O Último Templário

Knights Templar #1

by Michael Jecks

The Knights Templar
They had all joined taking three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience…for they were monks: warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land—until stories spread by an avaricious king who wanted their wealth for his own destroyed the order.

There was one knight however, who escaped the stake, vowing justice as he watched his innocent brother die.

In the Service of the Lord
Simon Puttock has not been a bailiff of Lydford Castle long in this year of 1316 when he is called to a nearby village to examine a burned-out cottage and the dead body within. But it is the newly arrived knight, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, who discerns the deceased was no victim of a tragic mishap; he was, in fact, murdered prior to the blaze. Simon would be well-served by accepting further assistance from this astute, though haunted and secretive stranger. For a second fatal burning indicates that some harsh evil has invaded this once-peaceful place, and its hunger has yet to be sated.

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

333 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Michael Jecks is a best-selling writer of historical novels. The son of an Actuary, and the youngest of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994

He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.

His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.

A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.

From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.

Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.

His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.

Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.

Reviews

[Michael Jecks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to be objective as a writer. Anything you read will be measured against other books, other covers, other character sets, and of course your mood when you picked it up.

However, writing objectively about your own work is harder. Last Templar had a dreadful beginning. A copy editor who clearly felt he knew more about the history of the period than the author (he didn't), and who tried to change clothing to colours that didn't exist, who put louvres in the roofs of peasant cottages, who changed dialogue - made the creation of this book enormously difficult.

But it was the book that introduced two characters with whom I've lived for the last twenty years or so. A renegade knight and gang of outlaws made the story exciting to write, and my own financial problems while writing it only added to my feelings of affection for the book.

It's a first novel. The writing is not as refined as my more recent books, but I am still very fond of this book. It set me on a career as a novelist, after all.

[Cathy S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jecks is a favorite author of mine. I find him to be historically accurate while still creating interesting characters and storylines. With The Last Templar he did not disappoint.
Taking place in 14th century England, the novel focuses on two men. The new Bailiff Simon who is anxious to begin his position and move to the castle at Lydford. The other man is Sir Baldwin the new master at Furnshill Manor. Sir Baldwin has the look and aura of a knight and Simon gets the feeling much sadness underlies his friendly manner.
Within a day of their first meeting Simon is called to the scene of a house fire where there has been a death. Sir Baldwin also shows up at the site and requests to work on what he believes is a murder. Simon remains unconvinced until a death where an abbot who is traveling through is taken hostage and later burned at the stake like a heretic. Is it possible that both deaths are related and if so why? Also who could possibly commit such horrific murders and in the case of the abbot risk eternal damnation for the death of a man of God. These questions and more perplex Simon as he attempts to move forward in solving the two deaths.
This book moves at a fast pace with a lot of action and many twists and turns keeping the reader guessing. As mentioned earlier there is a lot of historical detail here adding interest to the storylines and complex plots. Well drawn characters have depth and act as one would expect men of the 14th centers to act.
This novel is the first of an ongoing series featuring Simon and Sir Baldwin. I believe The Last Templar is a great beginning to what should be a very interesting series.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just had the pleasure of reading Michael Jecks newest, contemporary mystery, Landscape of Murder, as well as interviewing him for my podcast Books & Looks. During that discussion we got into his prior works including the Knights Templar series and so I decided to go back to the very first book to get a feel for this Medieval historical fiction and mystery series. I was not disappointed! A really fine first book in this series, which has now reached 33 books and in which we have the first pairing of former Knight Templar, and now new master of the local Manor, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, and Bailiff Simon Puttock. This book begins in Paris in the year 1307 as a group of Knights Templar are burned the stake, having been determined to be guilty of heresy against the Catholic Church. In reality that decision was a foregone conclusion because both the Pope as well as the King of France wanted the Knights money and assets for their own use. We fast-forward to Devon England in the year 1316, when Sir Baldwin takes his position as Lord of the Manor, and Simon is promoted to Bailiff of the region. And as we get to know the two of them we also have more deaths, deaths by burning. A farmer is found burned to death in his home under what appears to be suspicious conditions. A hue and cry goes out as Simon and Baldwin form a posse to try to find the killer. Before too long an Abbott has been killed as he was making his way to his new archbishop location. And shortly after that another series of deaths occur. Are they all related, are there three different killers, what's the reason behind all of this? This is a wonderfully written book in which we get the flavor of medieval England and how local authorities attempt to find the murderers with the limited resources available. Filled with fascinating insights about the time period, as well as a rip snorting mystery this is a very commendable first book in the series. As I said, there were 33 books in this series, and I look forward the following the exploits in this series, along with many other books written by Michael Jecks.

[Manybooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although in Michael Jecks' first instalment of his expansive and massive Knights Templar series, although in The Last Templar especially the two main protagonists Sir Baldwin de Furnshill (a returning former Knight Templar who also has witnessed the betrayal and destruction of his order and is therefore in the first novel rather bent on revenge) and Bailiff Simon Puttock are both nicely and also for the most part generally in a flattering and generally laudatory enough manner conceptualised and depicted, personally, I really and truly ended up not at all enjoying The Last Templar and mostly and primarily due to Michael Jecks' writing style, or rather, because I simply could not and indeed still cannot stand the author's manner of penmanship and literary expression. For aside from the fact that I have found quite a number of what I would call syntactic and grammatical gaffes (and sadly not just a few minor ones, but in my opinion some rather major issues with sentence structure, misplaced negatives, prepositions etc.) within the pages of The Last Templar, sorry, but especially the dialogues of the presented characters, these read as though especially Simon (but sadly also far too often Sir Baldwin) are speaking in, are conversing in modern 20th century vernacular and slang. And while of course, Michael Jecks could not have made his characters speak in Middle English (which would have been the general language spoken and written in Mediaeval Britain), I also really really do not understand why the author has far far too often (in my opinion) made his characters talk like 20th century thugs and working class stiffs. For let us face it, in the Knights Templar series, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill is nobility and even Bailiff Simon Puttock has been well enough educated, so having words like "oh man" and other similar types of slang and vernacular expressions so often emanate from their mouths, it truly has often taken me right out of the narrative and the time and place of the Middle Ages that is supposed to be presented in The Last Templar, leaving me at best distracted, unsatisfied and indeed, with no real desire whatsoever to in any way considerer continuing with the Knights Templar series. Because yes indeed, if there is one thing that I personally cannot stand if or when I am reading historical fiction or historical mysteries, it is inauthentic and anachronistic sounding dialogue and sadly, Michael Jecks' literary creations (his characters) in The Last Templar, to and for me, they all basically read and sound like 20th century individuals (and almost as though especially Simon and Sir Baldwin had time travelled from the present to the past).

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came into to this book expecting that I would have to fight not to be critical and it actually wasn't all that bad. It was a debut novel for an author who has gone on to right 30 or so books in the series, and as with many debut 'series' novels, they are learning curves for authors. I am always cautious of debut novels. However, you can't always judge the rest of a series based on the first. I can dislike a debut and yet still move on and read the next book and I will do that with this series.
I have it on very good authority that the second book in this series, and onwards from there, will be a totally different reading experience. And I am only too happy, now that The Last Templar is under my belt, to read book 2 next year.
I did give it three stars and, if I am going to be honest, it was mostly the long run on sentences that got in the way of me liking this book. I had trouble connecting with it and I think that is why. Run on sentences affect individuals differently and it does not always reflect on an authors skill. Some people don't notice them, some people notice them and don't care, and some, do not like them at all. I fall into that last category, unfortunately.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book in the Knights Templar series, which is one of my absolute favourite historical murder mystery series ever. However, I read books later on in the series and can say that there is a lot of character development from this first book to a book that is further in the series, and I can say that the writing is a lot better as well.

This book here felt like it was building up the characters and the world they lived in. I loved the personal angst that Baldwin was going through due to watching his comrades and friends being put to death by the French king (see the Dissolution of the Knights Templar, if you need any reference), I did enjoy aspects of the characters and the storyline. However, I had difficulty focusing on the book.

I am very happy to say that the writing is definitely better in future books, and the characters are very well developed in those.

[John Gaynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jecks has explained on Goodreads all the problems he encountered while writing this, the first book of his Templar series. I am a fan of everything to do with medieval history, and I really liked The Last Templar, especially the descriptions of the untamed English countryside, as honest subjects of the King hunt down roaming men who terrorize their countrymen. He has a light, but sure, touch with the historical detail. I will read the second in the series, the Merchant's Partner.

