The Devil's Hunt

I enjoyed this medieval mystery starring my favourite Clerk, Sir Hugh Corbett. This one is set in 1303 and Corbett is sent to Oxford to investigate a number of vicious murders. Oxford was a completely new setting for the series, and I enjoyed learning about the college halls and scholars and how they operated so many hundreds of years ago.

One of the key characters was surprisingly killed in this novel and I certainly wasn't expecting that. All in all, another enjoyable historical fiction by Doherty.

In the summer of 1303, murder has made itself known in the King's university city of Oxford. The illustrious Regent of Sparrow Hall, John Copsale, is found dead in his bed. Some claim he died in his sleep, while still others whisper that Regent Copsale was murdered by the mysterious "Bell Man" - who posts treasonous notes on the doors of the churches.

Then the college librarian and archivist, Robert Ascham is discovered inside the college library with a crossbow bolt in his chest. Definitely an act of cold-blooded murder, but who could have done it? After all, the library was sealed, the doors and windows securely locked. And just what was Ascham trying to write on the piece of manuscript found lying beside him?

Are the Regent's death show more and Ascham's murder the result of a terrible curse of ghosts who still walk the earth, seeking vengeance? Or are the deaths somehow related to the ritualistic murders of beggars, the severed heads of whom are found tied by their hair to the trees in the forest. King Edward hears of the seething unrest in Oxford and arrives unannounced at the Leighton estate of Sir Hugh Corbett - Keeper of the King's Seal and clerk of the King's Bench. The King charges Sir Hugh to travel to Oxford to resolve the murderous mysteries that threaten to plunge the city and university into chaos.

I did enjoy this book, although it was slightly hard to follow. I was definitely interested to discover who the murderer was, though. I give this book an A! show less

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.

Una serie de misteriosas y macabras muertes hacen temblar los cimientos de la universidad de Oxford: varios cadáveres aparecen colgados de los árboles que rodean la universidad con unas enigmáticas notas firmadas por El Campanero. La investigación de Corbett nos adentra en el mundo universitario, ya en la Edad Media más famoso por la juerga y la diversión que por el estudio y la reflexión.

Una serie de misteriosas y macabras muertes hacen temblar los cimientos de la universidad de Oxford: varios cadáveres aparecen colgados de los árboles que rodean la universidad con unas enigmáticas notas firmadas por El Campanero. La investigación de Corbett nos adentra en el mundo universitario, ya en la Edad Media más famoso por la juerga y la diversión que por el estudio y la reflexión.