The Apothecary Rose (1993)

THE APOTHECARY ROSE is the first instalment in Candace Robb's series featuring the exploits of Owen Archer spy-sleuth. It is somewhat comparable to Ellis Peters Cadfael series, as both heroes are Welsh, and ex-warriors with knowledge of herbal healing. Both series take place in the Middle Ages, though Cadfael lived in the mid 1100s and Archer in the mid 1300s.
Robb's obsession with medieval England shows through with great clarity. Everything is described with such detail that it's entirely possible to lose oneself in the story. The story is enticing, as well as the characters. A multitude of characters captivate the imagination. Each has believable traits, as well as flaws: Owen's self-doubts, Lucie's stubbornness, Anselm's obsession.
There is a mystery - but not centred on who-done-it, because that's pretty easy to figure out. The mystery revolves around the "why", which can be just as enjoyable as guessing the "who".
Owen Archer is an enthralling sleuth. The combination of medieval York and murder mystery was wonderfully done. I enjoyed it immensely. ( )

The start of a wonderful medieval mystery series -- set in one of my favorite cities: York, England. Read the book, then visit the city; you'll find much still there from the era. Better yet, visit the city, bring the book with you, then sit and read a while on the centuries-old city wall in the shadow of the Abbey. It makes the city come alive.

In this first novel of the Owen Archer series, the one-eyed spy and recently retired Captain of the Archers finds himself on a mission to York, investigating the mysterious death of the Archbishop’s ward. He goes undercover as an apprentice apothecary under Lucie Wilton, herself apprenticed to her husband. Nicholas Wilton has been ill in bed since an earlier death. It was he who prepared the medicine that proved fatal for the two men. Owen must try to both ascertain Lucie’s involvement, if any, and fight his own feelings for the soon-to-be widow. She, too, is suspicious of her full-grown apprentice and his motives even as she, too, feels the chemistry. There’s little suspense to the mystery—no shocking twists, and the reader knows most of what has happened quite early on. The tension comes more from the suspicion and suspense in the personal relationships and makes for a satisfying read. Historical details create a sense of time and place and the townspeople are an interesting crop of secondary characters; I imagine many of them will be turning up in the other books in the series. ( )

When Owen Archer loses the sight in one of his eyes, his military career under the duke of Lancaster is over. Or so it would seem, until the duke employs him in other ways. Once the old duke dies, Archer is unsure of his future. He’s recruited by the Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor, Thoresby, to investigate a pair of murders in St. Mary’s Abbey, just outside York’s city walls. One of the victims is Thoresby’s ward and Thoresby isn’t content with the cause of death. He sends Owen to figure out what’s really happened by apprenticing him to the apothecary and giving him an entrance into the world of medieval York.

This may have been the only time in my entire life that I have not needed the map on the first few pages of this book. I’m absurdly familiar with medieval York and given that my classes are held on top of the former grounds of St. Mary’s Abbey, this book had a special thrill for me. I loved the medieval atmosphere. These characters walk through places I go every day and it’s exciting to imagine it as they would have seen it.

I liked those characters, too. I can see a bit of Owen Archer’s legendary appeal, about which I have heard much. (I read this on the recommendation of Nan Hawthorne, by the way!) I enjoyed the ambiguity about many of them, particularly Lucie, and how the truth was eventually revealed. Even the supporting characters like Bess didn’t fall flat. The Archdeacon made me feel very uncomfortable, but I think that was the point.

As far as writing goes, I felt it was a bit plain. I could certainly imagine medieval York, but it’s hard for me personally to say whether I had such an easy time because I’ve tried before and am very familiar with the city or because the author did a brilliant job imagining it. It’s hard to say, but I do think the prose was the weakest point. The story was good enough for it to vanish, as should happen, but I found it hard to immerse myself at the beginning before the plot got rolling.

I would recommend this to other people who like their historical fiction set firmly in the middle ages and probably to those who like medieval mystery as well. As for me, I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

http://chikune.com/blog/?p=614 ( )

Owen Archer is a little at a loose end because of losing an eye and by a man he trusted, and had saved. He is dispached to investigate the death of two men and is sent to be undercover as one of the most likely suspect's apprentice. There he finds the suspect dying and his wife, Lucie, in charge. A much younger and quite pretty wife that Owen finds himself drawn to.

Owen is in a bind because a lot of the clues point at Lucie, or at her husband and he is conflicted over all of this.

I liked the characters and the situations. Enjoyable. Yes not always historically accurate but still interesting. ( )