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'Michael Jecks has a way of dipping into the past and giving it the immediacy of a present-day newspaper article...He writes...with such convincing charm that you expect to walk round a corner in Tavistock and meet some of the characters...Jecks writes with passion and historical accuracy. Devon and Cornwall do not seem the same after reading his dramatic tales' Oxford Times
Product Description
It is the summer of 1322 and two playmates have uncovered the body of a young girl up on the moors. The body is that of Aline, the ten-year-old daughter of Swetricus, who went missing six years ago. Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend Bailiff Simon Puttock are summoned to investigate, and soon discover Aline is not the only young girl to have been found dead in recent years. It seems that the villagers have been concealing not only a serial killer, but a possible case of cannibalism. Or even, if the rumours are to be believed, a vampire!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
This was the first Jecks novel I'd come across after having it lent to me. It was a great introduction and I now can't wait to read the whole series! It was easy to read, the characters were well crafted, the dialogue believable with any anachronisms used sparingly and to good effect. The plot was superb. The revelation was a total surprise - rather unsettling. No-one in this novel is what they seem. All the twists and turns were remarkably well-handled, with several red herrings and lots of revelations associated with various characters.
It didn't bother me that there were a few small references to the book that preceded this one in the series. Although a murder was briefly mentioned there were no spoilers - if anything it's simply made me want to read it. There is clearly no need to read the series in order, the description of the main recurring characters are solid and realistic enough without needing to jump straight back to book 1.
Some reviewers were unhappy with some of the themes covered. True, the butchering of children and cannibalism aren't the nicest of topics, but the description of the bodies was not unnecessarily gruesome or disrepectful, and I felt that the consequences of the murders was dealt with well, especially the reactions of the villagers. In the 13th century people were genuinely god-fearing, and their belief would not let them contemplate the fact that 'one of them' could kill and eat children, so naturally they were convinced something supernatural would have to have been involved. Their system of 'justice' shown at the beginning of the story would surely have been a natural reaction true of the time, especially during famine, but barbaric and unfair to us today. Jecks has done his research very well and is well within in his rights to include a possible supernatural element - it sums up the panic felt by the people of the village, and yet the whole thing is kept grounded by the main characters firm disbelief, echoing no doubt the thoughts of the reader. However some of the spooky descriptions of the village are so convincing that you may well believe something unearthly really is going on.
My favourite aspect was the build up of tension - the dogs constant howling towards the end of the novel was a brilliant idea - as each character was getting affected and you wondered what each of their reasons were. At one point I even thought everyone was guilty and it was some sort of cannibal village! The way Jecks keeps you guessing at the real murderer/s? - no spoilers here - is that good.
I now want to read the whole thing again so I can see if there were any clues that I missed. This was truly one of the best murder mysteries I've ever read, regardless of the historical genre. Great sense of the era and place, great characters, brilliantly complex and well thought out plot. 10/10.
It didn't bother me that there were a few small references to the book that preceded this one in the series. Although a murder was briefly mentioned there were no spoilers - if anything it's simply made me want to read it. There is clearly no need to read the series in order, the description of the main recurring characters are solid and realistic enough without needing to jump straight back to book 1.
Some reviewers were unhappy with some of the themes covered. True, the butchering of children and cannibalism aren't the nicest of topics, but the description of the bodies was not unnecessarily gruesome or disrepectful, and I felt that the consequences of the murders was dealt with well, especially the reactions of the villagers. In the 13th century people were genuinely god-fearing, and their belief would not let them contemplate the fact that 'one of them' could kill and eat children, so naturally they were convinced something supernatural would have to have been involved. Their system of 'justice' shown at the beginning of the story would surely have been a natural reaction true of the time, especially during famine, but barbaric and unfair to us today. Jecks has done his research very well and is well within in his rights to include a possible supernatural element - it sums up the panic felt by the people of the village, and yet the whole thing is kept grounded by the main characters firm disbelief, echoing no doubt the thoughts of the reader. However some of the spooky descriptions of the village are so convincing that you may well believe something unearthly really is going on.
My favourite aspect was the build up of tension - the dogs constant howling towards the end of the novel was a brilliant idea - as each character was getting affected and you wondered what each of their reasons were. At one point I even thought everyone was guilty and it was some sort of cannibal village! The way Jecks keeps you guessing at the real murderer/s? - no spoilers here - is that good.
I now want to read the whole thing again so I can see if there were any clues that I missed. This was truly one of the best murder mysteries I've ever read, regardless of the historical genre. Great sense of the era and place, great characters, brilliantly complex and well thought out plot. 10/10.
