Sunday, December 25, 2022

Review: Medieval Royal Mistresses by Julia Hickey

Synopsis: Marriage for Medieval kings was about politics, power and the provision of legitimate heirs. Mistresses were about love, lust and possession. It was a world that included kidnap, poison, murder, violation, public shaming and accusations of witchcraft. Ambition and quick wits as well as beauty were essential attributes for any royal mistress. Infamy, assassination and imprisonment awaited some royal mistresses who tumbled from favour whilst others disappeared into obscurity or respectable lives as married women and were quickly forgotten.

Meet Nest of Wales, born in turbulent times, whose abduction started a war; Alice Perrers and Jane Shore labelled ‘whores’ and ‘wantons’; Katherine Swynford who turned the medieval world upside down with a royal happy-ever-after and Rosamund Clifford who left history and stepped into legend.

Discover how serial royal womanisers married off their discarded mistresses to bind their allies close. Explore the semi-official roles of some mistresses; the illegitimate children who became kings; secret marriage ceremonies; Edith Forne Sigulfson and Lady Eleanor Talbot who sought atonement through religion as well as the aristocratic women who became the victims of royal lust.

Most of the shameful women who shared the beds of medieval kings were silenced, besmirched or consigned to the footnotes of a patriarchal worldview but they negotiated paths between the private and public spheres of medieval court life - changing history as they went.




My views on this book are conflicting. On the one hand, kudos for seeking out some of the lesser known historical women and providing something despite there being very little to go on in some instances. But on the other hand, this really has provided nothing that a good google search could not turn up. On the one hand, there is an interesting selection of mistresses; yet on the other, they are tried and true selections with a number of inclusions I found myself questioning as to their inclusion at all.

I found the subtitle not only deceiving and infuriating but rather trite - "Mischievous Women who Slept with Kings and Princes" . Where were these vamps and ingenues, these Mata Haris who plied their wares before all manner of royalty, these saucy and salacious bawds who managed to seduce and satiate royal carnal desires all for gain. Cue Sid James and the Carry-On gang - disappointingly no. If the focus was to bring these women to the fore, calling them "shameful" from the very outset does nothing to further that aim.

Beginning in the late 10th century with Canute and finishing off with the last Plantagenet King Edward IV, we are treated to not only a history lesson but also a rather dry series of biographies. Hickey repeats all the usual rumours, innuendos and scandals, providing very little by way of anything new. The selections are narrowly focused on and in the British Isles - the side trip to France seemed out of place. As I mentioned before, there were a number of inclusions that really should not have been there at all as there were no sufficient proofs, and then there were the generalisations where names were unknown.

What I was looking for and yet found lacking was any real exploration of the role of the royal mistress. Many of these women had no choice in this - women were chattels - property of first their fathers then husbands, and ultimately of their direct lord; very few were able to assert the independence of thought and action that many of us can do today. It is a shame that through a lack of any detailed accounts of many, their lives are seen only as a mere footnote in the pages of the lives of the men with whom they were associated.

This tome is not overly long, however, the material contained therein was not sufficient to keep me fully engaged. Being extremely well read on much of the content already, I was looking for that little something more - that new take, some new theory or thoughts, even some small snippet of of the promise of something new. The phrase quality not quantity comes to mind in this instance - we know you have done your due diligence, but there is no need to cram it all into one space as it shows that you really don't know what to do with it all.

I am sure that there is a market for this and there will be many who will enjoy this immensely, unfortunately, I am not to be one of them.

Review: The Woodville Women by Sarah Hodder

Synopsis: Elizabeth Woodville, queen to Edward IV and mother of the Princes in the Tower.

Elizabeth of York, daughter of Elizabeth Woodville and the first Tudor queen of England.

Elizabeth Grey, granddaughter of Elizabeth Woodville and Countess of Kildare, whose life both in England and across the Irish sea was closely entwined with the Tudor Court.

This is the tale of three generations of women, linked by their name, Elizabeth, and by their family relationship. The story begins in the reign of the great Plantagenet Kings with the life of Elizabeth Woodville and ends in the reign of perhaps England’s most famous dynasty, that of the Tudor kings and queens. Through the life of Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor queen and Elizabeth Grey, cousin to Henry VIII and Mary Tudor, we explore the Tudor court and its dealings with the Earls of Kildare.

From the birth of our first Elizabeth to the death of our last, these three women lived through wars and coronations, births and deaths, celebration and tragedy and between them they experienced some of the most exciting and troubled times in English history. Mother, daughter and granddaughter: individually they each have their own fascinating story to tell; together their combined stories take us on a journey through a century of English life.




Okay - so what did I think. Well, what I had hoped for was a bit more about the Woodville Women - not just three Elizabeths. Whilst it is fairly obvious that there was a lot of research involved, the application could have done with some finessing. It is a very pro-Tudor piece, covering the usual myths, rumours and tropes, interspersed with assumption and supposition.

The first part deals some background including that of the period in which these women lived; Elizabeth Woodville's mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg; the potential (and I stress potential) household dynamics, with a whole of lot of myth (including the legend of Melusine) and repeated referencing the works of Christine de Pizan. Whilst there is some merit to this introductory chapter, there is much that should have been left out.

The second part looks at mother and daughter - Elizabeth Woodville and Elizabeth Plantagenet - both queens of England, before the final part deals with Elizabeth Grey - though interesting in her own right, a rather curious choice.

Whilst we began with Jacquetta, and followed this with her daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter, as I mentioned, I was looking for a few more female family members. The inclusion of Elizabeth Woodville's sisters and nieces would have fleshed this out to present a more rounded overview of this particular familial branch of women. It is clear, however, that these three main women - four if we include, as we should - Jacquetta - managed to navigate the male dominated political world of their own times, to ensure that their place in it would not go unnoticed nor unremarked.

I would suggest that before diving head first into this tome, a little preemptive research of your own would be recommended.