[Linda Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not been reading this long series in order,but I've read most of the books except the early ones. The series is set in the reign of Edward II,and is based in the West Country,although later books are set elsewhere in England as well as France. 'The Last Templar'is unlike the later novels as it deals with local crimes,not the great affairs of state or the royal family. It sets the scene for the series by introducing the characters. I enjoyed this book alot as I found the story easier to follow than later novels,probably because there were fewer characters.

[Larysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK - I did an initial review which wasn't exactly brilliant, but, after reading more of the books they really grew on me. So much so that I'm now on book 29 of the series and am so much in love with them I'm starting to feel some form of mourning that I've only got a couple more books and then it's over.
I'm starting to think about what I'll read next, but will honestly mourn the loss of Baldwin and Simon and their families.
I'll start by having a look at this author's other series' and see whether any of them grab me. Otherwise, I don't know where I'll go... It's both, exciting and scary.
Mr Jecks, Thank you for all the time and effort you've put into these books. It's obvious that they are incredibly well researched and thought out. The parallel timeline of legitimate English history going on in the books makes them so much richer than they could otherwise have been. I'm absolutely loving them.
I really hope you revisit Simon and Baldwin, and that book 32 isn't your last one in this series.
Thanks for the great reads.

[Sushan Konar · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is fortunate that I read the later books in the `Knights
Templar' series earlier and not the first one first. Had
that been the case I probably would not have gone back to
another Jecks novel again. This book gives a feeling that
the author has been asked to fill up a certain number of
pages and he's keeping to that. When a murder mystery
goes endlessly meandering describing the events `real-time'
or when the author takes time off (from the main theme)
to wax eloquent about English countryside - the reader is
left clueless. Agreed, this is the first book in the series and
the author probably wished to establish the main characters.
But it is too full of Simon Puttock's reflections. The plotline
does not have much to say for it either. It is mostly about
running after (literally) some trail bastons and the actual
detection part happens just by the way of it.
Very disappointing.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, so the story was kind of ok on this one, lost me at the end because it was unnecessarily complicated when it all came down to it. But, my stars, the writing is terrible! I swear, there are so many "as ifs" in this book, I thought I was reading the script for Clueless!! Not everything has to be a simile, Mr. Jecks, sometimes people can actually be turning away because they're deep in thought, not as if they're deep in thought! I really wanted to like this book much more than I did, but the writing was so bad it was distracting me.

[Bonnie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was, despite some faults, an enjoyable mystery. The background and events are grim, but it's a quick, light read; the plot is interesting, and the characters have potential. The writing is often awkward, and the author seems to struggle with presenting his characters' personalities coherently. I understand that this is his first book and he's written many since - I would definitely be willing to read another in the series with hopes that the writing becomes stronger.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather disappointed with this book and it has not enticed me to read any more in the series. Similar to Ellis Peters and Brother Cadfael but not nearly as well crafted. Three murder scenes but separate perpetrators. The history of the Crusades and Templars is fascinating and the author had obviously researched well,I just found his writing style less than captivating.

[Spuddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1 in the Knights Templar medieval series featuring bailiff Simon Puttock and 'retired' Templar knight Sir Baldwin Furnshill in Devon, UK. The time is 1316, several years after the Templars have been disbanded and disgraced, many of their number tortured and executed at the hands of the Inquisition. Sir Baldwin heads to his boyhood home, Furnshill Manor, to resume duty as the Lord of the manor after the death of his elder brother. Simon, meanwhile, is the brand new bailiff of Lydford Castle and finds himself very busy in the first days of his new position. First, a villager is burned to death in the fire of his cottage and then a group of monks is waylaid by highwaymen, the abbot among them taken for ransom and later found burned at the stake over a fire in the woods. Simon, a rather sensitive man, is devastated and somewhat indecisive as to how to proceed, and Baldwin steps in to assist. They become friends, but Baldwin is wary of sharing the secrets of his past so soon after meeting Simon so their relationship is a little superficial at first. When a group of travelers is brutally attacked, robbed and murdered, things escalate quickly and it's soon determined that there are actually three separate crimes and not one roving band of killers.

Bit of a surprising end, but by then I just wanted the book to be done. I chose this book for a challenge I was in with a category called, "Everyone Deserves a Second Chance" where you read an author you'd previously read and didn't care for. I liked this book better than the other Jecks I'd read a few years ago, but not much. There were many repetitive parts, and Jecks' propensity to describe every person you come across in great detail down to their wrinkles got old really fast. And I didn't particularly like Simon Puttock's character--he seemed like a whiny wimp to me. At any rate, at least for now, I will not be continuing on in this series.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some time now, I've been looking for a new mystery series to begin. I've often seen Michael Jecks' medieval series on the bookstore shelves but I never saw the first one so I kept putting it off. But then a couple of weeks ago I saw The Last Templar at the store and so I used my free coupon and snatched it up.

