The Red Velvet Turnshoe

Sister Hildegard has a more dangerous time in The Red Velvet Turnshoe than she did in the first book, Hangman Blind. Given travelling conditions in 1383, it's no wonder Hildegard is not thrilled to be ordered to journey to Florence, Italy. At least she gets to miss the Black Death that was in Italy earlier that year. The description of crossing the Alps made me very glad to be a 21st century armchair traveller.

Aside from perils, we're also treated to information about how business was conducted back then, and why being able to read was vital to one's interests. If you want to know about commenda contracts for ventures only kings and princes can afford, they're explained in chapter four.

Hildegard meets three siege specialists on the show more way, mercenaries who make fine secondary characters. There's also a knight, Sir Talbot, who has been hired to escort our heroine. He sometimes speaks of his heart's desire, Lady Rosamund. He's a good man.

I enjoyed the description of the Easter celebration in Florence.

There's a villainess, La Gran Contessa, who is scarier than any of the book's villains.

The theme of the aftermath of Wat Tyler's rebellion and the factions for King Richard versus his uncle, John of Gaunt, continue. The character most involved this time is a young minstrel, Pierrekyn Haverel. Someone seems very determined to pin the book's first murder on this young man. He's about the age of Hildegard's son, whom we learn is in the service of Despenser, the Bishop of Norwich. The Bishop goes to war. Will Hildegard's son survive?

For some reason, the very useful glossary is in the back of the book, not the front, where it would have been much handier. I'm glad I read on past the end of the novel because it saved me a lot of looking up. There's a timeline of important events on the page after the glossary.

As she did in the first book, Ms. Clark uses the term 'rooves'. I looked it up and it is the plural of 'roof'. I'd wondered why we called them 'roofs' when 'hoof', 'dwarf', and 'knife' have 'hooves,' 'dwarves,' and 'knives' as their plural forms -- or they still did when I was young. That's nice to know.

If you enjoy hopeless love, Hildegard develops one.

We're still not sure to which Pope, Clement VII in Avignon or Urban XI in Rome, Abbot Hubert de Courcy has given his allegiance. We do learn that Hubert is the great-nephew of a knight Templar, as well as the nature of his previous career.

If you enjoy murder mysteries set in the medieval period, you might enjoy this series. I have so far. show less

I enjoyed reading this book both for the mystery and for the Medieval setting. There was a variety of characters. It was also difficult to determine the true nature of these characters which was a task also faced by the heroine, Hildegard. I have not made up my mind yet if Hildegard is too modern a woman to be placed in this setting. She faces many conflicts both external and internal. I am also puzzled about why Hildegard is sent on her long journey to obtain the cross of Constantine. There was a short glossary at the end of the book which was somewhat helpful, but I needed to look the meaning of several words to enhance my enjoyment of reading this story. However, most of the important Medieval terminology was somewhat understandable show more from the context. Reading this book also sent me to review this period of European history. show less

I had a hard time following this book because of all of the medieval terminology.

Good, will look for more.