Review: Marple: Twelve New Stories

Synopsis: A brand-new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Mystery’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve remarkable bestselling and acclaimed authors.

This collection of a dozen original short stories, all featuring Jane Marple, will introduce the character to a whole new generation. Each author reimagines Agatha Christie’s Marple through their own unique perspective while staying true to the hallmarks of a traditional mystery.

Miss Marple was first introduced to readers in a story Agatha Christie wrote for The Royal Magazine in 1927 and made her first appearance in a full-length novel in 1930’s The Murder at the Vicarage. It has been 45 years since Agatha Christie’s last Marple novel, Sleeping Murder, was published posthumously in 1976, and this collection of ingenious new stories by twelve Christie devotees will be a timely reminder why Jane Marple remains the most famous fictional female detective of all time.



Nice little addition to my Agatha Christie library, with some very different takes on the original Miss Marple.

I really enjoyed each author's own personal style when I can to including such a well-known character into their own stories, and it was great to see the inclusion of some familiar characters and locations.

The Authors & Their Stories:

Lucy Foley: Evil In Small Places
Jane visits an old school friend.

Val McDermid: The Second Murder at the Vicarage
Harkens back to the original "Murder in the Vicarage" with the same characters making another appearance. Another murder is committed, the victim being one of the original characters.

Alyssa Cole: Miss marple Takes Manhattan
Miss Marple is in Manhattan with her nephew Raymond West when a murder in one of the off Broadway theatres takes place, just as one of Raymond's books is about to premier as a play.

Natalie Haynes: The Unravelling
Miss Marple is involved in a murder in a village where an impersonation takes place.

Ruth Ware: Miss Marple's Christmas
Jane is celebrating Christmas in St Mary Meade at the Bantrys. However, deception and fraud are unwelcome gifts.

Naomi Alderman: The Open Mind
Attending a dinner at St Bede's College, Jane is witness to a poisoning of a greatly disliked man and a journalist. Long lost letters provide a clue.

Jean Kwok: the Jade Empress
Jane is on a cruise ship to Hong Kong to meet her nephew Raymond. A death of a passenger reveals a family secret.

Dreda Say Mitchell: A Deadly Wedding Day
Death of a wedding guests. Jane teams ups with Ms Bella, a local sleuth of the Caribbean community.

Elly Griffiths: Murder at the Villa Rosa
On the Italian Amalfi Coast, a writer contemplates the murder of his main character.

Karen McManus: The Murdering Sort
Nicola West (granddaughter of Raymond West) and her friend Diana Westever encounter the death of a rich old man.

Kate Mosse: The Mystery of the Acid Soil
Miss Marple meets a friend and a curate shortly after WWII. There is a murder in the village.

Leigh Bardugo: The Disappearance
Jane stay with her nephew Raymond for the summer. However, Dolly Bantry calls Jane back to St Mary Meade to solve the disappearance of one of Gossington Hall's new tennants. Dolly Bantry is at the heart of the mystery.


I cannot say how much I enjoyed their mini homages to Agatha and Jane.  As I said, a great addition to my own Agatha Christie Library!



Review: The Loki Sword by Angus Donald

Synopsis: An ancient blade, fit for the gods but tainted with a deadly curse. Bjarki Bloodhand has finally managed to subdue his gandr, the spirit that gives him the ferocity of a bear in battle. Yet losing his berserker prowess may leave him at the mercy of his foes.

Meanwhile, his half-sister, the shield maiden Tor Hildarsdottir, has slain two warriors from the personal retinue of the new Jarl of Norrland – and now faces brutal reprisals for their deaths.

Valtyr Far-Traveller claims he has a solution to their problems: a long voyage south to the wild Slav lands to find a fabled lost sword said to once belong to the Norse trickster god.

The journey will prove more perilous than anything Bjarki or Tor has ever attempted before. Can all three heroes hope to survive the desperate hunt for... The Loki Sword?



This third instalment in the Fire Born saga sees our intrepid trio - Bjarki, Tor and Valtyr - go in search of the famed Loki Sword. The epic takes place around Silesia and Prussia, with their enemies - the Black Cloaks - or Franks, hard on their heels at every turn. Will our adventurers and their motley band succeed in their quest or fall victim to betrayal and conspiracy?

As usual, Angus Donald imbues his books in the history and mythology of the period, creating an insight into 8th Century northern European world, whilst at the same time, propelling (and projecting) the reader, full body, into the story.

Review: Jack The Ripper - The Policeman by Rod Beattie

Synopsis: Imagine you were a police officer and had been dominated as a child by an abusive mother who didn’t really want you and as an adult had been served bastardy orders twice, firstly by a woman in whose house you lived and then by a woman you had a relationship with.

Then, to top it all after you had become a police officer in another city you arrested a woman you thought was a prostitute, whose subsequent actions caused you to be accused of perjury and you ended up in court at the Old Bailey. Although you were found not guilty, it ruined your career and left you seriously in debt and though you were still a policeman you were taken off the streets and assigned to a menial job guarding a museum.

As a police officer you were in a perfect position to take revenge on those people you thought had ruined you, prostitutes.

This book contains the complete reason Jack the Ripper came to be. It sheds new light on the mystery of the killer. After all, who is going to suspect a policeman going about his daily duties of being one of the world’s most infamous serial killers.




In this addition to the Ripper library, author Beattie posits his own thoughts on who Jack the Ripper could have been. In this instance, his prime suspect is a policeman, of dubious antecedents, by the name of Bowden Endacott.  And suspects a plenty have been suggested in the past of the list provided by Wikipedia is anything to go by - yet police office was not mentioned.

Beattie says that "... a police officer is the only person who could have walked the streets at night knowing that he would not be questioned or suspected of being the killer ...".  In fact, this is a most plausible scenario.

His reasons for putting forth Endacott as his suspect are numerous and include factors of his childhood (a domineering mother and possibly, unwanted as being one of her last children); his being a compulsive liar; dubious police career which culminated in the "Cass Case" of 1887.

Beattie then put forward that in addition to the five traditionally accepted Ripper victims, that at least one, if not more victoims could be attributed to him - whilst at the same time, suggesting that Stride was not one of the five.  Beattie also suspects that Endacott had an accomplice, possibly a doctor or at the very least, another man.  Again, this is a reasonable assumption, regardless of the true suspect and was worthy of more study.

Unfortunately, Beattie offers no real conclusive proofs - in fact, his case could literally have been made for any police officer who walked the beat at that particular time.  Endacott just had more notoriety due in no part to the Cass Case and his consistent and blatant lying.  Beattie failed to convince me that Endacott was the most plausable suspect.

What I would have preferred is more substantial proofs against Endacott to convey Beattie's argument or at the very least, for Beattie to have developed and put forth a more-detailed case built around the potential of a police officer being the suspect.



Monday, June 13, 2022

Review: Warrior Women by Will Roberts

Synopsis: Warrior Women consists of fifteen short stories of women who led men into battle, fought alongside them, or resisted invasion of their homeland by foreign forces. Some are well known, others less known.

From ancient times, I chose Atalanta, who played a significant role in the Calydonian Boar Hunt, and according to some of the chroniclers, sailed with Jason on the Argo in search of the Golden Fleece. Another from this era, Artemisia, the Queen of Caria, fought for Xerxes against the Greeks in the Greco-Persian War, and Cynane, the little-known half-sister of Alexander the Great, herself a fine warrior who led her army into battle.

From the Roman era, this compilation would not be complete without Boudica of the Britons, and I have included two others who resisted the Romans who were determined to impose the ways of Rome on their culture: Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, and Mavia, of the Tanūkhids, (Saracens), who led a similar revolt against the Romans one hundred years after Zenobia.

From Asia, I chose Nakano Takeko, who fought to uphold the shogun and the samurai traditions. She led a squad of women against the riflemen of the Imperial army of Emperor Meiji, armed with only her naginata, the traditional samurai pole weapon, in the Boshin War. Also, from this region, and my favourite, I have Ba Trieu, the Korean warrior who resisted the Chinese invasion in the third century. She must have looked magnificent as she rode into battle on her great war-elephant, with her yellow cloak billowing in the breeze.

Another who would resist the Chinese, though in a different age, was Ani Pachen, the young Tibetan warrior nun, who fought the Chinese after they invaded Tibet in the 1950s, and when captured, would spend more than twenty years in prison.

Closer to home, I have included Lagertha, the Viking shield maiden; Gwenllian, the Welsh warrior princess Maurice of Londres mercilessly beheaded, as with Boudica, it would be inexcusable not to include Joan of Arc.

From North America, I have included the Apache warrior, Lozen, another who rarely gets mentioned in history books but who fought alongside her brother, Victorio, against the United States and Mexican armies, who were determined to wipe out the Native American.

From South America, Juana Azurduy de Padilla fought in the Bolivian War of Independence against the Spanish. Achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was revered by the President, Simon Bolivar. She died penniless and forgotten.

In this collection, the continent of Africa representative is Yaa Asantewaa, of the Ashanti, who opposed the British colonisation of their home, now part of modern-day Ghana. She died in exile on the distant shores of the Seychelles Islands.



Simple storytelling narrative with a decent mix of nations and time periods - kudos for that!. The narrative is not overly taxing and it was - for me - a quick read. All of the ladies present were know to me - however, I am sure readers will enjoy learning about some that may not be so well know.  A decent enough read for an independently published tome.


Sunday, May 29, 2022

Review: Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo

Synopsis: Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on the remote Gokumon Island bearing tragic news – the son of one of the island’s most important families has died, on a troop transport ship bringing him back home after the Second World War. But Kindaichi has not come merely as a messenger – with his last words, the dying man warned that his three step-sisters’ lives would now be in danger. The scruffy detective is determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious prophesy, and to protect the three women if he can.

As Kosuke Kindaichi attempts to unravel the island’s secrets, a series of gruesome murders begins. He investigates, but soon finds himself in mortal danger from both the unknown killer and the clannish locals, who resent this outsider meddling in their affairs.

Loosely inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, the fiendish Death on Gokumon Island is perhaps the most highly regarded of all the great Seishi Yokomizo’s classic Japanese mysteries.



For those unfamiliar with this series, it is about time that you invest in it. You can find the full list HERE - included those few that have been translated into English.

The style is fairly consistent - and one the author Seishi Yolomizo explores well - deep, dark family secrets, which when brought into open, give birth to jealousy, greed and ultimately ... murder. And here again, we have all those elements: a family saga of love and hate, revenge and redemption; many suspects but always one whom you are least likely to suspect; a suspenseful mystery, tied together by a long narrative that conveys the essence of the story, location and characters to perfection.  This is Yokomizo's trademark.

Kato-sensei as Kindaichi
This time, the grisly deaths appear to form some sort of dramatic countenance - and Kosuke is said to have remarked: "... The inhabitants of this island, do they all think this way - as if everything's like some kind of drama ..."

Throw into this murderous mix some pirates, returned and repatriated servicemen, local politics and scandal, and you have all the ingredients for a truly satisfying murder mystery.

I cannot recommend this series enough, with our detective, Kindaichi, who according to the local policeman, looks more like a criminal than a world famous detective!



Blood, Fire & Gold by Estelle Paranque

A fascinating joint biography of Elizabeth I and Catherine de' Medici, which explores how their complex 30-year relationship redefined the course of history.

Sixteenth-century Europe was a hostile world dominated by court politics and patriarchal structures, and yet against all odds, two women rose to power: Elizabeth I and Catherine de' Medici.

One a Virgin Queen who ruled her kingdom alone, and the other a clandestine leader who shaped the dynasties of Europe through her children. Much has been written about these two iconic women but nothing has been said of their complicated relationship—thirty years of friendship, competition and conflict that would change the face of Europe.

