The Alehouse Murders

Templar Knight Mystery #1

by Maureen Ash

After years of captivity in the Holy Land, Templar Bascot de Marins escapes with injuries to his body and soul. Now on sojourn at Lincoln Castle, he hopes to regain his strength, and mend his waning faith-but not even the peace of God's countryside is safe from the mortal crimes of man... When four victims are found slain in the town alehouse, Bascot discovers that what appears to be the grisly end to a drunken row is in fact a cunning and baffling case of murder. Bascot tracks his quarry from bawdy-house to baron's keep, once again risking his life for the justice of God's will.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Medieval, Fiction, British Literature

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2007

About the author

Maureen Ash was born in London, England, and has had a lifelong interest in British medieval history. Visits to castle ruins and old churches have provided the inspiration for her novels. She enjoys Celtic music, browsing in bookstores and Belgian chocolate. Maureen now lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Reviews

[Amy Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm doing some catch-up reading for the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge. I started the year off good and then immediately got behind. C'est la vie. My second read is The Alehouse Murders by Maureen Ash, part of the Templar Knight mystery series. As you may have already guessed, it's a medieval murder mystery set in Lincoln, England, in the year 1200. I chose it mostly for the setting. As you may know, I love medieval mysteries and I especially like anything from that particular time period. It's the age of Robin Hood, and my favorite era.

My overall impression of this story was that it's rather - quiet. The story is subdued and the sleuth, Bascot de Marins, is almost in the background compared to the other characters, particularly the suspects. That might sound like a bad thing but it's really not. It's actually fitting when you think about it. What should a sleuth do but listen and watch, staying a little apart from everyone to see what's really going on. I think this contrast actually makes Bascot stand out a little more. Plus, he's a likable character with a scarred history and personal turmoil over his past choices and future decisions. He's compassionate and you can tell without a lot of smoke and flash that there is more to him than meets the eye. (That was actually an unintentional pun - he lost one eye in the Crusades.) And I really enjoyed the relationship between Bascot and his young, mute charge, Gianni. Gianni, despite not saying a word, is also a lovable character from his behavior alone.

As to the actual murder mystery, I had no clue whodunnit until the tale end. I did guess before the reveal, but it could have worked out differently. I have to say I was not into the story that much until the middle when an exciting twist is revealed. At the start, I had no idea how it would all connect and it took me until about the half-way point to really care that much. Thereafter, Ash had my attention, and she kept it going with the palpable tension among the suspects. There is very little action apart from the actual crimes, but you don't miss it. There's so much tension between the characters from the start, and even between races with the included historical import of the Jewish community in England at the time.

With all historical-based novels, setting detail is important to inform the reader and ground you in that world and Ash does a stupendous job of doing just that. It's easy to imagine the land, castle, and town. I know different readers may prefer varying amounts of historical detail, but I eat up specifics, especially for this time period. Along that line is a subplot that's entirely unrelated to the murder. Bascot orders custom boots to relieve pain in his foot from an old injury. It's a small thing, but the details and the personal nature of that side story has stuck in my mind. And Ash does tie it in to the murder mystery via information from the shop owner's son.

All-in-all this is a murder mystery grounded in details and subtleties. It's a quieter read with a lot of personal touches that draw you to Bascot and his companion. But the tension and unexpected twists really make this a mystery worth reading.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

It kind of feels like a grand statement, but this book really is a masterpiece. It showcases some of the best writing talent in the game. The mystery was interesting and the intrigue was very tangible, though it was honestly very understated overall. This isn't a high-tension murder mystery by any means; Ash's characters plod through their daily lives with this murder to solve sort of butting into the things they were already doing. There are no CSI Los Vegas dramatics--though the twist (?) reveal is very satisfying.

But if any of those things sound like they are negative assessments, that couldn't be further from the truth. For a book about murder, it was a rather pleasant read. The plot didn't meander, but it did wander purposefully toward its conclusion without trying to pretend it was anything it wasn't. This mystery wasn't what sold me on the book.

The period writing is fascinating and the characters (some of them real people that truly lived) each had depth of character; strong, clear, compelling motivations; a wide array of humanizing traits; and an integral part to play in a tight, well laid out story. I have never seen character minutia presented so well, allowing the author to delve into clear and satisfying descriptions of the (many) characters that helped me tell them apart and remember all their (old-timey) names, but also allow me to feel like I was really following the inner monologue of the current character. Descriptions were not only skin deep, but also managed to paint a picture of the person and their relevant traits while connecting to the plot and moving it forward. Very satisfying and certainly the first time I've ever encountered this done so well throughout an entire work.

