The Westminster Poisoner
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Times have changed since the austere reign of Cromwell, and England is enjoying more freedom, particularly regarding Christmas, which now has a genuinely joyous feel. There are those, of course, who regard this new indulgence as an invitation to frippery and laxity, such as the Treasury Clerk Christopher Vine, who is working late in the Palace of Westminster, cloistered in the striking setting of the Painted Chamber. But Vine’s dedication to his job is to cost him his life -- a ruthless murderer is stalking the same building, and Vine does not have long to live. More deaths take place, taking the gloss off the festive season, and the Lord Chancellor begins to feel that his investigations are under threat, compromised by the machinations of his enemies. He suspects that the killer is a clerk, Greene, and commissions the resourceful Thomas Chaloner to investigate.
This is the premise of Susanna Gregory’s The Westminster Poisoner, and if you're at all familiar with her highly reliable brand of historical crime fiction, you will know that you are in for something of a treat. As Chaloner begins to unpeel the layers of deception around the killings -- and finds that there is much interest in his employer’s background -- he is plunged into a morass of corruption and double-dealing in which no one can be trusted.
As always with Gregory, the impeccable plotting is matched by the vivid conjuring up of a long past year: 1663 is brought to life for the reader in all its splendid and squalid aspects, with Chaloner the perfect guide through this (at times) surrealistic universe, often very like the present day (the political corruption might suggest a few modern-day parallels), but also massively different from the Britain we know. Even if you feel you have no taste for historical crime fiction, it might be in your interest to overcome your prejudices in this case. --Barry Forshaw
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"Excellent." --"Publishers Weekly"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Restoration London has its fifth outing and Gregory gives way to the superb pairing of Matthew and Michael in the "Bartholomew" series by havnig our big-boned senior proctor take the guise of the arrogant, intelligent, yet socially inept surgeon, Wiseman. After all, every Asterix must have his faithful Obelix. This time we are found hunting the streets of Westminster for a serial murderer. Carefully constrained within the royal microcosm of a decadaent Whitehall - and the odd foray outside to coffee houses - Thomas Chaloner finds himself tasked by the Earl with solving three clerk murders - Langston, Vine and Chetwynd. Unfortunately, the Earl has already decided that another clerk - Greene - is the killer. Thomas is ordered to find evidence of Greene's guilt and also locate the missing Bernini statue by the end of the twelve days of Misrule (A Killer in Winter anyone?) or lose his job to the utterly charming sycophant, Colonel James Turner. The latter regards sleuthing as best done between the silken sheets of the court ladies and is very good at it. Trouble is, Tom believes Greene innocent. His handy alibis are hard to refute.
As is Gregory's wont, we are led into a labyrinth of clues, half-observations, misunderstandings and downright lies. Like the Gordian knot we need a keen sword to unravel and understand the careful court facades of frippery, corruption and mendacity. Given the amount of information thrown at us we quickly find ourselves, like Thomas, overwhelmed. Trying to fathom out the ridiculous and petty intrigues of Lady Castlemaine and the ovine ambition of Bess Gold amongst the more blatant desires of the courtiers for whom a hedonistic lifestyle is the sole ambition proves an immense headache. In this one, everyone has another agenda.
So Tom has twelve days to solve a murder and save his career. Twelve Days to protect his Earl from the japes of Broderick. Twelve Days for a serial killer who believes murder is acceptable for moral gain to continue a spree of death. Not much time at all.
Gregory's prolific pen spins web after web of erudite mystery. The realisation that all these people actually lived and breathed provides more evidence of Gregory's skills. She is the finest historical mystery writer writing today and I venture has surpassed Ellis Peters by some margin. Compared to Chaloner and Bartholomew, Cadfael is a novice. Oh...amd it's nice to see Tom find his Hannah whilst Mathilde continues to misguidedly hide herself from Matthew.
Buy it. This'll be far better than any TV programme in the evening.
As is Gregory's wont, we are led into a labyrinth of clues, half-observations, misunderstandings and downright lies. Like the Gordian knot we need a keen sword to unravel and understand the careful court facades of frippery, corruption and mendacity. Given the amount of information thrown at us we quickly find ourselves, like Thomas, overwhelmed. Trying to fathom out the ridiculous and petty intrigues of Lady Castlemaine and the ovine ambition of Bess Gold amongst the more blatant desires of the courtiers for whom a hedonistic lifestyle is the sole ambition proves an immense headache. In this one, everyone has another agenda.
So Tom has twelve days to solve a murder and save his career. Twelve Days to protect his Earl from the japes of Broderick. Twelve Days for a serial killer who believes murder is acceptable for moral gain to continue a spree of death. Not much time at all.
Gregory's prolific pen spins web after web of erudite mystery. The realisation that all these people actually lived and breathed provides more evidence of Gregory's skills. She is the finest historical mystery writer writing today and I venture has surpassed Ellis Peters by some margin. Compared to Chaloner and Bartholomew, Cadfael is a novice. Oh...amd it's nice to see Tom find his Hannah whilst Mathilde continues to misguidedly hide herself from Matthew.
Buy it. This'll be far better than any TV programme in the evening.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Honestly, before this series of books, I had lost the will to read. Susanna Gregory has revitalised it with the Thomas Chaloner Series, and I can't wait for the next. The only problem I had was working out which order to read them all in!!
I am currently reading book 3 - The Butcher of Smithfield, and cannot wait for the action to begin. The W. Poisoner was riveting in its last few chapters, so much that I struggled to put it down. (Not a good thing in exam season, I can tell you).
I am currently reading book 3 - The Butcher of Smithfield, and cannot wait for the action to begin. The W. Poisoner was riveting in its last few chapters, so much that I struggled to put it down. (Not a good thing in exam season, I can tell you).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The characters are all suggested by historical primary sources which I like. Gregory takes a number of clerks & others who were recorded as dying around this time and weaves a story around them bringing them (relatively) to life.
However the beginning was oddly structured in that the first murder was described but in the chapter that followed we find a second murder is being investigated, having been committed "between chapters". Why?
As it was I found the characters of the group of clerks to be very similar to the extent that Gregory mixes up Vine & Chetwynd on one occasion. Neither the M.O. nor the motivation were credible. Chaloner seems to flounder about until stumbling on the solution via two separate clues consisting of items of personal jewellery dropped at the scenes of crime by the culprits! There is gang of soldiers that occasionally barges in to beat people up and then disappear in a deus ex machina fashion.
Can you really smell brandy on the mouth of a corpse given there is no breath? The solution has to be explained by the villain during a long conversation during a sword fight after which the narrative descends to farce.
I thought the characterisation was weak and the plot ridiculous. At least I bought in a publishers remainder shop.
However the beginning was oddly structured in that the first murder was described but in the chapter that followed we find a second murder is being investigated, having been committed "between chapters". Why?
As it was I found the characters of the group of clerks to be very similar to the extent that Gregory mixes up Vine & Chetwynd on one occasion. Neither the M.O. nor the motivation were credible. Chaloner seems to flounder about until stumbling on the solution via two separate clues consisting of items of personal jewellery dropped at the scenes of crime by the culprits! There is gang of soldiers that occasionally barges in to beat people up and then disappear in a deus ex machina fashion.
Can you really smell brandy on the mouth of a corpse given there is no breath? The solution has to be explained by the villain during a long conversation during a sword fight after which the narrative descends to farce.
I thought the characterisation was weak and the plot ridiculous. At least I bought in a publishers remainder shop.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Thomas Chaloner in full glory!
This book is the fourth in the Thomas Chaloner series.
The story begins with a prologue with the "presumed" death of Henry Scobel in the year 1660. Read more
The story begins with a prologue with the "presumed" death of Henry Scobel in the year 1660. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Clemens Schoonderwoert
Chaloner gathers speed
I was unsure of the character after the first book, but like all great detectives it's his failings and foibles that make him real. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Neil French
Yawn
Cardboard characters, repetitious dialogue, the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Unfortunately for Ms Gregory I came to this immediately after reading the latest Sansum. Read more
Published 19 months ago by T. Mantripp
Atmospheric reading
Having never used to, I do now enjoy historical novels and this is quite atmospheric. However, so far as the plot goes, I thought it was a little transparent and I found the... Read more
Published 23 months ago by pigsmayfly
CLASS AUTHOR
Someone else wrote that they had never read a bad book by Susanna Gregory, well, neither have I. If you like great historical crime novels with good plots, clever characters and... Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by Mr. Sr Harrup
Latest read
Having enjoyed other historical mysteries, I can say this is easier to follow than some of the Chaloner stories..and I do find the setting convincing. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2010 by Mrs Esther Morris-Jones
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