This is a story of two remarkable visionaries. It is also a tale of ceaseless calculation, of love and rivalry, of war and wisdom—and of female power in a male world. Shining new light on their legendary kingdoms Blood, Fire and Gold provides a new way of looking at two of history's most powerful women, and how they shaped each other as profoundly as they shaped the course of history. This is a lively and meticulously researched book that moves cleverly from the intimate details of female lives to the big power struggles of Europe during the period.

Woman, Captain, Rebel by Margaret Willson

A notorious crime, a lone woman fighting for equality, and the thrills of the wide-open sea

A daring and magnificent account of Iceland's most famous female sea captain who constantly fought for women's rights and equality—and who also solved one of the country's most notorious robberies.

Many people may have heard the old sailing superstition that having women onboard a ship was bad luck. Thus, the sea remains in popular knowledge a male realm. When we think of examples of daring sea captains, swashbuckling pirates, or wise fishermen, many men come to mind. Cultural anthropologist Margaret Willson would like to introduce a fearless woman into our imagination of the sea: Thurídur Einarsdóttir.

Captain Thurídur was a controversial woman constantly contesting social norms while simultaneously becoming a respected captain fighting for dignity and equality for underrepresented Icelanders. Both horrifying and magnificent, this story will captivate readers from the first page and keep them thinking long after they turn the last page.

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Review: Golden Age of Locked Room Mysteries ed. Otto Penzler

Synopsis: For devotees of the Golden Age mystery, the impossible crime story represents the period’s purest form: it presents the reader with a baffling scenario (a corpse discovered in a windowless room locked from the inside, perhaps), lays out a set of increasingly confounding clues, and swiftly delivers an ingenious and satisfying solution. 

During the years between the two world wars, the best writers in the genre strove to outdo one another with unfathomable crime scenes and brilliant explanations, and the puzzling and clever tales they produced in those brief decades remain unmatched to this day.

Among the Americans, some of these authors are still household names, inextricably linked to the locked room mysteries they devised: John Dickson Carr, Ellery Queen, Clayton Rawson, Stuart Palmer. Others, associated with different styles of crime fiction, also produced great works—authors including Fredric Brown, MacKinlay Kantor, Craig Rice, and Cornell Woolrich.

All of these and more can be found in Golden Age Locked Room Mysteries, selected by Edgar Award-winning mystery expert and anthologist Otto Penzler. Featuring a delightful mix of well-known writers and unjustly-forgotten masters, the fourteen tales included herein highlight the best of the American impossible crime story, promising hours of entertainment for armchair sleuths young and old.




A nice anthology of classic "locked room" mysteries dates from predominantly the 1930s and 1940s. The settings vary from a touch of the science fiction - a la HG Wells - to the supernatural, missing heirs, actors, greedy and murderous relatives. Add to this a strange selection of detective: a magician, a young girl, an insurance broker, the usual police / detectives, a spinster, and a switchboard operator. Each story is unique - some are lengthy, others short and to the point.

A little summary to assist the reader:

Elsewhere by Anthony Boucher:
* published 1946
* sci-fi theme (use of a time machine)

Whistler's Murder by Frederic Brown:
* published 1946
* a vaudeville act holds the key
* insurance broker investigates

The Third Bullet by John Dickson Carr
* published 1937
* one murder victim, two sisters, three guns, three bullets

Fingerprint Ghost by Joseph Commings
* published 1947
* murder and a seance
* senator and magician investigates

Calico Dog by Mignon Eberhart
* published 1934
* return of a long lost child / heir

The Exact Opposite by Earl Stanley Gardner
* published 1941
* missing explorer and a gem in India

The Light at Three O'Clock by MacKinlay Kantor
* published 1930
* return of a murdered man
* switchboard operator investigates

The Episode of the Nail & the Requiem by C Daly King
* published 1935
* dead artists model and some late night music

The Riddle of the Yellow Canary by Stuart Palmer
* published 1934
* music producer and a dead starlet
* elderly spinster investigates

The House of Haunts  by Ellery Queen
* published 1951
* dead man's daughter returns
* creepy house and its occupants, gold, and an imposter

Off The Face of the Earth by Clayton Rawson
* published 1949
* missing judge, missing girls
* Great Merlini investigates

His Heart Could Break - Craig Rice
* published 1943
* suicide of a prisoner
* lawyer investigates - was it a frame up

Murder Among Magicians by Manley Wade Wellman
* published 1939
* when five guests visits a magician's home, murder prevails

Murder at the Automat by Cornell Woolrich
* published 1937
* man murdered in a restaurant


Nice retrospective look back at the golden age of locked room mysteries.

Review: A Taste For Killing by Sarah Hawkswood

Synopsis: January, 1145. Godfrey Bowyer, the best but least likeable bow maker in Worcester, dies an agonising death by poisoning. Although similarly struck down after the same meal, his wife Blanche survives. The number of people who could have administered the poison should mean a very short investigation for the Sheriff’s men, Hugh Bradecote and Serjeant Catchpoll, but perhaps someone was pulling the strings, and that widens the net considerably. Could it be the cast-out younger brother or perhaps Orderic the Bailiff, whose wife may have had to endure Godfrey's attentions? Could it even be the wife herself?

With Bradecote eager to return to his manor and worried about his wife’s impending confinement, and Underserjeant Walkelin trying to get his mother to accept his choice of bride, there are distractions aplenty, though Serjeant Catchpoll will not let them get in the way of solving this case.



For a bit of background to the time of the narrative, please read my reviews of Wolf at the Door and River of Sins. Both amply cover off the period in English history known as The Anarchy and give a little background into the three main characters - Bradecote, Under-Sherrif; Catchpoll, his Serjeat; and the young journeyman, Wakelin. This time, we are back in the city of Worcester. During the Anarchy (1135–1153) rival factions of King Stephen and the Empress Matilda contested the kingdom and Worcestershire proved to be a key battleground. The first attack on Worcester itself occurred in late 1139 when an Angevin army from Gloucestershire assaulted the city. After an attempt to take the castle on the south side of the city, the Gloucester forces entered from the north, looting and burning. Worcester became a base for Stephen's forces for a period, before joining the Empress's faction. The King naturally retaliated.

