Murder for Christ's Mass (A Templar Knight Mystery)

by Maureen Ash

Book Overview

The town of Lincoln is covered in snow'concealing the mortal remains of a clerk who worked in the local mint. The only clue is a pristine coin stamped with the visage of King Stephen. But Templar... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425231577
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.6" x 0.8" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

A top pick for any mystery library's paperback section

History comes to life in Maureen Ash's MURDER FOR CHRIST'S MASS, a Templar Knight mystery contributing to a series. After eight years of captivity in the Holy Hand Templar Bascot de Marins finally escapes and is coming home for the holidays - only to find a mystery awaits his attention. A top pick for any mystery library's paperback section.

Great research, vivid descriptions

I actually do like Maureen Ash's series of books involving the Templar knight, Bascot de Marins, and his young sidekick, Gianni. She does a very good job of describing - the environment, the clothing, the food, the way of life - it all is vividly described and presents a very clear picture of life for both the peasant and ruling classes at that time. To me, that is a sign of meticulous research, and I admire that. I don't like reading historical novels full of gross errors and inaccurate representations - to me, it detracts from the storyline. That being said, the novel details the murders of two men in the village of Lincoln that seem to be linked with an old coin stamped with a former ruler, King Stephen. There is clearly a treasure trove hidden somewhere, with someone being willing to kill to keep it. Various suspects appear throughout the story, and the author adds clues throughout which lead our protagonists upon varying paths. In truth, while I like the description and the development of characters, I find that the actual mystery was less interesting, and I am not convinced that a reader could have solved it based upon what clues were given. I do think that it is very difficult to construct a good mystery tale, however, and much of what I enjoy about historical mysteries is more the ambiance than the actual conundrum itself. Conversations at time seemed stilted and rather awkward, whereas her prose flows when she is embarking upon narrative. However, I do think that the books are improving - I think each one gets better, and her characters are interesting enough that I do care about what happens to them. This book tends to focus less upon Bascot and more upon Gianni and his continued development into a young man. Other established characters like Nicolaa barely make an appearance, whereas attention is placed upon numerous secondary characters while making some social commentary upon the times. I do recommend this series, but I would probably also say that they should be read in order.

Books

This is the 4th book in a fanastic series.....highly recommended reading for all mystery lovers.

A Cozy to Engender that Cozy Christmas Feeling

The shortest day of the year, December 21, 1201, is the last for young Peter Bland, clerk in the medieval village of Lincoln, England. A few days later on Christmas Day a hard snow turns into rain melting the snowy blanket that once covered the man's remains. Found at the bottom of the local quarry the corpse reveals a stolen purse, a blow to the head, a stab to the heart, and most mysteriously a small coin in shiny mint condition bearing the image of former monarch King Stephen. Enter templar knight and successful sleuth Bascot de Marins along with his adopted son and sidekick, the mute orphan, Gianni. Another murder follows soon after and a hidden treasure trove from the time of King Stephen is the suspected cause. In the past currency was issued by and showed allegiance to certain kings, and woe to the person found with a stash of a rival's coin. Though thrilling to find such a hoard it was a treasure with a lot of strings attached, a situation similar to the current trade in stolen antiquities where provenance must often be manufactured and transactions clothed in secrecy. But justice was far harsher for past offenders than it is today. The loss of body parts or life itself was the expected punishment. Even the hint of possession of such contraband treasure may cause the current monarch, suspicious King John, to attribute treason to the ruling aristocrats of Lincoln, castellan Nicolaa de la Haye and her husband Sheriff Gerard Camville. Once again working under difficult time constraints de Marins must find both the murderer and the trove quickly so that rumor may be quenched by fact. For those readers of the series already familiar with the cast there is less character development of de Marins and greater emphasis on Gianni and his new position as scribe. Also very little is made of some characters we have grown attached to from previous works such as the aristocrats and their retinue. Instead the author introduces new characters with a special focus on those female characters whose perceptions align with the reader's as we and de Marins sadly witness how a medieval woman's fate ebbs and flows, sometimes tragically, in response to the actions of the men on whom they depend. (I hope to see more of these women, especially the feisty trollop Iseault whose shallow insulting nature reveals so much about others as they respond to her reprehensible personality.) In the fashion of Louise Erdrich, Ash appears to be developing a larger cast of minor characters within one geographic area, characters upon whom she may later elaborate in future works. Some readers may be disappointed by both the more relaxed pace and the de-emphasis of de Marins. Additionally if you haven't been reading from the start you may find it hard to engage with de Marins as he contemplates return to his Order and what that will mean in both his own life and in Gianni's. Though quieter and less action packed, still I enjoyed this continuation in the larger st