Medicus

Gaius Ruso, an army medic has an unidentified woman in his morgue.  He is surprised when his new assistant informs him that the body could have come downstream, yet on the other hand could have come upstream due to the tide.  While walking in town later, he comes across a man with a badly injured slave girl. He purchases her and takes her back to the hospital.

A day later and someone has identified the dead girl.  She had worked at a pub in the town.  However, the injured slave girl still is unnamed.  She takes on the name of Tilla after something Ruso says to her.  Ruso takes her to his home after she has recovered somewhat.  However, she doesn’t seem to be putting on any weight.

Later when Priscus, the hospital administrator, returns he wants to know about the two women that Ruso has entered into the records.  Ruso has his story ready.  To be on the safe side, Ruso moves Tilla into a room at a bar.  The first time he returns to check on her she hits him over the head with a bowl, causing him to drop his medical case on his toe.  She had thought that he was someone else.  Ruso self medicates with poppy juice.

Rumours begin to abound that Ruso is investigating the death of the young woman, despite his denials. So when a body is found in a building under renovation, the man in charge turns to Ruso.  He is surprised to find that the body had been burned in the building fire.  Upon examination he discovers that the body is female.  It doesn’t take long for Ruso to discover the identity of this victim.  She had worked in the same place the first one had, and had been missing for some time.

When Tilla disappears, Ruso is left to wonder if she is the next victim of a killer.  Author Ruth Downie has several answers awaiting Ruso, but it’s going to be rough going to get them.  This first novel in this series was a very good read.

The Winter Crown

1154 in London Henry and Eleanor have just been crowned King and Queen of England.  In a few months, Eleanor would give birth to their second son, also named Henry.  Unfortunately, two years later their firstborn, William would die, just before he was three years old.  Shortly afterwards they became parents to Matilda.

Eleanor is still Duchess of Aquitaine, so visits there afterwards in order to remind her citizens of her role.  It isn’t long before she falls pregnant again.  In 1157 Richard is born to the couple.  She is sure that he is going to a great ruler for Aquitaine and also a great warrior.  Whilst she is pregnant with another child, Henry and his chancellor, Thomas Becket arrange a marriage between young Henry and Louis of France’s baby daughter.  It is not a match that Eleanor approves of.  In 1158, Geoffrey is born.

A year later five year old Henry is married to three year old Margaret, daughter of Louis, King of France.  As a result King Henry gains more lands and castles.

Although Eleanor had told Henry she didn’t want to be a brood mare, they were blessed with another daughter in 1861, named for her mother.

In 1862, Henry decides to appoint Becket Archbishop of Canterbury.  He will continue in his role as chancellor.  Later that same year Becket resigned the latter position much to the chagrin of Henry.  It isn’t long before the two men are at odds.  Becket offers his resignation to Pope Alexander, but is told to pray instead.  This angers Henry more so, and at the same time Eleanor finds herself becoming at odds with her husband.

In 1865, Joanna was added to the family.  Not long after this, while campaigning against the Welsh, Henry takes a new mistress, a girl barely into her teen years.  He sets up Rosamund de Clifford in a home near Oxford.  It is also at this time that the last child of Henry and Eleanor is born; the future King John.

 After the birth of John, Eleanor returns to Aquitaine with all of her children except Matilda who has been sent to her husband, a German Prince thirty years older than her, and Henry who is with his father.

In 1870, Henry arranges to have his son, and namesake crowned as his co-King.  Not long after, the elder King falls gravely ill.  Eleanor is afraid that if he dies, the younger Henry will be too young to govern. Later in that same year, knights of Henry’s cut down Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury as he was saying mass in the cathedral.  How will this affect the king and his family?

Conflict within the family will come.  Young Henry will abscond to Paris, in direct conflict with his father.  Richard and Geoffrey will join him, while Eleanor remains in Aquitaine.

What follows will be a tumultuous time for the family.  Author Elizabeth Chadwick has done a great deal of research to bring this story to life.  This is an excellent historical fictional read for fans of this genre.

Last Breath

Detective James Peterson has just brought some fish and chips to DCI Erika Foster’s place when he receives a call about a young woman having been found badly beaten to death.  The pair go to the scene, although Foster has no standing with jrhe Murder Investigation Team.  Superintendent Sparks immediately warns her off, yet despite that she questions the three students who had found the body.

The following day she attends the morgue to get information on the victim.  When she later contacts the DCI in charge of the investigation she is again warned off.  Although the Murder Investigation Team has a suspect in custody, Foster isn’t sure that he is capable of having done the deed. She checks on previous similar cases and discovers one, which her friend, forensic pathologist Isaac Strong, worked on.

With what she now knows, can she get back to working for the Murder Investigation Team?  She decides to speak to Sparks.  The following day while at his office Sparks collapses and dies from a heart attack.  The Assistant Commissioner then asks Foster to head up the Murder Investigation Team.