Now to our victim - Godfrey Bowyer - a much disliked, though very capable bow maker. The skill was in great demand especially during this period of constant warfare, where professional bowyers produced thousands of bows required for that country's military. These bowyers could reportedly make an English longbow in as little as two hours.

Bowyers required specialized training to become an expert in bow making. This was usually done under the supervision of an expert in the field. Most bowyers had their own workshops in which they could store their tools and work in progress. Bowyers used different types of wood to craft bows and arrows. Amongst the most popular were yew, ash, wych elm, and hawthorn. The ideal bow should be able to store as much energy as possible when drawing it back, and then have it redirected to the arrow when releasing.

In a household filled with animosity and secrets, it is hardly surprising that the head of the household is found poisoned, while its mistress suffers the consequences, though not fatally.  Who in this day and age, would be brave enough to strike against their master - was it a member of his own household, some other, or another's agent? This was a period where the violent rebellion of servants against their masters (and wives against their husbands) was a serious concern, enough to warrant death by hanging (for men) and death by burning (for women). Much of the investigation centres around the household, the family and others whose interactions have brought them to the attention of our investigators. One question remains till the very end .... Who is Blanche Bowyer really?

Against this backdrop, our trio have their own concerns - Bradecote's wife is expecting their child, young Walkelin is dreading informing his mother on his choice of bride, and Catchpoll is feeling the slow creeping hand of age.

Again, much research has gone into the narrative to ensure the reader gets a good fell for the times and the long process of criminal investigations, which is at times, rudimentary, relying of quick-eyed officials and knowledgable locals, especially in a time when social connections, social and financial position, and a person or family's good name counted for much in the community, and in the assumption of guilt or innocence.


Review: The Bear's Blade by Tim Hodkinson

Synopsis: How do you defeat the undefeatable?

935 AD, Norway. Recovering from horrendous injuries, Einar finds himself unable to fight. He is not strong enough to defeat his rival, Eirik, who has seized Orkney despite Einar being the rightful Jarl.

Eirik's men soon raid the Norwegian coast, led by a warrior called the Bear. Cruel and ferocious, the Bear possesses a legendary blade – one that gives him a skill in battle that cannot be matched. Such an extraordinary sword could be key to Einar's plans – but first he and the Wolf Coats must contend with the Bear himself.

Caught between old foes and new ones, Einar must use all his wits to survive. But is a man who cannot wield a sword capable of being a true Viking warrior?



Book Five in the Whale Road Series ... and it doesn't disappoint. Wounded from a dual with his father, and unable to defeat his rival and nemisis, Einar realises that the ".. powers of chaos are loose ...". Separated from the Wolf Coats, Einar must heal and adapt in the face of Viking onslaughts that gives rise to a new terror - The Bear!.

Einar soon realises that this mighty warrior wields a sword more powerful than the Wolf Coats own Ulfberht sword - and to discover the secret of this powerful weapon, Einar must become a cuckoo in the nest of the Bear! Meanwhile, Eirik Bloodaxe is still a thorn in the side of the Wolf Coats - and vice versa. Eirik's queen Gunnhild will stop at nothing to see her husband secure on the throne of Orkney even if this means performing a sacred ritual and sacrifice.

Once again, the tension mounts with the increase in action, as our motley band of warriors hurtle towards their inevitable confrontation with Eirik - will they prevail, will Einar resume the path of the warrior? All we know for sure is that the Wolf Coats will live to fight another day .... afterall, it's hard to keep a good band of warriors down!


Review: The Lawless Land by Boyd & Beth Morrison

Synopsis: Canterbury, 1351. Excommunicated knight Gerard Fox is a battle-hardened warrior whose ancestral home was unjustly taken from him. Now, he roams across the known world of Europe looking for work as a man-at-arms. Equipped with only his Damascus-steel sword and war bow, Fox takes out tyrannical and dishonorable men in a land still blighted by the Black Death.

In his ongoing crusade to deliver justice, Fox comes to the aid of Lady Isabel, who is fleeing from her brutal betrothed. But she hasn't told him the whole story. Isabel is guarding a priceless holy relic. One many men would kill for.

Fox and Isabel soon find they are being chased across the continent and try to evade those who seek the relic. But as more assassins close in, Fox realizes they will stop at nothing to possess the sacred treasure that Isabel has sworn to protect...



The premise: a Knight Templar, a damsel in distress, a priceless relic, a pursuit, a villain, redemption. All of which make for an entertaining read.

It is the late 14th century - France and England are in the midst of what is referred to as The Hundred Years War; the deathly spectre of plague walks the land; and no-one is safe from landless marauders returning from the war. Into this we find Gerard Fox on his own personal mission, when confronted by a runaway carriage, being hotly pursued - should he interfere or not. Well, of course he does!

From this point onward, Gerard's own mission takes a back seat as he puts all his energy into ensuring this luckless lady achieves her end by placing a priceless relic, kept safe through a long female custodial chain, in the hands of one of the links. Along the way, Gerard and the lady are pursued by a shady French Cardinal and his agent, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the relic, whilst the lady's erstwhile and rather dangerous, jilted fiance is also in hot pursuit with his own agenda. Gerard enlists the aid of old friends as the Templar and lady make their way from England over to France. There are captures and escapes aplenty, tournaments, disguises, deceptions and impersonations, which culminates in a trial by combat between hunter and hunted.

The tension builds as we travel ever closer to our destination, and the narrative takes the reader along for a most exciting ride. A well researched story that captures and holds the imagination and attention of the reader. A series ...... one is left wondering.