This is another book for me this year that isn't going to change my life or stick with me forever, but I really admire the craft in the writing and look forward to continuing the series for more stress-free, compelling, realistic fiction.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bascot de Marins is a Templar Knight battling with his faith and the decision of whether to stay in the order or leave. While he is contemplating his future, he is sent to stay with the sheriff of Lincoln (England) and his wife. A string of murders occurs during his stay and he his charged with the task of discovering the murderer.

It was such a pleasure to be transported to the times of Knights, castles, feasts and tournaments in England. I think these kinds of settings are magical for me. And Ash does a wonderful job of bringing them to life…from the hubbub of the castle during the festivities, to the “segregated” elements of society: the Jews and the lepers. Bascot de Marins is a great protagonist, once again, a character battling internal conflict at the same time he’s battling external conflicts. I absolutely love Gianni. Ash created him in such a way that you can’t help but want to take care of him yourself, but he and Bascot seem to have a symbiotic relationship; it’s hard to imagine them parting ways. I was equally entranced by Nicolaa de la Haye. A strong, assertive female in this time period is attractive. Since I’m planning to follow this series, I hope to see more development of her character. Ash seemed to start to develop her, but then not really take it anywhere. There were also great supporting characters that played rather minor roles. Roget I found to provide some humor, even though he was supposed to be feared by all the people of Lincoln. The way he used that fear was rather cunning. And Lady Hilde played a great spy.

While I could see the end coming, I wasn’t really paying a lot of conscious attention to it because I was very caught up in the development of the characters. Language more in sync with the time period would have been nice, but for many that would probably be a drawback.

I really enjoyed this novel. Parts of it made me think of The Sound of Music. I will be checking into the next of this series.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE ALEHOUSE MURDERS (Mystery/Historical-Bascot de Marins-England-1200) – G+
Ash, Maureen – 1st in series
Berkeley Prime Crime, 2007, US Paperback – 9780425217658

First Sentence: Heat hung like a sodden blanket over Lincoln town and the surrounding countryside.

Templar Bascot de Marins is recovering from eight years captivity in the Holy Lands. He, along with his mute servant, Gianni, is recovering at Lincoln Castle and trying to decide about his future. Lady Nicolaa is castellan of Lincoln Castle and responsible to the king for it’s security. When informed that four bodies have been found in the town’s Alehouse, Lady Nicloaa asks Bascot to investigate.

This was a book desperately needing a cast of characters at the beginning. I did find it rather difficult to keep track of everyone their relationships to everyone else. That aside, I really enjoyed the story. The author’s research into the period was apparent, interesting and educational. I appreciated seeing strong female characters in the 1200s. What really held me to the story, however, was the protagonist. We learn of Bascot’s background throughout the story, yet felt I wanted to know more. His sidekick, Gianni, is a wonderful contrast to Bascot. Even with my occasional confusion about some of the characters, the story’s plot was wonderfully absorbing and great twists and revelations along the way. I definitely recommend this book and am happy to know there will be other books in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 Templer Brescot Mysteries

A very enjoyable Medieval mystery. It is Summer 1200 AD and Templer Bascot de Marins has returned to England after 7 years of imprisonment and torture by the Sarceans while on Crusade with King Richard. Bascot lost an eye and damaged an ankle through torture, and he has lost much of his faith in the Templer order. Through rest and good meals Bascot is feeling physically better, but emotionally he feels lost, not knowing where his place in the world is anymore. While he was imprisoned his family died, Prince John has become King, and he is not sure he has the belief system anymore that it takes to be a Templer. Sent to the town of Lincoln by his order to recuperate as the guest of Nichola de la Haye, who has requested his assistance in solving the murder of four people at one of the local ale houses.
The picture of The town of Lincoln and all of its inhabitants in medieval times is well researched and well written. You immediately feel taken back in time with all its quaint beliefs and ways, and struggles to stay alive in that time in history. Brascot is an extremely sympathetic character after all he has been through and you find yourself rooting for him as he tries to solve the mystery of the murders. The mystery itself is well done with many twists and turns, and the answer was not too obvious, coming as a surprise. I look forward to the next book in the series. 3.5 stars!

[Infosifter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent medieval mystery featuring a Templar night as a detective. Lots of interesting supporting characters. I'm glad to see that there are already several other mysteries in this series

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this atmospheric mystery, set in England after the Anarchy and during the Crusades. A Templar Knight who was injured and lost an eye has returned from crusading but his quiet recovery in Lincoln castle is disturbed by the lady castellan asking him to look into a foul deed. Four people have been found killed in an alehouse. As an outsider, the knight isn't suspect or related to anyone, and he also isn't busy preparing for the three-day fair.

The research about Lincoln is great and we see the origins of common phrases. I also found village scenes like walking around in the computer game Oblivion, which well reconstructs medieval town life. Characters are plentiful and well described, and we really get a feel for the times. The murder is quite complex, maybe a little too much so, and there are lots of clues and suspects. Have fun. I'll certainly be reading more by this author.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up

This is another book that has been languishing on my to-read shelf for more than a decade. Since I have really enjoyed Mel Starr and Graham Brack's medieval-era series, I had high hopes for this series as well. Unfortunately, Bascot de Marins is no Hugh de Singleton or even Master Mercurius - or maybe it was the people around him that didn't quite catch my attention?

The book is well-written and the mystery was not easy to figure out - I did not suspect the actual killer at all, although maybe I should have? There seemed to be a lot of Bascot and Ernulf going from place to place, interviewing and re-interviewing the same people over and over. Yes, I know that happens in modern-day mystery stories too, and yes, it was obvious that some of the interviewees were lying making it necessary to question them again, but their investigation seemed more ... haphazard? than in other books.

Because I rarely write a series off after just one book, I'll give this one another shot when I'm able to locate a copy of the next book.

[Alison Horn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book a lot. Well written and researched.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable murder mystery set in 1200AD Lincoln. This is the first in a series featuring Templar Knight Bascot de Marins. The author manages to evoke a good sense of life in medieval Lincoln and has created an engaging detective in de Marins. I look forward to reading others in the series.

[Text Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

This used-bookstore purchase has introduced me to a new series to follow! Set in early 13th-century Lincoln, England, the book features a convalescing Templar Knight investigating the murders of four people in an alehouse - a crime that even without modern forensic techniques appears increasingly bizarre, given identities of the victims and the "obvious" suspect.

Sir Bascot, Lady Nicolaa, and various other figures (historical and fictional) make strong and believable characters. The setting of medieval Lincoln, with its castle, town, and countryside are all unobtrusively described and given life. The story even includes a visit to the small Jewish quarter (the fact that one of the victims was Jewish was one of the bizarre things, given the culture of the time). And did you know that prostitution was *regulated* in the England of the 1200s? Me neither.

Anyway, I plan to look up more of these - there are six of them as of this writing, the last published in November 2011.

[Linda Finlayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery and the author knows her historical setting well. I just wish I came away with a better sense of what the Knights Templar were all about. Fighting and serving God, I know, but I wanted some insight into how Bascot understood how those two things went together. I guess I'm unfairly comparing this book to Margaret Frazer's Sister Frevisse series, which were as much about why and how a woman became a medieval nun as well as solving mysteries. Having said all that, I'll likely try more books in this series.

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery, set during the times of Robin Hood and King John, draws on actual historical figures and history of the Lincoln area of England to weave a mystery that educates on Medieval English politics, culture, sociology and daily life as it beguiles the reader with its puzzle and its solution by a unique "detective," a former Templar. The frank treatment of prostitution and other facts of life of the day makes the mystery suitable mainly for adults, not kids, however.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always on the lookout for a medieval mystery series as good as the Cadfael stories by Ellis Peters. Alas, this isn't it, although it's the closest I've found thus far. The sleuth is genuinely likable, and the setting isn't too dirty, but the murderer was almost psychopathic, or at least utterly remorseless and without a conscience. Not quite as 'cozy' as I like my mysteries. Still, I could see my trying another book in the series.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Part of the problem was a mismatch between the book and me - I’m not so keen on the grittier end of things, and this definitely leaned that way. (Also, most of the characters were kind of awful people.) Part of it was the writing - way too much was carefully spelled out as if the audience was particularly dim. I won’t be tracking down more of this series.

[Carolyn Jourdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice read. Well paced. Likeable characters.

Well drawn setting and characters. Good mystery. I nice series setup I hope will be a little bit like Cadfael.

[Karyl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book on the paperback shelf of one of the libraries we have visited recently, and it sounded interesting. However, there are a few things about this book that leave me a bit uncomfortable.

I did really like the slow writing of this novel. Honestly, it reads more like a novel written in the 1980s or 1990s, instead of 2007, with all the long paragraphs and vivid description. That’s definitely not a bad thing; it’s like a movie that leans more heavily on scene setting than in just quick conversations between characters. One almost felt like they were being transported back in time to this era. I also liked that Ash used real people in her novel — Nicolaa de la Haye for one, but also Hugh Bardolf.

But what unsettled me is the racism and the misogyny. I understand that both were rampant during that time period, but to have it so blatant without apology raised my hackles a bit. And reading through many reviews, it seems to be a me problem because no one else that I saw raised these issues. I know Jews were very much ostracized and looked down on in this era, so it doesn’t surprise me that had a Jew not been one of the murdered people, that it was likely that the Jews would have been blamed. But honestly when Ash was writing, she could have chosen different words to refer to the Jews as Bascot spoke to them. Instead of using their name each time, she refers to them as “the usurer,” which, yes, is what they were, but it’s also pointing out that only Jews were allowed to charge high interest on loans because Christians were forbidden to do so in the New Testament. There is also a whiff of Jews being obsessed with money, which is definitely a dog whistle. And the misogyny isn’t much better. To be honest, I was surprised that this was written by a woman. Most of her female characters are quite unlikeable. And she’s constantly referring to women as “females” (as nouns, not adjectives). Not only that, but they’re always “wailing,” as when the alekeeper Agnes is brought before Bascot. They’re almost caricatures of women, the same type I thought we left behind in history. It doesn’t help that the murderer is someone with no remorse, someone who obviously would make the same choices again given the opportunity. It just is… not great.

At least this book kept me company during a bout of insomnia.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of a series of medieval mysteries involving a Templar knight home in England to recover from severe injury and extended captivity. Surviving a shipwreck after enslavement by his captors, Sir Bascot de Marins and his mute servant Gianni.

As a historical novel, this is well told, with plenty of small historical bits woven into the story usually quite well and seamlessly (although the bit about the candy feels a bit forced). Faith and God are treated as culturally assumed rather than yet another novel of the lone skeptic in a Medieval setting. The characters tend to behave as their time, although they are a bit less class and social status-conscious than is plausible at times.

The mystery is not particularly opaque, but is kept from being very obvious by clues that are withheld until late in the story. Some of the rather obvious pieces of evidence and clues are not for the reasons one would expect, taking the mystery in an unexpected direction at times.

There is one feature of the storytelling I thought was interesting: the men, other than the main characters, are all pretty nondescript and easily interchangeable. Some are more rude than others, but overall there's not a lot distinguishing them. The women are richly described and varied, and generally speaking stronger and more interesting characters.

What's interesting to me about that is that typically this pattern is reversed in books: the men are dynamic and interesting, varied, distinguished, with the women usually only specific in their appearance. My guess is that as a woman, the author has a different perspective and interest than men who write these kind of stories.

Not a bad mystery, it kept me interested and engaged and avoided most of the pitfalls of historical writing such as injecting modern sensibilities and characters into the setting.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is medieval murder mystery set in Lincoln, England during the summer of the year 1200. A Templar Knight, Bascot de Marins, is questioning his faith while trying to decide tbo return to the Templers or leave it. Assigned to the sheriff of Lincoln, he has returned to England after seven years in prison where he lost an eye and suffered an injured ankle during torture by the Sarceans. With him, he brought an energetic young mute he found on the docks. While Gianni cannot speak his bright personality makes him appreciated by all he meets. Bascot has found himself treating the youngster as he would a son.

Many of the characters are so well developed that the reader almost underestimates Bascot because of his quiet and unassuming manner. That is how Bascot prefers it. He has been asked by Lady Nicolaa to investigate the murders of three individuals found apparently stabbed in an alehouse as a local festival is to begin. With the three is the owner of the establishment with his head bashed in.

Bascot finds tension mounting among the various suspects as he searches for clues to lead him to the killer. There is much distrust of the Jewish community because some are quick to believe that someone of that faith may be involved. As the investigation builds a local priest is killed by a knife thrust to his chest. Is the same killer responsible?

There are few clues for the reader to untangle as Bascot works his way through the various suspects and potential motives. I missed some obvious indications as the story unfolded. Thus the unveiling of the killer was a surprise. That individual showed no remorse about the killings even seeming to brag about the results.

I totally enjoyed this mystery, giving it five stars instead of the usual four I assign to most mystery readings. The author did so well with characterization, the plot and writing style that I intend to look for more of her work. It's a good, good read.

[Boni · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this book struck me to be like watching Columbo in Robin Hood tights… with the era really being the ‘draw’ here, learning about medieval times, perhaps more than I wanted too? Actually the snippets of life were very interesting, but told at a very slow pace. Certainly richly described, but the crime and especially solving it itself seemed to drag on and on, with each permutation repeated over and over. I’m not sure what emotion was sought to be tapped from us readers, but mine was decreasing suspense, bordering on boredom.

I actually did appreciate feeling a great visualization of the main characters and so when I picked it up after a few days off each time (I.e., it was not a page-turner), I could remember the storyline… but that being said, the secondary players’ roles and relationships to the headlining characters were confusing to me, and the language, though authentic for that era, was trudingly difficult to translate, making me averse to wanting to spend the time to go back to figure out the role of Character # 15… did THEY need to be remembered???🤷🏻‍♂️.

