Blackstone and the Endgame

My first Inspector Sam Blackstone mystery and surely there will be more. It was certainly fast paced and ended in a very satisfying fashion. Sam has family now and what directions will that take him in?

I was not sure about all the ins and outs of the Russian scenes, although Rasputin and the Tsar and Tsarina were not new to me. The "Great War" surely shaped the 20th century in many ways 1916 was pivotal for Europe. The Bolshevik Revolution was close at hand and the author knew his history well. I needed to look a few things up to follow along,no fault to Spencer, just not my genre.

Archie Patterson and Sam Blackstone apparently make a tremendous duo together, with the addition of Ellie they had a trio. I will surely check that out in another book in the series. Vladimar apparently had made an appearance in the past.

I appreciated the opportunity to review this book and recommend it to all mystery, WWI and Russian spy aficionados. Something exciting will be happening in Sam's life next time out. Check it out! 

  

Mary Darby Robinson~ Lady of Passion

"So you were once the beautiful Mrs. Robinson?" begins the prologue of the book in December 1800. Mary Darby Robinson, writing her autobiography at that time, passed away Dec. 26 with that work unfinished. She died in poverty although her fortunes rose and fell during her life.

Was she a victim of circumstances or did she make poor choices? The author does not actually say, but rather presents the facts of her life to the reader. In Freda Lightfoot's words " entirely based on facts, backed up by the less emotional biographies...when in doubt I went to the primary source".

My thought is that she was a victim both of men who pursued her and her own choices. The husband who was thrust upon her at fifteen was not a choice she made, however, but one that was thrust upon her. Her enabling of Thomas Robinson, a weak but pleasant spendthrift and gambler set a pattern for her life.

We can only look to her father who, when Mary was seven left his wife and five children to pursue a life in Labrador with a mistress .The fact that her father remained in control of the family, while not supporting them, cast a very large and dark shadow over her life.

I appreciated the opportunity to review this book which was well researched and comprehensive. Mary was a wistful character, lived a sad life and Lightfoot documented that life well, although I am not sure the title best describes her or her life. My first read by this author but for sure not my last.

Alice Perrers was The King's Concubine

Anne O'Brien's books just keep getting better in my estimation. The title character of Alice was impeccably developed and I like to think accurately illustrated her life and the times she lived in. Perhaps her marriage was less idyllic than described, and possibly Queen Philippa did not choose her to entice Edward, but all things looked at together do seem to represent historical events.

As a critic, I would say that as the protagonist Alice shone, and Edward had much less depth. The rest of the characters were sort of typecast as minor villains as their roles as family members of the King dictated. It was a tumultuous time and Alice rose to her self imposed task on more than one occasion, quite possibly because she necessarily had to try to have a safety net for herself and her children.

Alice was a solitary figure her entire life, I would like to hope that the last 20 some years were good ones for her, living in comfort with her children and her husband. We do not know a lot about her early life but it could have happened just this way.

Christ's Mass 1203 - The Canterbury Murders

Nicolaa de Haye and Bascot are a fine team that I visit every chance that Maureen Ash gives me. Christ's Mass season in 1203 in Canterbury was just such an occasion with King John. King John, like all Plantagenets is a complicated person, and he surely added unnecessary twists to this murder investigation.

Nicolaa as a historical figure is always intriguing to me, as she was a very important and capable person and valuable to the throne. Maureen Ash's history and sense of time and place is always impeccable.
Nicholaa and King John are always the most vivid characters for me, although that surely varies for others.

I am looking forward to the next episode.

The Devil's Companion ~ A Fine Read

 

Very glad indeed that I happened upon this book by a favorite author! This is a period in time skipped over by many but very important to know about,William Rufus's reign is often relegated to the events of his death.

Robert Fitzhamo(Fitzhamon),Earl of Gloucester,who died young and in the King's service was also called the Lord of Tewkesbury. His family served,Duke William in Normandy and likely came with his entourage.His father Haimo and Grandfather Richard were hereditary feudal lords in Lower Normandy. Apparently they earned the respect of the native Saxons as well as their Norman peers.

Maureen Ash's characters had depth, vibrancy and very much came alive to tell their own story. I hope there will be a sequel as Fitzhaimo's relationship with Sybil de Montgomery has just begun with the ending of the book. The remainder of their life appears to be eventful and worthwhile to read about in such eventful times.

Their daughter Mabel married an illegitimate son of Henry I and together they established a line of important personages in England.
I hope to hear about them soon.

Outlaw Knight ~ Fulke FitzWarin as Robber Baron

The story of the Outlaw Knight was not new to me as Fulke FitzWarin was already a favorite character. Revisiting him and his world was surely no chore for me at all. Elizabeth Chadwick has no equal, I do not think.

Beginning with the most probably true story of Fulke's argument with Prince John over chess, their personal history is always one of struggle. As King, John was terribly unfair to Fulke about awarding Whittington Castle to another. Fulke has been awarded the right to the Castle in the Curia Regis court and as a consequence he turned outlaw.
Outlaw Knight is a very apt title for the book as he was truly an outlaw for a period, though surely not the only man driven to such by the crown.

Fulke as a Robber Baron is superb and the history supports the events of his life. He lived and loved hard and well. It is a story worth retelling and no one tells a story better than Elizabeth Chadwick

So missing Gail Frazer~ Two last volumes

Gail Frazer was a great writer and an extremely fine person and I mourn her passing. She and her children devised a plan to digitize her works and I am so glad I purchased this one.

Although I have read one of the three short works in the book, the other two as well as the "tour" of St. Frideswides' Abbey and surrounding lands and houses made it a very worthwhile purchase for me. The tour was much more educational and surely more enjoyable than other works about Medieval life I have read.

"Margaret" Frazer wrote so well and entertainingly about this period and this place. She was , I believe my first venture into medieval historical novels. So worthwhile!