Medieval Crime discussion

I'm a writer of medieval crime - although I've been sliding off towards thrillers in recent years - but I wanted to start a crime section here on Goodreads because apart from anything else, I rarely get a chance to read the books I like. So much of my time is spent researching and writing, that I don't get too much opportunity to read. There's also the other side, too, that I feel anxious reading in my own genre, just in case I get accused of plagiarism.

So: I am a slightly grumpy old man. I live on Dartmoor, walk the dogs every day, usually on the moors, and have a fascination with just about everything - so fail to perfect any skills. However, I am pretty good at cooking pizzas in my clay oven, I am very competent at brewing beer, and I dance Morris in my spare time.

Apart from that, I spend all my days dreaming about life in the past. I research with Coroners' Rolls, records of murders and suicides, and a vast, vast number of academic books. Every fact in my books tends to have been suggested or explicitly stated during my research trips to university and other libraries, so I get really irritable when I read a story in which there is a (to me) howling error.

Who are you? What do you like?

I'm a teacher, librarian, technology integration specialist at a small urban school in Memphis. What I want to be is a medieval historian ;) I love reading anything about the Middle Ages -- history, historical fiction, biographies, medieval crime novels, etc. However, I do balance all that "living in the middle ages" reading with children's and young adult literature, professional development books, fantasy, and another passion for the imagined future in sci-fi books.

Hello, I'm a student studying English Literature in my first year. :)

Attempting to read as much as possible, when I'm not studying books I'm told to read. Have always had a big interest in history, particularly medieval, Tudor and Victorian, but anything pre-Victorian sparks my interest, as well as American history. :)

Also a huge film nerd, purveyor of various TV drama series (The Wire, The Walking Dead, Deadwood to name but a few) and a casual gamer too.

Oh and I support Arsenal FC. :D

I am a practicing physician in a city located on the coast of Florida, where I had the ability to see all the space shuttles taking off from Cape Canaveral. I am also an inveterate reader and like so many others dream of being a writer. More and more I find myself imagining plots or openings for stories, only to realize how difficult it is to be a truly interesting author.
I love the genre of medieval crime although I am stretching out lately and recently read Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series which were fun, diverting and well written in the voice of a precocious 11 year old girl in the era of post WW II rural England.

As for other things about me....I am currently quite caught up in wedding plans for my daughter and evenin this there is probably a good story or two.

My husband is a diamond dealer and so I get to hear even more stories and anecdotes about people who are purchasing this kind of jewel.

My other talents are few, but I am a pretty good cook and make a variety of specialty cakes for special occasions. All of my recipes do have generous lacings of various liquors and liqueurs. Nobody complains when they taste them.

My name is Christine hatfield and I'm new to this group

Hello, Joseph, Carol and Christine - good to meet you all here, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys all read!

I'm a homeschooling mom of 12 wonderful children that range in age from 18 to 7 months. They have all inherited my love of reading and research.

I'm also an amateur chef focused on feeding my family real food that tastes great.

So glad to be here!

I live in West Sussex in a village wedged between the South Downs and the sea. Both are within extremely easy walking distance.
I adore anything to do with ancient Egypt and was lucky enough to visit all the places I wanted to see before the problems out there started. I also like medieval history.
My hobbies are, when time permits, family history research, oil painting, medieval style calligraphy and illumination and mastering hieroglyphics. I am usually either listing to music or an audio book at the same time.

My name's David Pilling and I've just fled my job at Tate Britain to relocate to West Wales, where I was brought up. I am a medieval history nut and am currently in the process of writing another novel - the countryside and history, plethora of ruined castles etc, in this part of the world makes for great inspiration!

I home school one teenage boy, take another teenage boy to a traditional high school. While not hauling around my kids, I sit around and read, read, read. I work for a small publishing company and am an Editor for them. I presently have two authors being published this month for ebook, and April for print. I love all genres of books.

Leslie wrote: "I'm a homeschooling mom of 12 wonderful children that range in age from 18 to 7 months. They have all inherited my love of reading and research.

I'm also an amateur chef focused on feeding my f..."

12 children? You've no time to read! Good to meet you here!