But I love anything related to Templar Knights, so the book’s insight back to those romantic times… that culture… kept re-engaging me… but barely, and thus the inordinate time it took to finish reading it. I think the educational aspect bumps my 3.5 rating from a 3 to a 4, but not yet sure if this will be my first and also my last Templar murder mystery read.

[Pamela Bronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well written and well plotted. I didn't guess the murderer until nearly the end. I don't believe the author is a trained historian as some authors of medieval histories are, but she has done her homework and the setting seems authentic and the characters plausible. The whole book is easy to believe in.

One thing she gets wrong, which drives me slightly crazy, is to misuse the word "bawd", which does not refer to a prostitute as she uses it -it refers to a madam or female brother-keeper. I think she was looking for synonyms for prostitute to keep from overusing words and wanted to avoid using the word "whore". But that's pretty trivial.

I like Sir Bascot and his servant Gianni. Lady Nicolaa the Lincoln Castellan and her husband the sheriff were also well drawn and believable - they turn out to have been real.

I'm really glad I found this book on the swap rack at the library.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale does not have to be long to be good. The Alehouse Murders is short, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bascot de Marins is a Templar Knight-held captive and tortured for eight years after capture by the Saracens. He is able to return home to find himself crippled in body and spirit. On what we might term compassionate leave from his Order, de Marins becomes embroiled in a murder investigation. I found this to be a very immersive reading experience-author Maureen Ash seems to have truly dome her research and she can write-so you, Constant Reader, can look forward to a "you are there" feeling. Plus the mystery itself is really good. Two thumbs way up.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was intriguing and I couldn't put it down. All the descriptions about the way people lived back then and the customs and their work was very interesting. I felt a real kinship with the Templar's loss of faith and wondering why God had spared his life and what God's plans are for him. I enjoyed each of the characters, even the murderer. The final explanations behind the 6 murders was unsettling. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to catching up with the Templar's other journeys.

[Morgiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, the author obviously done her research about this era, so I really enjoyed when she dropped some facts about the life in a castle and about a fair in the middle age.
The story was well developed, I was surprised by the twists and the ending - I'd never guessed who has done the murders (six just to mention) and the characters (main and side) were also well written.
I will definitely continue with this series, and recomnend for those who are enjoying good crime story with knights and castles:)

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the novel, which is similar to Jason Vail's series, with a main character whose foot was injured while at war, and who now is trying to figure out what to do with his life. Further, it pulls no punches regarding what life was really like at the time, which is often not entirely pleasant. Bascot is a compelling character, smart but no genius, hardened but also introspective and often caring of others. In this particular case, he is called on to solve multiple murders that took place at an alehouse, where the people involved don't have an obvious connection.

[Mark Baines · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written murder mystery based in Lincoln in the Middle Ages, with King John on the throne. Well crafted and situated, the writing is generates a felling of the environment o the period, with historical detail and characters. The feudal behaviour and structures are well explained without detracting from the story, and explanations of roles, and trades are well woven in. I was able to solve the riddle but not until close to the end. An enjoyable read, not heavy although it does require some attention.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because of the time in history that it takes place in there are definitely some terms and thoughts that were uncomfortable to read. (The 1200's were not kind to many people, after all.) So if you do pick it up be aware of that fact.

I fully admit that I got this book on a whim thanks to the cover as well as the blurb about it...and I'm glad I did! Bascot de Marin is a very interesting character and I enjoyed reading the start of the series.

[Lupus Acerbus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was it fun? Yes. Was it sort of predictable? Yes. Was it clear that the author used a dubious source for information on Templars? Definitely.

But it was fun. I wasn't here to read the novel for its history, and Bascot was likeable enough as a character that I found myself engaged in his story--both his personal story as well as the mystery he was solving.

Will I be picking up the sequels? Probably not, but I don't regret the time that I spent reading this book.

[Terry Polston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story. An injured Templar knight is tasked with finding the murderer of 6 people. He has an ankle injury and the loss of one eye, he also has adopted a mute street urchin as his squire. He is trying to decide whether to return to the order. Hopefully Nicholaa retains him
The rivalries between the poorer family members vying for favor from the richer could be the impetus for the murders.
Well rounded characters, a 'locked room' murder mystery, a worthy read

[Cindie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am torn, do I want to read another in this series? I struggle with the treatment of woman by this author. I know that woman were mostly property during this time, but that does not make it any easier to take. I like the character development of Bascot and his servant, and some of the other characters, but is it enough to get me to read more? We shall see...