A Dark Night Hidden

Hawkenlye Mysteries #6

by Alys Clare

Josse D’Acquin and the Abbess Helewise are appalled by the fanatical new priest, Father Micah, but are even more horrified when his body turns up by the side of the road. And when it appears that a band of evangelical heretics, whom Micah condemned to the stake, might be behind his death, the Abbess is torn between her compassion for their suffering and her duty to the church. When Josse realizes that his desire to save the heretics cannot be condoned by Helewise, he is forced to act against her wishes, risking the greatest friendship he has. For the Abbess, her friendship with Josse is deepening the longer he stays at the abbey, as is her awareness of his attractions as a man.

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

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Alys Clare is the pen name used by Elizabeth Harris for the Hawkenlye series of historical mysteries.

Alys Clare is the pseudonym of a novelist with some 20 published works to her name. Brought up in the countryside close to where the Hawkenlye Novels are set, she went to school in Tonbridge and later studied archaeology at the University of Kent. She lives for part of the year in Brittany, in a remote cottage deep in an ancient landscape where many past inhabitants have left their mark; on her doorstep are relics that date from the stone circles and dolmens of the Neolithic to the commanderies, chapels and ancient tracks of those infamous warrior monks, the Knights Templar. In England, Alys's study overlooks a stretch of parkland which includes a valley with a little spring. The waters of this spring are similar in colour and taste to Tunbridge Wells's famous Chalybeat Spring, and it was this that prompted Alys's setting of her fictional Hawkenlye Abbey in the very spot where her own house now stands.

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again a wonderful read which I enjoyed immensely. I'm beginning to know the people, the places they live and the forest they live next to. The mix between a historical mystery and fantasy is just right for me.
Interesting information about the Cathars.

[Susan in NC · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars, it was ok and I liked most of it; I've slowly read this series in order over the years. It will never take the place of Brothers Athelstan or Cadfael or Dame Frevisse in my heart, but I do like Abbess Helewise and her friend and confidante, Sir Josse d'Acquin.

The less than enthusiastic rating comes from distaste of the opening brutal rape scene and the vicious, maniacal misogyny displayed by Father Micah, a horrible replacement priest come to take over the duties of Father Gilbert while he recuperates from an accident. I know - big shock, a woman-hating priest in the Middle Ages! Granted, the opening scene is explained later and Father Micah's subsequent murder seems fitting - indeed, long overdue given his nasty, sadistic nature and gift for alienating everyone - it was still rather hard going to get through those scenes. Once I got past those passages, however, I was caught up in the mystery surrounding the heretic-hunting priest's death; and I always enjoy the interplay and growing regard and forbidden attraction between Helewise and Josse.

Fans of the series are treated to a few interesting new characters, Saxonbury, Lord of the High Weald, and Sheriff Gervase de Gifford, who seems very interested in the fate and whereabouts of the missing heretics who may or may not have been responsible for the death of the hateful priest...

The final reason for my lower rating are the scenes with Joanna and the forest people; no spoilers but even though Joanna plays a vital role in the plot, I thought the scenes of the forest people's Samhain festival went on too long and created an unwelcome distraction and drag on the plot. The forest people's lifestyle and worship don't bother me at all, it just seemed unnecessary to the story - I hate it when I am really getting into a book, particularly deep into the puzzle of a good mystery novel, and all of a sudden you see "Part II - Insert totally different place and group of characters in here!" Makes me nuts! Get me back into the story, dang it...

I'm a sucker for reading a series in order, so I'm glad to have finally gotten through this book as I've started it several times and couldn't get into it. Now I can move on to the next entry with a clear conscience - but if Joanna makes another appearance, I will skim through her bits to get back to the mystery!

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story about the heretics of Europe.

[Lynne Tull · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the flow of this story as much as the others. In the middle Ms. Clare introduced a mystical cult group in the forest. There is a connection to the story, but most of it was details about the cult and its ceremonies. I still like the stories and will continue with the series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done. The story is well plotted and succinctly written. Abbess Helewise is torn between helping a woman branded (literally) as a heretic by the Catholic Church but Josse has no hesitation in helping her and her friends.

[Kelly Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Father Micah was a fire and brimstone priest who enjoyed hunting down and punishing heretics. Helewise was shocked by his behaviour and even more shocked when he is found dead on the road. She asks Josse to investigate. During his investigation we learn a lot about the Cathars.

[Bionic Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Medieval mystery story with monks and pagans. Similar to Ellis Peters.

[Jazzysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This addition to the Hawkenlye series featuring Abbess Helewise and Sir Josse Acquin.
We are brought into the world of a religious fanatic, differing views of the ruling religion of the times - the Cathars - who have their own sad chapter in history and threading through the series the old religions versus the new. There was no tolerance of any religion but the one religion practiced which has evolved into modern Roman Catholicism.

We get a wider view of the world surrounding the Abbey through Josse's eyes and the belief system which shaped the Abbess's life within the Abbey through Helewise.

A great addition to the series and a great deal to think about historically.

[Laurie D'ghent]

I don't feel like I can give this book a fair rating. The prologue contains an unnecessarily graphic rape scene that is totally out of character for this series, and it tainted my opinion of the book as a whole. Skip the prologue entirely, and you'll be better off.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still enjoying surrounding, characters and storyline. Hopefully series will continue to delight.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good historical crime series.

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, I wish she wouldn't bring in so much of the forest people. It sorely tempts me to give the series up. Still, the mystery was interesting.

[Heather McCloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another great installment! My favorite world to visit right now!!

[Janey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting story as usual, but never two books alike.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: The spiteful wind of a bleak, icy February blasted down the muddy track and around the sparse huddle of buildings as if it hated the world and everything in it.

Father Gilbert has broken his ankle and a substitute priest has been sent. Father Micah’s fanaticism has won him no friends. However, it wasn’t expected to find his body lying in a ditch. A man speaking a foreign language begs help of the Abbey of Hawkenlye. The woman he carries has been severely whipped and her forehead branded.

From Gervase de Gilfford, in the service of Richard FitzRoger de Clare, Sir Josse d’Acquin learns the two people were part of a group of Cathars traveling through England. Josse and Gilfford seek to find the rest of the group and the killer of Father Micah.

Catholics, Cathars and pagans, what a great combination. I actually like a bit of woo-woo and, in this time where some did still practice the old ways, it worked for me.

Helewise and Jose are wonderful characters and never more so than in this book. Their friendship is strong and an important element of the story. Each had a question of their faith versus morality. It was handled very well. There are some wonderful supporting characters, particularly Father Gilbert and Gervase de Gilfford, of whom I hope we see more.

Clare always creates a very strong sense of time of place. I particularly like that her dialogue provides a sense of the period without being over the top. The story was very well plotted, although you did have to wonder at the alternating POVs. I should have known to trust Clare in that she always being the story together and always ties up all the loose ends

This is a great series; a pleasure to read, and one with which I shall definitely continue.

A DARK NIGHT HIDDEN (Hist Mys-Abbess Helewise/Jose d’Acquin-England-1100s) - VG
Clare, Alys – 6th in series
Hodder & Stoughton, 2003, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 0340793317

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josse D’Acquin had spent the Christmas holidays with family. He decided to make a stop at Hawkenlye on his way home. There he learned that the Abbey priest was fanatical in how things should be operated. Abbess Helewise has struggled to remain calm. The next day, the priest is found dead by the road. About the same time, a woman is brought to the infirmary with lashes on her back and a wound on her forehead which shows to be a branded letter H. Josse is convinced that the dead priest is somehow linked but can he prove it, and who killed the priest?
The further I get in this series, the more I enjoy it. Cadfael it will never be, but it stands on its own merits well enough. This one brought back a main character from a previous volume and introduces one that I suspect will be recurring going forward. I enjoy the interplay between Josse and Helewise and the other nuns and brothers. A group of people I would say I'd like to meet if they weren't completely fiction and almost 1,000 years ago in history. I'll definitely go on.

[Abra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pagan element in this medieval Nun-and-Knight mystery series (which element would horrify Ellis Peters or Margaret Frazer) is getting stronger and more ridiculous. I would quit them, but I have a hella strong bias against narrative uncertainty -- I need to read whole books, and unless they're wretched beyond belief, whole series once I've committed. But I am somewhat worried that the heretics and Pagans unite theme is going to continue to resound, more loudly each book. (Not, for the record, that I have anything against Cathars, heretics who were burnt by the Holy Catholic Church, or, for that matter anyone who tried to carry on the Celtic religions and Druidism after Rome came... but I don't think these are very accurate depictions of either tradition. I've read better.)

[Ma'lis Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've finally read all of the Alys Clare Hawkenlye mysteries and am sorry to have reached the end of the series. I didn't read them in order, although she has a clear plot line from beginning to end, each one can stand alone. Her knowledge of England under Richard the LionHearted is terrific and her range of subjects is very broad. This story focused on heretics--specifically the Cathers, with lots of information and sympathy of differing views. Reread October 2021--still a great story.

[Ann Mcelligott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series highlights English religious history, both Christian and pagan, and the royal politics as it effects people in their daily lives. It is set in 1100s at the time of the Crusades and the rule of Richard Lionhearted. The central characters are Josse d'Aquin, a former knight and landholder, and Abbess Helewise, the abbess of a double monastery located by a healing spring in the south of England.

[Sage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I'd been enjoying the 12th century feminist nuns, but the graphic necrophilic murder-rape was a bridge too far. Sexual violence is already normalized far beyond any reasonable level, and this struck me as little short of snuff porn. Which, gross. Besides, there are more than enough motives to harm human beings that don't involve anyone's sex organs. This series' escalating rapeyness is just vile.

[Alissa McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Number 6 in the series combines a fanatical new and a band of evangelical heretical Cathars. The Abbess is torn between her compassion for their suffering and her duty to the church, and Josse is conflicted in his desire to save the heretics and his fear of what his actions will do to his friendship with the Abbess. Another easy, fun read.

[Suburbangardener · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the series set during the Crusades, concerns the persecution of the followers of a heretical sect. Great period detail and insight into the midieval life.

[Gary Raines · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like good historical fiction - this ISN'T it. Alys went off the deep end in this one and history went out the door. Don't bother.

[ricky]

Very good

Another enjoyable tale centred around Hawkenlye Abbey. It also gives an insight in to the religious persecution that existed in this period of history.