with the investigation. I found myself being as frustrated as the main character as his investigation kept running into brick walls. But when it all comes together at the end, it was well thought out and delightful who done it.
Once the story took off, I was captivated and really caught up with the investigation. I found myself being as frustrated as the main character as his investigation kept running into brick walls. But when it all comes together at the end, it was well thought out and delightful who done it.
May 20, 2015
yeah. I have just one more to read and then I am done giving this series a chance. If I had to describe the action, I would say it goes over old ground again and again, is full of introductions and explanations of who is who and what is what and on and on. It is a very detached narrative as if a boring teacher is trying to explain history to a lesser being. I've only read two of these and have had to read explanations of how many "mistresses" John had over the years. Yeah. Well, on to the last attempt to find something interesting.
January 18, 2011
Excellent medieval masterpiece, only one criticism, he occasionally forgets the names of his lesser characters e.g in the last book, Avice was named as Gwyn's wife in this one he called her Martha even though it's obviously the same character ,also Rufus the castle's monk is sometimes called Ralph .
March 6, 2014
Rubbish. clunky and stilted, I could never forget that it was a book; someone had written it and I was reading it. I never immersed.
Now it might have taken off after a few more pages than the twenty or so I managed, but there are too many books out there that I want to read to waste any more time on it.
Now it might have taken off after a few more pages than the twenty or so I managed, but there are too many books out there that I want to read to waste any more time on it.
December 31, 2012
Nowhere near as interesting as others by Bernard Knight. There was too much description of John de Wolfe's life in Westminster - no wonder he wanted to get back to Exeter as quickly as possible. The murderous action was a long time coming..!
March 25, 2016
Whodunnit set in eleventh century England.
Apart from getting an idea about early London
and its surrounding, not much to be gained.
Painfully slow, the mystery part is quite weak
and not a good read.
Apart from getting an idea about early London
and its surrounding, not much to be gained.
Painfully slow, the mystery part is quite weak
and not a good read.
March 14, 2010
Not as good as his previous books.
March 25, 2010
might have worked better is I was reading it versus listening. It moved at the pace of the middle ages...and that is hard for me! Lots of seemingly accurate period detail...did not finish.
August 30, 2010
I enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing until the end.
July 28, 2015
A great book and series..I started immediately on the next one and then have a few priors to read.
My favorite series of all times..
My favorite series of all times..
October 15, 2016
Seemed like this was written to display a panoply of background information about the period. Interesting but story developed very slowly as a result.
September 12, 2014
I love all the Crowner John books. This one was different but I still found it a good read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews