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In the late autumn of 1380, Brother Athelstan is busy enough. He and his parish council are preparing for the annual Christmas mystery play when a series of brutal murders occur at a Southwark tavern. Two young whores are found slain but their deaths are only the beginning of a series of gruesome killings which occur around the parish of St Erconwald's. A whole host of mysterious characters assemble to this pageant of murder: the Misericord, master thief and cunning man; the Judas man, a show more bounty hunter who tracks down outlaws and wolfheads; and finally the Knights of the Golden Falcon who assemble to celebrate their annual reunion. Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranstone have to resolve not only these grisly deaths but also their source - the Great Robbery of the Lombard treasure which occurred in Southwark some twenty years earlier... show lessTags
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Member Reviews
A networking acquaintance gave me this book in a box of books. She used to collect books to be sent to troops overseas. Not sure why this one didn't make the cut for that.
I had high hopes for a mystery and at first thought it might be like the Father Brown mysteries--and parts are, I guess, but some of the settings and details of this book seemed like they'd be out of place in a Father Brown mystery.
I also didn't follow Athelstan's solving of the case when he spent the night in the church--though I did guess one clue correctly before the solution came to him.
It gets a 3 because I did finish it, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it and I definitely wouldn't reread it.
I had high hopes for a mystery and at first thought it might be like the Father Brown mysteries--and parts are, I guess, but some of the settings and details of this book seemed like they'd be out of place in a Father Brown mystery.
I also didn't follow Athelstan's solving of the case when he spent the night in the church--though I did guess one clue correctly before the solution came to him.
It gets a 3 because I did finish it, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it and I definitely wouldn't reread it.
otro del hermano Athelstan, en este sale de la estrucura del pequeño crimen local, hay dos crimenes entrelazados pero separados en el tiempo. traiciones entre amigos, y siempre el regente en el medio del tema
Feb 28, 2021Spanish
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Kindle Historical Fiction
159 works; 1 member
Author Information
85 Works 6,205 Members
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The House of Shadows
- Original title
- The House of Shadows
- Original publication date
- 2003
- People/Characters
- Brother Athelstan; Sir John Cranston; Brother Malachi; Thomas Culpepper; Richard Culpepper; Edward Mortimer (show all 17); Maurice; John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Misericord; Guinevere the Golden; Donata; Mother Veritable; Benedicta; Stephen; Judas Man; Rolles; Crim
- Important places
- London, England, UK (as London, England)
- Epigraph
- The tavern is the Church of the Devil where his disciples wander to serve him and where he works his miracles.--Le Menagier de Paris, a medieval self-help book (edited by J. Pichon, Paris, 1846), Volume I, page 48.
- Dedication
- In loving memory of William (Wills) Walford-Grant Beloved son of Michael and Annie of South Woodford Born 2 March 1989, tragically killed 8 November 2002
- First words
- The courtesan known as Guinevere the Golden crouched amongst the headstones of St. Erconwald's cemetery.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)No, Brother, just delivering you from evil.
- Original language
- English UK
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 137
- Popularity
- 238,528
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.97)
- Languages
- English, French, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 9
- ASINs
- 4
