Bought this for my NSS partner.
From the cover: Christmas Eve, 1194. Sir John de Wolfe gratefully escapes his wife Matilda's party to examine the body of a canon who has been found hanged. Suicide is suspected, but it's soon apparent there is more to this case then meets the eye. As always, John's investigations are hampered by his brother-in-law, Sheriff Richard de Revelle. But when a local lord is killed, John begins to suspect the cases may be linked and Sir Richard's reasons for delaying the investigation might be more serious than the usual petty vengeance.
Desperately trying to deflect Sir Richard's plots against him, John is soon at loggerheads with Matilda, and even his mistress Nesta. But as he digs deeper, he discovers a deadly conspiracy that could cost him far more than the women in his life.....

Sent to my NSS partner in the Father Christmas parcel - hope you enjoy it :-)

Thank you so much Pingucb for a lovely Nss parcel, really looking forward to reading this : )

Well I was just in the mood for some historical escapism , and this 12th century set mystery was just the thing so dived right into it.
The period detail and it's Devonshire setting is what I really like about these Crowner John novels, although the mystery element is good too. Times were certainly tough, and Kings Coroner John de Wolfe has a difficult job in unraveling the mystery of a the death of a canon, alongside the plot of a rebellion he uncovers. His brother in law the slippery Richard de Revelle is as always up to his neck in the plotting, which sees de Wolfe in very real danger himself - more than once. If that isn't enough he manages to upset both his difficult sour faced wife Matilda, and his Welsh mistress Nesta.
A really good read, with plenty of historical detail, the author has an obviously huge knowledge of this period, and this makes for a convincing story.

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picked up at today's meeting, despite plan to CULL tbr, not add to it. Bad Nordie!

Second Crowner story that I've read and to be honest, found it very "samey" to the previous book. Someone dies, Crowner has fallen out with his snobbish wife, who sides with her lying brother; Crowner and Brother in Law argue and shout at each other, then try and double cross each other; Crowner hangs out with his Welsh Mistress; Crowner hero-worships Richard the Lionheart; little bit of investigation; some people are arrested blah blah.

A few interesting moments, normally the small detail of how people live (washing once a week, bathing rarely) and eating (types of food and drink). But apart from that, did get a little bored with it all.

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