The crime-solving duo known as the King’s Hounds—Halfdan and his master, Winston—are investigating a possible plot against King Cnut by onetime enemy-turned-ally Jarl Thorkell. Joined on the arduous journey by Winston’s woman, Alfilda, and Atheling, his cranky mule, they venture to the markets in Thetford to gather information.On the way, they meet a wealthy farmer who is seeking justice at the … justice at the District Court against a thane accused of attacking a woman. When the thane tells a bald-faced lie in court, resulting in a dismissal of the charges, all hell breaks loose. In a time when noblemen are the law and they can’t be trusted to be ethical, the law has no meaning.
When the thane turns up dead, the tables turn and the accuser becomes the accused. Winston and Halfdan race to solve the crime before the region erupts in violence. Allegiances are tested and motives questioned in this captivating drama of justice and treachery in medieval England.
This is the third book in the The King’s Hounds series but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.
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The third book in Martin Jensen’s ‘King’s Hounds’ medieval historical mystery series, ‘A Man’s Word’ is an intriguing murder mystery set in the village of Thetford. The mystery is complex and challenging, presenting a variety of possible suspects and motives which are further obscured by the transient population visiting the town for the court sessions and the markets.
Like ‘The King’s Hounds’ and ‘Oathbreaker’, the narrative is enriched with local colour and characters who add further dimensions to the story, and with historical detail that brings the context and setting of the story to life. Being immersed in the story causes the reader to consider the facts and develop theories about investigation, which increases their engagement and investment in the plot while Winston, Alfalfa and Halfdan conduct their inquiries and develop and test their theories.
This is a most enjoyable and satisfying mystery read.
Winston and Halfdan Find Themselves in a Multiple Murder Mystery With Another Murder Likely
This third novel of The King’s Hounds series starts off with Winston finishing illustrations on parchment for a monastery in Peterborough. With him are his lover, Alfilda, and his companion, Halfdan. Winston receives a letter from King Cnut asking him to go to Saint Edmund’s church and offer his artistry to the monks there. The real reason is clear that King Cnut wants Winston seek out any unrest in East Anglia and the Jarl Thorkell there. Winston’s group travels not the fastest route but one that will spend more time in East Anglia. Winston accepts the hospitality from a local famer for the night and learns that he and others will be traveling Thetford the next day to bring charges against a Thane’ son. The story takes off from here. Needless to say, events do not unfold as expected in Thetford where most of the rest of the novel takes place. As Winston and Halfdan find themselves in the middle of multiple murders and a powerful and vengeful man, he has to solve these murders before the situation becomes worse. There are enough twists and turns that captured my attention for the rest of the novel.
The B-storyline is rich and expands the reader’s understanding of Winston’s, Halfdan’s and Alfilda’s personalities. I believe that the B-storyline will enrich the enjoyment of reading this novel even if this is your first read in this series. Alfilda is more than a companion and takes a substantial part in the investigation. Halfdan disagrees with Winston more than other novels. Lastly, a darker side of Halfdan becomes evident. I enjoyed reading this B-storyline unfolds.
This series is set in the early 11th century when England was under Danish rule. King Cnut was king of England and of Denmark. Instead of Dukes and Earls, there are Jarls and Thanes. While the title names have changed, men in power in that era acted the same. There is only very minor use of slightly vulgar language. There are not any explicit sex scenes. There is some use of names and terms of that period. Reading on a Kindle with easy access to a good dictionary and the Internet if the dictionary fails, all but eliminates this issue. Lastly, this is a translation into English, if I did not know that before reading, I would not have known. I see no reason that any of these factors should discourage any reader of this novel.
The only thing that I disliked had nothing to do with this novel itself. It appears to be the last in this series. In that I am disappointed having enjoyed reading each novel.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel; the novel kept my attention throughout my reading. These are major criteria for a high star rating. I did not find any negatives while reading, so I rate this novel with a five star rating. I believe that you will enjoy it also especially if you like this genre even if you have not read the first two novels.