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While I cut my teeth on Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael, Doherty's Hugh Corbett is a character of greater dimension and breadth than the good Brother ever was. And Corbett's supporting cast has always been superior to the cardboard cutouts in the Cadfael series. My only complaint with Doherty is that his villains are sometimes a bit thinly drawn, but overall I have devoured the series greedily. I only hope there is more to come.
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King Edward II orders his royal clerk, Sir Hugh Corbett, to investigate the three mysteries at Oxford. Especially of interest to his highness are the antics of the Bell Man, who seems to relish invoking the ghost of the deceased rebel Simon de Montfort. More murders occur and Corbett soon finds himself in perilous danger even as he knows he must continue his inquiries or else fall into disfavor with Edward.
The tenth Corbett novel is a brilliant historical mystery that brings to life Medieval society in a very compelling manner. This will propel readers to want to peruse the previous nine tales. Corbett is a great sleuth and the multiple who-done-its are well designed and fun to read. However, it is the grime of the era (Flynn never seemed dirty) that makes P.C. Doherty's tenth book a compelling read for fans of historical fiction, especially the Middle Ages.
Harriet Klausner
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The tale is told at a cracking pace, and it's a great adventure story. But it's more impressive than that. McCracken has the knack of portraying children the way they really are, not the way that doting adults would like to think sweet little kiddiewinkies are; this realism is refreshing. Also, he's doesn't flinch from some of the ghastlier consequences of his plot: for example, one of the boys is killed and another suffers torture. Because of this darker side to the book, the sense of involvement is hugely increased: the threats aren't just Tom & Jerry stuff but very real - something that will be hugely appreciated by young-adult readers, who get tired of being shielded by well meaning adults from the unpleasant truths of life that they can see in the newspapers.
But don't get the impression the book's just for young adults. At the grand old age of, er, fiftysomething I sat up late devouring it. Grand stuff!
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The next book please!
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That's easy to conclude, as the setting of this tenth mystery in this series is in the university town of Oxford! P.C. Doherty has put his super sleuth, actually the "king's clerk," Sir Hugh Corbett, to work solving a tiresome problem for his friend and majesty King Edward I in "The Devil's Hunt." Severed heads of beggars are found in the wood around Oxford --witchcraft, Satanism, and rituals of the "old ways" spring to mind and Edward will have none of it. In addition, the Bellman has posted several notices around town warning that his revenge will know no bounds. He is determined to avenge the death and degradation of de Montfort, Edward's enemy in a civil war some 40 years earlier. And corpses of college officials begin appearing, reflecting the handiwork of this unknown Bellman.
Hugh is called out of retirement and agrees to help the king. Thus, with his trusty assistants Ranulf and Maltote, Corbett strikes out for Oxford and for what he hopes is a quick solution to the king's problem.
Unfortunately, it is not so simple. More murders occur and the plot (and blood) thickens.
Naturally, by the time this tenth installment of the Corbett series comes to a close, all is well for the king. There are some sad turns of events in store for readers who have followed this series, however. Doherty's plot seems far more researched, more complicated than some of the earlier works. His ability to juxtapose the events of the late 13th century with modern thought and reasoning--not to mention writing styles!--is well documented. He clearly is able to make modern audiences appreciate that time period for what it was--oftentimes cruel, far less refined, and justice at the caprice of the king. He captures the tone and atmosphere of medieval England quite well.
The author, who writes under a number of other names as well--Michael Clynnes,
Paul Harding, Paul Doherty, Anna Apostolou, to name a few--seems a dedicated historian and well worth the time spent in reading his exciting--and convincing-- historical mysteries. His eleventh Corbett edition ("The Demon Archer") awaits.
(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)