Format:Hardcover
First Sentence: They were out there.
It started with the death of young girls, and the accusation of cannibalism, the murder of an innocent man and his curse on the village. Now a young girl's skull has been found and Sir Baldwin de Fernshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, Bailiff Simon Puttock and Coroner Roger de Gidleigh travel to the village of Sticklepath; a place of death and secrets. The death toll keeps rising.
Jecks is so good at not only establishing a sense of time and place, but creating an atmosphere. The depth and extent of his research is always evident.
He clearly expresses the hardship and cruelty of life from disease, nature, as well as the abuses by those in power and the extent to which the desperate can be driven. In spite of the power of the Catholic Church over people lives, this is still a time of superstition and fear of witches and spirits. Jecks' Author's Notes at the beginning of the book are informative and interesting.
Having a Cast of Characters is such an asset and I'm glad Jecks included it. Even without it, the characters are distinctive and memorable, particularly the two protagonists; Baldwin and Simon. They are friends but, due to their backgrounds and experiences, very different in outlook and attitude. Baldwin is an ex-Templar knight and who's experiences have resulted in his being more accepting and open minded. This book is filled with characters, quite a few are very unpleasant, yet I never identified the killer.
This brings me to the plot. In some ways, I found it so depressing, it was hard to get through. If anything I felt Jecks was so caught up in bringing the period to life, he lost the tautness of the story. The positive side is that there were no portents or clues one could pick up so I certainly never saw the end coming. Justice was served but I wasn't completely happy with the way in which it was done--but that may be just me.
As an author of historical mysteries, Jecks ranks among the best for accuracy. It will be interesting to see how the series progresses.
THE STICKLEPATH STRANGLER (Hist Mys-Sir Baldwin de Furnshill/Simon Puttock-England-Middle Ages/1322) - Good
Jecks, Michael - 12th in series
Headline, ©2001, UK Hardcover - ISBN: 074726919X
It started with the death of young girls, and the accusation of cannibalism, the murder of an innocent man and his curse on the village. Now a young girl's skull has been found and Sir Baldwin de Fernshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, Bailiff Simon Puttock and Coroner Roger de Gidleigh travel to the village of Sticklepath; a place of death and secrets. The death toll keeps rising.
Jecks is so good at not only establishing a sense of time and place, but creating an atmosphere. The depth and extent of his research is always evident.
He clearly expresses the hardship and cruelty of life from disease, nature, as well as the abuses by those in power and the extent to which the desperate can be driven. In spite of the power of the Catholic Church over people lives, this is still a time of superstition and fear of witches and spirits. Jecks' Author's Notes at the beginning of the book are informative and interesting.
Having a Cast of Characters is such an asset and I'm glad Jecks included it. Even without it, the characters are distinctive and memorable, particularly the two protagonists; Baldwin and Simon. They are friends but, due to their backgrounds and experiences, very different in outlook and attitude. Baldwin is an ex-Templar knight and who's experiences have resulted in his being more accepting and open minded. This book is filled with characters, quite a few are very unpleasant, yet I never identified the killer.
This brings me to the plot. In some ways, I found it so depressing, it was hard to get through. If anything I felt Jecks was so caught up in bringing the period to life, he lost the tautness of the story. The positive side is that there were no portents or clues one could pick up so I certainly never saw the end coming. Justice was served but I wasn't completely happy with the way in which it was done--but that may be just me.
As an author of historical mysteries, Jecks ranks among the best for accuracy. It will be interesting to see how the series progresses.
THE STICKLEPATH STRANGLER (Hist Mys-Sir Baldwin de Furnshill/Simon Puttock-England-Middle Ages/1322) - Good
Jecks, Michael - 12th in series
Headline, ©2001, UK Hardcover - ISBN: 074726919X
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
We have read 12 of the first books in the Templar Mysteries, and both of us think the Sticklepath Strangler is one of the best. As usual, you don't really know the culprit until the last few pages. A really great read. We plan to read the remaining books in the series.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Death on The Moors
Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry when he began writing the internationally successful Templar series. Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2006 by J. Chippindale
a depressing tale
Unlike Jeck's earlier novels this one is relentlessly depressing - it really drags you down with it. Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2003
Stretches credibility too much
I have now read all the Michael Jecks murder mysteries, and enjoyed them, despite the odd irritation, but this time the irritation tended to overcome the enjoyment, and some... Read more
Published on 20 Dec 2001 by aelyon2001@yahoo.com
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