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The Medieval Murderers #2
The Sword of Shame
From its first arrival in Britain with the Norman forces of William the Conqueror, violence and revenge are the cursed sword's constant companions. From an election-rigging scandal in 13th century Venice to the battlefield of Poitiers in 1356, as the Sword of Shame passes from owner to owner in this compelling collection of interlinked mysteries, it brings nothing but bad luck and disgrace to all whoever possesses it.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
24 people are currently reading
690 people want to read
About the author
The Medieval Murderers
22 books73 followersA pseudonym used for collaborative works by the following:
Simon Beaufort,
Philip Gooden,
Susanna Gregory,
Michael Jecks,
Bernard Knight,
Karen Maitland,
Ian Morson, and
C.J. Sansom.
Simon Beaufort,
Philip Gooden,
Susanna Gregory,
Michael Jecks,
Bernard Knight,
Karen Maitland,
Ian Morson, and
C.J. Sansom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 24, 2008
This story is about a sword, crafted before the Norman conquest of England and taken through, in chapter format, over its travels through medieval history. As the sword passes from owner to owner in these interlinked mysteries, it causes causes murder and chaos wherever it goes. An interesting point about this book is that it is written by five authors, all members of the Crime Writers Association in Britain.
December 31, 2018
It is interesting that, although each chapter is written by a different author, the interest is maintained. In this book, we follow the sword through the ages. Each author brings their area of history to the story. Some have characters from their well-known series, these do not 'fit-in' to the series but the characters' back-story is continued.
I haven't read them in order but it doesn't matter. Each book in the series deals with a different theme and time periods. Good fun and an enjoyable read.
I haven't read them in order but it doesn't matter. Each book in the series deals with a different theme and time periods. Good fun and an enjoyable read.
May 21, 2024
Prologue, 1050,1066. Here, we meet the special sword that seems to have a life of its own. Bran, a smith, was the son of a Viking and an English woman whose menfolk he had killed. Bran was married and had two sons, one fair like him, the other dark like his mother. Bran spent weeks making the sword to last for decades. He declared the sword like no other - invincible in defending the nation.
Rollo, a Breton, is seasick on his voyage across the Channel with William the Bastard as part of the invading army. He knew a much larger force under Harold Godwinson would be hard to defeat, but he also knew he'd be richly rewarded if they won. The fighting is close and brutal. During the fight, Rollo is mortally wounded, but the last thing he sees is the sword do its first terrible, cursed deed.
Act One, Exeter 1195. Crowner Sir John de Wolf of Devon and his assistants, Gwyn a Cornishman, and clerk Thomas de Peyne, an unfrocked priest perform their work in and around Exeter. Gwyn's rented house burns down so quickly that he and his wife barely get out with their lives. Everything is lost, including his sword of 20 years. Without a sword, he can't perform his duties, so Sir John takes him to an armorer and buys him a new one, and you guessed it - the Sword of Shame. Thereafter, Gwyn's life is turned upside down with bad luck after bad luck. But the worst is when he gets accused of murder!
Act Two, Venice, 1262. Here we meet Nicolas Zuliani, a con artist of the first order. He is mysteriously gifted with the sword by an unknown person who comes to his door late one night while Nicolas is drunk - not unusual for him. Soon, he gets embrioled in a plot to rig the election of the new doge. But mostly, it's about his enormous ego and all nefarious things he does. I found the character thoroughly unlikable, so I skimmed most of the droning narrative so I could get to the next story, which features my beloved character Sir Baldwin de Furnshill.
Act Three, 1324. This tale begins with Hob the Miller finding a body apparently several days old by the smell of it. Others must have seen, but not reported it to avoid the first finder's fee. But Hob was a good man, and he even looked for any clues before he hurried to report to Sir William de Tracy and ask for a coroner to come. You see, Hob knew exactly who the dead man was. It was Walter Coule, Sir John de Curterne's reeve.
Of the several coroners in the area, Sir Richard de Welles was chosen as the closest to the scene. Sir Richard, in turn, summoned the Keeper of the King’s Peace, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock to investigate and find the murderer, for murder it was. Roger de Tracy, younger brother of Sir William, tells the pair that Coule likely stole Sir William's sword (our Sword of Shame), for Sir John de Curterne because he coveted the sword. Sir William wanted to retire to a cloister and force his wife, Lady Alice, into a nunery against her wishes.
Now, it is up to Sir Baldwin and Simon to untangle the history of the sword and catch the killer. But the sword is not through because before the tale is done, the blade slices the hand of young Matthew de Curterne.
Act Four, Poitiers, France, September 1356. Here we meet Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael in the time of King Edward III of England. We also pick up the story of Matthew de Curterne, son of Sir John de Curterne of the previous story. Matthew has joined Edward, the Black Prince at the Battle of Poitiers, and finds himself hiding for his life with the accursed sword in his hand. The battle won, his three friends find him and tell him they saw his cowardice and are disgusted by it. An hour later, while Matthew is still crying from shame, someone sneaks up on him, stabs him in the back, and takes the sword.
Ten months later, Bartholomew and Brother Michael are on their way to see Sir Philip Lymbury about the rent he owes their college, Michaelhouse in Cambridge. Lymbury tells them he gave the money to the Ickleton Priory. They must go to the priory and demand the money.
On their way, they meet a cast of bizarre characters from the manor at Ickleton who are out hunting, including a profane nun who sleeps around. They do not get the money from the priory as it's already spent. When they return, they find Sir Philip Lymbury sitting in a chair and skewered by the cursed sword. None of the hunters seem in the least concerned, including his wife, or his mistress, the nun.
Only Bartholomew and Brother Michael care about finding the murderer, and the set about doing just that, and everyone seems to have a motive.
* As a note, many of the characters in this story were based on real people of the same name during the same date.
Act Five, Ickleton, 1604. We pick up the sword's story about 300 years later, in the third year of the reign of King James I of England, and VI of Scotland.** Nicholas Revill, a member of the King’s Men at the Globe Playhouse, is on his way to arrange a performance at a future date for the wealthy Maskell family. The problem is he asked for directions from an old woman who was hard of hearing. She sent him in the opposite direction toward Valance House, home of the Haskells in Ickleton.
It's getting dark, snowing, cold, and Nicholas is on a hired horse - he hates horses. He'd planned to make the round trip in one day, but that obviously is not going to happen. Then the horse starts to limp. There is a pebble lodged in his hoof, so the rest of the way is on foot. He reaches the crumbling old house and is ushered inside, and asked if he's there to see Elias. He presumes so and is ushered into a sick room with an old man in a bed.
Quickly, he finds out he's at Valence House, the home of the Haskell's, not the Maskell's who live in the opposite direction. While Elias is sickly, he's still as mentally sharp as ever, and he has a clever monkey as a companion. His relatives eagerly await his death and their share of the estate.
This is about Elias. It's about the greed of his relatives eagerly awaiting his death. It's about the curse of the Sword. It's about murder. It's about how Nicholas survives with a most unusual helper.
**As an historical note, King James was obsessed with witchcraft. He thought he was surrounded by witches. He even wrote a treatise on it. Worst of all, he burned thousands at the stake during his reign. Most of them were tortured first; and most of them were women.
Finally, the Epilogue is written in 2005. Auctioneer John Lascelles is speeding down the M11 to London in his Porsche Cayenne. He's about to take part in a very important auction of arms and armour, the centerpiece being the Sword of Shame. Wallas Barker is to meet Lascelles to give him the results of his historical research on the sword. Once there, Barker follows it from the maker, Bran, through the centuries noting its association with dark deeds and bad luck.
As Barker is talking, Lascelles picks up the sword and feels a power surge through him. He can feel himself brandishing the sword and in a great arc decapitating........ Suddenly, the spell is broken and he's back to normal.
That night, Barker shows back up as the security staff is locking up. He asks to be let in to retrieve his notes that he left behind and needs in the morning for the British Museum. But he isn't there for that. He's there for the sword! I'll leave you to read what happens next!
This seems like a long review, but each story is much more complex, with much more action, and I've left a lot out.
Rollo, a Breton, is seasick on his voyage across the Channel with William the Bastard as part of the invading army. He knew a much larger force under Harold Godwinson would be hard to defeat, but he also knew he'd be richly rewarded if they won. The fighting is close and brutal. During the fight, Rollo is mortally wounded, but the last thing he sees is the sword do its first terrible, cursed deed.
Act One, Exeter 1195. Crowner Sir John de Wolf of Devon and his assistants, Gwyn a Cornishman, and clerk Thomas de Peyne, an unfrocked priest perform their work in and around Exeter. Gwyn's rented house burns down so quickly that he and his wife barely get out with their lives. Everything is lost, including his sword of 20 years. Without a sword, he can't perform his duties, so Sir John takes him to an armorer and buys him a new one, and you guessed it - the Sword of Shame. Thereafter, Gwyn's life is turned upside down with bad luck after bad luck. But the worst is when he gets accused of murder!
Act Two, Venice, 1262. Here we meet Nicolas Zuliani, a con artist of the first order. He is mysteriously gifted with the sword by an unknown person who comes to his door late one night while Nicolas is drunk - not unusual for him. Soon, he gets embrioled in a plot to rig the election of the new doge. But mostly, it's about his enormous ego and all nefarious things he does. I found the character thoroughly unlikable, so I skimmed most of the droning narrative so I could get to the next story, which features my beloved character Sir Baldwin de Furnshill.
Act Three, 1324. This tale begins with Hob the Miller finding a body apparently several days old by the smell of it. Others must have seen, but not reported it to avoid the first finder's fee. But Hob was a good man, and he even looked for any clues before he hurried to report to Sir William de Tracy and ask for a coroner to come. You see, Hob knew exactly who the dead man was. It was Walter Coule, Sir John de Curterne's reeve.
Of the several coroners in the area, Sir Richard de Welles was chosen as the closest to the scene. Sir Richard, in turn, summoned the Keeper of the King’s Peace, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock to investigate and find the murderer, for murder it was. Roger de Tracy, younger brother of Sir William, tells the pair that Coule likely stole Sir William's sword (our Sword of Shame), for Sir John de Curterne because he coveted the sword. Sir William wanted to retire to a cloister and force his wife, Lady Alice, into a nunery against her wishes.
Now, it is up to Sir Baldwin and Simon to untangle the history of the sword and catch the killer. But the sword is not through because before the tale is done, the blade slices the hand of young Matthew de Curterne.
Act Four, Poitiers, France, September 1356. Here we meet Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael in the time of King Edward III of England. We also pick up the story of Matthew de Curterne, son of Sir John de Curterne of the previous story. Matthew has joined Edward, the Black Prince at the Battle of Poitiers, and finds himself hiding for his life with the accursed sword in his hand. The battle won, his three friends find him and tell him they saw his cowardice and are disgusted by it. An hour later, while Matthew is still crying from shame, someone sneaks up on him, stabs him in the back, and takes the sword.
Ten months later, Bartholomew and Brother Michael are on their way to see Sir Philip Lymbury about the rent he owes their college, Michaelhouse in Cambridge. Lymbury tells them he gave the money to the Ickleton Priory. They must go to the priory and demand the money.
On their way, they meet a cast of bizarre characters from the manor at Ickleton who are out hunting, including a profane nun who sleeps around. They do not get the money from the priory as it's already spent. When they return, they find Sir Philip Lymbury sitting in a chair and skewered by the cursed sword. None of the hunters seem in the least concerned, including his wife, or his mistress, the nun.
Only Bartholomew and Brother Michael care about finding the murderer, and the set about doing just that, and everyone seems to have a motive.
* As a note, many of the characters in this story were based on real people of the same name during the same date.
Act Five, Ickleton, 1604. We pick up the sword's story about 300 years later, in the third year of the reign of King James I of England, and VI of Scotland.** Nicholas Revill, a member of the King’s Men at the Globe Playhouse, is on his way to arrange a performance at a future date for the wealthy Maskell family. The problem is he asked for directions from an old woman who was hard of hearing. She sent him in the opposite direction toward Valance House, home of the Haskells in Ickleton.
It's getting dark, snowing, cold, and Nicholas is on a hired horse - he hates horses. He'd planned to make the round trip in one day, but that obviously is not going to happen. Then the horse starts to limp. There is a pebble lodged in his hoof, so the rest of the way is on foot. He reaches the crumbling old house and is ushered inside, and asked if he's there to see Elias. He presumes so and is ushered into a sick room with an old man in a bed.
Quickly, he finds out he's at Valence House, the home of the Haskell's, not the Maskell's who live in the opposite direction. While Elias is sickly, he's still as mentally sharp as ever, and he has a clever monkey as a companion. His relatives eagerly await his death and their share of the estate.
This is about Elias. It's about the greed of his relatives eagerly awaiting his death. It's about the curse of the Sword. It's about murder. It's about how Nicholas survives with a most unusual helper.
**As an historical note, King James was obsessed with witchcraft. He thought he was surrounded by witches. He even wrote a treatise on it. Worst of all, he burned thousands at the stake during his reign. Most of them were tortured first; and most of them were women.
Finally, the Epilogue is written in 2005. Auctioneer John Lascelles is speeding down the M11 to London in his Porsche Cayenne. He's about to take part in a very important auction of arms and armour, the centerpiece being the Sword of Shame. Wallas Barker is to meet Lascelles to give him the results of his historical research on the sword. Once there, Barker follows it from the maker, Bran, through the centuries noting its association with dark deeds and bad luck.
As Barker is talking, Lascelles picks up the sword and feels a power surge through him. He can feel himself brandishing the sword and in a great arc decapitating........ Suddenly, the spell is broken and he's back to normal.
That night, Barker shows back up as the security staff is locking up. He asks to be let in to retrieve his notes that he left behind and needs in the morning for the British Museum. But he isn't there for that. He's there for the sword! I'll leave you to read what happens next!
This seems like a long review, but each story is much more complex, with much more action, and I've left a lot out.
December 16, 2013
Having read all but two of this series albeit not in order, I found this particular story one of the most entertaining. Each author, well known in their own right, writes a tale round a common theme; in this case an elaborate mysterious sword which proves to carry an apparently deadly curse. For those familiar with the characters from books written independently by the respective authors, it is a real treat to find them once again pitting their wits against the murder and treachery that seem to enfold all those who own or come into contact with the sword. I particularly enjoyed Ian Morson's Nick Zuliani plotting election fraud in thirteenth century Venice and always look forward to the modern day epilogue which cleverly wraps up the story with an unexpected flourish, especially so in this one. This series is a great way to skip through the centuries, get a real flavour of each time period and a super mystery all at the same time. The reader also gets a taste for characters that can be explored in more depth in other books by each author should they wish.
June 11, 2018
More like a 2.5!
Gosh, took me almost a month to get through this book, and I nearly gave up or contemplating giving up twice; found the stories predictably dull and uninterestingly weak, the only worthwhile, in my opinion of course, in this book is Act Five written by Philip Gooden.
This is my fourth book by this collaboration of authors and I must say I am greatly disappointed so far. I still have three more books to read and I am not looking forward to :(
“At least we scholars keep our dislikes decently conceled under a veneer of civility.” - Brother Michael, Pg. 285
Gosh, took me almost a month to get through this book, and I nearly gave up or contemplating giving up twice; found the stories predictably dull and uninterestingly weak, the only worthwhile, in my opinion of course, in this book is Act Five written by Philip Gooden.
This is my fourth book by this collaboration of authors and I must say I am greatly disappointed so far. I still have three more books to read and I am not looking forward to :(
“At least we scholars keep our dislikes decently conceled under a veneer of civility.” - Brother Michael, Pg. 285
August 20, 2022
This is the story of a beautiful but unlucky sword, starting from its conception, design, through its making, forging and then use by its various owners. It is divided into five sections each written by a member of 'The Medieval Murderers'. Despite this, the telling of the tale flows smoothly, each section telling a differing but continuously interlinking theme, from the Norman conquest in 1066 to the present day.
It is the first time I have read a book by a multiple of writers and look forward to enjoying more.
It is the first time I have read a book by a multiple of writers and look forward to enjoying more.
April 12, 2021
I listened to this audio books with different authors having written a story based on the one sword that brings bad luck. From the Invasion force of William the Conqueror and brothers meeting on opposite sides, to landowners, to Italy, back to the isles the stories reflected their times and the bad luck the sword brought its owners.
Worth listening to, but when you see how long it took, it was around bush times at work.
Worth listening to, but when you see how long it took, it was around bush times at work.
August 19, 2021
Another set of mysteries in the medieval murderer series, this book revolves around a cursed sword that leaves a trail of murder.
Much like the first book in this series, I found this collection of stories entertaining and imaginative. They are a fun read. It is entertaining to try to figure out these medieval who-dunnit stories. Due to the different authors, some stories are definitely better than others, but all in all, it’s an overall entertaining book.
Much like the first book in this series, I found this collection of stories entertaining and imaginative. They are a fun read. It is entertaining to try to figure out these medieval who-dunnit stories. Due to the different authors, some stories are definitely better than others, but all in all, it’s an overall entertaining book.
September 23, 2024
Several short mystery stories set throughout history. Entertaining read.
The idea behind this collection is that several writers write murder mystery stories on a common theme, in this instance, the titular sword. They date from Norman times up to this century. They are entertaining and well-written and, as one might expect, vary in their appeal. It’s an interesting concept which generally works.
The idea behind this collection is that several writers write murder mystery stories on a common theme, in this instance, the titular sword. They date from Norman times up to this century. They are entertaining and well-written and, as one might expect, vary in their appeal. It’s an interesting concept which generally works.
October 15, 2018
I found this volume of the Medieval Murderers collection a bit more even than their first, which unfortunately is the problem. The first book while having one or two stories I thought dragged a bit, had some real standouts. The Sword of Shame though just seems to meander along. Still worth a read and not sorry for the purchase by any means, just a bit of a let down.
August 1, 2019
Another story that rattles right along. My only complaint would be that the path of the sword gets a bit muddled from one of the stories to the next, but as each mystery can stand alone, it's a minor complaint. I'm not a huge fan of short stories as a rule, but having an item threaded throughout the book makes the tales seem a bit less short story-ish.
July 22, 2024
I did enjoy some of the chapters but unfortunately had to skip Ian Morson's again as I just couldn't get into it. The stories didn't flow as well as the first Medieval Murderers. Nonetheless an enjoyable read and I'm glad I get more Crowner John and Matthew Bartholomew. Will read the next in the series.
June 4, 2017
I really like the concept of these books. They are written by four or five individual writers of the medieval mystery genre. It is usually taken as a character from their book writing about a particular issue. This time a sword that seems to be cursed. I love reading the different characters reactions to situations even though I may not have read the author before. Round up to 3.5 stars.
September 11, 2020
Ah just lovely to be back in the company of the Medieval Murderers after more than a decade. Yes this volume has been sitting on my bookshelf for years and years waiting to be read. What took me so long?!
October 5, 2022
This series is so entertaining. A collection of short stories from medieval times to more recent times. It is the story of a well made sword that has a cursed history of shame. The stories are all interesting and play out like a true crime murder mystery.
December 10, 2020
Linked stories
I find it really interesting to read books like these with each chapter written by a different author. Great historical detail during the journey of the sword.
I find it really interesting to read books like these with each chapter written by a different author. Great historical detail during the journey of the sword.
