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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Strange Case of the Missing Mystery, 5 Mar 2006
Lovers of medieval mysteries will find plenty of medievalism and precious little mystery in this John Crowner yarn. It is a sound enough adventure, with plenty of blood and open sewage flowing through the streets of an authentic twelfth-century Exeter, but don't expect to be presented with a puzzle or dazzled by the deductive powers of the sleuth.The style is rather stilted, often reading like a dry history text rather than an entertainment. I know fans of this genre crave plenty of historical fact with their fiction, but it should be woven seamlessly into the story and not be too obviously and intrusively crammed in, as it is here. It was interesting to discover that the word 'exchequer' comes from the practice of using a chessboard to help tally piles of coins, but when this is related in a 'this is how it came to be known as' fashion, it destroys the illusion. This is not quite as bad as JT Edson's habit of adding footnotes to his Western novels, but almost. On the same theme, the characters often talk as if they were quoting legal documents or delivering a lecture. The book is also prone to misprints, which is annoying. Thus we have a character who is afraid he will be in trouble "...if he failed to go back empty handed", when of course the opposite is meant. And Chapter 8 is heralded as one "In which Crowner John rides off with lady" when in fact he does no such thing. And there are others, all serving to trip the reader up and spoil the flow of the story. Although they mostly have the same voice, the characters are well drawn. Gwyn and Thomas make perfect companions for Crowner. They are reminiscent of Pigsy and Monkey, Tripitaka's companions in the 'Monkey' legends. Gwyn's brutishness and Thomas's scholarly air make perfect complements to the noble warrior Crowner. At 370 pages, this is long for a mystery. Knight tends to be prolix. Where other authors would be content with showing us one or two witches being persecuted, Knight has to throw in several covensfull. And scenes are played out at length when a shorter version would suffice. Perhaps Knight, an ex forensic pathologist, wants to ensure that his report will stand up in court! Verdict: Patient readers who demand authenticity above all else and who value character above plot, even in so-called mysteries, could give this a try.
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