Raise the Hue and Cry!
A wealthy merchant has been murdered in his own home, and the suspect has fled to sanctuary in a local church. Enter Sir Faucon de Ramis, the king’s new Servant of the Crown in the shire, to solve the murder, assisted by his prickly secretary, Brother Edmund.
As Faucon begins his hunt, the shire’s new Crowner finds himself in the upside-down world of a woman’s trade. … a woman’s trade. Not only does the merchant’s wife own the business—unheard of!—the suspect is the daughter’s betrothed, or so the town believes. But what about the bloody shoe prints and missing tally sticks, and what does the sheriff have to gain?
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Season of the Fox Earns 5+/5 Crowners…Engaging to the Max!
I have become an eager fan of historical mysteries, as of late, especially those set centuries ago in Great Britain’s past: Ellis Peter’s Cadfael, Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma, Howard of Warwick’s Chronicles of Brother Hermitage, and Jeri Westerson’s Crispin Guest. I am fascinated by the authors’ level of research and ability to weave into their fiction some historical events and figures along with use of description, language, and cadence to illustrate, in these examples, medieval society, class differences, religious practices and hierarchy, and a variety of personalities. It was fortuitous to find Denise Domning’s A Servant of the Crown mystery series, and after being totally engaged in book one “Season of the Raven” and just as absorbed in book two “Season of the Fox,” I have added this series to my Top 5 Surprises for 2021.
“Season of the Fox” begins with the first-person narrative of a killer, still unknown, who is angry about being rebuffed in his attempt to do God’s will, as he sees it, by taking into his care a young innocent girl. His murderous intent is hidden from those he meets, however, one of the victims was discovered (“Season of the Raven”), and the new Keeper of the Pleas has seen the mangled remains and knows a killer is present. But, can he root out the killer before another innocent is dispatched to Heaven? Be patient…
It’s been a month since the Archbishop of Canterbury created the new position of Keeper of the Pleas to address corruption, but only two weeks has passed since Sir Faucon de Ramis was elected to the role, dubbed Sir Crowner, to investigate all pleas for justice, call for inquests, record details and witness information, and collect property from the wrongdoers for the crown. Although he solved the murder of a local miller, bringing the real culprit to justice and confiscating their property has been elusive. Even the subsequent pleas ranging from deaths to burglaries and a lover’s spat turned violent have ended with no compensation. His clerk, Brother Edmund, records all information and, with a rather cheeky manner, ensures Faucon is following protocols. Currently, he sits at the bedside of the bruised corpse of an old woman whose granddaughter accuses the uncle of murder. He is a violent man and admits to many times hitting his mother for her own cruelty, yet Faucon recognizes the signs and is quick to render a decision, but before he and Brother Edmund can finish the record, a “hue and cry” is heard from the streets, “…stop him…He’s killed Bernart the Linsman!” The chased man, Peter the Webber, takes refuge in a local church where, to the chagrin of the mass, Father Herebert has granted forty days of sanctuary. Plenty of time, Faucon believes, to detail the crime and ensure the wrongdoer’s property is forfeited to the crown. Oh, if only it were that easy. Some are adamant of Peter’s innocence, despite being seen standing over the victim’s body, so Sir Crowner is set to investigate.
Denise Domning had me enthralled at the first “hue and cry.” Faucon again inserts himself into another murder mystery, sans the sheriff’s traditional interference, with a few compelling scenarios, suspects, and possible motives to ponder. What seems obvious becomes complicated as looks are deceiving, and although forensic science is primitive, Domning creatively manages it well to a final shocking conclusion. Slowly Faucon is gaining recognition and the expertise to execute his duties, but Brother Edmund, well illustrated as infuriating, does not miss an opportunity to remind Faucon of his faux pas and errors in judgement. Even with the embarrassing interruptions, countermanding decisions, and anger over protocols being dismissed, the dynamic between Faucon and Edmund has become a key element I oddly enjoy. To my delight, Brother Colin, a Cadfael-like character, makes an appearance to offer his insights and medical skill. Although a new murder is the main focus and the role of women a fascinating element, this clever, well-developed, and detailed drama is a continuation, relying on matters from book one; the unresolved issues between Faucon and the sheriff Sir Alain and the details surrounding the serial killer are ongoing storylines that may stretch into multiple books, however the issues are quite intriguing, not disappointing at all to wait for a more direct investigation and resolution. Denise’s writing style is poetic in its cadence and easy to read with descriptions employing sensory-laden language to provide excellent pictures of the environment and different characters along with entertaining banter to set tone and personalities making this a delightful page turner. There are two helpful references available: an “Horarium” defining the names given to hours in the day and a “Glossary” defining several content terms. However minor, I do like the new book cover, it piqued my interest, but the stained glass image of the original cover was not only artistic, but a perfect illustration of the era. Mystery fans must try the series!
The series takes place in England, almost 1,000 years ago. They provide wonderful descriptions of what life was like in medieval times.. The stories are well-plotted crime stories with interesting characters and dialogue. This was the 2nd book and I strongly urge you read the books in order as the series story line will be clearer