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The Death of a King
In 1344, as royal clerk Edmund Beche carries out his official investigation into the murder, seventeen years earlier, of King Edward II, he himself becomes a target for murder
176 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1985
18 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Paul Doherty
236 books609 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
He has been published under several pseudonyms: P.C. Doherty, Celia L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas, Vanessa Alexander, Michael Clynes and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name.
Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough (North-Eastern England) in 1946. He had the usual education before studying at Durham for three years for the Catholic priesthood but decided not to proceed. He went to Liverpool University where he gained a First Class Honours Degree in History and won a state scholarship to Exeter College, Oxford, whilst there he met his wife Carla Lynn Corbitt. He continued his studies but decided that the academic world was not for him and became a secondary school teacher.
Paul worked in Ascot, Nottingham and Crawley West Sussex before being appointed as Headmaster to Trinity Catholic School in September 1981. Trinity is a large comprehensive [1700 on roll] which teaches the full ability range, ages 11-18. The school has been described as one of the leading comprehensives in the U.K. In April, 2000 H. M. Inspectorate describe it as an 'Outstanding School', and it was given Beacon status as a Centre of Excellence whilst, in the Chief Inspector’s Report to the Secretary of State for January 2001, Trinity Catholic High School was singled out for praise and received a public accolade.
Paul’s other incarnation is as a novelist. He finished his doctorate on the reign of Edward II of England and, in 1987, began to publish a series of outstanding historical mysteries set in the Middle Age, Classical, Greek, Ancient Egypt and elsewhere. These have been published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press of New York, Edhasa in Spain, and Eichborn, Heyne, Knaur and others in Germany. They have also been published in Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Romania, Estonia, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Bulgaria, Portugal and China, as well as Argentina and Mexico.
He has been published under several pseudonyms (see the bibliography): C. L. Grace, Paul Harding, Ann Dukthas and Anna Apostolou but now writes only under his own name. He recently launched a very successful series based around the life of Alexander the Great, published by Constable & Robinson in the U.K., and Carroll and Graf in the U.S.A., whilst his novels set in Ancient Egypt have won critical acclaim. Paul has also written several non-fiction titles; A Life of Isabella the She-wolf of France, Wife of Edward II of England, as well as study of the possible murder of Tutankhamun, the boy Pharaoh of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, and a study on the true fate of Alexander the Great.
Paul and Carla live on the borders of London and Essex, not far from Epping Forest and six of their children have been through his own school. His wife Carla currently owns two horses and is training, for showing and dressage, a beautiful Arab filly named Polly.
Paul lectures for a number of organisations, particularly on historical mysteries, many of which later feature in his writings. A born speaker and trained lecturer Paul Doherty can hold and entertain audiences.
His one great ambition is to petition the Privy Council of England to open the Purbeck marble tomb of Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral. Paul believes the tomb does not house the body
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 8, 2012
A light, quick historical read that introduced me to the prolific P.C. Doherty. I don't know how he does it, but he is able to pack enough history to satisfy the historical fiction buff while making them accessible to those not accustomed to the genre. Don't let the size fool you, it is a light, quick read but not light on historical research, atmosphere and detail.
September 11, 2024
I picked this book up at a used bookstore on a whim, and after the first few chapters I admittedly wasn’t that into it. I was having trouble keeping track of the characters and which “side” they were on, but I pushed through mainly because of how short it was.
Once I got going and began understanding who was who and seeing the story developing, I was locked in. This was also the first book with a medieval backdrop that I’ve read, and I loved the aspect that the entire book is a collection of letters from the main character, Edmund, to his friend, Richard, detailing his task in determining who killed the King of England (which I learned that certain aspects of the story are steeped in reality, which is cool).
Overall, great book unlike anything I’ve ever read. Will be looking to read more from PC Doherty as a result.
