Brother Athelstan would like a quiet week ministering to his flock in St.Erconwald's in Southwark, but this is not to be. Having to make judgement in a case of two lovers wanting to be married, while foiling the efforts of the local vitriolic gossip, is not enough; three bodies are discovered in a local ruin, their identities unknown. Into this strides Sir John Cranston, coroner for the City of London - the widow of an old friend and army ally has been charged with murder!
Once again, the sharp-eyed, quick-witted friar is torn in several directions at once and needs the Falstaffian Cranston to help him untangle the mess. In this episode, the parish will be fined a huge amount for one of the murdered bodies - it being an Officer of The Crown - as well as the execution of the innkeeper Mistress Vestler for poisoning! Into this pottage one must toss her popular inn, The Paradise Tree, it's adjacent Black Meadow and a group of wierd pilgrims waiting for St.Michael to arrive up the Thames. Finally, the involvement of the legendary Treasure of Gundulf - Bishop of Rochester and architect of the Tower of London further muddies the water!
Another great addition to the series The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan, The Field of Blood is a highly enjoyable read. Full of succinct yet evocative detail of Medieval London, the reader is immediately drawn into the story. The plot (and it's solution) is well-considered and logical. The cast of characters is amusing and sympathetic. The main protagonist, Brother Athelstan, is a kindly soul and highly likable; While Cranston risks being a charicature of Shakespear's Falstaff, he is still appealing - it must be said that in this novel, he doesn't feel as if he plays as major a role as his usual blustery self. This can be explained by the conflict and pressure he is under as both Coroner and friend.
The Field of Blood by Paul Doherty
Published by Headline Books, 1999
ISBN: 0-7472-6073-7
Verdict: Perhaps one of the best in the series.
Highly recommended!
