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Oswald the Thief
London, 1308. “All I need is a Plan!” So says Oswald of Harlech, a misplaced Welshman in the heart of London. Besides his trade as a tinker, he also robs houses, cuts purses, plays a crooked shell game, and has a way with the ladies. But this time, caught in the act of robbing a house, he is blackmailed by the scheming Keeper of the King’s Wardrobe into stealing the Crown Jewels from the impenetrable Tower of London. Gathering his gang of friends—his half-wit companion who is uncannily adept at picking locks, his greedy landlord, a mad alchemist, a desperate but beautiful alehouse owner, and a man-of-few-words blacksmith—Oswald must steal the jewels, avoid the gallows, skirt some unscrupulous moneylenders, get the girl, and escape the sheriffs’ clutches, all with sly wit and good humor. It’s Ocean’s 11 in the Middle Ages!
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2022
26 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Jeri Westerson
51 books430 followersLos Angeles native JERI WESTERSON currently writes two new series: a Tudor mystery series, the King’s Fool Mysteries, with Henry VIII’s real court jester Will Somers as the sleuth and a Sherlockian pastiche series called An Irregular Detective Mystery, with one of Holmes’ former Baker Street Irregulars opening his own detective agency. She’s also written fifteen Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mysteries, a series nominated for thirteen awards from the Agatha, to the Macavity, to the Shamus. She’s written several paranormal series (including a gaslamp-steampunk fantasy series), standalone historical novels, and had stories in several anthologies, the latest of which was included in SOUTH CENTRAL NOIR, an Akashic Noir anthology. She has served as president of the SoCal Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, president and vice president for two chapters of Sisters in Crime (Orange County and Los Angeles), and is also a founding member of the SoCal chapter of the Historical Novel Society. See JeriWesterson.com for discussion guides, book trailers, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 31, 2022
Oswald the Thief Earns 5+/5 Minstrel Songs…Clever, Witty & Epic Caper!
It’s 1308, London, and although one might have the experience, the skill, and a plan, things can always go wrong. Oswald of Harlech, also known by some as The Welshman, had learned a tinker’s trade, but he also perfected the Game: pickpocketing, the Shell, and the more lucrative burglary. He also loves the ladies. His latest was a young maid and using the details he gleaned set to rob her master, but he didn’t count on a booby trapped solar, a guard, and an awakened master impeding his escape, and of course, the dead body in the garden. Oswald did get away, but the next morning, the aggrieved master, Lord Keeper of the King’s Wardrobe, arrives at his door. To his surprise the man stood alone, no sheriff to back him up, with an offer meant to stave off the gallows. Lord Keeper threaten a hue and cry for burglary and also of murder unless Oswald completed a job for which he is well suited: steal the Crown Jewels! No matter how innocent of murder and no gold had he been able to take, he was well and caught, but to minimize the threat, Oswald decided he needed to know more about the dead body and its connection to the Lord Keeper. He needs a crew! He needs a plan! He needs all the luck he can muster!
