Medieval Crime discussion

A place for discussions about all your favourite writers. Just try not to libel anyone!

I have to admit that my favourites are Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Susanna Gregory ,Karen Maitland, CJ Sansom, Philip Gooden - but I have to declare the interest that they're all members of Medieval Murderers, which I set up some years ago!

However, I also love George MacDonald Fraser - his book Candlemas Road is a must read for the language and the detailed historical research. It was put on Radio 4 some time ago, and that too was superb.

And when it comes to historical non-fiction, my friend Ian Morson cannot be beaten. Any of his work is worth reading - especially, for novices, his Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England.

My favorite historical author is Sharon Kay Penman, but I also enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick, Margaret George, Susan Kay, Bernard Cornwell, Michelle Moran, Kate Quinn and I could probably go on.

As for Medieval Crime, I enjoy reading Michael Jecks ;), Maureen Ash, Margaret Frazer, Priscilla Royal, Susanna Gregory and Sharon Kay Penman.

Historical Non-fiction -- I agree with Michael -- Ian Mortimer is fabulous. I read Alison Weir, though I don't always agree with her. I also enjoyed Marc Morris's A Great and Terrible King about Edward I (though being having a Welsh pen pal since high school, I am not that fond of Edward himself ;) .

I'm excited to see new names and will be looking to add to the list. I've had C. J. Ransom on my TBR list for quite a while, but have been reading chronologically through the Plantagenets and wanted to wait until I was finished with them and then attack the Tudor Era.

I like your comments about Edward I. Bernard Knight was always proud of his Welshness and enjoyed taking the pee about Edward and his army of - well, nasty men. And then he was contacted by a genealogist, and learned that his ancestor was closely related to the old King, and in fact had gone to Wales with Edward's army ... his has had some attitude rearrangement since!

My favorite book author is called julie gregory who wrote sickened because she had a horrible childhood and i feel so bad for her and i think her mother was nuts for taking her so many doctors and the other book i loved by her was called my father's keeper because i think her father was crazy and i think she never should've had that horrible childhood and i felt so bad for her brother too but i think both of they're parents both had horrible childhoods when they were young

In medieval crime, my favorites are Michael (of course), Candace Robb, P.C. Doherty, Maureen Ash, Sharon Kay Penman (her Justin deQuincy series is outstanding), Susanna Gregory, and Peter Tremayne.

In other crime eras: Lynda Robinson's Lord Meren series and Lauren Haney's Lieutenant Bak series - both set in Ancient Egypt; Ancient Rome crimemasters Steven Saylor, Lindsey Davis, and David Wishart.

In historical non-fiction, I tend toward anything to do with the Knights Templar, the Siege of Malta, and Richard III.

Michael, would you also possibly want to add a section for those of us who are fledgling medieval crime writers to toss ideas around or expound on our travails and triumphs? I notice a few writers mentioning books they're writing, and I also have been working on one featuring a sin eater as the protagonist. Or would that be too many sections? ;)

no problem with the idea of a new folder for aspiring authors. What about other new folders? I'll set it up in a couple of days. good luck & good writing! (apologies for typos - on phone! )

In medieval fiction my favorites are of course Michael and also Susanna Gregory, Paul Doherty, Peter Tremayne, Mel Starr, Ellis Peters, Bernard Knight & "Medieval Murders".
Medieval non-fiction, authors tend to vary depending on subject matter. If an author writes about either Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick "the Kingmaker" or William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke you can be certain I will want to read it.
Ancient Egyptian fiction Paul Doherty (Amoretke), Lauren Haney (Lt Bak), Lynda S Robinson (Lord Meren). I also like some, but not all, Christian Jacq books.
Egyptian non-fiction varies but I have several books by E A Wallis Budge.