Just as Foster is about to put an appeal out to the public she receives a call informing her that there is another young woman who has disappeared under similar circumstances to the other two.  Foster and her team are shocked to learn that the latest victim is the daughter of a retired Detective Chief Superintendent.

Will they find this young woman before she is killed, or is she going to end up dead in a dumpster? 

Author Robert Bryndza’s latest thriller is fast paced as usual.  Foster is a hard working, gutsy cop, who isn’t afraid to put her neck on the line to gain justice for people who are wronged.  But will that gutsyness bring her down this time.  This is a page turner, which the reader won’t want to put down.

Heresy

In 1576, twenty-eight year old Fra Giordano Bruno has been caught reading a book not allowed in any monastery, and as a result will likely end up being tortured by the Inquisition.  As a monk, if he runs away he will be excommunicated.  What choice does he have?

By 1583 Bruno was in London in the company of his good friend, Sir Philip Sidney.  Bruno is in search of a book that delves into the mysteries of the universe.  He hopes to find it in Oxford.  Bruno is also employed by Walshingham, Queen Elizabeth’s Secretary of State and spymaster.  Walshingham has a job for Bruno to do in Oxford.

At his first meal with members of the teaching community of Oxford he learns the intrigues of the current staffing.  He also meets the intriguing and intelligent Sophia Underhill, daughter of the rector.

In the following early morning hours, Bruno is awoken to the painful cries of a man being terrorised.  Fortunately, one of the students has a long bow and kills the dog attacking the man.  Unfortunately, it is too late for the man.  Why did this happen?  The rector wants to keep the idea of a murder under cover and make it appear to have been an accident, until it can be proven otherwise.  Others seem to also want to cover things up.  Bruno is under threat because he is a foreigner so, he should keep his knowledge to himself.

Bruno’s debate with Rector Underhill does not go as he hoped it would.  Then two days later the new sub rector is killed.  Bruno realises that the method of killing is intended to mimic the killing of Saint Sebastian.  What is going on?  Evidence left at the scene points to one of the students as the killer, but Bruno thinks that it is set up to look that way.  The rector asks Bruno to conduct an investigation.

Where will that investigation lead Bruno?  How many more deaths will occur, and could Bruno be one of the victims?  Author S. J. Parris has written a rollicking good historical novel, which leaves the reader wanting to know what lies on the next page.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.

The Ely Testament

Alexander Lye has just died in his law office.  His partner David Mackenzie shows Tom Ansell Lye’s strong box, which should have contained his will, but surprisingly it doesn’t.  Mackenzie decides to send Tom to Ely in search of the will, where Lye has family.  Tom invites his wife Helen to travel with him.

Just after arriving at Liverpool Station Tom and Helen were almost run down by a carriage.  Although shaken, Helen insists that they continue with their planned journey.  Tom wonders why the driver of the carriage had his face covered, and he is sure that he recognised the passenger.

Once in Cambridge, Tom receives an envelope containing an enigmatic quote from Macbeth.  The following day, they are to meet with the half-brother of Lye and his wife for a meal.  Just before sitting down for the meal, the local police inspector arrests Lye for the murder of his wife’s cousin.

As his investigation progresses, the inspector is not so sure that Lye is the killer.  A local doctor, after examining the body, tells the inspector that the wounds on the body weren’t enough to kill the man.  So, what did?

The inspector’s suspicions of the Ansells is raised two days later when another body shows up.  This dead man was known to the couple.  Then too, Lye is in the picture as he had been released just before the latest killing.

However, author Philip Gooden has the real killer lurking in the background.  At this point, the story of the killer comes to light, yet Gooden doesn’t give the killer a name, leaving the reader to discover that in the later pages of the novel.  This was a very enjoyable and quick read.

Do or Die

Early one morning, Detective Inspector Michael Green of the Ottawa Police is called in to the office of the Chief of Detectives Jules.  Awaiting with him is Deputy Chief of Police Lynch.  They tell him of a young man being stabbed in the library at the university the night before.  The victim is the son of a well known philanthropist.  DS Brian Sullivan tells Green that the case has been a mess up right from the get go.

Based on the reports from his team, Green determines that the killer is well planned, able to kill at close range, and possibly a psychopath.  He has five possible suspects who were well known to the victim.  However, Sullivan comes up with a few more.  The victim’s current girlfriend had been pulled away from him by what appeared to be thugs in a coffee shop.  She then flew home to Beirut.  Could there be something in this?

Before Green can get protection in place for a potential witness, she is killed.  He is compromised.  The killer had taken two of her drawings; one of a suspect and one of the victim.  Green is told by the Deputy Chief to get an arrest immediately or he will be tossed from the case.  However, Green is convinced that the man the Deputy Chief wants him to arrest has been framed.

How can he gather the needed evidence when he is on a limited time frame?  Author Barbara Fradkin picks up the pace of this thriller as Green closes in on the killer.  A good, quick read

Lamentation

Matthew Shardlake has been assigned to represent Lincoln’s Inn at the burning of three men and one woman who have been declared heretics.  It is not something he wants to do.  While there he observes another lawyer looking at him strangely.  That evening the same young lawyer, William Cecil, visits Shardlake informing him that Queen Catherine Parr would like him to visit her the following morning.

The Queen tells Shardlake that she had written a book, that if it fell into the wrong hands would mean the death of her and others.  And now, it has disappeared.  A printer had been found dead with the first page clutched in his hand.  Who has the rest of the manuscript?  Shardlake is given permission to question those in her household and also search outside the palace for evidence of the thief.

From the apprentice to the printer, Shardlake learns of a man who had tried to break into the printer’s shop.  The man was unique in that part of his ear had been cut off.  Later Shardlake hears of the same man who had approached one of the Queen’s pages trying to get him to spy on her.

Later Cecil informs Shardlake that the apprentice has been killed.  Three other associates of the printer have disappeared. Are they also dead or have they gone into hiding?

Not long after this, Shardlake discovers what appears to be a conspiracy.  Is it one that endangers the Queen or are other plans afoot?  Following that event, Richard Rich, a Privy Councillor, and nemesis of Shardlake,  makes an unusual approach to him and asks that they work together.  Having knowledge that Rich doesn’t have, allows Shardlake to agree.

What will happen to the investigation when Shardlake is arrested and charged with heresy?  How many more will die in the search for the Queen’s manuscript.  As author C. J. Sansom points out in his after notes, London at this time was a tumultuous and violent city.  One had to be very careful about what was said and done.

“Lamentation” is an excellent novel based on historical facts, and a very good read for fans of historical fiction.

Play Dead

DI Kim Stone and her team of DS Bryant, DC Stacey and DC Dawson have been sent to Westerly, a body farm to learn about the process of decomposition.  Stone surprises everyone when she discovers an unknown body with one of the planned bodies.  Within a short time they have identified the young woman who had been reported missing.

Stone is reading up on a cold case, which her nemesis, reporter Tracy Frost had suggested that she have a look at, when she receives a call informing her that there is another unknown body at the body farm; only this one is still alive.  Why is the killer leaving the bodies there?

The victim remains in a coma, whether she will come out of it the attending doctor is unsure.  Fortunately, she is soon identified, but Stone is no further ahead.  Then another surprise is handed to Stone in the form of another body.  In this case it is buried.

How many more surprises does author Angela Marsons have in this thriller?  The answer is plenty!  Well written and fast paced, I found it difficult to put this novel down.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.

The Murder Pit

William Arrowood and his assistant, Norman Barnett, have taken on the case of Birdie Barclay.  Her parents are concerned because after her recent marriage, she seems to have disappeared.  When they travel to the farm where she now lives, they are put off by her new husband and sister-in-law.  Arrowood is sure that she is there, but there is nothing he can do.

When Barnett finally gets a few minutes with Birdie, he is shocked by what he learns.  Unfortunately, they are unable to get Birdie away.  How will they get to her to see exactly how she is doing?

Arrowood’s sister offers to go in their place as a destitute in need of work.  However, her voice is too refined, so it is agreed that she will pretend to be a mute, and take along little Ned, a lad who has helped out on previous cases, as her son.

Sadly out at the farm the body of an old gypsy woman who had provided them with information is found.  Who is the killer?  It can’t be one of the men who worked there because he had provided evidence of her murder.  Can the two detectives find the culprit and save Birdie?

Author Mick Finlay’s novel is based on historical facts of the late nineteenth century regarding people who were placed in asylums for a variety of reasons.  Arrowood’s task is not an easy one and the resulting inquiry makes his and Barnett’s task very difficult.  A good read.

Wrongful Death

Detective Chief Superintendent James Langton has brought together a special team including DCI Anna Travis, DI Paul Barolli, DS Barbara Maddox and DC Joan Falkland to review a case, which was originally thought to be a suicide.  The team is wary of the information that Langton provides regarding the case. 

Added to the team is Special Agent of the FBI, Jessie Dewar.  Barolli is shocked by how attractive she is when he picks her up at the airport and even more so when Langton shows up at her flat with roses and wine; she greets him like a long lost friend.  On the other hand, Travis is not impressed with the way Dewar treats her team.

Checking with forensic scientist Pete Jenkins, Travis is shocked when she learns that he was not consulted on the case.  Also, one of the doctors on the case was suspended due to major errors on a couple of other cases. 

With Travis scheduled to go to America on an FBI course, Detective Superintendent Mike Lewis is assigned to oversee the case.  He was the one who had signed off on it as a suicide.  However, he is also well known and respected by the team.  Not long after his appointment, evidence comes through pointing to murder, and the killer being the victim’s wife.

Despite being on her way to Quantico for an FBI course, Travis still needs to be convinced about the suicide.  Is there anyway that, while in the U. S., that Travis will be able to gather evidence to prove her ideas?

Author Lynda La Plante has written a gripping thriller that will engage the reader. Travis has her hands full trying to outwit a sociopath, and prove her case.  Could this be her last case?  Read on!  I found this book hard to put down, and I’m sure that you will be the same.