Synopsis: July 1144. Ricolde, ‘the finest whore in Worcester’, is found butchered on an island a few miles up the River Severn. How did she get there, who killed her, and why? Uncovering details of her life and her past reveal a woman with hidden depths and hidden miseries which are fundamental to the answers, but time has cast a thick veil over the killer’s identity. The lord Sheriff’s men have a trail that went cold over two decades ago, and evidence that contradicts itself. In a place Catchpoll knows inside out, he finds things new even to him, and then the case becomes personal.
This is book seven of in the
Bradecote and Catchpoll series; and funny thing is, I think I have read the first one, but GR says apparently not. The characters seem so familiar to me as does the storyline of book one.
I enjoyed it - I love a good historical "whodunnit" and the author takes us on the same meandering path as the Severn River. The time is set during what came to be known as "The Anarchy", when Empress Maud and King Stephen fought for the throne of England in the 12th Century.
In 1144, however, the drama had been playing our for over ten years - with one side then the other gaining the upper hand. Stephen was still King of England, though Empress Maud's banner was now being taken up by both her husband, Geoffrey of Anjou, and her eldest son, Henry Plantagenet. Things were reaching an impasse. The city of Worcester itself had suffered a series of attacks, held by Count Waleran of Meulan for the king, the city lay dangerously close to the powerbase of Gloucester, held for Empress Maud by her half brother Robert. From its position, the city also had command of the nearest bridge crossing from Oxford, where the King was based. As such, the attack five years previous saw part of the city destroyed by fire and its citizens held for ransom.
This is the backdrop against which the author weaves her story. There is plenty of investigating, clue following, suspect interviewing - for the methods of investigation were not as scientifically exacting as they are today. And public perception of a person's character held (and carried) more weight than whether a person was innocent or not.
If you like the Cadfael series, you will take to this one - I will most likely go back and read them from the start as there are references to previous events and characters.
You might find you have read 'The Lord Bishop's Clerk', which was the title of the first in the series before there was a rights reversion and it was taken up and renamed 'Servant of Death' by Allison & Busby as part of the series, to which they have been very committed. It is not uncommon for books to be retitled by publishers in such circumstances, but can be jolly confusing. Your memory is probably correct.
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