October 28, 2015
Sword Of Shame was a real treat for me, as I had read previous works by Bernard Knight and Michael Jecks and enjoyed them immensely. The clever plot device of a cursed sword (rather like the one ring to rule them all in Lord of the Rings trilogy) weaves its way through five different stories and several hundred years, inevitably dooming all who are attracted to it. I loved discovering a Crowner John tale that I had not read yet, but the best of the lot is Ian Morson’s charming rogue Nick Zuliani who is dragged downward by his own weaknesses in a deliciously complex plot that brings to life Venice in 1262. Michael Jeck’s Keeper Sir Baldwin and his loyal Bailiff Puck have a strong entry here as well. Susanna Gregory’s entry is muddied by too many yammering characters, but it makes a good transition piece to the near-comedic Act Five where Philip Gooden’s player (read: actor) finds himself in a house full gold-digging relatives and their pet monkey. Any fan of medieval mysteries will find a lot to enjoy in Sword of Shame.
March 25, 2013
The Sword of Shame traces the influence of a sword over 1000 years and each section is written by a different author. There are five of them, all excellent writers individually, but collectively it doesn’t work. The authors Michael Jecks, Bernard Knight, Susanna Gregory and two others, collectively call themselves “The Medieval Murderers”.
This topic could have been far better if it had been written by one person as in James Michener's Alaska or Edward Rutherford's Sarum. The leaps between centuries, and the differing writing styles make it a book which jars a bit.
This topic could have been far better if it had been written by one person as in James Michener's Alaska or Edward Rutherford's Sarum. The leaps between centuries, and the differing writing styles make it a book which jars a bit.
March 2, 2012
For me this series of interlinked short stories work better with locations rather than objects as their theme. This time it was a sword, and also involved 2 sections based just down the road.
It is however good to pick up on some of the medieval investigators and interesting how the various legal systems worked in the past.
It is however good to pick up on some of the medieval investigators and interesting how the various legal systems worked in the past.
March 6, 2015
c2006. This has been the weakest of the books that I have read so far. Two of the Acts were so muddled to me when I read them, that I ended up reading the last few lines just to get to the next Act. All series have their weak link and I hope that this is the one for this series. Unable to recommend to the normal crew.
February 19, 2016
Written by several different authors, the sword was the connection between them and throughout the time span and different countries. Liked most of the stories except for the one set in Venice--not sure, but I think the switch from England and the name differences put me off. Otherwise, an interesting read with lots of medieval color.
February 10, 2018
A little harder going in a few places and an obvious change in style from chapter to chapter due to the manner in which the chapters were written by 5 different writers. An interesting read and I enjoyed the format, the different stories being linked by a common theme, in this case being the 'Sword of Shame' from the title. I will try some others in the series.
March 25, 2024
This was a fun and clever read, especially if you're already familiar with the authors involved. Each one writes their portion of the story using their regular characters from their series set in the appropriate time and place.
September 26, 2010
A Very good read, some writers better than others, I personally didn't find Ian Morson's chapter as good as the others;
Michael Jecks & Susanna Gregory were excellent but they are 2 of my favourite authors
Michael Jecks & Susanna Gregory were excellent but they are 2 of my favourite authors
May 3, 2014
A novel written by numerous authors is a great idea, except when one author lets the side down. I was really enjoying this book until I got to Susanna Gregory's contribution. I found this story boring and not very well written. Really enjoyed the rest of the book though.
January 10, 2017
This is a great series. There are lots of different stories and times and history tidbits to give the reader pleasure. Some stories are better than others, and the sword is less of a good object than the relic that made up the first anthology.
January 12, 2017
This is a set of short stories linked by a supposedly cursed sword. I found the supposed curse unconvincing and some of the stories were extremely slow. I won't be looking to buy or borrow another in the series, hence 2 stars.
February 21, 2018
Yet another fantastic whodunnit through the ages! Starting with the forging of a magnificent sword and ending in twenty first century London with the final 'victim', it was a thoroughly exciting and enjoyable read.
March 4, 2009
Some of the stories about the sword's history were very good others however were adding twists which the reader had little way of guessing e.g. at the mill.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews