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Product Description
Product Description
Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight, has been educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy orders. However, feeling no certain calling despite a lively faith, he turns to the profession of surgeon, training in Paris and then hanging out his sign in Oxford. A local lord asks him to track the killer of a young woman whose bones have been found in the castle cess pit. She is identified as the impetuous missing daughter of a local blacksmith, and her young man, whom she had provoked very publicly, is in due course arrested and sentenced at the Oxford assizes. From there the tale unfolds, with graphic medical procedures, droll medieval wit, misdirection, ambition, romantic distractions and a consistent underlying Christian compassion.
About the Author
Mel Starr has spent many years teaching history, and has studied medieval surgery and medieval English. He lives in Michigan.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hugh de Singleton is the central character in the book, and as a surgeon, makes a pleasant departure from the frequently found sleuthing monks etc. He's got quite a dry wit and is amusingly self-aware of his own foibles, making him likeable and engaging. The insights into medical practices of the era are fascinating and not overbearing on the narrative, but the use of a Yorkshire-type dialect for the peasants of Oxfordshire is a little jarring, as is the inconsistent spelling of plough (sometimes "plow", aarrghh).
Overall, an enjoyable and diverting read, not overly profound, but quite fun. I'll probably get the next one.
Overall, an enjoyable and diverting read, not overly profound, but quite fun. I'll probably get the next one.
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
..the result is usually very odd, as witness the result in this book.
It's not a bad story although I guessed the why and who long long before Our Hero did, and usually I don't - I don't even like to, as I prefer to be surprised. But it was really very obvious.
I love history-mysteries and this general period is my favourite, so I was truly looking forward to reading it. It's just... the attempts at writing 'regional' accents for some of the more rustic characters not only fell flat, they jarred and reminded me that this was written by someone who is not a natural 'Queen's English' speaker, and is either using what he thinks is an accent, or pulling it from a different region altogether.
But that aside, and if the writer can resist the temptation to embellish uneccessarily, the background details were pleasant, the lead character sympathetic, the details of his profession nicely detailed, albeit eye-watering in some cases!!
I'll probably get the next book in the series as I'm interested to see where the romantic sub-plot leads - although please don't go to Goodrich Castle again - I know that castle very well indeed and it's clear the author has either never actually been there or visited without understanding the original layout.
It's not a bad story although I guessed the why and who long long before Our Hero did, and usually I don't - I don't even like to, as I prefer to be surprised. But it was really very obvious.
I love history-mysteries and this general period is my favourite, so I was truly looking forward to reading it. It's just... the attempts at writing 'regional' accents for some of the more rustic characters not only fell flat, they jarred and reminded me that this was written by someone who is not a natural 'Queen's English' speaker, and is either using what he thinks is an accent, or pulling it from a different region altogether.
But that aside, and if the writer can resist the temptation to embellish uneccessarily, the background details were pleasant, the lead character sympathetic, the details of his profession nicely detailed, albeit eye-watering in some cases!!
I'll probably get the next book in the series as I'm interested to see where the romantic sub-plot leads - although please don't go to Goodrich Castle again - I know that castle very well indeed and it's clear the author has either never actually been there or visited without understanding the original layout.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews for this book - I was really keen to buy until I read them and so borrowed a copy instead, and got through two pages. How anyone gets through this I don't know. The sentences are all so short and staccato-like, it's like reading a child's reading book - in fact, I've read children's fiction with multi-clausal sentences! What a pity.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Distinctly average
A surgeon turns detective in this medieval mystery. The author seems to have done a lot of research on medieval medicine and surgery, but perhaps needs to focus a little more on... Read more
Published 7 months ago by History Geek
Not diverting
I hate giving bad reviews as I fear they'll come back to haunt me should I ever attempt writing myself, but I couldn't not comment on this first outing of Hugh de Singleton. Read more
Published 9 months ago by liveenl
Could do better
The hero, Hugh de Singleton, is an engaging character with a dry, self-deprecating wit. However, I found the plot predictable and one-dimensional. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Livvy M
A pleasant read.
I quite liked this book. Yes, it could be better in places but I found it a pleasant read and would be more than happy to watch this series expand and mature over time.
Published 13 months ago by Mr. Robert Anderson
disappointment
As a lover of mediaeval mysteries I was looking forward to reading this book but what a disappointment. I found it wooden in the extreme. Read more
Published 16 months ago by lizsuej
Easy to read and very informative
I enjoy books that have a strong historical setting, they combine entertainment with education. And this book is a prime example. Read more
Published 20 months ago by MariaMagdalena
Excellent
Easy to read and flowing, did not want it to end. Just tried an Ariana Franklin book for a comparison and gave up, was like trying to wade through treacle, utterly boring.
Published on 28 May 2010 by C. Thomas
Awful
If I could score a book zero, this would be the one.
There is no feeling in this book, it feels false and un-researched. Read more
There is no feeling in this book, it feels false and un-researched. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Philip Walker
Promising start to a series ...
This is a medieval mystery along similar lines to the late Ellis Peter's "Cadfael" stories. Except Hugh is a surgeon, rather than a physician. Read more
Published on 5 Mar 2010 by Polly Potter
Very disappointing
I am a big fan of historical mysteries, so was very disappointed with this, particularly since many of the other reviews vere so positive about it. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2010 by J. Shaw
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