Corbett is sent to Canterbury to deal with the murder of a local
merchant. His wife stands accused but as a ward of the King she
has been able to claim assistance from the King in the form of
Corbett. As well as this murder, Corbett has a pressing meeting with
two local merchants on behalf of the monarch to discuss a treasure
map. Yet when one of these merchants and his entire family is found
murdered in an inexplicable set of circumstances Corbett is drawn
into a web of intrigue that spans 30 years. Can Corbett solve all the
riddles before the killer reaches him? This is the 15th book in the
Hugh Corbett series.
I have read a couple of the books in this series. Unfortunately not all
and not in any particular order so I don't have a good grasp on the
background of the central characters and the events that have lead
up to this point. I did feel that a conscious effort was made to flesh
out the character of Corbett, particularly in reference to his religious
leanings and love of music. The story itself was fairly mediocre and
didn't really stretch the imagination. I'd worked out who the main
suspect was likely to be early on based on his cloying nature. I do
admit though that I didn't see one of the main twists in the tale til it
was revealed. On the whole though this murder mystery did little for
me. It was a light read to pass the time.
Perhaps I might have felt a bit differently about this book if I had
read the others in the series, in order, first. I would suggest that
anyone who feels like trying this series should start with the first
book, 'Satan in St Mary's'. If you want to see the entire list of Corbett
books and see which order they come in visit the Fantastic Fiction
website page on Paul Doherty. I do quite like Paul Doherty's work in
general but prefer the Ancient Rome series and the Brother Athelstan
series. The new Mathilde of Westminster series isn't bad either (the
first book in this series is The Cup of Ghosts which I reviewed in
May 2006).
Like some of the books I've read recently I would consider this an ok
read but not necessarily one that I'd run out and recommend to all
my friends and family. The characters were not too bland and a
couple of the mysteries were intriguing enough to keep the reader
occupied. If you have a passion for historical murder mysteries,
particularly those set medieval England then give this series a try.
*2 and a half stars*
Showing posts with label 14th century. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 14th century. Show all posts
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Saturday, May 06, 2006
The Cup of Ghosts - a review
The Cup of Ghosts by Paul Doherty
Well I managed to finish this book sooner than I thought I would!
The Cup of Ghosts is the first book in a series telling the story of Isabella of France's lady-in-waiting, Mathilde. The story covers the period immediately prior to Isabella's wedding to Edward II, king of England, in Boulogne through to the weeks after her coronation in Westminster. The plot is largely based on primary sources from the 14th century, which reflects the author's academic interests (he obtained a doctorate from Oxford for his thesis on Edward II and Queen Isabella).
The book is slow to start. To begin with you feel you will be reading Mathilde's train of consciousness, and I found the moments where she interrupts her dialogue to berate herself frustrating. Thankfully Doherty eventually relaxes into his more usual story telling style. The storyline has been very well researched and at times you do feel Doherty is over doing the facts, describing in great detail the clothes and ceremonies, down to the different fabrics used in Isabella's gowns. The slow pace of the book can also be annoying as the book covers a very short period of time in great depth. You feel as if Doherty relates almost every meal Isabella attended in a 12 month period!
Despite the slow pace and the over attention to detail the book is worth reading. I'm not a great fan of historical political fiction (endless negotiations, banquets and ceremonies can be a little tedious after a while) but thankfully there is also a murder mystery element in the book, even if the murder mystery is historically accurate. There is plenty of sleuthing, bodies and intrigue to satisfy.
This series is some what of a departure from his other two series set in Medieval England. Instead of using the history of the period as a backdrop for the action, he uses the history as the actual story. It certainly is a great book if you want to learn about this period in English royal history. A slow starter but worth sticking with.
3 Stars
Well I managed to finish this book sooner than I thought I would!
The Cup of Ghosts is the first book in a series telling the story of Isabella of France's lady-in-waiting, Mathilde. The story covers the period immediately prior to Isabella's wedding to Edward II, king of England, in Boulogne through to the weeks after her coronation in Westminster. The plot is largely based on primary sources from the 14th century, which reflects the author's academic interests (he obtained a doctorate from Oxford for his thesis on Edward II and Queen Isabella).
The book is slow to start. To begin with you feel you will be reading Mathilde's train of consciousness, and I found the moments where she interrupts her dialogue to berate herself frustrating. Thankfully Doherty eventually relaxes into his more usual story telling style. The storyline has been very well researched and at times you do feel Doherty is over doing the facts, describing in great detail the clothes and ceremonies, down to the different fabrics used in Isabella's gowns. The slow pace of the book can also be annoying as the book covers a very short period of time in great depth. You feel as if Doherty relates almost every meal Isabella attended in a 12 month period!
Despite the slow pace and the over attention to detail the book is worth reading. I'm not a great fan of historical political fiction (endless negotiations, banquets and ceremonies can be a little tedious after a while) but thankfully there is also a murder mystery element in the book, even if the murder mystery is historically accurate. There is plenty of sleuthing, bodies and intrigue to satisfy.
This series is some what of a departure from his other two series set in Medieval England. Instead of using the history of the period as a backdrop for the action, he uses the history as the actual story. It certainly is a great book if you want to learn about this period in English royal history. A slow starter but worth sticking with.
3 Stars
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