There is a series of these books (I think I’ve already covered one of them) all basically containing short mysteries written by authors who specialize in different parts of the Medieval era. Each story/mystery revolves around a common theme or idea. In this book, all the stories center on a relic – a piece of the true cross. Oh, and a murder or two. Or are they? (Murders, that is). The relic starts out in Jerusalem in 1100, during the Crusades. It makes its way […]
A very early American mystery
According to some, Ebenezer Gryce was the first American detective in mystery stories. According to Amazon, this book was published before the Sherlock Holmes stories, and “changed the mystery genre forever.” Horatio Leavenworth is murdered in his home. The prime suspects are his nieces, only one of whom stands to gain from his death. But the clues all seem to be pointing to the niece who doesn’t have any skin in the game, so to speak. Mr. Raymond is a junior partner in the law […]
The Century Trilogy is over
I don’t know how Ken Follett does it. All of his books are so very long and dense and filled with story and history and information and characters and other stuff I can’t think of. He’s exhausting. And exhaustive. I wonder what his family is like. I mean, really. What would dinner conversation be like with this guy? He knows everything about medieval Europe and cathedral building, and now he’s got most of Western Civ covered with the Century Trilogy. Plus he writes all those […]
The First Inspector Rutledge
In Warwickshire, Colonel Harris was out for a horseback ride, when he was shot and killed. His “last coherent thought was anger. Savage, wild, black fury ripped through him in one stark instant of realization before oblivion swept it all away. . . .” His reaction to the shotgun blast made him dig his spurs into his horse’s flanks. In London, a guy named Bowles finds out some dirt on Ian Rutledge. He wants to use it, but he doesn’t know how just yet. The […]