The Prince's Man

Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mysteries #13

by Sarah Woodbury

Gareth & Gwen are caught up in another round of wedding mayhem in medieval Wales!

In the aftermath of Prince Rhun’s death, King Owain and King Madog agreed their children should marry as a way to seal the peace between them. Two years later, the wedding date has finally arrived, though relations between the two kingdoms have improved only to the extent that they aren’t actually at war.

So when an innocent falls victim to a poisoned dish, even Queen Cristina is so desperate for the event to take place that she begs Gareth and Gwen to head off another round of murder—and wedding mayhem—in medieval Wales. The Prince’s Man is the thirteenth Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mystery.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2022

About the author

With over a million books sold to date, Sarah Woodbury is the author of more than forty novels, all set in medieval Wales. Although an anthropologist by training, and then a full-time homeschooling mom for twenty years, she began writing fiction when the stories in her head overflowed and demanded that she let them out. While her ancestry is Welsh, she only visited Wales for the first time at university. She has been in love with the country, language, and people ever since. She even convinced her husband to give all four of their children Welsh names.

Sarah is a member of the Historical Authors Fiction Cooperative (HFAC), the Historical Novel Society, and Novelists, Inc. (NINC).


She makes her home in Oregon.

Reviews

[Bron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love this series. I started off liking them for the murder mysteries but now 13 books in, I find I'm completely caught up in the ongoing background stories of life in the service of King Owain of Gwynedd. As far as I can tell, the author has paid meticulous attention to the details of life in medieval Wales. Added to this, her main characters are very likeable and have considerable depth.
In this story everyone is gathered at the King's palace at Denbigh to witness the marriage of one of his younger sons. All seems to be going well until, a few days before the festivities, a dog dies after stealing it's master's breakfast. This sets in train a lot of events and stirs up a lot of history - some of it leading Gareth in the wrong direction. But he soon discovers there's far more going on than the petty jealousy which seems to have resulted in the dog's demise - especially when someone tries to kill Gareth's wife, Gwen.

[Voirrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good to see these people again. Their growth and development, and changing attitudes and relationships are, as always, an integral, and welcome, part of the whole.

King Owain's son is due to marry the daughter of King Madog of Powys - since the murder of Owain's heir Rhun, and the attempted murder of his new heir Hywel, the two kings have been less than friendly - but this is a real love match and it should improve the relationship.

At first it seems Gareth is being called on to investigate the death of a dog, but soon there is a web of intrigue and misunderstanding that suggests something more is going on.....

As always, Owain's treacherous younger brother (and brother-in-law of Madog) Cadwaldr's shadow hangs over the feast.

[Amber Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining adventure in medieval Wales! Gareth and Gwen and their extended family are loveable, believable characters I follow avidly. This story of an investigation into the death of a dog was interesting, funny, perilous, and tugged at the heartstrings. A few sections felt repetitive and could have been summarized or shortened. Something felt off about the audio, and the only way I can describe it is that it sounds like the narration was deliberately slowed down after recording, but it didn't prevent me from listening and understanding. It was also more challenging for me to keep up with the characters while listening versus reading. There were a lot of them. However, I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the next one!

[Ruhani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a challenge which is why I read book #13 and not #1. And came across a whole lot of people and a long back story. I think I somehow managed to distinguish the various people and their relationships to each other. All in all it was not a bad mystery and the 12th century setting in Wales was nice though - maybe because of the language used - it seemed far too modern. I thought the story moved a bit slow if only because it was so descriptive. Every thought of every character was described but it was well written so I managed to get through the book without giving it up. Bad idea to start at #13 is all I can say. I may have had a totally different experience had I started with #1.

[ML Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Gwen and Gareth series. It is quite amazing to follow the characters' stories for so long, but also the Welsh history - which of course is so tied to English History - and I really like the perspective Sarah Woodbury takes on how these things impacted regular people. I love the fact that she includes the court musicians. I love the fact that Gwen, while fulfilling a wife/mother/woman role is also respected for her mind and her contributions to the mysteries they solve. There are many interesting things that keep me coming back 14 books into the series.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone is gathered at Denbigh for the marriage of King Owain’s son, Iorwerth, to King Madog’s daughter, Marered. As with Gareth and Gwen stories, Gareth is awakened by Gwalchmai by Queen Cristina’s request to see about a murder. Turns out that it is a dog, Annwyn, who has been murdered by poison. Thus begins another investigation. Along the way, Gwalchmai is attacked, the dog’s body disappears, the rains and melting snow cause the rivers to flood and Gene is pushed into the rushing torrent. Plus Caldwaldr returns and is accepted back.

