- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Headline Book Publishing; 1st ed. edition (1 Nov 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 074726919X
- ISBN-13: 978-0747269199
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,249,090 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
As the summer of 1322 brings sun to the Devonshire countryside, it seems that the small village of Sticklepath is destined to remain in darkness. two playmates uncover 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 the scene 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, judging by the state of the girls' bodies, a possible case of cannibalism. Or, if the rumours are to be believed, a vampire! That would certainly explain the haunted looks in the eyes of so many villagers, and the strange noises heard late at night from the Sticklepath cemetery...
About the Author
Michael Jecks gave up a career in the computer industry to concentrate on writing and the study of medieval history, especially that of Devon and Cornwall. He and his wife now live in northern Dartmoor.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
The strife nearly overwhelmed the story,
By
This review is from: The Sticklepath Strangler (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
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sricklepath Strangler,
By
This review is from: The Sticklepath Strangler (Medieval West Country Mysteries) (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.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
a depressing tale,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Sticklepath Strangler (Medieval West Country Mysteries) (Paperback)
Unlike Jeck's earlier novels this one is relentlessly depressing - it really drags you down with it. It describes a village where murder, incest, rape, famine, cannibalism and superstition reign supreme. Jecks evokes a truly chilling atmosphere but for me this was unrealistic because there was no glimmer of hope or light in the darkness of the life there. Even the end of the book leaves you with a feeling of despair at the human condition - but I don't agree that it is this bad or that mediaeval life was so unremittingly terrible. The book also seems to be very drawn out and would be improved by some judicious cutting.
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