Jeri Westerson did not disappoint with this well-written, sometimes intense, “medieval caper.” The plan to burgle the Tower of London is an engaging storyline using insider access, recruiting of a diverse set of chums, and Oswald’s confidence to accomplish an impossible task, but throughout it is questionable whether or not it is a fool’s errand? The suspicious death of a young man in the Lord Keeper’s household is one way to get the upper hand in this quid pro quo arrangement, but getting information is hindered by the fact the sheriffs in the investigation know him all too well, Lord Keeper is stonewalling any interest, and of course, a lack of any modern tools and forensic knowledge. Add to the company a reluctant landlord who knows how to read and write, a simpleton with great skill and greater loyalty, a “not a wench” woman who herself is in jeopardy, an oddball alchemist who has something they need, and a mighty blacksmith whose brawn is valuable. But, there are secrets, two shadows, and a change in the timeline that kept me swiping left. Jeri Westerson’s writing style is one I’ve always enjoyed with sensory-laden description anchored in all of the medieval society, and the first-person narrative from Oswald’s perspective is well-written in his voice with words sometimes abbreviated or written using slang. The characters are quite diverse in class, status, mental acuity, and temperament, but some are not as they seem. Excellent entertainment! This is definitely a top candidate for my top 2022 reads!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
It’s 1308, London, and although one might have the experience, the skill, and a plan, things can always go wrong. Oswald of Harlech, also known by some as The Welshman, had learned a tinker’s trade, but he also perfected the Game: pickpocketing, the Shell, and the more lucrative burglary. He also loves the ladies. His latest was a young maid and using the details he gleaned set to rob her master, but he didn’t count on a booby trapped solar, a guard, and an awakened master impeding his escape, and of course, the dead body in the garden. Oswald did get away, but the next morning, the aggrieved master, Lord Keeper of the King’s Wardrobe, arrives at his door. To his surprise the man stood alone, no sheriff to back him up, with an offer meant to stave off the gallows. Lord Keeper threaten a hue and cry for burglary and also of murder unless Oswald completed a job for which he is well suited: steal the Crown Jewels! No matter how innocent of murder and no gold had he been able to take, he was well and caught, but to minimize the threat, Oswald decided he needed to know more about the dead body and its connection to the Lord Keeper. He needs a crew! He needs a plan! He needs all the luck he can muster!
Jeri Westerson did not disappoint with this well-written, sometimes intense, “medieval caper.” The plan to burgle the Tower of London is an engaging storyline using insider access, recruiting of a diverse set of chums, and Oswald’s confidence to accomplish an impossible task, but throughout it is questionable whether or not it is a fool’s errand? The suspicious death of a young man in the Lord Keeper’s household is one way to get the upper hand in this quid pro quo arrangement, but getting information is hindered by the fact the sheriffs in the investigation know him all too well, Lord Keeper is stonewalling any interest, and of course, a lack of any modern tools and forensic knowledge. Add to the company a reluctant landlord who knows how to read and write, a simpleton with great skill and greater loyalty, a “not a wench” woman who herself is in jeopardy, an oddball alchemist who has something they need, and a mighty blacksmith whose brawn is valuable. But, there are secrets, two shadows, and a change in the timeline that kept me swiping left. Jeri Westerson’s writing style is one I’ve always enjoyed with sensory-laden description anchored in all of the medieval society, and the first-person narrative from Oswald’s perspective is well-written in his voice with words sometimes abbreviated or written using slang. The characters are quite diverse in class, status, mental acuity, and temperament, but some are not as they seem. Excellent entertainment! This is definitely a top candidate for my top 2022 reads!
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.
April 17, 2024
Oswald is a half English, half Welsh charming bastard thieving tinker who gets trapped by a corrupt noble into doing a burglary. He only has to break into The Tower and steal the Crown Jewels. So that shouldn't be too hard, right?
This was a really fun mediaeval caper. Westerson, as always, did a great job with the research of early 14th century London. She has the map of the Tower in the front of the book along with a brief list of terms, both of which are helpful for readers who may be new to her stories. The sights, sounds, smells (ugh), and social rules of mediaeval London shine through in every page.
Similarly, the characters are well crafted and complex. An honest thief? A corrupt noble? A man with the mind of a child but the skill to pick any lock in front of him? Check, check, and check. All the characters in this book are thoughtfully detailed and never one dimensional.
One thing I really like about this book - and actually about all of Westerson's historical fiction - is that her characters are not all just nobles, royals, or church people. They're mainly just regular people, the Pastons instead of the Plantagenets. They're actually people most readers can identify with in ways we cannot with those of higher rank.
I think it's a fucking tragedy that Westerson couldn't get a traditional publisher to pick this book up. It was intended to be the first in a new series and I really hope we will get to read more about Oswald and his adventures in the future. It was a lot of fun and our should get more attention than it has.
I highly recommend this, as I do all of Westerson's books. They're well researched, the writing is fast paced, and they're all witty and funny.
This was a really fun mediaeval caper. Westerson, as always, did a great job with the research of early 14th century London. She has the map of the Tower in the front of the book along with a brief list of terms, both of which are helpful for readers who may be new to her stories. The sights, sounds, smells (ugh), and social rules of mediaeval London shine through in every page.
