When the French invade England in September, 1216 Sir Josse d'Acquin is called to the side of King John. Meanwhile his daughter Messie has joined up with Faruq, a man with a mission, on a journey to find the Devil's cup.
Having read the first couple of books in the series some time ago I had hoped to be reading a murder mystery, this was more of a historical thriller with a mystical element. If you have read all the previous books then this is probably a must read.
But as a stand-alone book is was just enjoyable enough, with some decent characters.
A NetGalley Book. ( )

#135

Although I enjoyed this series, it was time for it to end... Bittersweet, but the end.

Josse d'Acquin & his brother Yves set out to help King John in one last battle.

An old woman, Hadil & her son, Faruq, have come to destroy an unleashed ancient evil....

Jahan, Josse's son-in-law & Meggie's husband takes up w/ King John's enemies, who seek to destroy him.

Meggie, Josse's daughter by Forest-woman Joanna has the "gift" and sets off w/ Faruq to put an end to the evil after Hadil is seriously injured & can not continue on. First they visit John's Queen, Isabella, but the evil has already left her presence

Helewise, Josse's wife & former superior of the Hawkenlye Convent stays to help w/ Hadil.

It is an intriguing story, but the parts about everyone's travels & travails while trying to reach King John, is mostly boring, which is why I took off 2 *

This was a good place for the series to end. ( )

Sins of the fathers!

"The treasure had been above ground for under an hour and already it had claimed three lives. This was how it began."

1216. King John seeks to combine his forces against the invading army of Prince Louis of France supported by disloyal barons. John calls on his loyal supporters, amongst them Sir Josse d’Acquin. Joss sets off with his brother Yves and his son Geoffroi to join the King.
Meggie his daughter, a healer has been called by Abbess Caliste to Hawkenlye Abbey. When the message comes Meggie is deep in the forest. She finds strength and knowing here, descended as she is from the Forest People. At the same time Meggie is concerned about her partner's absence, Jehan, the smithy. She's troubled about their relationship and what she wants for her future.
At the Abbey, Meggie becomes involved with a distressed woman and her son, strangers to England and seemingly on an urgent quest. A quest that will involve a cursed treasure.
Thus begins Meggie's gripping race across England trying to save the life of Queen Isabella, wife to King John, and then onto searching for King John himself. All the while gleaning snippets of information about what drives the woman Hadil and her son Faruq.
Based partly on the death of King John, Clare has woven fact and fiction into an exciting landscape of intrigue and treachery with a touch of magic. The nature, the strengths and weaknesses of King John are nicely illuminated.
Evil is very much in ascendency and Meggie's search will take her into an armed camp and into the king's presence, where her father, uncle and brother are, and unknowingly in the same vicinity as her missing lover, Jehan.
This last in the seventeen book series, the Hawkenlye Mysteries draws to conclusion a very satisfying journey.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

The Hawkenlye series is well loved in my house. In the turbulent time that is 1216, family and friends are drawn into danger and despair. I tried to read it slowly but it sucked me in until all I could do was read. The new characters were interesting and the old ones were like old friends come to visit. ( )