I’ve read this book twice now. The first time was about four years ago, and I recall LOVING it—why, I can’t imagine, since on a second reading, I found The Canterbury Papers to be mediocre at best. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the novels of Sharon Kay Penman and Elizabeth Chadwick, who far and away write far more compelling stories than this one.

Maybe it’s the plot of this book that doesn’t work for me: it’s completely far-fetched and unrealistic. Granted, it’s an interesting way to learn about the Plantagenets during the last quarter of the 12th century, but I simply couldn’t get over the fact that the author has a French princess playing detective, all the while to recover a set of incriminating letters. I also found it hard to believe that a woman of Alais’s station in life would be have the way she does here, or that she would have the kind of independence that she has here. Plus, the dialogue was sort of stilted, and the author, for whatever reason, had her characters speaking English—in France.

The mystery itself is trite and predictable; I could see that coming from a mile away. Don’t know what the pendant had to do with anything, as it seemed a little bit incidental to the mystery. Also, the connection between the Templars and the mystery was never fully explored. Also superficially explored was Alais’s past. Healey has fodder here for a much deeper, more emotional story, but doesn’t use it to its full potential. Maybe she’ll explore Alais’s story more in her next book, The Rebel Princess? Still, this book is a light read, and a quick way to pass the time. Just don’t take the whole story as gospel fact. ( )

What a vivid and delightful book! Judith brings scenes from history to life on the pages of her book.

Alais has all the personality of a troubled woman trying to survive in a male-dominated world. The love of a child is what keeps this woman striving no matter how many obstacles (namely men) get in her way.

Despite the many times that a man has complicated Alais' life, she has managed to slowly let go of her past and just as slowly accept a man to be a part of her future.

Read this historical novel! It is filled with imagery and characters from history that Judith brings to life. ( )

The Cantebury Papers is a cross between Robin Hood and Indiana Jones. There are lots of stone hotels that are visited and lots of horseback riding. A mystery occurs when people start dying and an heirloom necklace gets stolen. There is romance and letters in code and more letters that have secrets within.

This book is a very good read. I was sucked into the adventure and couldn't wait until the mysteries were all solved. ( )

First off, this is not a novel of suspense. When I think of suspense I think of that feeling I get when I KNOW the monster is behind the door and I want to reach into the book and shake the protagonist and say "Don't open the door you bloody fool, the werewolf is right there!!!!!" I didn't get that feeling once while reading this book.

The Canterbury Papers of the title are a set of letters that Eleanor of Aquitaine (Queen of France, then of England) has hidden away. Now that her older son Richard Lionheart is dead, her dimwitted asshole of a younger son Bad King John is in charge of England. (Thank goodness I watched "Disney's Robin Hood" as a kid.) Something in these hidden letters threatens his throne. So of course, she wants them back. She sends her stepdaughter Alais to go fetch them from Canterbury...and when she does, she will let Alais in on a secret that will change her life.

Now, here's the kicker. I liked this book. It was a fun, leisurely read...in spite of these facts:

Alais falls into the category of women that I don't like in historical novels: she's got a mysteriously 20th-century sensibility for a woman of the middle ages. This is my #1 problem with female protagonists in historical fiction. Not only does her character completely conflict with the times, she's psychic. Yeah, right. Luckily, it's only brought up once or twice. I wish that the author would have left that out. She's remarkably dense for a psychic woman.

Healey has sooooooooo much information out there to draw on. Eleanor of Aquatiane and the other royalty of this time are absolutely kickass. She could have painted a fantastic picture of the times, places, and characters of the day. Instead, it felt rather shallow. I didn't have a clear picture of Alais in my mind, even at the end of the book.

Little things. Like Tom, the steward, has only one eye. But Alais could "see the fear in his eyes". It's probably an editing boo-boo, but man, did it bug me. Other little things like that.

The motherfrakking Knights Templar make an appearance. I just think it's overdone.

Anyway, I liked the book. I didn't expect too much in the way of scholarly information from it, but it was a two-day read and I did get caught up in it enough to be late for dinner one night. I picked it up with an inkling that it would be more like The Birth of Venus than The Agony and the Ecstasy, but I was alright with that. It was the right book at the right time. ( )

Light, fun, and somewhat predictable, without being silly or condescending. The fact that the two protaganists are in their mid- to late-thirties, which for 1200 was seriously middle-aged if not elderly, simultaneously drives home the distance between our world and theirs while making them more sympathetic and real than younger characters might be. It's cleverly jarring when the reader realizes that the narrator, who has been talking of her aches and feebleness and how if she had a child it could be twenty, is thirty-five.

Not great literature, but I enjoyed it. I found myself thinking it would make a fine movie; Healey makes the visual aspect of the time shine to that extent.

This semi-satisfying historical mystery was semi to just plain old interesting at times, but I found that there were too many extraneous plot points thrown in that confused matters (at least for me). Fans of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the early Plantagenets will enjoy the realistic characterizations of these famous folks, and the heroine, Princess Alais of France has a great, dry sense of humor; unfortunately, the strong characters weren't enough for me... ( )

The Canterbury Papers builds upon a minor character in medieval history, using the few intriguing facts known about her. Alais Capet was born to Eleanor of Aquitaine's ex-husband (King Louis VII of France), but raised by Eleanor in the English Court of Henry II, Eleanor's 2nd husband. Alais was promised in marriage to their son Richard (the Lion Hearted). For reasons unknown to history the marriage never took place, athough there was some speculation that Alais had born a child by Henry II. Healey builds an interesting and plausible story upon these circumstances. She seems well versed in the details of life during the period, and she has an engaging style of writing. This is a solid piece of historical fiction. I certainly would read other works by the author. ( )

Eleanor of Aquitane is one of the most fascinating and clever women in history. This book is a very diverting historical mystery about her, an entertaining and escapist read. ( )

A solid piece of imaginative historical fiction. A lot of mystery, a lot of intrigue, a little bit of romance, a fair bit of historical detail to flesh out the story. I might have been a little more involved if I knew my European history a bit better, and knew the actual history of the Plantagenets and Capets and Knights Templar. Still, I was able to follow the story just fine. Not a knock-out of a novel, no big showy dramatic punch or anything, and I figured out some of the "twists" well ahead of when they were revealed, but nevertheless a solid, entertaining read. ( )