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Knights Templar #29
The Oath
Set amid the turmoil of war, when nobody's life is safe, comes a gripping new murder mystery from a master of medieval crime
1326. In an England riven with conflict, knight and peasant alike find their lives turned upside down by the warring factions of Edward II, with his hated favorite, Hugh le Despenser, and Edward's estranged queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer. Yet even in such times the brutal slaughter of an entire family, right down to a babe in arms, still has the power to shock. Three further murders follow, and bailiff Simon Puttock is drawn into a web of intrigue, vengeance, power, and greed as Roger Mortimer charges him to investigate the killings. Brilliantly evoking the turmoil of 14th-century England, this novel features well-loved characters Simon Puttock and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill as they strive to maintain the principles of loyalty and truth.
1326. In an England riven with conflict, knight and peasant alike find their lives turned upside down by the warring factions of Edward II, with his hated favorite, Hugh le Despenser, and Edward's estranged queen Isabella and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer. Yet even in such times the brutal slaughter of an entire family, right down to a babe in arms, still has the power to shock. Three further murders follow, and bailiff Simon Puttock is drawn into a web of intrigue, vengeance, power, and greed as Roger Mortimer charges him to investigate the killings. Brilliantly evoking the turmoil of 14th-century England, this novel features well-loved characters Simon Puttock and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill as they strive to maintain the principles of loyalty and truth.
528 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2010
19 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Michael Jecks
121 books620 followersMichael 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 3, 2013
Three and a half stars well earned.
It is not easy to compose this review of The Oath by Michael Jecks. It is #29 in a 32 book series and I have three more in the series to read after this one. So how does a reviewer keep it fresh and not find her or himself just saying the same things about the same characters over and over? I have three more to review and I don't want them to blend into one.
It was stewing on this that helped me decide how I should write this review. I needed to write a review for the reader who has not read all the Knights Templar Mysteries. The reader who, like me, may have read the first book, but has not been able to source all the Mysteries and therefore chose to reboot in the most recent releases.
Or the other reader. The one who has never read a Michael Jecks and is happy to come in anywhere as long as he or she can be assured that the books are stand alone.
That is what I want to touch on most in this review. How stand alone is it? Can a reader come into the series at this book if they have not read the preceding books?
As far as plot and setting are concerned, they are this. It is 1326. England is in turmoil as Edward II is at war with his Queen, Isabella. As armies approach and towns fortify, preparing for seige, the countryside is plagued by gangs of roving thieves and deserters.
There are the kind of events you would expect from a mystery series. Without giving too much away. You can expect a death. Maybe more. Killers on the loose. An investigation or two.
You will also get what you expect from a Michael Jecks Knights Templar Mystery, and that is the Bailiff Simon Puttock and the retired Templar, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill.
Now to the crux of it. As mentioned above, I came to this 32 book series having only read the first book, The Last Templar. I could not source all the books - nor could I source them in order – and so I always put off rediscovering more books by the author.
Many series' are so tightly locked together that it is a waste of time picking up books from anywhere in the series as they will not make sense.
I was delighted to discover that my concerns regarding this series were mostly unfounded. They can stand alone. Well, at least this one does. I have the next three books in the series to read and I will be judging them on their ability to stand alone too as I get to them.
Now, I don't want to foreshadow my positive remarks regarding 'stand alone' with a few words of a contradictory nature, but I have to admit this. For the reader who has not read many of the books in the series there are going to be certain levels of enjoyment missing from the book. It has been a long journey for the main characters between The Last Templar and The Oath and I did find myself detached from them. Like the characters were never properly introduced and as a result, were always strangers that I would never get to know.
I found myself not caring all that much for Simon and the characters closest to him as there seemed too much water under the bridge since book #1. I had better luck with Sir Baldwin. I remember him more robustly from book one and so I found myself enjoying his sections in The Oath. I also enjoyed the 'walk on' character Robert, who you will get to know if you choose to read this book. I do think he was my favourite character in the story.
I would recommend that anybody approaching this series for the first time - or if you have only read one or two – brace yourself for the potential disconnect from the main characters.
