Book Review: The Abbott's Agreement

My life would have been more tranquil in the days after Martinmas had I not seen the crows. Whatever it was that the crows had found lay in the dappled shadow of the bare limbs of the oak, so I was nearly upon the thing before I recognized what the crows were feasting upon. The corpse wore black.Master Hugh is making his way towards Oxford when he discovers the young Benedictine - a fresh body, barefoot - not half a mile from the nearby abbey. The abbey's novice master confirms the boy's identity: John, one of three novices. But he had gone missing four days previously, and his corpse is fresh. There has been plague in the area, but this was not the cause of death: the lad has been stabbed in the back. To Hugh's sinking heart, the abbot has a commission for him . . .

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If you enjoy series, medieval mysteries and whodunits, then this could be the series for you. While this book is the 7th in the series, it works wonderfully as a standalone. That being said, if you enjoy things like Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I'd suggest that you find the other books and enjoy them all. I love that this book stays true to the time period that it was written for. After all, who of us would investigate a murder in exchange for a Bible these days? It would be much easier to leave it to the police...oh wait, there wasn't an official police force back then. I really enjoyed the variety of characters in this book...everything from Sir Hugh (a surgeon and bailiff) to the various characters within and outside of the monastery. It seems that every type of person you could expect was represented. The book moves along at a good pace and before you know it, he's solved the crime and you're left wondering when the next book is coming out!



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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