Similarly, the characters are well crafted and complex. An honest thief? A corrupt noble? A man with the mind of a child but the skill to pick any lock in front of him? Check, check, and check. All the characters in this book are thoughtfully detailed and never one dimensional.
One thing I really like about this book - and actually about all of Westerson's historical fiction - is that her characters are not all just nobles, royals, or church people. They're mainly just regular people, the Pastons instead of the Plantagenets. They're actually people most readers can identify with in ways we cannot with those of higher rank.
I think it's a fucking tragedy that Westerson couldn't get a traditional publisher to pick this book up. It was intended to be the first in a new series and I really hope we will get to read more about Oswald and his adventures in the future. It was a lot of fun and our should get more attention than it has.
I highly recommend this, as I do all of Westerson's books. They're well researched, the writing is fast paced, and they're all witty and funny.
July 11, 2022
Thief, pickpocket, burglar, conman: Oswald is all of these and also an unregenerate womaniser. From the bed of a housemaid he goes in search of the lord’s treasure and finds it. Alas, as he is creeping out he is seen by a guard, and his loot is scattered in the ensuing chase. He is also spotted by the lord himself before he leaps out of a window to make his escape, only to trip over a corpse in the garden. Well, that’s Oswald. Womaniser, burglar, always with a Plan and for whom things tend to go wrong.
His lordship recognised our hero. (As the story progresses, it seems most of London knows him.) Lord Percy de Mandeville is Keeper of the Wardrobe at the Tower of London, and he has an audacious enterprise he wants Oswald to carry out: stealing the crown jewels from the Tower. If Oswald doesn’t agree, it’s the noose for burglary and murder.
Oswald comes up with a Plan. To help him is his friend, the simple and unworldly Geoff, who has a useful talent as a lock-breaker; also the ever-complaining Walter, their landlord – his talent is he can read – who reluctantly gets roped in. The gang is completed by a loony alchemist, a strong but silent blacksmith, and Alison, a tavern owner whose late husband left her in debt. Needless to say, our hero takes a shine to her.
This is a rollicking good story, with a protagonist who is a lovable villain, an interesting cast of secondary characters, a textbook villain, and lots of laughs along the way. The plot is implausible but that’s the kind of book it is. If the reader can suspend their disbelief they will enjoy this delightful romp.
Having assembled such an interesting and likable cast of characters, I would hope the author has more adventures in store for them. It would be a shame to just let them pass away into oblivion.
There were a very few typos, but I highly recommend the for those looking for a light and humorous read.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
His lordship recognised our hero. (As the story progresses, it seems most of London knows him.) Lord Percy de Mandeville is Keeper of the Wardrobe at the Tower of London, and he has an audacious enterprise he wants Oswald to carry out: stealing the crown jewels from the Tower. If Oswald doesn’t agree, it’s the noose for burglary and murder.
Oswald comes up with a Plan. To help him is his friend, the simple and unworldly Geoff, who has a useful talent as a lock-breaker; also the ever-complaining Walter, their landlord – his talent is he can read – who reluctantly gets roped in. The gang is completed by a loony alchemist, a strong but silent blacksmith, and Alison, a tavern owner whose late husband left her in debt. Needless to say, our hero takes a shine to her.
This is a rollicking good story, with a protagonist who is a lovable villain, an interesting cast of secondary characters, a textbook villain, and lots of laughs along the way. The plot is implausible but that’s the kind of book it is. If the reader can suspend their disbelief they will enjoy this delightful romp.
Having assembled such an interesting and likable cast of characters, I would hope the author has more adventures in store for them. It would be a shame to just let them pass away into oblivion.
There were a very few typos, but I highly recommend the for those looking for a light and humorous read.
Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
May 23, 2022
What's better than a good caper movie? A book! But wait .. It's not just a caper, it's a medieval caper! Pick up this book and settle down for a fun read that you won't want to put down. Oswald is a tinker, and a theif, but he finds himself blackmailed into stealing the jewels from the Tower of London. His friend Geoff, his surly landlord, an alehouse owner, a blacksmith and an alchemist, who may or may not be crazy, are all recruited to help.