I kind of expected to know them better than I did and so I stumbled about on this book. A little perplexed, slightly disaffected and trying to work out why I could not reattach myself to Simon and Sir Baldwin. For this reason I have to give the book 3 1/2 stars out of 5. But every part of those three and a half stars is positive. It earned them and they are well deserved.
I did like the story, the setting, and the elegant writing. I wanted so badly to give the book 4 stars, but I have to be honest with myself. I think if I had read more books in the series and not lost touch with the main characters then it would be a solid 4 star book for me. I expect to find 4 or even 5 star books in the series to come.
On a positive finish. I have a gut feeling that following this baptism of fire with The Oath, my foot may be more solidly placed back inside the world of Simon and Sir Baldwin. I am hoping that I have been re-acclimated and that when I meet the characters again in the next book, King's Gold, we will be a better fit..
I interviewed the author Michael Jecks in June 2013 on my blog. I spoke with the author about whether his books can stand alone and was confident going into The Oath due to his reassurances. He was right.
http://ancientandmedievalmayhem.blogs...
Disclosure: I received The Oath from publishers Simon & Schuster for reading and reviewing. Thank you to them.
It is not easy to compose this review of The Oath by Michael Jecks. It is #29 in a 32 book series and I have three more in the series to read after this one. So how does a reviewer keep it fresh and not find her or himself just saying the same things about the same characters over and over? I have three more to review and I don't want them to blend into one.
It was stewing on this that helped me decide how I should write this review. I needed to write a review for the reader who has not read all the Knights Templar Mysteries. The reader who, like me, may have read the first book, but has not been able to source all the Mysteries and therefore chose to reboot in the most recent releases.
Or the other reader. The one who has never read a Michael Jecks and is happy to come in anywhere as long as he or she can be assured that the books are stand alone.
That is what I want to touch on most in this review. How stand alone is it? Can a reader come into the series at this book if they have not read the preceding books?
As far as plot and setting are concerned, they are this. It is 1326. England is in turmoil as Edward II is at war with his Queen, Isabella. As armies approach and towns fortify, preparing for seige, the countryside is plagued by gangs of roving thieves and deserters.
There are the kind of events you would expect from a mystery series. Without giving too much away. You can expect a death. Maybe more. Killers on the loose. An investigation or two.
You will also get what you expect from a Michael Jecks Knights Templar Mystery, and that is the Bailiff Simon Puttock and the retired Templar, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill.
Now to the crux of it. As mentioned above, I came to this 32 book series having only read the first book, The Last Templar. I could not source all the books - nor could I source them in order – and so I always put off rediscovering more books by the author.
Many series' are so tightly locked together that it is a waste of time picking up books from anywhere in the series as they will not make sense.
I was delighted to discover that my concerns regarding this series were mostly unfounded. They can stand alone. Well, at least this one does. I have the next three books in the series to read and I will be judging them on their ability to stand alone too as I get to them.
Now, I don't want to foreshadow my positive remarks regarding 'stand alone' with a few words of a contradictory nature, but I have to admit this. For the reader who has not read many of the books in the series there are going to be certain levels of enjoyment missing from the book. It has been a long journey for the main characters between The Last Templar and The Oath and I did find myself detached from them. Like the characters were never properly introduced and as a result, were always strangers that I would never get to know.
I found myself not caring all that much for Simon and the characters closest to him as there seemed too much water under the bridge since book #1. I had better luck with Sir Baldwin. I remember him more robustly from book one and so I found myself enjoying his sections in The Oath. I also enjoyed the 'walk on' character Robert, who you will get to know if you choose to read this book. I do think he was my favourite character in the story.
I would recommend that anybody approaching this series for the first time - or if you have only read one or two – brace yourself for the potential disconnect from the main characters.
I kind of expected to know them better than I did and so I stumbled about on this book. A little perplexed, slightly disaffected and trying to work out why I could not reattach myself to Simon and Sir Baldwin. For this reason I have to give the book 3 1/2 stars out of 5. But every part of those three and a half stars is positive. It earned them and they are well deserved.
I did like the story, the setting, and the elegant writing. I wanted so badly to give the book 4 stars, but I have to be honest with myself. I think if I had read more books in the series and not lost touch with the main characters then it would be a solid 4 star book for me. I expect to find 4 or even 5 star books in the series to come.
On a positive finish. I have a gut feeling that following this baptism of fire with The Oath, my foot may be more solidly placed back inside the world of Simon and Sir Baldwin. I am hoping that I have been re-acclimated and that when I meet the characters again in the next book, King's Gold, we will be a better fit..
I interviewed the author Michael Jecks in June 2013 on my blog. I spoke with the author about whether his books can stand alone and was confident going into The Oath due to his reassurances. He was right.
http://ancientandmedievalmayhem.blogs...
Disclosure: I received The Oath from publishers Simon & Schuster for reading and reviewing. Thank you to them.
January 27, 2012
This was the first book with Simon & Schuster, and I am really fond of it. The efforts to which my new publisher went to make sure that the cover and design suited the book were far greater than I was used to, and the careful editing brought the whole story together tightly.
It was the period at the end of the King's reign. He was forced to flee London as his wife's army landed and made a sweep across the country gathering allies and receiving adulation wherever she went. The King, by contrast, was forced to see all his nobles desert him. Only his faithful adviser, Sir Hugh le Despenser, remained with him.
Baldwin and SImon are torn - because this book is all about Oaths, and how important they were to men of their period. Breaking an oath was almost unthinkable. But Simon had been persecuted for years by Despenser, and was keen to fight for his destruction - while Baldwin had taken his oath to the King and could no more break that than kill himself. So in this time of civil war, the two are forced to take opposing sides.
It was the period at the end of the King's reign. He was forced to flee London as his wife's army landed and made a sweep across the country gathering allies and receiving adulation wherever she went. The King, by contrast, was forced to see all his nobles desert him. Only his faithful adviser, Sir Hugh le Despenser, remained with him.
Baldwin and SImon are torn - because this book is all about Oaths, and how important they were to men of their period. Breaking an oath was almost unthinkable. But Simon had been persecuted for years by Despenser, and was keen to fight for his destruction - while Baldwin had taken his oath to the King and could no more break that than kill himself. So in this time of civil war, the two are forced to take opposing sides.
December 29, 2016
This book has the words "A Knights Templar Mystery" on its cover. However, that is entirely misleading as I really don't feel this was a mystery. Or maybe it was intended as a mystery, but somewhere along the writing process, the author lost his focus or became more interested in writing something else entirely. I say this because out of 506 pages, maybe all of 30 were truly devoted to the mystery of who killed a maid Cecily. And that death didn't even occur until page 330!!
For a good 90% of this book, Michael Jecks writes about movement of two main groups of people. Nonstop movement all over England. One group is the King of England and his trusted compadres, trying to escape capture by a disgruntled Queen and her partner. That's the other group. Throughout most of the book, the two groups just chase each other around the countryside. There's a few battles, a few sieges in castles, lots of downpours, and quite a number of characters who not all make it to the end of the book.
There are some murders, but, truthfully, none of it was all that interesting. The whole story was just so bogged down with too much irrelevant story line. Had the story been solely focused on the murder rather than the constant back and forth between the two groups trying to capture or outrun each other, I would have enjoyed the book more. It took me seven months to read this book, which tells me that I wasn't fascinated by the story being told by Mr. Jecks. That's disappointing to me because I highly enjoyed his previous novels. I will read another book by him, of course, but I am in no rush to start the next book in the series.
For a good 90% of this book, Michael Jecks writes about movement of two main groups of people. Nonstop movement all over England. One group is the King of England and his trusted compadres, trying to escape capture by a disgruntled Queen and her partner. That's the other group. Throughout most of the book, the two groups just chase each other around the countryside. There's a few battles, a few sieges in castles, lots of downpours, and quite a number of characters who not all make it to the end of the book.
There are some murders, but, truthfully, none of it was all that interesting. The whole story was just so bogged down with too much irrelevant story line. Had the story been solely focused on the murder rather than the constant back and forth between the two groups trying to capture or outrun each other, I would have enjoyed the book more. It took me seven months to read this book, which tells me that I wasn't fascinated by the story being told by Mr. Jecks. That's disappointing to me because I highly enjoyed his previous novels. I will read another book by him, of course, but I am in no rush to start the next book in the series.
June 13, 2012
This is probably one of the worst books I have ever read. My cousin unloaded this on me. I usually respect his taste in literature, however, now I see why he "unloaded" it. Don't waste your time. Very, very boring. I do not usually get rid of books, however, I'm thinking of donating this to a library. The problem is, I don't want some poor sap to waste time with this. Perhaps I can re-gift it as a Christmas present to an enemy. Now to find an enemy........
June 10, 2012
So good, I've read it in a binge over the weekend. Less of a detective story than most of his, more of a historical novel with a couple of murders in, but by now we know Baldwin and Simon so well, and the history is so exciting, that we don't need the murder mystery element to keep the interest going. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 10, 2011
A great mystery that had me guessing and a great look at a confusing time in England, at least for the followers of Edward II who hated his advisers but didn't want to go against him.
November 29, 2010
Historical fiction about the downfall of King Edward II of England with a murder mystery as a secondary plot.
January 8, 2011
Interesting historical mystery, following the destruction of Edward II's kingdom. There were a lot of characters with similar names, but it was generally a fast and interesting read.
March 14, 2011
Decent historical murder mystery set in medieval England during the reign of Edward II. I will have to take a look at others in the series.
January 7, 2020
Let me start by saying that this was a great book in the Knights Templar series, and I enjoyed it very much. Unlike the most recent previous novels however, I cannot bring myself to give it 5 stars, for reasons mentioned below.
Over the years the main attention in the series has shifted from mystery to history, which took me some time to get used to. But since Jecks is a good storyteller with plenty of skills to make the history come alive, I have to admit I was pretty happy with this development. These skills are what saves this 29th installment, because the story itself leaves something to be desired.
In fact, The Oath is so much focused on the history, that it seems like the rest of the story had to be molded around it. Well, considering the timeline and what the previous novels have been building towards that may not be surprising.
In the fall of 1326, King Edward II is on the run with Hugh Despenser, and they are chased by Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, who bring with them the future King Edward III. England is on the brink of war, loyalties are shifting, men of all stations are leaving their homes to join the forces, and futures become uncertain.
In these chaotic times, Baldwin and Simon travel from London back to Dartmoor in separate ways (for reasons I cannot remember). Yet unbeknownst to them, they both manage to end up in Bristol. Maybe not so surprising if you realize that Bristol plays a key part in the King’s defenses and is the scene of the execution of Sir Hugh Despenser (the elder). In order to place both our heroes in the heat of events, the storyline of how and why they get to Bristol seems less important.
While in Bristol, two murders come to light which seem to be related to a previous family massacre, and Simon is ‘sort of’ asked to investigate those. Simon manages to spend all of 19 pages (give or take a few) looking into the crimes, before being sucked up in the general turmoil again.
In Dutch we have an expression which literally translates to “between the soup and the potatoes” (Google does not provide an English equivalent) and means something like “as an afterthought” or “by the way”. That is how these murders felt. Almost as if Jecks had nearly finished this book, and then realized he’d forgotten about murder and mystery. (His foreword implies otherwise by the way.)
When King Edward II is captured (no spoiler, just check Wikipedia), Simon and Baldwin meet again, and can start comparing notes. Putting their heads together it takes them a very short time to come up with the name of the murderer. The fact that this name should not come as a surprise to the attentive reader, makes it also a bit predictable.
Like I said, there are some flaws, but there is no denying that Jecks uses a hectic period in English history into a fantastic tale of heroism, betrayal, war and loyalty.
Over the years the main attention in the series has shifted from mystery to history, which took me some time to get used to. But since Jecks is a good storyteller with plenty of skills to make the history come alive, I have to admit I was pretty happy with this development. These skills are what saves this 29th installment, because the story itself leaves something to be desired.
In fact, The Oath is so much focused on the history, that it seems like the rest of the story had to be molded around it. Well, considering the timeline and what the previous novels have been building towards that may not be surprising.
In the fall of 1326, King Edward II is on the run with Hugh Despenser, and they are chased by Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, who bring with them the future King Edward III. England is on the brink of war, loyalties are shifting, men of all stations are leaving their homes to join the forces, and futures become uncertain.
In these chaotic times, Baldwin and Simon travel from London back to Dartmoor in separate ways (for reasons I cannot remember). Yet unbeknownst to them, they both manage to end up in Bristol. Maybe not so surprising if you realize that Bristol plays a key part in the King’s defenses and is the scene of the execution of Sir Hugh Despenser (the elder). In order to place both our heroes in the heat of events, the storyline of how and why they get to Bristol seems less important.
While in Bristol, two murders come to light which seem to be related to a previous family massacre, and Simon is ‘sort of’ asked to investigate those. Simon manages to spend all of 19 pages (give or take a few) looking into the crimes, before being sucked up in the general turmoil again.
In Dutch we have an expression which literally translates to “between the soup and the potatoes” (Google does not provide an English equivalent) and means something like “as an afterthought” or “by the way”. That is how these murders felt. Almost as if Jecks had nearly finished this book, and then realized he’d forgotten about murder and mystery. (His foreword implies otherwise by the way.)
When King Edward II is captured (no spoiler, just check Wikipedia), Simon and Baldwin meet again, and can start comparing notes. Putting their heads together it takes them a very short time to come up with the name of the murderer. The fact that this name should not come as a surprise to the attentive reader, makes it also a bit predictable.
Like I said, there are some flaws, but there is no denying that Jecks uses a hectic period in English history into a fantastic tale of heroism, betrayal, war and loyalty.
April 22, 2024
The Oath is the 29th of the 32 Knights Templar Murder Mystery series, and in this masterfully written installment, we find the two friends, Sir Baldwin and Simon Puttock, separated by both distance and loyalty.
We first meet Cecily, maidservant of the Capon family, all of whom were slaughtered in front of her eyes, including the illegitimate baby boy she had sworn to protect. She accuses the cockholded husband of the deed in court, and he and his accomplices are jailed awaiting their death sentences to be carried out.
At the same time, Queen Isabella, with her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, England's greatest general, and her son, the future Edward III, have landed in England with a small army. As they march towards London, thousands abandon the King to join the Queen's force. Not only does her army grow, but the towns and castles willingly open their doors to her and pledge loyalty. Such is the hatred in the land for the King’s favorite, Sir Hugh le Despenser.
Seeing the way Isabella's army is growing and how his forces are switching sides, King Edward II packes his treasures, money, and small army, and heads west towards Bristol, hoping he can marshal aid. But alas, as they march, his army quietly deserts him. Sir Hugh is desperate. For once, he has recognized just how hated he is. His towns, castles, and men all join the Queen.
But what of Sir Baldwin and Simon. They find themselves separated by distance and loyalty. Simon heads home to protect his family from the lawlessness that accompanies civil war, and Sir Baldwin travels west to join the King. He despises Despenser, but he has given his oath to serve his king, and for Baldwin, it would be impossible to break that oath. He knows if he stays loyal, he will most likely never get home to his wife and children.
On their separate journeys, they both are tasked to solve murders in the midst of political madness, and of course, there are more than one, strangely with a connection. Simon and his family are shut in Bristol, while he tries to solve a murder without the help of Sir Baldwin. Sir Baldwin is on his way towards Bristol to join the King and tasked to solve a murder with no evidence other than a dagger. The King and Despenser try to make a dash further west to either gather men in Wales or to sail to Ireland for troops.
There is not one character in the book who has not suffered at the hands of the Despenser, and as the noose tightens, he mentally unravels, but King Edward will not give him up even if it costs him his crown. If you know your history, you know how this ends for the real people in this book, but I'll leave you to find out if the murders are solved and who survives. Don't worry, I have left out a great deal of the story for you to discover.
Chalk up another winner for Michael Jecks!
We first meet Cecily, maidservant of the Capon family, all of whom were slaughtered in front of her eyes, including the illegitimate baby boy she had sworn to protect. She accuses the cockholded husband of the deed in court, and he and his accomplices are jailed awaiting their death sentences to be carried out.
