Herald

The Welsh Guard Mysteries #4

by Sarah Woodbury

Rhys and Catrin contend with betrayal and insurrection as they resume their duties in the king's court …

September 1284. Within moments of rejoining the king's company, Rhys and Catrin learn King Edward has not only melted down the silver seal matrix of their murdered prince and turned it into a chalice, which he has gifted to the monks at Vale Royal Abbey, but the chalice has gone missing a matter of days before its consecration.

Assigned to find the culprit, they discover instead a populace seething over the predations of the abbey and its officers and an unusual alliance between Norman and Saxon. As the unrest grows in the countryside and Cheshire teeters on the brink of open rebellion, Rhys and Catrin's initial apathy about the theft turns to urgency—for they are not the only ones who have to decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to bring down a king.

Herald is the fourth book in The Welsh Guard Mysteries.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2023

About the author

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

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


She makes her home in Oregon.

Reviews

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good edition in this series with the requisite good plot, characters and excellent history.

[PR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story...love her books.

This book was fine. Not great not bad not ground breaking or as good as some of her others in my opinion! I do love her writing...one always learns something new about Wales and its history...the commitment of its people to independence and self rule. The main characters care well drawn and I hope always for more relationship news, more descriptions of the relationships between the characters and their missing family members...wives, sons and daughters...parents...especially considering the plot and the need to move forward with the storylines. I have read almost everything this author has written and will continue to do so...well worth the time spent!
I recommend this series and be sure to start with the first book in the series for the best understanding of the characters and the setting.
Sometime pea repetitive, sometimes a little "teachy" and still worth the read.
I cannot wait to see what happens next and hope we get to know the main characters and their respective families better.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is more subtle and complicated than the previous books in this series. I had a difficult time feeling any urgency in this story because I could not empathize with Rhys feelings regarding the destruction of the symbols of his defeated country.
I think most people have to deal with problems similar to those of Rhys & Catrin, i.e., reality some times goes in a direction totally contrary to what we had originally expected and had planned for, and we have to be big boys and girls and adjust our thinking, and align ourselves with the real world.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

13th century Britain. The king wants to establish the most grandiose abbey at Royal Vale. He has not only given the land to the monks but also turned the free peasants living on it into villeins, serfs bound to the abbey. When a chalice disappears from the abbey, the abbot claims that it was taken by an angel. Rhys and Catrin are somewhat skeptical and drawn into a very muddled investigation. Much of the book is spent analyzing the conflicted feelings of Rhys towards the brutality of the king.

[Voirrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Rhys and Catrin continues to develop, and remains fascinating. They are trying to walk a tightrope - serving the English King, whilst trying to do their best for their own people, and trying to cope with their anger and sorrow at the way King Edward is subjugating the Welsh and destroying their heritage.

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining

King Edward the 1st continued the shaping of England into everything Norman by constantly harassing the Welsh and the Saxons.

This story tells the tale of one such Saxon village and the slow simmering of hate to all things Norman.

[Saundra Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandie’s two cents

Interesting story and religious observations. Would have liked a more in depth resolution to the story either the well water pollution or the village suppression.

[Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite. Slow moving and more introspection than action.

[Patricia Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

very interesting

I really enjoyed the melding of fiction and facts. The characters are dimensional and somewhat believable. I enjoy this author’s work.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this book and this series. On to the next book in the series.

[teri atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written

It is easy to become involved with the characters. The historical background gives a fascinating view of what life was like in this that time period.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trials of a conquered people abound here. It isn’t just the Welsh but the Saxons as well. England has a lot of turmoil and also a king ruthless enough to order it. Then we have the people just trying to survive and be true to themselves as well. Good story.