For those of us who love historical mysteries, the motives are also related to societal norms and events. Interest also comes from the characters tasked with solving the murders and the methods employed long before all of the technology present- day investigators have at their disposal.
Candace Robb's excellent mysteries are set in the late Middle Ages in the time of Geoffrey Chaucer and John of Gaunt.
After the death of John Thoresby, Archbishop of York, Owen Archer finds himself at a crossroads. Despite the frequent difficulties and differences of opinion Owen experienced with his late patron, Owen had gained respect and affection for the man. Now, he has decisions to make about the future for himself and his family.
As usual, an engaging mystery and well-developed characters backed by excellent research.
I love this series.
Read in April. Blog review scheduled for July 21.
NetGalley/Severn House
Medieval Mystery. Aug. 1, 2019. Print length: 256 pages.
I don't read many historical mysteries, thought I don't know why. I usually really enjoy the ones I do read. :)
ReplyDeleteI love historical mysteries, partly because I love history and partly because it is interesting to see murders solved without cell phones and DNA. :)
DeleteWhat an interesting period for a murder mystery. That's a period I know very little about, so this one is pretty tempting.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading this series with pleasure for several years. When I read The Apothecary Rose a few years ago, I couldn't help but continue. It is a period of history that I find fascinating, and I love the mix of real and fictional characters.
DeleteThis sounds interesting. I tend to be picky when it comes to historical mysteries. I think topics also play an important part when I'm choosing to read such genre. :)
ReplyDeleteReading fiction is one of the best ways to learn history; it grips your interest and makes a time period feel real and personal. Giving a character a murder or two to solve only increases my enjoyment. :)
DeleteI like your perspective on historical mysteries like this. I often don't have the patience for them, but I really like how you described it above.
ReplyDeleteI love the details of life and politics during historical periods. Medieval mysteries have always intrigued me, and I've been reading fiction and nonfiction about the period forever. Combining history and mystery always appeals to me. :)
DeleteI heard about this series on your blog :) and actually got to read the first in the Owen Archer series. I too enjoy life during medieval times, as long as the book is not written mostly in Middle English dialect that makes it harder to follow.
ReplyDeleteI chalk up my interest to my son's way back when I homeschooled him and I let him choose his path with history. DK had some great children's books about history, notably the Scholastic publication of A Street Through Time. There was so much detail to study on those pages and conversations to be started. We lost this book once and picked up another at a thrift sale. Highly recommended for kids/grandkids and folks of all ages! Anyway I'm off topic... but we're never too old to begin to learn, I like to say.
:) I agree that we are never to old to learn, and the more we learn, often the more curious we become. I'll check on A Street Through Time, thanks for the tip.
DeleteI do love historical mysteries! I just don't read them often enough. Like you I like learning about a certain time period that way. A compelling mystery makes the facts go down easier (and they tend to stay with me that way too).
ReplyDeleteWhen the author takes the time to give sources, it is even better. Sometimes I find a fact and research it before realizing the author has included the source in notes at the end. Which gives even more "stickiness." :)
DeleteI love it when an author includes their references at the back of a historical novel. Or when they write an afterword where they note where they have strayed from known facts etc.! :D
DeleteI love a good historical mystery. I'm with you and Ruthiella. I like it when an author gives sources or includes an afterward with more information about their research.
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