[Jena Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long start.

I do love a good mystery! It was a little hard getting into this one. the number of past and present characters. Once you get going it once again an awesome murder mystery!

[Wendy Bayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all the Gareth and Gwen books all included stellar writing,
This was a departure from the usual type of investigation that the couple find themselves embroiled in.
I will admit to being a little disappointed in the lack of high drama and tension that I had come to expect.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so wonderful to read about these people again! Truly, thirteen books is not enough, Sarah Woodbury. Write on, please.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters and believable plots.

[Linda Zdarsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

These lads are growing up

I do hope there are more Gwen and Gareth stories to come, with their growing up sons taking an even bigger role.

[Nance Roepke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love the series and I particularly like Gwen.

[Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish Laurel Schroeder had read this book. I enjoyed the story but even on an increased speed, Tom Mumford's voice was droning. It was interesting how the death of a dog escalated so a
quickly.

[Alayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very convoluted tale in which nothing was quite as it seemed! Very enjoyable.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince’s Man is kind of like dejá vu all over again meets a roller coaster ride – only this is in 13th century Wales, in the middle of a flood zone. It’s difficult to keep up with all the nuances surrounding this mystery.

King Owain of Gwynedd and his family are preparing for the wedding of Iorwerth, King Owain’s oldest legitimate son (check out the book for the rules of the time regarding succession issues in Wales), and Marared, daughter of King Madog of Powys. Negotiations for the wedding have taken nearly two years, and Madog apparently doesn’t want it to happen. He has a host of picky conditions that must be met, or the wedding is off. One of these is that the music will be provided by Madog’s court musicians from Powys.

Two days before the wedding, a dog belonging to Nest, the talented sister of King Madog’s bard, Deri, dies. Everyone immediately assumes it has been poisoned. Nest and Deri break out into a loud fight, each accusing the other of trying to poison them. Queen Cristina, King Owain’s wife, sends for Gareth to untangle the supposed murder and quiet the combatants.

Much confusion follows. Gwalchmai, Gwen’s brother, the person sent to get Gareth, is attacked in the garden as he is attempting to take the remains of the supposedly poisoned porridge to his stepmother, the healer and herbalist, Saran. Later, somebody attempts to push Gwen into the nearby river, which, no thanks to a run of abysmal weather, is in flood stage, threatening surrounding farms and roads and worrying the wedding guests about how they will be able to get home.

When someone has a chance to examine the dog in a few moments of calm, it turns out that she did not die of poison after all. But later still, a vial of the most deadly poison is found in the wagon of Andreas, Deri and Nest’s steward/manager. A plot against King Owain is suspected.

But another twist. Before any answers can be attached to the questions they go with, Cadwaladr, King Owain’s brother, reappears. Asking to be taken back into his family, no less. Everyone who has followed this series along from the beginning will be as surprised as Gareth when King Owain and Queen Susanna (Madog’s wife and Owain and Cadwaladr’s sister) somewhat reluctantly agree. The subsequent discussion among our investigators suspects that it may be a matter of ‘keeping your enemies closer.’ Others point out that perhaps, since Cadwaladr is the youngest sibling, Owain and especially Susanna still remember him as nothing more than a mischievous toddler. In any case, he’s baaaaack.

Once the wedding is over and Gareth and his assistants are free to resume their investigation, you can’t really blame him when his thoughts jump to Cadwaladr as the guilty party. After all, he is here now. But as Gareth reminds himself, not all crimes are necessarily Cadwaladr’s doing.

It is Gwen who finally gets to hear the full story of the intended possible victim and the shocking reason why.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an intriguing and interesting death to solve. Very twisty and kept me guessing till the end. Different narrator almost made it not enjoyable, but I got used to him.