Once I got going and began understanding who was who and seeing the story developing, I was locked in. This was also the first book with a medieval backdrop that I’ve read, and I loved the aspect that the entire book is a collection of letters from the main character, Edmund, to his friend, Richard, detailing his task in determining who killed the King of England (which I learned that certain aspects of the story are steeped in reality, which is cool).
Overall, great book unlike anything I’ve ever read. Will be looking to read more from PC Doherty as a result.
March 9, 2021
3 stars
What I liked:
-Beche is a wonderfully wry/thoughtful narrator (well, writer technically)
-The atmosphere; I could almost smell the filth of the city
-I don’t know why I found it so funny, but Beche’s denial that he loved Kate ()
-A majority of the chapters were short, and fitting for the letter-writing format
Things I didn’t like so much:
-While it was twisty, it was a jerky kind of twisty; like Beche was being strung along on a rope through a maze—and was occasionally flung into a wall (which I suppose he was in the beginning, but it still made for disorienting read as he scuttled through the maze of half-clues and suspicions)
Something I might read again. This type of story with its grit and battle detail isn’t my typical cup of tea, but it was an interesting read and, in my view, better than the first Hugh Corbet book.
What I liked:
-Beche is a wonderfully wry/thoughtful narrator (well, writer technically)
-The atmosphere; I could almost smell the filth of the city
-I don’t know why I found it so funny, but Beche’s denial that he loved Kate ()
-A majority of the chapters were short, and fitting for the letter-writing format
Things I didn’t like so much:
-While it was twisty, it was a jerky kind of twisty; like Beche was being strung along on a rope through a maze—and was occasionally flung into a wall (which I suppose he was in the beginning, but it still made for disorienting read as he scuttled through the maze of half-clues and suspicions)
Something I might read again. This type of story with its grit and battle detail isn’t my typical cup of tea, but it was an interesting read and, in my view, better than the first Hugh Corbet book.
November 25, 2012
A clever little mystery that attempts to solve the death of King Edward II in 14th Century England. An easy read, well written by Paul Doherty that moves the reader through a series of letters written by the investigator towards a somewhat devious and surprising ending. Based in large part on historical events, this little piece of historical fiction is extremely entertaining.
January 31, 2022
After reading and enjoying Spy in Chancery by the remarkably prolific P. C. Doherty, I decided to dig up the first novel that he wrote (published way back in 1985): Death of a King. It seems clear that this novel lead to the successful Hugh Corbett series that soon followed; Satan in St. Mary's, the first book in the Hugh Corbett series, was published in December of 1986. Like the Hugh Corbett books, Death of a King stars a Chancery clerk, in this book the clerk is named Edmund Beche. Beche is summoned to the royal court. The king (in this case, it is Edward III, whereas Hugh Corbett answered to Edward I) demands that Beche investigate the death of his father, Edward II. It is a strange request, because Edward II has been dead for sixteen years - just what exactly is it that King Edward III wants Beche to determine?
Beche quickly learns that there are a number of inexplicable circumstances regarding the death of Edward II. Edward II was not a well-loved king. He was rumored to have had male lovers. His closest advisors were the much reviled, greedy Despensers; Hugh the Elder and Hugh the Younger. Eventually, Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II, grew so disgusted with the king's behavior that she led a revolt against the king, abetted by the equally greedy Roger Mortimer. The Despensers were executed, and King Edward II was held prisoner in Berkeley Castle. A raiding party led by the loyalist Dunheved brothers attacked Berkeley Castle and attempt to free King Edward II, but although they got inside the castle walls, they were driven off. Most were killed, the rest were captured and subsequently all died in prison of "goal fever". Mortimer and Queen Isabella's rule lasted by five years, after which Edward III successfully claimed his father's throne, had Mortimer executed, and his mother, Queen Isabella confined to house arrest.
Beche wants to know why Edward the II was not buried at Westminster like all the other English royalty. Instead Edward II was entombed at Gloucester cathedral.
Why weren't the royal physicians used to dress the body? Instead, Queen Isabella had a local old crone prepare Edward II for burial. The whereabouts and the identity of this unknown old woman remain a mystery.
There were three gaolers charged with guarding Edward III at Berkeley Castle - John Maltravers, Thomas Guerney, and the hunchback William Ockle. Although the castle is owned by Thomas Berkeley, Lord Berkeley wisely kept his distance from the confinement of the king. What was the fate of these ruffians, and why did Edward III specifically say to Edmund Beche: "...your task is to research the background of my father's death. Not, I repeat, not to hunt down his murderers. That is the task of others."
With so many questions, and the case sixteen years old, and most of the witnesses long since disappeared, Beche embarks on his search for information. He interviews the few people still alive who might know some information, including the ruthless and dangerous Queen Isabella. Unlike Hugh Corbett, Edmund Beche proves to be handy with weapons and capable of fighting - which comes into play more than once. Medieval England was a dangerous place, murder and violence were commonplace. Beche is constantly on guard, and beset by forces that would prefer that he doesn't uncover the truth.
I had just recently finished another novel set in the reign of Edward III - The Lady Chapel by Candace Robb. It was interesting to see Edward III appear again as a character in another mystery novel. Apparently, the death of Edward II is an actual historical mystery - not as famous as the disappearance of the two princes from the Tower of London under Richard III, but a mystery nonetheless. It is widely presumed that Edward II was murdered. Doherty has Beche follow the clues and offers the reader a possible explanation of what might have occurred.
Like Spy in Chancery, Death of a King is a fast read at just 176 pages. Doherty's style is crisp and plot driven. Beche ends up in Edward III's army and participates in the famous Battle of Crecy - and this major battle is detailed in just a few pages. Each chapter in this book is presented as a letter from Beche to his trusted friend, Richard Bliton, Prior of Crowland Abbey. The mysteries and discoveries that Beche uncovers are too amazing and dangerous for Beche to bear alone, and so with each letter to Richard, Beche describes his harrowing investigation, his conclusions from the available clues, and next steps he intends to take.
Once again, P. C. Doherty has entertained me with his medieval mystery, so I hope to find the first Hugh Corbett tale and read that next.
Beche quickly learns that there are a number of inexplicable circumstances regarding the death of Edward II. Edward II was not a well-loved king. He was rumored to have had male lovers. His closest advisors were the much reviled, greedy Despensers; Hugh the Elder and Hugh the Younger. Eventually, Queen Isabella, the wife of Edward II, grew so disgusted with the king's behavior that she led a revolt against the king, abetted by the equally greedy Roger Mortimer. The Despensers were executed, and King Edward II was held prisoner in Berkeley Castle. A raiding party led by the loyalist Dunheved brothers attacked Berkeley Castle and attempt to free King Edward II, but although they got inside the castle walls, they were driven off. Most were killed, the rest were captured and subsequently all died in prison of "goal fever". Mortimer and Queen Isabella's rule lasted by five years, after which Edward III successfully claimed his father's throne, had Mortimer executed, and his mother, Queen Isabella confined to house arrest.
Beche wants to know why Edward the II was not buried at Westminster like all the other English royalty. Instead Edward II was entombed at Gloucester cathedral.
Why weren't the royal physicians used to dress the body? Instead, Queen Isabella had a local old crone prepare Edward II for burial. The whereabouts and the identity of this unknown old woman remain a mystery.
There were three gaolers charged with guarding Edward III at Berkeley Castle - John Maltravers, Thomas Guerney, and the hunchback William Ockle. Although the castle is owned by Thomas Berkeley, Lord Berkeley wisely kept his distance from the confinement of the king. What was the fate of these ruffians, and why did Edward III specifically say to Edmund Beche: "...your task is to research the background of my father's death. Not, I repeat, not to hunt down his murderers. That is the task of others."
With so many questions, and the case sixteen years old, and most of the witnesses long since disappeared, Beche embarks on his search for information. He interviews the few people still alive who might know some information, including the ruthless and dangerous Queen Isabella. Unlike Hugh Corbett, Edmund Beche proves to be handy with weapons and capable of fighting - which comes into play more than once. Medieval England was a dangerous place, murder and violence were commonplace. Beche is constantly on guard, and beset by forces that would prefer that he doesn't uncover the truth.
