This is a cleverly plotted and well written but densely historical novel set during the very late years of the 14th century. Titular protagonist Brother Chandler is a clever spy/cleric reluctantly in the employ of Henry Bolingbroke (later Henry IV), one of the major players in the jockeying for the English crown. He and his friend, Sir Arnold Archer, a city coroner, investigate the murder of a novice who belonged to a neighboring religious order and try not to get arrested or murdered themselves.
This is definitely a promising start to a series for lovers of medieval mysteries. The historical background is meticulously presented and lovers of the history and intrigue of the English crown will find much to enjoy here. For readers less engaged in the background story and larger picture, I fear much of the story will be lost in the minutiae of who was doing what to whom and who was allied with who (and they're nearly all related: fathers and sons, brothers and uncles, all trying to kill or discredit one another). I enjoyed it immensely and found myself drawn along with the mystery and intrigue. This is one which will be gobbled up by fans of Candace Robb's Owen Archer series (set 30some years earlier), and it rang the same bell for me as many of the Brother Cadfael books or even Graves' prodigious epic I, Claudius (completely different time periods of course, but the rigorous background history is the same). Fans of the author's other series will also likely enjoy this one very much.
Well written and plotted, and the dialogue rang true for me. There's a weird/intriguing cameo from Chaucer (yes, that Chaucer) and his household with foreshadowing for future installments. I'm definitely interested in following this one up. It's a cerebral and complex mystery set against a backdrop of complex political upheaval. It's not particularly easy or fluffy reading.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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