This is a great read. The year is 1140 and we are taken there as though it were yesterday. The detail is exquisite.Hugh is the heir to an earldom. He wants to marry Lady Cristen, but the approval does not appear to be forthcoming from all the powerful men involved. Hugh has been promised to another, and it appears that is set in stone. In that time, when noble families married it was not simply a marriage, it was a distinct sign of alliance and power.There is a murder. The murdered man was powerful and his death throws many political plans into disarray. Worst of all, the accused is Bernard, a friend of Hugh’s and most importantly, he is an innocent man. Hugh will investigate to find the guilty party and to prove Bernard innocence.The story is very well plotted and the reader is led from one interesting event to another. We find that Hugh is a brilliant man who is aware of the world in which he lives. He is also a kind man. He ends up with people, children and dogs who all become a part of his life. It is all because he knows that their best hope is in a place that has love, understanding and goodness.Cristen is the perfect woman for him. She is also bright and she understands the way the world works. Her knowledge is the perfect asset for living a life with Hugh. She is willing to do whatever it may take to help Hugh. Her faith in his ability to do the right thing is unfailing.The story has romance as well as mystery. The intrigue and political maneuvering seems to be very true to life for the time period. This is a very well written story. Ms Wolf is a talented story teller. The reader is led in the direction of adventure and mystery. Her characters are very human people. Even though they exist in medieval time, they appear to be quite real and capable of surviving in any time and place. Each of the secondary characters is an integral part of the story. If you want a well written book, that will take you on a wonderful adventure, this is a book for you. I bet you will love it as much as I did.
In the second book of the series, Hugh Corbaille now known as Hugh de Leon and heir of Earl of Wilshire is madly in love with Cristen Haslin whose father was the knight who recognized Hugh as the kidnapped child in the first book. Hugh's uncle Guy, the Earl of Wilshire has arranged that Hugh marry Elizabeth Debeaute the beautiful daughter of the Earl of Lincoln. At the same time, a thorn from Hugh's past comes back to his life and the people around Hugh cannot figure why Hugh hates Richard Canville, the son of the Sheriff of Lincoln. Before Hugh can objected to this marriage, his soon to be father in law is found stabbed to death and the suspect is no other than Hugh's childhood friend Bernard. Hugh does not believed that his friend murdered the Earl of Lincoln and decides to track down the real murderer and bring that man to justice.
Do You like book The Poisoned Serpent (2001)?
The second of only two novels in Ms Wolf's "Medieval Mystery" series, this one is a definite step up from the first. While I enjoyed the plot of the first, I had felt the writing style seemed to be amateur at best. This one settled into a fine murder mystery plot and, indeed was an enjoyable read. The story elements wrapped up nicely so need for a third novel.The writing has definitely improved. The phrasing was not clumsy as before and the pacing of the plot was appropriate. I don't wish to give the impression that I am some sort of English professor but I do read a lot of novels and seldom are the times when the prose jolts me out of the narrative flow as frequently as the first novel did. Here, although much better, the author still provides a few too many adverbial phrases ("he said smilingly" or "she exclaimed excitedly") which can really bug me after a while. In addition, the main character and his fiancé are just too perfect. He is handsome, humble, a perfect orator, and a commanding presence in every room he enters. She is beautiful, practical, and a master healer. No flaws for either one and they both always make the right decisions.All in all, this is a simple, straightforward historical murder mystery that is a quick read. Just don't expect depth of character.
—Benjamin Thomas
