- Hardcover: 336 pages
- Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd; 1st Hardcover Ed edition (27 Dec 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0727859137
- ISBN-13: 978-0727859136
- Product Dimensions: 21.9 x 18.1 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,226,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
November, 1194 A.D. Appointed by Richard the Lionheart as the first coroner for the county of Devon, Sir John de Wolfe rides out to the lonely moorland village of Widecombe to hold an inquest on an unidentified body. On his return to Exeter, the Coroner is incensed to find that his own brother-in-law, Sheriff Richard de Revelle, is intent on thwarting the murder investigation, particularly when it emerges that the dead man is a Crusader, and a member of one of Devon's finest families. Crowner John is ready to fight for the truth. Even faced with the combined mights of the all-powerful Church and the nobility...
From the Author
A medieval thriller with authentic forensic atmosphere
A detective story with a medieval setting, written by a forensic pathologist; the historical basis is very authentic and most of the characters actually existed in fact. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
A detective story with a medieval setting, written by a forensic pathologist; the historical basis is very authentic and most of the characters actually existed in fact. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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The three riders plodded miserably along the rutted track. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The three riders plodded miserably along the rutted track. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Medieval mystery is an expanding sub-genre in the crime fiction world, but many of the offerings are formulaic and seem very similar to eachother as a result. Bernard Knight's "Crowner John" series promises however to be a very worthy addition to the type. The Mystery itself, concerning the murder of a crusader on his way home, is not particularly intricate but the strength of this story is Bernard Knight's irresistable writing style and intriguing characterisation. The Exeter of 1194 comes alive in the pages of this book, yet the rich detail of that distant time is woven into the story and the reader never feels that historical fact is thrown in for the sake of it. Crowner John himself is a wonderful central character as are his assistants, the burly Cornishman Gwyn of Polruan and the disgraced ex-cleric Thomas De Peyne. John's relationship with his shrewish wife and her brother Sheriff Richard de Revelle are not cordial to say the least, and he seeks solace in the arms of Nesta, a local tavern keeper. The Crowner's attempts to uphold the law and maintain a sense of justice are baulked by his lack of manpower and the attitude of his brother in Law who views the newly reinstated office of Coroner as an infringement on his own personal power. Their relationship is further soured by the Sheriff's support for Prince John's attempts to seize power during the enforced absence of Richard the First whilst Crowner John remained staunchly loyal to the Lonheart... All in all this is an excellent start to the series. Open this book and transport yourself to another age....
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Crowner John is a welcome addition to the history-mystery genre! The plot is well developed and the characters are well rounded, but what is really wonderful is the amount of history the author works into the book. Prof. Knight brings 1194 to life for the reader while leaving out all modern sensibilities.
If you are looking for great history and a good read, you will not be disappointed.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bernard Knight, or to give him his correct title, Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, was a pathologist to the Home office until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Wales College of medicine, 1980. He has written the extremely successful Crowner John series of medieval mysteries, of which there are now ten or eleven books, His character Crowner John is certainly among my favourite characters in medieval mysteries. The books are set in 12th century Devon where Crowner (coroner) John has just been appointed to his new post. His office is quickly called in when an unidentified body is found in the village of Widecome. However he soon finds that there is a large stumbling block in his way, the corrupt Richard de Revelle, who is not only the sheriff, but also Sir John's brother.-in-law. On the surface, for the sake of his wife, Sir John de Wolfe attempts to keep up a working relationship with his brother-in-law, but secretly he regards the sheriff with distaste. A staunch supporter of Richard the Lionheart, he has no time for Sir Richard who is siding with Prince John while Richard is away.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bernard Knight Crowner John series
Superb story telling. The Crowner John series is indeed a national treasure. I have now read the entire series and hope there is more to come. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. A. J. Clarke
Murder in the 12th century
I'm a fan of roman and medieval history, and where i usually go for the more faster paced and action/adventure themed novels of Simon Scarrow and Bernard Cornwell, i decided to... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2010 by A. N. Other
Crowner John
This book series is excellent, a good read with historical content to boot. Very easy to imagine what the writer is describing.
Published on 18 May 2009 by Morpeth Ken
Remember the time it was set
Well, I felt very let down as to how the crime was solved. Then once the book was finished I sat back and thought about it and maybe I was being silly. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2008 by DWM
An entertaining debut
The medieval mystery novel is a rapidly expanding genre- but in this first of the Crowner John series, the action is fast paced and the historical detail enriches but never slows... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2008 by Claire King
Great book, shame about the lectures.
Great book, great storyline, great characters.
I only wished the author didn't keep on telling us how the characters would reacted if they lived today. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2003 by "mgulden4"
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