I know we aren't supposed to root for the thief, but Oswald is so much more than that. He's written with so much heart, that you can't help but feel kinship with him. He's charming, kind, and a bit of a rogue but he's a complex character and I felt drawn to him. As in all her books, the author uses a myriad of small details, in both actions and words, to bring her characters to life. This attention to the small details that make a big impression is also present in the setting. You feel as if you know them, and can visualize what's happening.
This was a joy to read, it was fun and paced fast, so you really want to keep reading. I didn't want to put it down once I started it.
I know we aren't supposed to root for the thief, but Oswald is so much more than that. He's written with so much heart, that you can't help but feel kinship with him. He's charming, kind, and a bit of a rogue but he's a complex character and I felt drawn to him. As in all her books, the author uses a myriad of small details, in both actions and words, to bring her characters to life. This attention to the small details that make a big impression is also present in the setting. You feel as if you know them, and can visualize what's happening.
This was a joy to read, it was fun and paced fast, so you really want to keep reading. I didn't want to put it down once I started it.
April 6, 2023
Would make a great TV show!
A breezy read with the perfect amount of character and world description, making it come alive in my mind as if I was watching a show - the mark of a great author, in my mind.
I was sucked into the story and each of the players became quickly cared about or despised according to their character.
I also really enjoyed the sprinkling of the words that I needed to refer to the glossary for, and how easily integrated they were, so that they seemed so normal by the next time I encountered them in the book.
I would definitely love to see more if this was to turn into a series of books.
A breezy read with the perfect amount of character and world description, making it come alive in my mind as if I was watching a show - the mark of a great author, in my mind.
I was sucked into the story and each of the players became quickly cared about or despised according to their character.
I also really enjoyed the sprinkling of the words that I needed to refer to the glossary for, and how easily integrated they were, so that they seemed so normal by the next time I encountered them in the book.
I would definitely love to see more if this was to turn into a series of books.
July 27, 2022
I thought that this book was a very fun premise and was a very entertaining read. I liked how the author kept the authenticity and historical accuracy of the time period while also keeping the story entertaining.
Overall though, it lacked a proper sense of time and pacing. It was quick sometimes, slow other times.
Still would recommend for a fun heist novel with a medieval twist.
Overall though, it lacked a proper sense of time and pacing. It was quick sometimes, slow other times.
Still would recommend for a fun heist novel with a medieval twist.
September 29, 2022
A Thief with Heart
Oz is my new favorite medieval thief. He has heart and his band of cohorts are a likable bunch but it’s Oz’ mind for planning that kept me turning the pages. Westerson really knows how to spin a tale! She has given her fans a new unconventional hero who I hope to see more of in future writings.
Oz is my new favorite medieval thief. He has heart and his band of cohorts are a likable bunch but it’s Oz’ mind for planning that kept me turning the pages. Westerson really knows how to spin a tale! She has given her fans a new unconventional hero who I hope to see more of in future writings.
May 31, 2022
A clever story about a charming thief who develops a plan to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. Very entertaining.
June 4, 2022
This needs to be the first book in a series. So much fun!
September 5, 2022
Received a copy from the author who is new to me. This had a great cast of characters and I enjoyed their journey to try to retrieve the king's jewels!
January 25, 2023
Not one of my favorites. Dragged along. Did not capture my interest like her other novels have.
June 29, 2022
A Middle Ages Leverage
Oswald The Thief is coerced into stealing the Crown Jewels when bad timing brings him under suspicion of murder. For this, he will need a team to breach the Tower of London as well as assist in unmasking the true murderer.
What a fun tale! I enjoyed the characters, the time, and the storyline. Oz is a charming roguish sort who loves it best when he has a plan. Now, to put that plan to work...
Oswald The Thief is coerced into stealing the Crown Jewels when bad timing brings him under suspicion of murder. For this, he will need a team to breach the Tower of London as well as assist in unmasking the true murderer.
What a fun tale! I enjoyed the characters, the time, and the storyline. Oz is a charming roguish sort who loves it best when he has a plan. Now, to put that plan to work...
February 11, 2023
loved it what a wonderful read it takes the reader on a journey that you are sad when its over its that good
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews