Newman just kepts improving with age. How she manages to come up with all these new settings, people, and situations is beyond me. Each book can stand on it's own, but I'm happy to have read them all in order to allow me to see how each character in the story has changed and matured.
I hope this series never ends!

I couldn't wait for this latest installment of Sharan Newman's series featuring the clever and clumsy Catherine and her stalwart spouse Edgar, set in the 1140's, this time back in Paris. Just as with her previous novels, I was more than satisfied. I discovered Catherine and Edgar in "Cursed in the Blood" just after our return from Scotland and the north of England this summer, visiting castles of our ancestors dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, primarily. Newman has such a thorough grounding in the history of the time and yet she has the ability to bring her characters to life. I raced through all of her previous novels in the series, except for the next to last one--on order!--just prior to this one, "To Wear the White Cloak". In this latest story, Catherine and Edgar were shocked upon their return from what seems to have been a dangerous and difficult journey to Germany to find a very dead (and moldy!) Knight of the Temple locked inside her father's home. The well-educated twosome have to counter the suspicion that quickly falls on their family, as before, by solving the murder themselves. This is accomplished while they deal with the everyday issues of raising their family in health and safety, establishing themselves financially, and even struggling with moral issue of birth control. You will do yourself a favor if you begin reading Newman's books--go back and read the others--if you have an appreciation for this time period and for an excellent mystery. (Note to fans of Ellis Peters: finally, someone to (almost) fill her shoes)

Paris in 1147 is pure mayhem. Men leaving for the holy land have converged on the city, bringing with them vagabonds and conmen smelling opportunities to gull and steal. There is also evidence that the doomsday cult, the eonisits, has arrived. Starvation seems to be rampant, and a group of ruffians is attacking the Jews. All in all not the homecoming that Catherine had hoped for!

Catherine, Edgar and family have finally made it home from Germany. However upon entering their house, they find the dead and festering body of a man garbed as one of the Templars. Catherine and Edgar naturally report this finding to the Marshall of the Knight Templars; and so it is with great outrage that they discover that they are somehow under suspicion for either knowing who committed the murder, or else witholding some vital clue of the crime. Catherine resolves to solve the mystery. However other matters keep getting in the way. She has to deal with the unsettling relationship that seems to be growing between her Jewish cousin Solomon, and Edgar's sister, Margaret; someone keeps trying to break into their house; and to cap it all, Jehan, that somewhat mad and vengeful knight from previous novels, has returned and is causing all kinds of problems by spreading rumours about Catherine and her family's involvement with witchcraft and lapsed Judaism. Too many things are getting in the way of solving the mystery of the dead Templar!

This series keeps getting better and better. The historical detail is wonderful, and the plot, while a seemingly simple one is padded with enough sub-plots to keep the reader's interest. A truly enjoyable read!

I've read dozens of WWII memoirs by American, British and German writers. This is the best! Lt Machorton, 19 years old, wounded and unable to walk, was left to die in the Burmese jungle, 300 miles behind Japanese lines. Despite his seemingly hopeles situation, he resolved to survive, and the story of how he did so is an epic. The horrors of close-quarters jungle combat against the Japanese are fully described, but ultimately, this is an uplifting and life-affirming story of courage and friendship.

Read this a long time back and its still fresh in my memory. To the Chindits in the jungles of Burma, all wounded were left behind in the need for the group to survive. Relentless pursued by the japanese, a young officer is wounded and faces the bitter rule. The ordeal now begins as he makes it back against all odds

This is possibly the best of the first four books written by Sharan Newman in her Catherine LeVendeur Mysteries. It is a complex tale of murder and deceit in the realm of Paris in the 12th century, and reflects upon a true problem of the time--stolen reliquaries. If you have read and enjoyed Sheri Holman's "A Stolen Tongue" or Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose," you may find yourself finishing this tale in one sitting. It a quick but fascinating read, highly entertaining, and showing the author's ever increasing level of mastery of the genre. Highly Recommended.

When I first picked up this series, it was after I had read the Guinevere Trilogy, by the same author, Sharan Newman. My mom had gone to a conference for Mystery Writers and picked up a bunch of her books, including the first installment of her Catherine Levendeur Series. I fell in love with it, and each year my mom returns to the conference she gets me a signed copy of her latest adventure. The character was very headstrong then, but now, in this sixth part of the continuing series, Catherine has taken motherhood, and life in mideval France to a more mature level. It's very enjoyable to see how the characters of Edgar, Catherine, and their children have changed over the years in the stories, but it may not be as strong as in the first few.

In this novel, Catherine, her husband Edgar, and the rest of her family trek the miles to distant Germany to save her younger, estranged sister, Agnes, from an undetermined fate, as she was accused of the murder of her new husband. The conflicts are understandable and believable as we see her struggles to hold a family together in a time and place of racial anger and missunderstanding with the various culture clashes.

Sharan Newman's views and enterpretation of the time peroid are amazing and fantastic to see, but some of the plot becomes rediculous and confusing, as well as Catherine's strange newly-found, docile sense of motherhood. It seems that she is no longer taking on the mysteries of this novel, but leaving it to her husband. I enjoy this series very much. It is a must read! Take it from me, you should pick up this series, but don't be dissapointed if the attitude changes from book to book. The years do go by swiftly, and Catherine is, and always will be a little too headstrong for her family, no matter how any children she has! Try it out for yourself!

Ms Newman does it again - a perfectly detailed, well-written mystery. This time, I even had a hard time figuring out "who done it", which isn't always the case with her books. Once again Catherine, Edgar, and their children are on the road. First, to visit Catherine's old convent, then on to Germany to help Catherine's sister beat a murder charge. Her lovely, graceful sister has turned her back on devoutly Catholic Catherine and her Jewish family (it's a complicated tale - your best to start with the first book, Death Comes as Epiphany and go from there!), but Catherine still feels the pull of family ties. Now, sis has been charged with her bridegroom's murder and she has no one to defend her, except Juhan, a more-than-slightly dangerous knight. Meanwhile, it's a dangerous time to be Jewish in Europe, fanatical Christians are preaching vengeance against the Jews - and Catherine's father is feeling the pull of his birth, to return to his Jewish heritage. The complexities of the family that Catherine's sister has married into make solving the mystery a bit more tricky than other Newman books. In fact, while the mystery elements are always good, they are surpassed by the development of characters and relationships. What will become of Edgar's sister Margaret (who plays a big role here) - will she find the good match for bloodlines that her birth demands, or will her attachment to Solomon (Catherine's stoutly Jewish cousin) grow, and vice versa? Will Catherine keep getting pregnant every time she leaves Paris? Will Hubert really leave it all behind to live openly as a Jew and how will that affect his wife and children? This book develops these side characters - including Solomon, one of my personal favorites and Walter, a knight from their past on his way to the crusades. Stay tuned - I have a hunch that things will continue to be very interesting for our Catherine and Edgar!

In this latest book, we get to see the lives of the aristocracy and the peasants in Trier. Catherine and her family deal with murder, family relationships, and offshoots of the established church. I am always fascinated with the glimpses of the Jewish communities as well as the disagreements within the Catholic Church. We get a feel for the difficulties of life in those days, and the strength needed to overcome them.

I discovered this series a while back, with the second book DEVIL'S DOOR (in which the hero and heroine are married, and in which one Walter de Grancy, later to play a part in THE DIFFICULT SAINT) also makes an appearance. After reading the first two books, I wandered off to other series, notably those by Margaret Frazer (the Sister Frevisse series, set in England of the 1400s). My love affair with medieval historical mysteries began with Ellis Peters, however, and in terms of the attitudes and the depth of historical research, Sharan Newman's series comes closest.

STRONG AS DEATH is a later story, and *not* one I recommend that beginners to the series should start with. [Try the first book DEATH COMES AS EPIPHANY, or the second DEVIL'S DOOR]. However, this is a fascinating book in many ways, in that it sheds light not only on the complex Christian-Jewish relations existing in 12th century France, but also the further complications of the war against the Moors (or Saracens) in Spain.

Strong as Death is one of those books that is a bit hard to evaluate. As a depiction of a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (the shrine of St James, and one which continues to be one of the holiest pilgrimage shrines), this book is indeed masterly. As a depiction of the married life of Edgar and Catherine (both with their own "baggage"), this book is also masterly. I have never felt their love more, than when realizing that Edgar must conquer his fear of heights - which I share - and that Catherine must learn how to address this fear sensitively (when she is anything but afraid of climbing). And the pilgrimage involves a trip through the Pyrenees, quite apart from any other adventures.

Where the book fails for me is is in the motivation of the murderer. I am afraid that this was a little harder to believe in, although the reason for the crime became transparent to me shortly. [The motivation was not such a shocker, as it was in DEVIL'S DOOR, for example]. I also found the way in which the murderer and the final victim(s) confronted each other to be slightly less credible than I would have wished - although it was in keeping with the murderer's previous actions.

Nevertheless, for the beautiful descriptions of the pilgrimage journey alone, this book is a keeper, to be put up right next to Ellis Peter's THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE. If you love this period - 12th century France and Spain - this book is highly recommended for its insights into the medieval mind and its vignettes of daily life. I look forward to more of Catherine LeVendeur.

There are many politically correct things about this series, not the least of which is that it provides a strong and well researched picture of womens' lives in the 12th Century. Far more important though, IMHO, is that this series is both illuminating and entertaining. This book provides insights on the pilgrimage experience, something often referred to in other stories but rarely described in detail. It also continues the series' complex telling of the relations between Christians and Jews at a time when church and state are virtually identical.

All of this happens in the midst of the evolving relationship of Catherine, her husband Edgar and Catherine's extended family. Then just to make things interestings, their traveling companions start to die at regular intervals. It's a cozy in the sense that the murderer must be part of the traveling party and the gore is pretty minimal. Still, as the layers are unveiled war, politics, religion, abuse and a whole host of other factors come into play.

Bottom-line: A very good read for fans of historical fiction. This is a series that is well worth reading in order to best understand Catherine and Edgar. It starts with Death Comes as Epiphany, winner of the McCavity for best first novel for 1993.

As fourth in the series of the Catherine LeVendeur mysteries, it is the least typical in setting and theme. The adventures along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compestela in Spain from Catherine and Edgar's home in France are fascinating historically aside from the 'mystery' of the dying crusaders. The complexity of interpersonal relationships is stronger here than in the first three books, showing both the authors development, and the development of the characters. To fully understand the character's motivations, I would highly recommend reading the first three books in this series first (Death Comes as an Epiphany, The Devil's Door, and The Wandering Arm).

With 'Death comes as Epiphany'' author Sharan Newman launched the medieval Catherine Le Vendeur mystery series. Set in twelfth century France, the reader is introduced to its fictional,strong and engaging heroine Catherine, daughter of merchant Hubert Le Vendeur, she's a novice in the convent of Le Paraclete (and about to take her vows and renounce the world).

When on an assignment for Abbess Heloise, Catherine faces many dark and confusing secrets. Such as for instance: Hubert's Jewish ancestry or the intense feelings of maternal uncle Roger for her own person.

A thoroughly researched, three-dimensional novel, which doesn't shun the grittier and nastier aspects of medieval life. Catherine and her family intermingle effortlessly with historical characters like: Heloise, Abelard or the Abbot Suger. Further the author introduces us to the series other regulars: first of all Edgar, Catherine's future husband (a laird's son hailing from Scotland), with whom Catherine will form a sleuthing partnership, her father Hubert (a converted Jew), her younger sister Agnes, her Jewish aunt, uncle and cousin: Johannah, Eliazar and Solomon.

With Catherine Ms. Newman portrays a strong and highly educated heroine who is nevertheless firmly rooted in her own time. The courtship and eventual marrriage of Catherine and Edgar is realistically and playfully developed. They certainly enjoy a true and wonderful chemistry.

For me Catherine is a truly memorable heroine and everytime I read her adventures with pleasure. Sleuthing with Catherine and Edgar simply never bores.

As the first volume in the adventures of Catherine LeVendeur, this book is an exceptional escape into medieval France. As a mystery, the plot is very good but not exceptionally sophisticated. The best service is rendered as an introduction to the further mysteries in this series, which gain in sophistication and quality with each new book. The author's later books (The Devil's Door, The Wandering Arm, and Strong As Death) are much enjoyable for having read this volume first. A truly enjoyable series that educates as well as entertains.

I happened on the unabridged audio book and was hooked immediately. The medieval French setting of the book, the historical characters of Abelard and Heloise, the delightful Catherine and Edgar, and a well-crafted mystery combine to make this a very satisfying read. The historical and cultural detail of daily life in Paris in that time was especially fasinating. That Ms. Newman is first a historian and second a mystery writer sets this series above the bulk of the genre and has made me a devoted follower. In fact, on our last trip to France I persuaded my husband to detour off our route to visit the Paraclete!

A confused and confusing tale involving many characters behaving oddly. The author does an adequate job of presenting the time period, even if there are some glaring errors (ie. a passing reference to the plaque two centuries before it hit Europe).

I will not rehash the plot as several reviewers have already done that in detail. I found the story, and the ending in particular, worthy of a daytime soap opera. All that was lacking was an amnesiac.

Try any one of these alternatives:
PC Doherty (Hugh Corbett; 14th century England)
Peter Tremayne (Sister Fidelma; 7th Century Ireland)
Ellis Peters

Sharan Newman is a rarity'a writer of historical fiction who really knows her history. While Newman does an amazing job at recreating twelfth-century France, the best part of her books is that she never cheats'her characters are very much products of medieval society. Newman never has them endorse modern views just so that the reader will be able to relate to the character.

That said, Heresy is not Newman's best book (but the level she sets is really high so a weak book by Sharan Newman is the equivalent of a great book by other historical murder mystery writers). I love the characters Newman has created. Catherine, her heroine, is the daughter of a devout Catholic woman and a Jewish convert. Rampant anti-Semitism means that Catherine keeps her Jewish roots hidden'but she has close ties to her Jewish relatives. For me, this is one of the most fascinating parts of Newman's works'the inter-play between the Christian and Jewish worlds of medieval France.

Newman's primary interests tho' are with the range of Christian belief in medieval France and her murder mysteries often deal with heresy, the threat of heresy or heretical groups. This book is no exception'the lead character is the son of Heloise and Abelard. Suspected of murder after consorting with a group of heretics, Astrolabe is on the run and he turns to Catherine and her family for help.

The tensions in this mystery were not as strong as they could have been (I was less interested in Astrolabe than I was in the other characters). If you've read Newman's other books, you'll probably enjoy this one but if you are new to her work, try reading A Difficult Saint or any of her earlier works first.

A fascinating historical mystery set in twelfth-century France, this book was an excellent view into the backstage maneuverings of the Council of Reims, which took place during the second crusade.
This was the crusade that the fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine went on with her first husband, before her divorce and marriage to Henry ( the one who had Thomas Beckett disposed of).

The mystery revolves around Astrolabe, the son of Heloise and Abelard, and whether or not he will be accused of Heresy, as was his famous father. Abelard, Astrolabe's father, was the influential and charismatic leader of a particular approach to theocracy that was challenged through the Heresy trial of the Bishop of Poitiers during the council of Reims.

This book is part of a series of novels about Catherine LeVendeur, a devout Catholic, whose family's Jewish roots, put her in peril. Catherine is a well-educated middle-class wife, whose family is dependent upon their hidden Jewish connections in order to conduct business in silks and spices. Catherine at one time, was attracted to convent life, and was well educated (for her time, and for a woman) in Latin and Church doctrine. She is instrumental in resolving the mystery due to her background and her ability to be overlooked by clerics who feel that discussing things in Latin protects them from eavesdroppers.

I liked this book because the heroine was effective without violating the standards of female conduct for the time and place of the setting. Sharan Newman is a consummate author and historian who makes history go down smoothly and as a pleasurable read.

I can't really judge if this is an accurate medieval setting, although it is a very vivid one. The problem here is the plot. At the end of the book, I am left completely baffled by the motives of the main actors. I won't discuss it in any detail, since I don't want to spoil the plot, but they must have been relatively stupid since they could have accomplished their purposes in a simple and straightforward way that would have avoided a lot of grief. A friend of mine would roll her eyes at this point and tell me that their motive is simple: if they behaved sensibly, there wouldn't be a plot. Silly me.

As a student of Medieval History and an avid reader of bothmystery novels and historical novels this book was right up my alley. Newman's characters are lively and the plot moves quickly and logically, though not necessarily predictably. I have read two books in this series and am eager to read the rest of them. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light mystery read with an historical setting. I have read this book twice myself. END

This is the 2nd in the Catherine LeVendeur series, and is every bit as enjoyable as the first. Edgar and Catherine are a great sleuthing pair, and the 12th century detail is fascinating. I also appreciate Newman's character development; even minor characters are well-developed and interesting.