At the same time, Queen Isabella, with her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, England's greatest general, and her son, the future Edward III, have landed in England with a small army. As they march towards London, thousands abandon the King to join the Queen's force. Not only does her army grow, but the towns and castles willingly open their doors to her and pledge loyalty. Such is the hatred in the land for the King’s favorite, Sir Hugh le Despenser.
Seeing the way Isabella's army is growing and how his forces are switching sides, King Edward II packes his treasures, money, and small army, and heads west towards Bristol, hoping he can marshal aid. But alas, as they march, his army quietly deserts him. Sir Hugh is desperate. For once, he has recognized just how hated he is. His towns, castles, and men all join the Queen.
But what of Sir Baldwin and Simon. They find themselves separated by distance and loyalty. Simon heads home to protect his family from the lawlessness that accompanies civil war, and Sir Baldwin travels west to join the King. He despises Despenser, but he has given his oath to serve his king, and for Baldwin, it would be impossible to break that oath. He knows if he stays loyal, he will most likely never get home to his wife and children.
On their separate journeys, they both are tasked to solve murders in the midst of political madness, and of course, there are more than one, strangely with a connection. Simon and his family are shut in Bristol, while he tries to solve a murder without the help of Sir Baldwin. Sir Baldwin is on his way towards Bristol to join the King and tasked to solve a murder with no evidence other than a dagger. The King and Despenser try to make a dash further west to either gather men in Wales or to sail to Ireland for troops.
There is not one character in the book who has not suffered at the hands of the Despenser, and as the noose tightens, he mentally unravels, but King Edward will not give him up even if it costs him his crown. If you know your history, you know how this ends for the real people in this book, but I'll leave you to find out if the murders are solved and who survives. Don't worry, I have left out a great deal of the story for you to discover.
Chalk up another winner for Michael Jecks!
September 21, 2025
Sooo I picked this up unaware it was a part of a series...and the 29th at that. So, my review is from a standalone novel POV, and for that---this book really works! The time period is interesting, the pacing is engaging. There are a LOT of characters, so it takes a minute to recognize who or where in the story I am with how frequently it switches the POVs, all of which are relatively short, but once I got a handle on all the character I was engaged and enjoyed the novel~ It's a high recommend for lovers of history who I think would appreciate the care and authenticity of the details, and its a turbulent time with Edward II~ Now, this novel/series is a murder mystery series, and that's where this book is def lacking. The "murder mystery" takes a long time to kinda fruition, connecting slowly but obviously, and Imma be honest--the book and the characters themselves could care less about this mystery. It is a vague plot device that everyone and everything pushes to the side for the actual historical plot, and so its not until the last 50 pages does the book and characters buckle down to go "Ok, let's resolve this". It is very obvious, it is not craftily dealt with--the murder mystery is the weakest part of this book. THAT said, its still a great time and if you go in with the "murder mystery" at the bottom of your listed reasonings for reading this book, then you'll enjoy it.
March 5, 2018
I kept reading right through to the end and it was laborious. It should have been great, the idea was good but oh my goodness, the author just kept going over and over the same things with different characters and the dialogue mainly, was improbable and boring. Every time I thought here we go a little action, it fizzled within a couple of sentences. The book was 10% okay and 90% boring. Why then did I give it two stars - because the author had done his history homework, (but even that can be found online) and because he did have a mini non historically accurate mystery within the story.
April 1, 2022
This worked far better than some of his Puttock and Baldwin novels as it was more focused on the fate of Edward II and Hugh Despenser as Isabella’s and Mortimore’s forces pursued them to the west in late 1326. There is the slaughter of a family and, later, the killing of the sole witness, as the reason for Puttock’s time in Bristol, but that is subordinate to the fate of those supporting, willingly or unwillingly, both sides. The characters felt pretty realistic and the squalor and violence of the time was well-evoked in an involving read.
May 1, 2019
An intricately plotted medieval mystery, this book is an entertaining read, although I personally found the surrounding historical events concerning the fate of Edward II and Hugh leDespenser more fascinating than the fictional story. Either way, it is enjoyable.
March 10, 2021
Well plotted and well written except for a few typos. Simon and Baldwin unknowingly end up on opposite sides of the political turmoil that is sweeping the country. But they come together to solve several murders that occur in the middle of the turmoil.
December 8, 2022
The amount of time spent by the characters moving around the countryside was a complete waste of time.
For a series of murder mystery books, this particular book lacked much in the way of murder or mystery.
For a series of murder mystery books, this particular book lacked much in the way of murder or mystery.
October 21, 2024
This book was a hard read for me with the many characters and always having to check the "cast of characters" to remind me who they were and which side they supported. Historical fiction makes for enjoyable reading where the author has to blend actual events with fiction.
August 30, 2020
I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this novel. The angst felt by the different characters was well portrayed, especially in a brother against brother situation.
September 30, 2025
it started off well then went too slow and long winded. I found it hard to keep my interest and keep reading.
May 29, 2018
I am finding it harder to tolerate authors who include multiple subplots in their novels, especially subplots which have little relevance to the story and are often of little interest because they are poorly developed. I can not help but feel they are there like subplots in television programmes, to fill up the available space. This is the case in Michael Jecks' novel, The Oath.
It is hard to tell what the title refers to. Certainly Sir Baldwin de Furnshill follows King Edward the Second on his sorry retreat across southern England and Wales because of his oath to the king, but this idea is not developed in any way. Perhaps it refers to how Sir Stephen Siward betrays his oath to the king and surrenders Bristol to the Queen and Sir Roger Mortimer. This is developed more but is still a minor detail in a long novel. Perhaps it refers to the oath that Simon Puttock takes to investigate crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice?
The book is advertised as "A Knights Templar" mystery but the Templars have been disbanded by King Philip of France and Sir Baldwin is no longer a Knight Templar. The mystery which winds its way through the account of Mortimer's rebellion in late 1326 is there and holds the reader more than the historical events. It is a murder mystery making this part of the novel a whodunit and even a police procedural before there was a police force.
Jecks knows a lot about the medieval judicial system, the coroner's court and how Sir Hugh Le Despenser is tried without being allowed to cross examine witnesses, present a defense and be tried by a jury of his peers, rights we might suppose were granted in the Magna Carta over one hundred years before.
However, if the story of the murder of Arthur Capon and his family were to be the sole subject of this novel it would be much shorter. The historical events of 1326 have not been widely covered in historical fiction because it is a sorry tale of a weak and incompetent king who fails to take control of the situation, allowing his favourite to exploit the population like a later day gangster until the populace support a bid to overthrow king and favourite. It is difficult to see how a novelist could make an exciting yarn out of such material. Most have wisely decided not to try. Perhaps Michael Jecks should not have done so either.
It is hard to tell what the title refers to. Certainly Sir Baldwin de Furnshill follows King Edward the Second on his sorry retreat across southern England and Wales because of his oath to the king, but this idea is not developed in any way. Perhaps it refers to how Sir Stephen Siward betrays his oath to the king and surrenders Bristol to the Queen and Sir Roger Mortimer. This is developed more but is still a minor detail in a long novel. Perhaps it refers to the oath that Simon Puttock takes to investigate crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice?
The book is advertised as "A Knights Templar" mystery but the Templars have been disbanded by King Philip of France and Sir Baldwin is no longer a Knight Templar. The mystery which winds its way through the account of Mortimer's rebellion in late 1326 is there and holds the reader more than the historical events. It is a murder mystery making this part of the novel a whodunit and even a police procedural before there was a police force.
Jecks knows a lot about the medieval judicial system, the coroner's court and how Sir Hugh Le Despenser is tried without being allowed to cross examine witnesses, present a defense and be tried by a jury of his peers, rights we might suppose were granted in the Magna Carta over one hundred years before.
However, if the story of the murder of Arthur Capon and his family were to be the sole subject of this novel it would be much shorter. The historical events of 1326 have not been widely covered in historical fiction because it is a sorry tale of a weak and incompetent king who fails to take control of the situation, allowing his favourite to exploit the population like a later day gangster until the populace support a bid to overthrow king and favourite. It is difficult to see how a novelist could make an exciting yarn out of such material. Most have wisely decided not to try. Perhaps Michael Jecks should not have done so either.
March 14, 2011
Another good Michael Jecks novel featuring Bailiff Simon Puttock and Keeper of the King's Peace Sir Baldwin de Furnshill. The year in 1326, when Edward II is deposed by his wife Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer. There is more historical content in this novel as Simon and Sir Baldwin get caught up in the opposing sides as the Queen's forces corner Edward II in Wales. Critical to the conflict is the City of Bristol which is to hold the line against the Queen allowing the king time to recruit or retreat.
Of course there is a crime - an entire family is murdered in Bristol with only one survivor, Cecily the drynurse. The culprits, the daughter's aggrieved husband and his henchmen, are quickly identified by Cecily and gaoled awaiting the assizes. But with the whole country on the verge of civil war, the king pardons all men of fighting age. With the men against whom she bore witness roaming the streets again Cecily worries about her safety.
An intricate plot, slow to start as the story moves from one plot strand to the next. But as the strands converge the pace quickens and overall it is a most a satisfying read.
Of course there is a crime - an entire family is murdered in Bristol with only one survivor, Cecily the drynurse. The culprits, the daughter's aggrieved husband and his henchmen, are quickly identified by Cecily and gaoled awaiting the assizes. But with the whole country on the verge of civil war, the king pardons all men of fighting age. With the men against whom she bore witness roaming the streets again Cecily worries about her safety.
An intricate plot, slow to start as the story moves from one plot strand to the next. But as the strands converge the pace quickens and overall it is a most a satisfying read.
April 16, 2011
This book was okay. There are two parallel story lines set during one of England's civil wars, and they come together the end, but I felt like it took to long (and I like thick books!) to get there. Also, some of the names were similar so sometimes it was hard to keep track of which side you were reading about. Of course, given how often people changed sides in this particular war, that might have been the cause! I will read more of his books (I have one on the shelf waiting) as it wasn't bad, it just wasn't the best book I've ever read.
June 8, 2016
Perfect blend of history and mystery
I would recommend Jecks' knights Templar series to anyone interested in crime solving or English History. I particularly like his recurring characters. They are adults with families and property that they are responsible for. This makes them easy to relate to, in spite of living 700 years ago. Modern detectives always seem to be loners with no ordinary lives.
I would recommend Jecks' knights Templar series to anyone interested in crime solving or English History. I particularly like his recurring characters. They are adults with families and property that they are responsible for. This makes them easy to relate to, in spite of living 700 years ago. Modern detectives always seem to be loners with no ordinary lives.
July 13, 2012
As a historical novel, this is very interesting, and gives some excellent detail on a wild time in English history. As a mystery novel, on the other hand, it was only passable. The author seems to get so caught up in telling us about the history that he sort of forgot the mystery part much of the time.
May 19, 2013
This continuation of the story of Sir Baldwin and Simon Puttock lives up to the usual standard of Michael Jecks. He researches the end of Edward II meticulously and builds a credible fictional recreation of it into an efficent detective story. The novel is well written and if you like historical detective stories you will enjoy it.
July 3, 2022
Best in the series
I am one of those people who have to read till the end even if a book doesn't hold my interest. I found in all the books in this series dull and to many unimportant characters to keep track of. I like this author but in this series I found confusion in the characters and the going back and forth between events.
I am one of those people who have to read till the end even if a book doesn't hold my interest. I found in all the books in this series dull and to many unimportant characters to keep track of. I like this author but in this series I found confusion in the characters and the going back and forth between events.
September 30, 2012
Quite long but that's what I liked about this book - the tale not rushed or skimmed over anywhere. This book has a nice level of historical detail, and well interwoven storylines to keep the reader from easily predicting the ending.
February 24, 2013
book was long. I liked the historical detail,but the mystery was lost in the battle between King Edward II and his wife and Sir Roger Mortimer.It was quite different from the earlier books in the series,and it's been a while since I read one. Need to go back and find earlier books.
April 27, 2013
A well-researched, very colorful intrigue-filled mystery in medieval England. The writing style is good and the story-telling is gripping. I must admit, though, that I felt it ran a bit long in places and could have benefited by being shortened by about 10,000 words.
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