I had just recently finished another novel set in the reign of Edward III - The Lady Chapel by Candace Robb. It was interesting to see Edward III appear again as a character in another mystery novel. Apparently, the death of Edward II is an actual historical mystery - not as famous as the disappearance of the two princes from the Tower of London under Richard III, but a mystery nonetheless. It is widely presumed that Edward II was murdered. Doherty has Beche follow the clues and offers the reader a possible explanation of what might have occurred.
Like Spy in Chancery, Death of a King is a fast read at just 176 pages. Doherty's style is crisp and plot driven. Beche ends up in Edward III's army and participates in the famous Battle of Crecy - and this major battle is detailed in just a few pages. Each chapter in this book is presented as a letter from Beche to his trusted friend, Richard Bliton, Prior of Crowland Abbey. The mysteries and discoveries that Beche uncovers are too amazing and dangerous for Beche to bear alone, and so with each letter to Richard, Beche describes his harrowing investigation, his conclusions from the available clues, and next steps he intends to take.
Once again, P. C. Doherty has entertained me with his medieval mystery, so I hope to find the first Hugh Corbett tale and read that next.
November 22, 2020
We recently listened to the audio versions of Dan Jones' The Plantagenets and The War of the Roses, so when I was going through my too-be-read shelves and saw The Death of a King, I moved it to the top of the list.
Edward the II was a rather ineffective king of England in the early Fourteenth Century. He was deposed by his wife Isabella and her lover Mortimer, who ruled until is son Edward III came of age and overthrew his mother and Mortimer, having Mortimer executed and Isabella sent into basically house arrest. Edward II was believed murdered under orders from Mortimer.
P. C. Doherty is an historian, and this is his first novel. In it, Edward III, seventeen years after Edward II's supposed murder, appoints Edmund Beche, a clerk, to look into the death of is father. It's told in a series of letters from Edmund to a friend, as Edmund tries to find out what really happened. Why did an old woman dress Edward corpse rather than a court official? What happened to the woman? Why wasn't her buried in Westminster like other kings? What really happened in what history records as a failed attempt to break him free before the murder?
With each new fact he uncovers, Edmund finds himself in more danger, and several times has to fight off attempted assassins (and for a clerk, he's perhaps a bit to good at doing this to be entirely believable, though it makes for a good story).
The story is firmly anchored in history, though the conclusions are likely not (though the are intriguing).
I'm not sure this would be as interesting to general mystery readers who aren't otherwise interested in English history, but for those who are it's a good read.
Edward the II was a rather ineffective king of England in the early Fourteenth Century. He was deposed by his wife Isabella and her lover Mortimer, who ruled until is son Edward III came of age and overthrew his mother and Mortimer, having Mortimer executed and Isabella sent into basically house arrest. Edward II was believed murdered under orders from Mortimer.
P. C. Doherty is an historian, and this is his first novel. In it, Edward III, seventeen years after Edward II's supposed murder, appoints Edmund Beche, a clerk, to look into the death of is father. It's told in a series of letters from Edmund to a friend, as Edmund tries to find out what really happened. Why did an old woman dress Edward corpse rather than a court official? What happened to the woman? Why wasn't her buried in Westminster like other kings? What really happened in what history records as a failed attempt to break him free before the murder?
With each new fact he uncovers, Edmund finds himself in more danger, and several times has to fight off attempted assassins (and for a clerk, he's perhaps a bit to good at doing this to be entirely believable, though it makes for a good story).
The story is firmly anchored in history, though the conclusions are likely not (though the are intriguing).
I'm not sure this would be as interesting to general mystery readers who aren't otherwise interested in English history, but for those who are it's a good read.
November 27, 2024
8.4/10
I really didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I somewhat reluctantly took it from my mom after she had placed it in her "to donate" bin and told me I may like it. I am glad I did take in. Some spoilers ahead.