Right up front I will say I enjoyed reading this book, despite some "first book" flaws. I wish it had had a better editor but I will be reading additional books in the series as I understand they get better and better and there are at least 20 books in the series now. I also like the fact that the author himself has earned a reputation for helping new authors to get published, perhaps having learned some lessons himself along the way.

Among the positive aspects of the novel was the writing style, an easy flowing narrative that captured the era of the 11th century without forcing the reader through a bunch of "thees' and "thous" (if that is even the appropriate verbiage for that time.) I liked the main two characters although much of this volume seemed to be setting up the rest of the series so consequently they both need to be filled out better. Among the not-so-good aspects was the author's inconsistent use of point-of-view. The novel is all third person and about 90% is from one of the two main character's viewpoint. But occasionally we jump to omniscient POV and get the thoughts from other characters. The mystery aspects itself was fine, nothing elaborate, but since the sleuths in this story do not have modern forensic tools, etc., they are forced to rely on what their eyes tell them and use their brains to logically make conclusions...a rather refreshing change of pace.

So I'm glad I finally began this series and am looking forward to the next entry.

[Venetia Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up reading this medieval murder mystery at page 97 (of 374). Why? In a 14th century hamlet of 7 houses, an investigating knight has just asked of two shepherds "What time did you return last night?" Without hesitation, one answers: "about half past ten o'clock". Oh, did he just consult his wristwatch, mayhap? Or does the tiny local chapel chime out every quarter hour? At this point, I decided that enough was enough. I'd given the book a fair shot, and now I'm allowed to read something less irritating.
To be fair, this book has a lot of good points. For example, most of the wealth of historical and local detail Jecks dishes out is utterly convincing. (In fact, the narrator is prone to giving mini-lectures on all manner of historical detail.) The characterisation is intricate and very authentic. I love some of the minor character vignettes. They nearly walk off the page. So too, the notion of choosing a Templar Knight post the destruction of the order is a brilliant idea.
But the head-hopping. The emphasis on appreciation of "rural" scenes (when the vast majority of English people then dwelt on the land). The slow pace (the first mention of a death comes on p.57). The telling of character emotion. I knew this was a first novel, and that the author himself had admitted faults with it, but my tolerance only extends so far.
Grumble over. Actually, I'm very likely to pick up one of Jecks's later books in the series simply because his characterisation and historical context show so much promise.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Michael Jecks book that I've read, and it's the start of the Knights Templar series.

I've read quite a deal of Templar history, so I was very curious to see how it would fit into the historical mystery genre.

As it turns out, the series is set in 13th century England, and the protagonist is a former Templar. There really isn't that much Templar history built into the novel except in flashbacks and character exposition.

The book is written in contemporary dialogue, and a couple of times, it seems as if 20th century customs have been transposed into the book. But the characters are solidly drafted, the plot is plausible and realistic, and the book as a whole is very easy to read.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries, reading "you" and "here" instead of "thee" and "thou" in their dialogue, or appreciates clear-cut hero/villain scenarios.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in Michael Jecks' excellent series of mysteries set in medieval England. Sir Baldwin, a Knights Templar who has returned to England after the destruction of his Order, teams with his new friend, Simon Puttock, a bailiff, to solve mysterious deaths.
This book is not quite as well written as the rest of the series, but it is essential to give you the background of how the two men meet, and of Sir Baldwin's previous life.
Jecks was a quick study as a writer and from the second book on the pacing was much better. The characters are given depth and realistically portrayed. And the plots are ingenious, never hackneyed. I have learned a great deal about medieval times and the history of England from these books while enjoying some great 'yarns.'

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic murder mystery series set in 14th century England which follows the adventures of the Knight Templar Sir Baldwin Furnshill and his faithful companion Bailiff Simon Puttock. The pair are commissioned to solve murders while often defending against villains and avaricious monarchs. A well-researched, historical page-turner contains about 30 books charting the lives of our heros. I eagerly anticipate the next volume and highly recommend you start at the beginning and read them in order!

[Tony Renner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Michael Jecks' The Last Templar (1995), the first in a series of "Medieval West Country Mysteries", fails so spectacularly on so many levels, from simple word choice to characterization to plotting, that it seems as if Jecks had never written a novel before. In fact, it seems as if Jecks had never read a mystery novel before.

Why then did someone publish it? Who would publish thirty one others, the latest as recently as two thousand and thirteen?

No daggers out of four, and I'm pretty sure Jecks owes me a dagger for actually finishing the book.

[Cel Jel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that there was a warrior order frightened me, and also the fact that spin has been around for as long as man, also scared me.
I enjoyed the book, although the thinking that meant that a man went unpunished for a crime left me wondering, would our press let that happen now in the interest of the community? I do not think so.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in Jecks's Knights Templar mysteries. Simon Puttock and Sir Baldwin Furnshill are introduced and track down murderers and trail bastons in 14th century Devon. It mayn't be Brother Cadfael, however it's still worth a look.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, Medieval murder mystery series. Michael Jeck's attention to historical detail is impressive. In all this series he spends the Introduction on the historic theme of the book and gives you a short bit of the history of the theme. I just love this series.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. Very well researched. I find that I enjoy reading about the "normal" people in different historical eras than the rich.

[Dana Clinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: The Last Templar (Knights Templar #1) Michael Jecks. My daughter passed this on to me...in 2010! Needless to say, I have a lot of waiting books... I enjoyed this mystery set in 14th century France. I have read a lot about the purging of the Templars via my French history background, so the opening scene in front of Notre Dame Cathedral which kicks off this series make sense to me. This brotherhood of warrior monks was originally under the auspices of the Pope, but during the schism in the 14th century, they were all but destroyed, out of greed and hopes of acquiring their fabled fortunes. One of the main characters of this book and the series is Sir Baldwin Furnshill, who managed to escape the destruction of his order and fellow Templars and has made his way back to England where his elder brother has died, leaving him property and a new life in which his past needs to remain hidden. He meets and becomes close to Simon Puttock who who just been named bailiff of Lydford Castle. Then there are a series of murders... first in a small village of a man disliked by just about everybody, then the gruesome murder in a nearby forest of a travelling abbot, then multiple murders and rape of travelers on the road by highwaymen. Are they all perpetrated by the same band? What secrets are being held and by whom? A great evocation of medieval England (at least a small section of it!) and good characters made for an entertaining read.

[Glenna Pritchett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned about Michael Jecks when a friend made a post in IG about a book he was reading. I decided to start at the very beginning of Jecks' work, and of course everyone's first novel has a few shortcomings. This one has some descriptions that are too long and a few paragraphs with redundant sentences, and overall it could have been a good many pages shorter. But I did like the story very much, and I will continue with the series. Because authors get better and better with each book, right? Of course they do, and I'm looking forward to following these characters through further adventures.

If you like murder mysteries and the medieval time period, give the Knights Templar series a try.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Jecks’ first in his Knight Templar mystery series, the Last Templar, has Baldwin wreaking vengeance on an abbot who helped bring down the order of warrior monks in 1307. The contrived arguments against the Templars were all part of a scheme by the French King to seize their wealth. Follow the money. Bailiff Simon unravels three sets of murders and confronts his own moral principles in the process.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ibland är historiska romaner precis vad man behöver. De är lagom kloka och pragmatiska, och säkert placerade i en värld bortom dagens sorger och orosmoment. Just denna handlar om en av överlevarna av tempelherrerättegångarna, återvänd till fädernegården, och om hur han i förbifarten mördar en fiende till orden. Rekommenderas.

[Ross McClintock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite refreshing, a take on the pastoral murder mystery plot, but with Knights Templar, bailiffs, yeomen and the like. The mystery wasn't much, and in fact quite easy to guess the hows and whys, but I'm a sucker for medieval village tales, so I'll blow through a few more in this series

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking us back to the early fourteenth century, this book is interesting. As a mystery, it's fun to follow the reasoning of the characters. Taking place in the past that lacked all modern conveniences, it's a view of a time it's hard to even imagine. Okay, although I don't attend any medieval fairs, I am a sucker for a good knights, gentry, and peasantry story.

The Catholic church was still the church in England, all of Western Europe, presumably. The king is a distant person outside of the capital. Find out how justice was pursued before even guns had made the scene. Forget fingerprints and DNA. Forget police forces. Let's do this the hard way.