The Poisoned Serpent

May 1, 2000
Twelfth-century England provides the setting for Wolf's second medieval mystery (following No Dark Place), which serves up history and intrigue in equal measure. Stephen is the English king, but his crown and his kingdom are prey to shifting allegiances. Hugh de Leon, heir to the earl of Wiltshire, has given his heart and pledge to lovely Cristen Haslin, daughter of Lord Sommerford. But such a marriage does nothing to benefit Guy de Leon, earl of Wiltshire. Instead, the earl has arranged for Hugh to marry the lovely Elizabeth de Beaut , heiress to the earl of Lincoln. Elizabeth, in turn, is determined to refuse Hugh in favor of another. The murder of Gilbert de Beaut , earl of Lincoln, casts suspicion directly on one of Hugh's supporters, and indirectly on Hugh himself. As Hugh strives to prove the innocence of that supporter, he finds himself at odds with the sheriff of Lincoln's son, a foe since childhood. Handsome knights and strong, beautiful ladies perform here against some absorbing set pieces, including a game that resembles a huge rugby scrum and a trial as held by England's chief justiciar. Bold and bright characters, plenty of romance and a healthy dash of mystery and murder enliven this engaging novel.

May 1, 2000
The medieval era is a popular setting for mysteries these days, as evidenced by these three new titles. Clare introduces a new heroine, the exemplary Abbess of Hawkenlye, who must join forces with an emissary from Richard Plantagenet to solve the murder of first one and then two young nuns. The ending is a little limp, but the writing is fine, and the abbess is an engaging character, one of the few religious in such mysteries (along with Sister Fidelma) actually to be presented in a positive light. Wolf brings back the hero of No Dark Place, Hugh de Leon, who in his first mystery discovered that he was heir to the Earl of Wiltshire. Hugh is determined to marry his feisty beloved despite opposition from the earl and is subsequently caught up in investigating the murder of the father of the bride the earl intends for him. The cool, savvy Hugh is almost too good to be true, and the psychic communication between him and his true love doesn't seem to fit with the otherwise realistically detailed surrounds, but the plot moves along quite nicely and should entertain most fans. Over the last few years. the publisher has been releasing Jecks's series featuring Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace in 14th-century England, in an attractive little mass-market format. Like all Jecks's tales, this one--concerning the suspicious death of the new master of Throwleigh, a five-year-old boy--is nicely detailed and tightly argued, with involving action and memorable characters. The whole series belongs in any collection where historicals are popular.--Barbara Hoffert, "Library Journal"

Copyright 2000 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2000
YA-First introduced in No Dark Place (HarperCollins, 1999), Hugh de Leon, nephew of the Earl of Wiltshire, once again deduces clues, interviews suspects, makes connections, and analyzes evidence to solve a mystery. He delays plans to elope with Cristen, daughter of the Lord of Somerford, when he receives word that his friend Bernard has been accused of murder. Eventually he helps his friend and finds the villain, but not before others die. Set in early Norman England, the story includes details of everyday life, from politics to the garderobe. Major and minor characters are well drawn. The opening list of participants helps to keep titles and last names separated. Although this novel is simpler to read than most in Ellis Peters's "Brother Cadfael" series (Mysterious), set in the same time period, the relationships, court intrigue, and power struggles among the earls are not easy to follow. Those willing to do so will find themselves absorbed into the story as they watch a clever detective at work without modern devices to provide clues and evidence.-Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.