Review: Souless by Rozlan Mohd Noor

Synopsis: Early morning in Jalan Alor, one of the city’s red-light and tourist hotspots controlled by the Triads. A junkie’s scream of horror and the commotion that follows brings down the police, first a patrol car, and then, after what the officers see, Inspector Mislan and Detective Sergeant Johan from Special Investigations. The body in the duffle bag had been dumped in a back alley. The junkie who found the bag thought he’d hit the jackpot. The rats probably thought the same. But it was acid that took the young woman’s face and burned the flesh on her fingers, and something unknown caused the marks on her skin of what appears to be torture.With no papers, no fingerprints, no face, and a body removed from the original crime scene, Mislan must build his case and find who committed this atrocity. The woman’s body seems to have been a message. But by whom? For whom?

This unsettling case will take Inspector Mislan and his team from Kuala Lumpur to the Land of Smiles, and from a dark alley to the dark web and a place where humans are made soulless.



In this outing, Mislan and Johan find themselves up against a baffling case - a murdered girl, with no visible signs of identity. Who killed here and why.? Their investigations will lead them into the seedy world of human trafficking, where the stakes are high, and the clientele influential. These people, Mislan observes, "... are souless, living on income from sex slaves ..". As mentioned, power and influence hold sway, and we know Mislan is not one for following the rules, putting offside those that could help him and increasing the antagonisism of those that want him out of the way.

Mislan's personal life takes a back seat to this investigation - his son is away with his ex-wife, his lover, Dr Safia is becoming distant, and Mislan seems more wrapped up in the case to notice what is going on around him.

There are many loose ends that need tying up before this case can be solved by Misland nad his team - but in the process, will Mislan be one of them?

A decent follow on for this series set in Kuala Lumpur - and the setting makes a nice change from the predominance of Euro-centric crime fiction.


Review: The Yeoman's Tale by MJ Trow

Synopsis: Poet-sleuth Geoffrey Chaucer is caught up in the chaos of the Peasants' Revolt as he attempts to track down a brutal killer.June, 1381. Embarking on his annual pilgrimage to Canterbury, Geoffrey Chaucer and his fellow travellers are forced to turn back when confronted with a horde of armed and angry peasants, intent on marching to London. Returning to the city to warn the authorities of the approaching danger, the pilgrims hole up at the Tabard Inn and prepare for the coming invasion.

That same night, a woman's body is fished out of the River Thames, her throat cut. When he discovers that the victim was the wife of one of his fellow pilgrims, Chaucer determines to investigate. Could the woman's henpecked husband be responsible for her death? A jealous business rival? Or was she murdered by one of the pilgrims? Does a cold-hearted killer lurk within the Tabard?

As the army of rebellious peasants approaches, Chaucer finds himself in a race against time to uncover the truth before anarchy descends.


The second in Trow's Chaucer series, this time the setting is 1381 and England is in the midst of a uprising among the peasants. There was great unrest at this time due to a highly unpopular poll-tax - also known as head tax or capitation, is a tax levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically every adult), without reference to income or resources. Many impacted were rural works, artisans, and minor, local officials. The mob was led by one Wat Tyler, though how this came about is not entirely known, and their strength grew as they marched towards London. . One of the other leading lights in all this was the preacher John Ball, recently released from prison, who seemed to serve as some sort of spiritual guide.

Once again we find Chaucer preparing to undertake his pilgrimage to Canterbury, led by the proprietor of the Tabard Inn, one Harry Bailey. Chaucer is in fine company - among his fellow pilgrims are a miller, a merchant, a poet, a prioress, a yeoman archer, a franklin, and a priest. En route, the pilgrims have the misfortune to run into the Kentish mob and a robbed before being sent back on their way. The pilgrims return to the Tabard Inn, and here we discover the first murder. As the mob draws ever closer the pilgrims find themselves barricaded at the Inn - and possibly a murderer among them.

The pace is rather languid - there is no real action scenes, the murders are almost committed "off screen" and the investigation is rather sedentary. The only real scene of any urgency we have is when the young King, Richard II confronts the rabble in order to disperse them with whatever promises he deems fit. It is a case of will the rebels take London and sweep all before them - or will the child-King prevail; whether Chaucer finally solves this murders takes a back seat to all else.

It is an at times amusing vignette into the life of Chaucer, set against prominent historical backdrops, with a little murder and mystery thrown in for good measure. It is an enjoyable series.


Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Review: Soldier, Rebel, Traitor by Alexander Brondarbit

Synopsis: John Wenlock, first Lord Wenlock, was a leading diplomat, courtier and soldier during the Wars of the Roses whose remarkable career offers us a fascinating insight into one of the most turbulent periods in English medieval history. And yet he has hitherto been overshadowed by his more illustrious contemporaries. Alexander Brondarbit’s meticulously researched and perceptive biography is overdue. It establishes Wenlock as a major figure in his own right and records in vivid detail how this shrewd nobleman found his way through the brutal conflicts of his times.

Wenlock served in Henry V’s military campaigns in France in the 1420s before moving on to a career in the royal households of Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou and Edward IV. As a diplomat, he led multiple embassies to Burgundy and France and, in addition to the kings he served, he was closely connected with other notable figures of the age such as Richard Neville, earl of Warwick. But Wenlock’s speciality was on the battlefield – he took part in many raids, skirmishes and sieges and in three major battles including the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 where he lost his life.

Using primary sources as well as contemporary assessments in chronicles and letters, Alexander Brondarbit gives a nuanced description of the main episodes in Wenlock’s long career and throws new light on the motivation of a man who has been labelled a ‘Prince of Turncoats’ because of his frequent changes of allegiance.



I am always on the look out for books putting the spotlight onto some of the lesser know, though oft times more interesting, historical personages; so was rather keen to have a read of this book on John Wenlock.

Brondarbit says of Wenlock that his "... career was long, complex and colourful as he engaged in military venture and political intrigue ..." Brondarbit's book is "... meant to reassess one of the more maligned aristocrats ... and present a more nuanced picture of his life .. to understand rather than to rehabilitate ..."

There was much social and economic change in England at this time - the plague increased the standard of living for many people, and saw the demand for skilled labour. Warfare also saw its fair share of change, especially under the young Prince Hal - later Henry V - whose victories in France are still remembered to this day. However, it was not all clear sailing for the English in France - the tide was turning against them as France found inspiration in a peasant girl named Joan. On the political front, King Richard II had been deposed around the time of Wenlock's birth with the assumption of Henry IV onto the throne of England and thus the first of the Lancastrian line till his own death saw the succession of his son, Henry, who would himself be succeeded by his infant son, Henry VI. So you could say that by the time of his very early 20s, Wenlock had lived under four Kings of England! And it was this minority that gave rise to the future political turmoil that would lead into events colloquially known as The Wars of the Roses.

As a second son, Wenlock would be forced to seek advancement elsewhere. Like many young man of his age, he became a soldier in France in 1421 under Sir John Cornwall (himself a retainer of John of Gaunt, the King's grand uncle). This would be his first foray on the Lancastrian side as well as his first stakeholder in Lancastrian Normandy. Following the death of his brother tin 1429, Wenlock returned to England to assume his brother's estates before returning to France. From 1432, Wenlock makes regular appearances in government commissions and parliament; married; increased his land holdings; and in 1441, he entered into the King's household.

This period was the minority of Henry VI, which was considered to be remarkably successful! Fifteen years later not only was Henry still on the throne (he was crowned king of England in 1429, king of France in 1431), but his kingdom was not unduly lawless, the crown was solvent, and a substantial part of Henry V's conquests in France remained in Lancastrian hands.

Wenlock himself was back in France on behalf of the King. Brondarbit describes him as " ... apolitical pragmatist ..[who saw].. war as a means of establishing himself..." especially if it "... dovetailed with Wenlock's own personal aspirations ...". It would be around this time that Wenlock established a (political) relationship with one William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, and a favourite of King Henry VI. As an ambassador of the English Court, Wenlock was sent on a diplomatic mission - the marriage negotiations of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou, which upon her arrival in England, saw Wenlock move into the Queen's household (c.1445) where he gained favour, was knighted (1448) and appointed as her Chamberlain. More diplomatic missions were undertaken over the next decade or so. All in all not bad for a second son whose prospects were considered not that promising.

It has been speculated that at some point on one of his embassies, Wenlock came into the orbit of Richard, Duke of York and his brother-in-law, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. There had been growing disenchantment with the current political scene - William de la Pole would bare the brunt of this opposition. He was seen as the man behind the scenes in the removal of powerful political figures (notably Humphrey of Gloucester, the King's uncle, and Cardinal Beaufort); for the growing losses in France (for which the Queen was also blamed); and for the growing mis-administration of government. Suffolk would be removed from power and exiled (though was murdered in the process). The government had huge debts as a result of the ongoing war in France, and as a result, it borrowed heavily from the nobility - often with the promise of repayment or rewards in lieu of payment, both of which was tardy in arriving. In this Wenlock was not alone - and like many others, Wenlock began to place his own survival and self interest ahead of his loyalty to the King.

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York was - with some considerable military muscle - on the rise, By 1453 he was not only declared the heir of Henry VI but also protector of the realm. This was also the time the King suffered a catastrophic mental breakdown, rendering him incapable of governing. Suffice to say, that Wenlock drifted into the orbit of York, and became one of the most notable contributors to his cause, as was well-rewarded for his service. His actual reasons are far from clear - they were - like the man - complex, political, personal. He would suffer the ignominy of exile and attainder for his support, those rose again with the ascension of the Sunne in Splendour - Edward.

Wenlock always seemed to move within royal circles, beginning on the periphery and moving ever closer under the Yorkists. His rise naturally coincided with increased personal wealth and prestige. However, as we review his associations, we see that they were not necessarily on the side of the reigning monarch - for example he stood with York against Henry VI and Warwick against Edward IV. This close association with Warwick continued and saw him rebel against Edward IV (who fled into exile in Burgundy) and give his support to the Readeption of Henry VI (1470). Like many others Wenlock and Warwick believed that Edward had wronged those who gave him their initial support, and the influence of the "upstart" Woodvilles with their advantageous (if not at times unseemly) political marriages and insatiable greed.

Wenlock's final battle was at Tewkesbury in May 1471 - he was in the company of Queen Margaret of Anjou and the young Prince Edward. The Yorkists completely defeated their rivals, the Lancastrians. The Lancastrian heir to the throne, Edward, Prince of Wales, and many prominent Lancastrian nobles were killed during the battle or executed. Wenlock was one of them. Brondarbit writes that, in Wenlock's case - and maybe that of many others - ".... the accumulation of influence, wealth and status over the course of nearly five decades of public service was swiftly reversed by a single battle ..." Indeed, his Baronage died with him on the battlefield for there was no heir to follow him.


In "Soldier, Rebel, Traitor: John, Lord Wenlock and the Wars of the Roses", Brondarbit does his due diligence in bringing to the fore, the life of a man so remarkable, and yet unremarked. So unremarked he was that I could not find another single tome on the man - well, maybe one - "The Mystery of Lord Wenlock and His Glastonbury Treasure" by Adrian Fray (which I have not read). But no real biography with any substance.  Brondarbit's book amply and ably fills that vacuum, and is one I would gladly find space for on my "Wars of the Roses" shelves of my personal library.






Sunday, April 17, 2022

Review: The Normans by Judith Green

Synopsis: A bold new history of the rise and expansion of the Norman Dynasty across Europe from Byzantium to England.

In the eleventh century the climate was improving, population was growing, and people were on the move. The Norman dynasty ranged across Europe, led by men who achieved lasting fame like William the Conqueror and Robert Guiscard. These figures cultivated an image of unstoppable Norman success and their victories make for a great story, but how much of it is true?