Thanks for the new folders, Michael! :) Janet - I see you and I have the same tastes in Egyptian crime, ha! :)

Margaret Frazer, though I love Joliffe over Dame Fevrisse.
Just found Kate Sedley, Robert the Chapman.
Sharon Kay Penman
Priscilla Royal
Alan Gordan
Jeri Westerson
Melvin Starr
Roberta Gellis
Susannah Gregory
Ian Moreson

I've got to read Michael Chabon's "Gentleman of the Road" 10th century, though perhaps not sleuthy, does seem to have quite a bit of crime and kind of dark, but that's my kind of thing.

Hi Stacey
We certainly do share the same taste in Egyptian crime :)

Wow, it is like looking at my home bookshelves with the authors mentioned here. We can also add Cora Harrison, Simon Hawke, Parke Goodwin, Rory Clements and Elizabeth Eyre

I never heard of those authors before

Carol - oh yes, love Simon Hawke and Parke Godwin!! It looks like my home bookshelves on here, too!

I can't believe I forgot Ellis Peters -- Cadfael!

Lori - OMG, so did I! :( I loved the books, as well as the BBC series!

I'm in the "forgot Cadfael" boat, too.

Stacey - I have the complete TV series of Cadfael on DVD. It's available in the UK at £17.99 and $63.49, in the US - both from Amazon.
Derek Jacobi is brilliant in the part of Cadfael.

Really liked Jacobi as the lead in the TV series! embarrassed to have forgotten him too !

I didn't realise it before but having found the website of Ian Mortimer, I've discovered he also writes fiction under the name of James Forrester. Ah well...you live and learn as they say ;-)

I've never read any of Mortimer's fiction -- it's sometimes hard to find British published mysteries here, though not as difficult as it used to be. I have had to order some of his non-fiction from the UK, though his Time Traveler's Guide is very popular here.

Adore Derek Jacobi as Cadfael. If you live in the US and are an Amazon prime member, you can stream the entire series for free, though I own the DVDs. ;)

I never read any of those books

Janet - I envy you! :) I have various Cadfael episodes that I've taped over the years, but due to technological entropy I no longer have a VCR to play them on!

I've always adored Jacobi, and the part of Cadfael is one of his best roles IMHO (other than Claudius) - he came off as a kindly favorite-uncle Cadfael, which considering how many young, star-crossed lovers were in Peters's plots is how Cadfael needed to be... and Jacobi brought that to life beautifully!

Ariana Franklin is someone I also forgot to list, so sad to have lost her and now her series. Hoping, like Robert Parker, she has something in the vaults.

Hel - after your post, I realized I'd never read Franklin's work; I hopped on Amazon and picked up "Mistress Of The Art Of Death". Thanks - can't wait to read it!

Hel, While Ariana Franklin's history wasn't always spot on accurate, I loved her stories. The last one ended with such a cliff-hanger that I was most anxious for the next installment. I knew when the next book should have been coming out and when it never appeared I went searching and discovered that she had died. I, too, had hopes that she had something put back, but have not heard anything about the series continuing, so I have my doubts. Her death was so sad for both her family and her readers.

Good for you, Stacey--I so enjoyed the four of that series. I'm putting it here if anyone else is interested: Mistress of the Art of Death, Serpent's Tale, Grave Goods and the Murderous Procession. I've reread the first and the last. I loved her portrait of Henry II, that she was a doctor and not a religious. No, Lori, you're right, we'd know by now, wouldn't we, Rowley's fate?

Mistress of the Art of Death was my favorite. Stacey the collective first person first chapter throws a few people off, just be forewarned but stick through it, it is well worth it and I love the reference. It made me go back and re-read Canterbury Tales -- hmm, it may be time to dig them out again. My daughter should be reading them soon in school. ;)

I never read that book

Lori wrote: "Mistress of the Art of Death was my favorite. Stacey the collective first person first chapter throws a few people off, just be forewarned but stick through it, it is well worth it and I love the ..."

Just trying to remember the author of a book I read ten or twenty years ago, called something like The Bartholomew Fair Murders - I remember it really impressed me at the time. Much better, I thought, than the Cadfaels that were on the market in those days. Must dig around on my bookshelves.

Michael have you read this book called sickened by julie gregory?

No - I am really looking for only medieval and medieval crime from this group, Christine.

Oh i see

Michael - the author you're thinking of is Leonard Tourney, and his Matthew and Joan Stock series is wonderful! He has always been one of my favorites.

Hel and Lori - arrgh! Started reading "Mistress Of The Art Of Death", and you've gotten me hooked on yet another writer! Arrgh! :) I happily thank you!!

She's wonderful, enjoy!

No one has mentioned Simon beaufort The Bloodstained Throne and his series of Geoffrey Mapplestone, pretty good and I believe the author is a nom de plume for Susanna Gregory.

No one has mentioned Simon beaufort The Bloodstained Throne and his series of Geoffrey Mapplestone, pretty good and I believe the author is a nom de plume for Susanna Gregory.

What do you think of Alys Clare and her Hawkenlye series?

I've read several of her books and enjoy them. The relationship betwee Josse and Helewise is sometimes hard to fathom, but they're a good read.

I've read all of Alys Clare's books. I have to admit that I much preferred the earliest books before the books took such a turn toward "magic".

My biggest frustration as an American medieval mystery fan is that it is so very difficult to find them here. I've read pretty much all of the books by authors I'm aware of (all those mentioned above)that are available here in the US, and I can't afford to order from the UK - so I'm constantly waiting for new books to be published here. I've ordered directly from Michael (thank you so much for accommodating and signing my book a couple of years ago!) and from Barnes/Noble UK and Amazon UK, but that gets really expensive!

You can also try the Book Depository. They ship free worldwide. I buy most of mine through them and also get some through PaperbackSwap online. I too enjoy mostly British authors and it's hard to get some of them. But I'm willing to pay. I have all of Michael's books and keep them nearby.

Ariana Franklin is also one of my favourite authors. She wrote many other books with her real name, Diana Norman: some of them really enjoyable, even if my very favorite remains The mistress of the Art of Death.Diana Norman

Getting hold of books is getting very expensive, isn't it? I know that the UK postage rates are monstrous now. If I post to the US, it costs ten pounds sterling, which is another half of the hardback price. If people want any of my books, I'm always delighted to sell them, but it's embarrassing to have to ask so much for a book.

I haven't read any Alys Clare yet. I have a big, BIG problem with reading books by my colleagues - I'm terrified that one day when I'm even more senile than I am now, I'll write a brilliant book - and be accused of plagiarism! Mind you, I haven't been able to read a book for myself for simple pleasure for about six months now. All my spare time is reading books to review or books for research. There just aren't enough hours in the day.

I think the rule is, if you love books, for God's sake don't take up writing!

Just keep writing, Michael. I have them all. However, I'm a bit behind in reading them since I do read many by your colleagues in the same general time periods. So far I haven't seen any plagiarism.

Michael wrote: "Getting hold of books is getting very expensive, isn't it? I know that the UK postage rates are monstrous now. If I post to the US, it costs ten pounds sterling, which is another half of the hardba..."

This is one of the motives that gave me the idea to buy a Kindle. The other one is the luxury to bring a small library around with me... I still buy paper books, but mostly italian ones or cookbooks. From USA, UK and downunder I almost always buy ebooks from Amazon or Smashwords.

Wendi wrote: "Just keep writing, Michael. I have them all. However, I'm a bit behind in reading them since I do read many by your colleagues in the same general time periods. So far I haven't seen any plagiarism."


I should hope not! I spend ages thinking carefully about the period and each book tends to be based upon specific research, so any apparent "plagiarism" hopefully would mean I could have referred to the same sources as another writer, nothing more!

Simona wrote: "Michael wrote: "Getting hold of books is getting very expensive, isn't it? I know that the UK postage rates are monstrous now. If I post to the US, it costs ten pounds sterling, which is another ha..."

I'm just going through the trials of attempting to convert some of my books to Kindle. It's a lot of work, and enormously distracting, but hopefully worth it.

It is, promise! (..says the faithful reader...)