A Trust Betrayed

Unfortunately for Margaret Kerr of Perth, her books may always be compared to Robb's Owen Archer series, even if the comparison is somewhat unfair.

Margaret Kerr is not Owen Archer-- she is young and inexperienced, often jumps to conclusions too quickly, and makes hasty decisions putting quite a few people at risk. Her husband has gone missing in Edinburgh; her cousin-in-law who went off to find him comes back dead (and mutilated), so she sets off for Edinburgh ostensibly to figure out why. But really, Margaret's story is the story of why Scotland is at the brink of civil war with England.

Cheekily put, A Trust Betrayed is Braveheart but starring a woman and with historical accuracy.


Now I am not much of a fan of the mystery genre, but show more I go out of my way to find and read Robb's books. They go so far beyond genre conventions to tell true-to-life stories about people living in real historical events and settings. A Trust Betrayed succeeds in bringing Medieval Scotland to life much as the Owen Archer series brought York and Wales to life. show less

A Trust Betrayed by Candace Robb is the first in the Margaret Kerr of Perth series of mysteries. It's 1297 in Scotland. Edward the Longshanks, King of England, is butchering his way through Scotland. Scotland is divided in its loyalties between John Balliol and Robert Bruce. Things are going to hell in a handbasket, and Margaret Kerr's life is no exception.

Her husband has been missing for months. Margaret sent his cousin Jack to Edinburgh to find him. Jack is murdered. Unable to stay in Dunfermline with her goodmother (mother-in-law) any longer, Margaret travels to Edinburgh with her brother Andrew, a priest, and Celia, a maid provided by her mother-in-law. Staying with her uncle, Murdoch, in his inn and tavern, Margaret helps him while show more she tries to find out what's happened to her husband Roger. She doesn't much like the information that turns up.

This is another good book. The setting is perfection. Edinburgh occupied by English soldiers. William Wallace sneaking rides on ferries. A stubborn woman who insists on the truth from people who don't want the truth to hurt her. Robb has a light touch with Scots dialect, which makes the narrative very accessible. And--true to life--all the loose ends aren't tied up neatly at the end. show less

Thumbs up for effacina's review below. I would have given it 2 1/2 stars, but I'm not sure how one does halves using this interface. Robb doesn't rise above the level of competence as a writer on this one, which is in stark contrast to her brilliant writing of the Owen Archer series. There she makes us care about her characters and their fates, whereas in A Trust Betrayed one feels like one is just killing time in the company of not terribly interesting characters in a tense yet strangely unexciting environment. This author can do, and has done, much better.

Much as I like the Owen Archer series, this was a poor start to the new series. For me its main fault was being very boring. I found all the characters unsympathetic and their actions unrealistic. The convoluted plot never did seem to get anywhere. Disappointing all round.

Much as I like the Owen Archer series, this was a poor start to the new series. For me its main fault was being very boring. I found all the characters unsympathetic and their actions unrealistic. The convoluted plot never did seem to get anywhere. Disappointing all round.

I bought, and read, this book when I lived in Scotland. A good mystery set in the 13th century. First, Margaret Kerr's husband disappears, and then his cousin is found dead. She decides to find out what is happening, and is surprised to find out secrets about the men in her family that she never suspected.

1297 scotland. Margaret Kerr's husband of 2 years has been away from home many months with no word and his cousin who went to look for him has been murdered, his body returned by Canon Andrew, her brother. she travles to Edinburgh to investigate and finds the town occupied by Edward I's army and everyone has secrets. She stays with her uncle murdoch at his tavern. Everyone knows all the answers she is seeking but because no one will tell her she causes trouble. this gets old and boring. There seems to be no really good reason why she is kept in the dark. The entire book would have been better condensed into three tight chapters. we know that athis is the beginning of a series dealing with the rebellion. My least favorite of the Robb books.