Janet wrote: "I live in West Sussex in a village wedged between the South Downs and the sea. Both are within extremely easy walking distance.
I adore anything to do with ancient Egypt and was lucky enough to vis..."

Hello, Janet - I would love to go and see Egypt, too. And, sadly, Greece and so many other places which are nowadays rather hazardous! Good to meet you here.

David wrote: "My name's David Pilling and I've just fled my job at Tate Britain to relocate to West Wales, where I was brought up. I am a medieval history nut and am currently in the process of writing another n..."

Hi, David. Good luck with the relocation - I did it too, and wouldn't go back to the smoke for any money!

Connie wrote: "I home school one teenage boy, take another teenage boy to a traditional high school. While not hauling around my kids, I sit around and read, read, read. I work for a small publishing company and ..."

Hi, Connie, always good to meet other enthusiastic readers!

My name is Stacey, and I'm a florist from New Jersey, USA. No kids, but plenty of animals! My love of reading comes from my mother, an editor and writer herself. My reading interests are mainly medieval mysteries, Ancient Egypt mysteries, and Ancient Roman mysteries. In my spare time I'm a medieval reenactor with the SCA, and enjoy calligraphy and illumination, woodworking, gardening, and snail husbandry! So great to meet everyone here, and thank you, Michael, for starting this group! :)

Welcome to the growing mob, Stacey!

It's nice to meet everyone

Michael wrote: "12 children? You've no time to read! Good to meet you here! "

That is my nightly escape! :)

I can all too easily imagine you need it! I've just two, and that's more than enough distraction!

My name's Wendi and I'm a drama teacher/yearbook adviser at a middle school in Tucson, AZ. I actually met you, Michael, about 10 books ago when you visited here. I have a special interest in Shakespeare and therefore the Renaissance time period, but my minor in college was history, so I'm an avid fan of anything historical, especially the middle ages. I enjoy travel, but haven't made it to the moors yet although I've been to England a number of times. I enjoy cooking, especially scones. My students think that's the best part of my classes since I let them taste everything.

It's nice to meet you wendi

Wendi wrote: "My name's Wendi and I'm a drama teacher/yearbook adviser at a middle school in Tucson, AZ. I actually met you, Michael, about 10 books ago when you visited here. I have a special interest in Shakes..."

Well, next time I get to Tucson or Scottsdale, I'll expect evidence of your cooking, then, Wendi! Good to meet you again - if only electronically!

How are you michael?

Not bad, but planning to be away for a couple of days, so typing and packing sort of simultaneously!

Where are you going?

Hello, there, interesting mix of folks. I live in western rural Maine physically but in my heart and soul I abide in Dante's Tuscany. I'm trying to finish the writing of a murder mystery set in late 13th century Siena. Although an English Lit major once upon a time, I've taken a number of academic medieval history/philosophy/art/literature courses over the years and once belonged to a medieval and renaissance music group (tenor recorder). I am anxiously waiting for my librarian to find a copy of Margaret Frazer's "Play of Heresy" (it's a tiny library. She's a wonderful lady, but the only medieval mysteries she has are Sharon Penman's Justin de Quincy series, and yeah, I've read that more than once and probably again!) and Kate Sedley's Robert the Chapman series. I joined the group in order to be more proactive in finding old and new medieval mysteries to read. Medieval crime and how they dealt with it is such a fascinating subject. Hel

Hi, Hel - really good to meet you - especially since I've not read Margaret Frazer's book either. Interesting one to look at. Welcome to the group!

It's nice to meet you hel

Thanks Michael and Christine, same here.

Hello everyone, my name is Carol, I am a carer for my husband, my hobbies are family history, reading Michaels books and walking my greyhound.
I also enjoy Bernard Knights novels on Crowner John, Susanna Gregory's Mathew Bartholomew books and some of Michael Dohertys books.
Thankyou to Michael for inviting me here.
Carol

I'm Pat, retired after working for a charity for the last 20 years. Got 3 sons and 16 grandchildren (including steps) and 4 great grandchildren. Love readinf, writing short stories and political comment.

Welcome Pat and Carol. Good to meet here! Excuse my brevity - away from my desk just now.

It's nice to meet you pat and carol and your welcome hel

Christine wrote: "It's nice to meet you pat and carol and your welcome hel"

Thanks to you both

Thankyou Christine and Michael, I am not sure how much I shall be able to imput (is that a word?) to the discussions but I shall enjoy reading them.

Your welcome and i like your name carol and i like your name pat

Hello to all.
My name is Abbey and I live in rural Montana, US. I work as a substitute teacher and cheerleader coach at a small school. I also have a small ranch. I have four kids, two grown and two still home with me. I enjoy reading historical mystery and crime fiction. I passed my love of the genre to my daughter who now has a bachelor's degree in Middle Ages archeology and makes fun of me if I get dates wrong. Hel, I also am a huge fan of Margaret Frazer, and of you too Michael. There is also an author by the name of Maureen Ash who I enjoy. There are days when life gets a bit much, so heading off to somewhere else through reading is a God send.

Carol wrote: "Hello everyone, my name is Carol, I am a carer for my husband, my hobbies are family history, reading Michaels books and walking my greyhound.
I also enjoy Bernard Knights novels on Crowner John, S..."

Hi Carol. I am also a fan of family history. My son needed some info. for a college scholarship and reading through all the stuff my mom has got me hooked. Our school librarian is also a genealogist and a good source. If you have time I would like to hear of sources you use, I'm kind of stuck on one line.
I'm glad to meet you.

Hi, Abbey - good to meet you. It's always fascinating to hear how other readers came to like ancient crime!

When are you going on your trip michael?

Abbey wrote: "Carol wrote: "Hello everyone, my name is Carol, I am a carer for my husband, my hobbies are family history, reading Michaels books and walking my greyhound.
I also enjoy Bernard Knights novels on C..."
Hi Abbey and welcome, I use several web sites the most obvious for you would be ancestry.com I do not know whether any of the UK ones would be of help to you.
I will go through my list and see if I can come up with any more that might be of help.
All the best
Carol

I used to go on that website but not anymore

Hi everybody, I discovered this group "following" Michael Jecks through the meanders of Goodreads.
I like this genre so I'll follow the discussions - as a reader, I don't write - to find new hints and names for future reading.
I'm Italian, so please forgive me for all the horrors you'll find in my writing. I started to read books in their original edition hoping to improve my knowledge of the language, and I discovered that I liked them better...

Simona wrote: "Hi everybody, I discovered this group "following" Michael Jecks through the meanders of Goodreads.
I like this genre so I'll follow the discussions - as a reader, I don't write - to find new hints..."

Sorry, I've been away negotiating some deals on new projects just recently, which has mucked up my work with GR. Simona, many thanks for joining, and if you don't mind me saying so, your English is a lot better than most people I deal with over here in the UK!

Thank you! Beware, I'll be lurking about!! :)

forewarned is forearmed !

Hi Michael and everyone,I just found this group which looks interesting.
I have been a lecturer and librarian,but am now concentrating on my painting(semi-abstract based on Celtic mythology,especially hares,as in my logo). I live in N.Ireland,near the magical drumlin landscapes of the Ards Peninsula.
I enjoy both ancient and medieval history,and read fiction and non-fiction. Once I discovered crime in these genres I've tried to read all the well known writers,and have enjoyed them all.

Hi Linda, nice to meet you here!

Hi Linda - Welcome :-)
I love art as well and enjoy working on medieval/renaissance subjects. I'm currently working on a large painting of Francois 1er of France (1494-1547), complete with all the fiddly jewellery, clothing etc. I use Winsor & Newton Artisan Paints which although you use them as tradional oils, they can also be mixed with water.
I also use inks rather than paints for the medieval illumunation book of family history I'm working on.
Which kind of art mediums do you like to use?

Linda wrote: "Hi Michael and everyone,I just found this group which looks interesting.
I have been a lecturer and librarian,but am now concentrating on my painting(semi-abstract based on Celtic mythology,especi..."

Good to meet you here, Linda - and I like that picture too! Apologies are due from me: just now I'm in the middle of editing the book for next year, so I'm only rarely remembering to return to these pages! No time to read, no time to blog ... it's a sad life being a writer!