In this insightful history, Judith Green challenges old certainties and explores the reality of Norman life across the continent. There were many soldiers of fortune, but their successes were down to timing, good luck, and ruthless leadership. Green shows the Normans’ profound impact, from drastic change in England to laying the foundations for unification in Sicily, to their contribution to the First Crusade. Going beyond the familiar, she looks at personal dynastic relationships and the important part women played in what at first sight seems a resolutely masculine world.



I will preface this review by saying - reader beware.! This is not a casual and cursory look at the Normans that will appeal to the general masses; it is a more focused narrative that assumes that you - the reader - have done your due diligence and a sufficient enough grasp of the topic at hand to absorb the information contained therein.

The focus of Green's book is the Normans and their activities as related to a specific time period - the 11th Century - and is narrowed down to particular theatres of war - England, Normandy, Byzantium, Sicily & Southern Italy, Antioch & the Holy Land. It is also a look at how contemporary writers and chroniclers viewed them as well as their own perceptions of self.

Green begins with a look at the various contemporary writers and chroniclers in England (Malmesbury, Worcester, Huntingdon, Monmouth), Normandy (Dudo William of Jumieges, Vitalis, Wace), Southern Italy & Sicily (Malatera, William of Apulia, Amatus of Montecassin), and of course the Crusades (Ralph of Caen). This list is by no means complete as there are a number of others included as well. In this chapter Green also explores the relationships between subject matter and author, the issues of patronage, potential audience and the accessibility of sources.

We next move to Normandy for a look at the structure of Norman society, its emergence, the outward persona of warrior class, and the internal struggles within for dominance. This leads into the next chapter "swords for hire" and a look at the role of Normans as mercenaries throughout Europe and the Baltic. Here Green notes that 11th Century Europe was swarming with armed men who for for wealth, land and prestige. So what made this particular group that much more successful than others - this is what is explored. Green includes a number of prominent families in her narrative, as well as some much lesser ones (which are the ones I am always on the look out for).

Moving south, we explore the activities and personalities of the Normans in Southern Italy and Sicily from their earliest arrival as armed pilgrims to the arrival of Robert Guiscard and the legitimisation of the new kingdom and its conquests. A brief side visit to Byzantium is also covered off for this will have an impact of future relationships.  This is one of my favourite periods of Norman History (and dominates my personal library).

Doubling back, Green takes us to one of the more well know of the Norman conquests - England in 1066. This was no gentle take-over but one that would see years of resistance and rebellion, and the invasions of neighbouring nations of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. This period would also see the creation of the Domesday Book - a survey every shire in England, and some parts of Wales, to list all holdings and calculate the dues owed to William.

And then to our final field of activity - The Crusades and the establishment of the Norman Principality of Antioch. Green provides an assessment of the various Norman leaders (Bohemond, Tancred, Robert of Normandy), their motives for embarking on this great military and religious endeavour, their successes and their failures.



The remaining chapters encompasses a more rounded view of the Normans, covering such topics as government and power, settlement and conquest, church and state, culture and construction. And it is this lasting legacy that Green concludes with, wherein she notes that they were - in essence - "... ruthless opportunists [who] were able to change the political history of Europe ...". But this is merely one one part of who the Normans were - for they were also exceptional strategists, inventive, progressive, militaristic, pious, opportunistic, ruthless - and utterly compelling and unforgettable.

This is definitely one for my own library shelves, and my own personal collection of Norman literature.

Review: The Mysterious Romance of Murder by David Lehman

Synopsis: From Sherlock Holmes to Sam Spade; Nick and Nora Charles to Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin; Harry Lime to Gilda, Madeleine Elster, and other femmes fatales—crime and crime solving in fiction and film captivate us. Why do we keep returning to Agatha Christie's ingenious puzzles and Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled murder mysteries? What do spy thrillers teach us, and what accounts for the renewed popularity of morally ambiguous noirs? 

In The Mysterious Romance of Murder, the poet and critic David Lehman explores a wide variety of outstanding books and movies—some famous (The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity), some known mainly to aficionados—with style, wit, and passion.Lehman revisits the smoke-filled jazz clubs from the classic noir films of the 1940s, the iconic set pieces that defined Hitchcock's America, the interwar intrigue of Eric Ambler's best fictions, and the intensity of attraction between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer, Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. He also considers the evocative elements of noir—cigarettes, cocktails, wisecracks, and jazz standards—and offers five original noir poems (including a pantoum inspired by the 1944 film Laura) and ironic astrological profiles of Barbara Stanwyck, Marlene Dietrich, and Graham Greene. 

Written by a connoisseur with an uncanny feel for the language and mood of mystery, espionage, and noir, The Mysterious Romance of Murder will delight fans of the genre and newcomers alike.


This was possibly written as a follow up to the author's previous book, The Perfect Murder: A Study in Detection.

The book is divided into five parts (the romance, the props, the authors & directors, the films, and some profiles). The author's key areas of interest - poetry, speech, writing - form the basis for this narrative.

Part One specifically deals with the language and dialogue of the genre. Part Two the props used (clothing, cigarettes, etc). Part Three looks at authors and directors such as Fleming, Hitchcock, Chandler, Greene, Wilder, McBain, et al. Part Four is a series of essays on films and actors (eg: Double Indemnity, Cape Fear, The Asphalt Jungle, Odd Man Out, etc) whilst also exploring the villains and locations (San Francisco, Chicago, London). Part Five consists of profiles of Stanwyk, Greene and Dietrich.

Despite being a huge fan of noir, espionage and crime, I was not a fan of this. The 40 plus page introduction was overly long and nearly finished it for me then and there.  I found my attention wavering and I was wishing the author would hurry up and get to the crux of it all.  Even when he did, I was not sufficiently engaged to absorb anything that was written down in front of me - the writing style and overall presentation did not inspire me.

Image by Wonman Kim

What I also found lacking was an exploration of international noir - both authors and film - which is something I would definitely have been interested in, especially as I have been reading a lot of Frederic Dard (the classic French noir author) and his contemporaries.

Definitely one for the dedicated movie fan of the genre as this book explores specialty subject matter that only those seriously immersed in the genre will appreciate.