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1284 and Edward I is battling a traitorous movement founded by the late Simon de Montfort, the rebel who lost his life at the Battle of Evesham in 1258. The Pentangle, the movement's underground society whose members are known to practice the black arts, is thought to be behind the apparent suicide of Lawrence Duket, one of the King's loyal subjects, in revenge for Duket's murder of one of their supporters. The King, deeply suspicious of the affair, orders his wily Chancellor, Burnell, to show more look into the matter. Burnell chooses a sharp and clever clerk from the Court of King's Bench, Hugh Corbett, to conduct the investigation. Corbett - together with his manservant, Ranulf, late of Newgate - is swiftly drawn into the tangled politics and dark and dangerous underworld of medieval London. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Set in 1284 during the regime of Edward 1, this novel is first in the Coubert series. Those were the turbulent times - pentangles (satanic worshippers) and populares colluded to spread anarchy and dethrone the king. Hugh Coubert is pressed into action by the chancellor to investigate the matter.
I am an avid reader of historical fiction and this book quite lived upto the expectations. I have read the C J Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series and Rory Clement's Shakespeare series.
The plot is intriguing but is not mind-twisting like the above series. Probably, the genre has evolved over the years. This book was written 1984, so there certain aspects of the novel are quite raw. In certain ways the villains are predictable, but that doesn't show more dampen the interest. show less
I am an avid reader of historical fiction and this book quite lived upto the expectations. I have read the C J Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series and Rory Clement's Shakespeare series.
The plot is intriguing but is not mind-twisting like the above series. Probably, the genre has evolved over the years. This book was written 1984, so there certain aspects of the novel are quite raw. In certain ways the villains are predictable, but that doesn't show more dampen the interest. show less
This is Paul Doherty's first medieval mystery featuring Hugh Corbett. The plot wasn't as exciting as "The Cup of Ghosts", but the incidental descriptions of medieval life kept the pages turning at a rapid rate. I love this genre, and it's enough to keep me wanting to read the remaining 13 novels in this series. I'm looking forward to seeing how his style of storytelling develops over the ensuing novels.
I didn't enjoy this book. The writing was repetitive and full of anachronisms. The writer dropped clues about the murder so early that it was obvious who was the killer. The main character was not likeable. What a disappointment.
Like all P. C. Doherty's books about Hugh Corbett, a rattling good read. A Mediaeval murder mystery that brings to life the sounds and smells of the cities, villages and people of the period. Great characterisation, well researched (the author knows the period exceptionally well), gentle humour combined with suspense and some "religious" terror. Un-put-down-able. Thoroughly recommended.
I am new to historical fiction. I was motivated to seek this one out having recently read the 5 novel series by CJ Sansom set in Tudor England, beginning with "Dissolution". Paul Doherty has written a series of 17 historical novels set around 1300 in England. His main protagonist is Hugh Corbett, an official of King Edward's court who is repeatedly sent by the king to solve some crime or other. The first one, "Satan in St Mary's" is set in London but others are set in different parts of the country as well as London. They are mostly around 200 pages and easy to read with a good combination of interesting characters, real history and suspense. I enjoyed this first one sufficiently that I have now read the first 12 of 17 in the series. show more Some are naturally better than others. The best ones involve political intrigue with the king's French enemies and spies. "Satan in St Mary's" revolves around murders committed by a cult of sort, supposedly with satanic links. show less
1284 in the reign of Edward I, it seems that there are traitors everywhere. Chancellor Burnell instructs Hugh Corbett, clerk, to investigate the death of a goldsmith Duket, after Duket had killed a Ralph Crepyn. But Corbett is soon drawn into a more dangerous situation.
I enjoyed this well paced mystery and look forward to reading the next in the series.
I enjoyed this well paced mystery and look forward to reading the next in the series.
Satanists infiltrate anti-royalist party and plot death of Edward I
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Author Information
138+ Works 13,299 Members
Paul C. Doherty was born on September 21, 1946. He is an award winning British author, educator, and historian. He is also the Headmaster of Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green, Essex, in the United Kingdom. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and at Exeter College, Oxford, where he show more received a doctorate for his thesis on Edward II. Dr. Doherty is a historian who lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries. Dr. Doherty was awarded an Order of the British Empire for his services to education in 2011. His other career is that of Headmaster at Trinity Catholic High School, Woodford Green, Essex for 30 years. In 1999, the school was given Beacon status which rates it as outstanding among other schools in it's category. Dr. Doherty has published a series of historical mysteries set in the Middle Ages, Classical, Greek, and Ancient Egypt. He writes both fiction and non-fiction under his own name, both as P.C. Doherty and Paul C. Doherty, as well as the pennames: Anna Apostolou, Michael Clynes, and Ann Dukthas. Doherty is the author of several mystery series, including The Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan, the Hugh Corbett medieval mysteries, and the Canterbury Tales of mystery. He has written 100 published books which have been printed in several languages and distributed in several different countries including the UK, United States, Spain, and Germany. He was also awarded the Herodotus, for lifelong achievement for excellence in the writing of historical mysteries by the Historical Mystery Appreciation Society. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Satan in St. Mary's
- Original title
- Satan in St. Mary's
- Original publication date
- 1986
- People/Characters
- Sir Hugh Corbett; Simon de Montfort the Younger (dead - or is he? - but not forgotten)
- Important places
- St. Mary Le Bow, London, England, UK; London, England, UK; England, UK (as England)
- Important events
- Reign of Edward I, King of England (1272-11-16 | 1307-07-07)
- First words
- A savage, cold wind had sprung up just after dark. (Introduction)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The river lapped round the glove before driving it out to the vastness of the open sea.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 327
- Popularity
- 97,177
- Reviews
- 13
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- 5 — English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 12
- ASINs
- 6
