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Medieval Mysteries...

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Nefret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2994
Joined: February 2009
Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
Location: Temple of Isis

Medieval Mysteries...

Post by Nefret » Mon July 29th, 2013, 11:50 pm

Because I really need more books on my TBR list. I've not read any of these yet, but I would like to. Please make suggestions.


The first book of the series would be most helpful too.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

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Susan
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Location: New Jersey, USA

Post by Susan » Tue July 30th, 2013, 12:36 am

I've been making my way through Margaret Frazer's Dame Frevisse mysteries set (so far) in the reign of Henry VI. And of course there's the Ellis Peters' (Edith Pargeter) Brother Cadfael mysteries. Why are there so many murders around medieval abbeys? :confused:
~Susan~
~Unofficial Royalty~
Royal news updated daily, information and discussion about royalty past and present
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Madeleine
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Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Tue July 30th, 2013, 8:20 am

Yes it's a popular period for crime!

Susanna Gregory's Matthew Bartholomew series is quite good - 1st book is A Plague on Both Your Houses - set in 13th century Cambridge.
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

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Nefret
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 2994
Joined: February 2009
Favourite HF book: Welsh Princes trilogy
Preferred HF: The Middle Ages (England), New Kingdom Egypt, Medieval France
Location: Temple of Isis

Post by Nefret » Tue July 30th, 2013, 9:51 pm

Has anyone read Kate Sedley? Her series is set during the Wars of the Roses.
Into battle we ride with Gods by our side
We are strong and not afraid to die
We have an urge to kill and our lust for blood has to be fulfilled
WE´LL FIGHT TILL THE END! And send our enemies straight to Hell!
- "Into Battle"
{Ensiferum}

annis
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Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Wed July 31st, 2013, 7:45 am

I've read Kate Sedley - quite good with some rather deliciously nasty characters :) Like many of these series she works her mysteries around a central figure- in her case, Roger the Chapman (a monk turned pedlar).

I also enjoy Bernard Knight's Crowner John series - main character is one of the early coroners during the reigns of Richard ! and King John, Candace Robb's Owen Archer series and Sharon Penman's Justin de Quincey series.

For something different, Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma series is set in early medieval Ireland.

Then of course, there's the historical mystery series which started the whole genre - Eliis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, set on the Welsh border during the wars between King Stephen and Empress Matilda.

One problem is that most of these series are pretty long, and generally ongoing!

Margaret has a good collection on her Historical Novels Info website too.
Books are listed in their chronological sections with novels first and then mysteries following.
http://www.historicalnovels.info/Medieval.html
Last edited by annis on Wed July 31st, 2013, 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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catzkc
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Location: Kansas City, MO

Post by catzkc » Wed July 31st, 2013, 9:21 pm

The only ones I know of is the series by Ariana Franklin (pen name for Diana Norman), set in medieval England. I haven't read them myself just yet, but I had ordered them from the library and I just got the email today they are ready for me to pick up, so I will be reading them in the coming weeks! She died last year (I think, may have been 2 years ago), and her daughter finished her last book in the series, which is due out in January in the UK. In order:

Mistress of the Art of Death
The Serpent's Tale
Grave Goods
A Murderous Procession
Winter Siege (UK release set for January 2, 1014, not sure date of US release)

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