This fun historical mystery is told to the readers via letter from Clerk Edmund Beche and his friend Richard Blinton in the year 1346-47. Beche has been tapped by King Edward III to delve into the murder of his father, Edward II, some 16 years prior. We, the reader, are taken through the stinking streets and alleys of London to the green hills of Norfolk, to the castles of rural England, the forests of Wales, the battlefields of Normandy, and Rome.
As Beche investigates he learns that things just don't add up and also slowly learns that the reason for the King having him search for the truth may have a sinister motivation behind it. Why was Edward II not buried in Westminster Abbey? Why did an old woman attend to his corpse and not a doctor? Why did the Queen Mother Isabella send men to kill Beche?
I liked Edmund Beche as a character. He is a clerk so he has attention to detail and is very book smart. He has also partaken in some campaigns in decades past which makes him not total dead weight when forced into war torn northern France. He also is a funny guy who tries to convince Richard that he did not love his mistress Kate...even after doing a very dangerous side quest to avenge her death.
I really didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. I somewhat reluctantly took it from my mom after she had placed it in her "to donate" bin and told me I may like it. I am glad I did take in. Some spoilers ahead.
This fun historical mystery is told to the readers via letter from Clerk Edmund Beche and his friend Richard Blinton in the year 1346-47. Beche has been tapped by King Edward III to delve into the murder of his father, Edward II, some 16 years prior. We, the reader, are taken through the stinking streets and alleys of London to the green hills of Norfolk, to the castles of rural England, the forests of Wales, the battlefields of Normandy, and Rome.
As Beche investigates he learns that things just don't add up and also slowly learns that the reason for the King having him search for the truth may have a sinister motivation behind it. Why was Edward II not buried in Westminster Abbey? Why did an old woman attend to his corpse and not a doctor? Why did the Queen Mother Isabella send men to kill Beche?
I liked Edmund Beche as a character. He is a clerk so he has attention to detail and is very book smart. He has also partaken in some campaigns in decades past which makes him not total dead weight when forced into war torn northern France. He also is a funny guy who tries to convince Richard that he did not love his mistress Kate...even after doing a very dangerous side quest to avenge her death.
November 22, 2025
Very breezy read at 170 pages or so with my copy. An epistolary novel it’s a fun what if for some medieval history with nice insight into the day to day. At times the narrative went a little too far left with our main character hired for their smarts and attention to detail able to do some more action hero things. And some of what motivated our character came from places not really coming through the text. Justified in the sense that the narrator was playing his cards close to the chest but maybe some of those things could have been foreshadowed better or let certain conversations play out a little different. Still those are minor nitpicks for what should mostly be enjoyed as a good read of travel through important sites in medieval England.
January 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book, even though I found some aspects of the plot improbable. The tale is interesting, it is well written, and the plot moves along at a good pace.
I found it particularly refreshing that the author does not romanticize the era. The ubiquitous filth and unremitting savagery of the time are made plain without any salacious lingering over details - the narrator simply mentions them in passing, as part of the landscape. It is also made plain that while no one was immune, it was the "lower orders" that paid the highest price for the games of kings.
I would read more by this author if I come across his books.
I found it particularly refreshing that the author does not romanticize the era. The ubiquitous filth and unremitting savagery of the time are made plain without any salacious lingering over details - the narrator simply mentions them in passing, as part of the landscape. It is also made plain that while no one was immune, it was the "lower orders" that paid the highest price for the games of kings.
I would read more by this author if I come across his books.
October 5, 2025
This is a cracking book if on the short side. It is the story of the death or otherwise of King Edward II told through a series of letters written by a royal clerk , Edmund Beche to a friend, a prior. In the letters Beche details his adventures as he investigates the events around the kings death, initially at the direction of the current King Edward III but as Beche untangles conspiracy enmeshed in plot and lie he finds himself hunted across a continent and declared outlaw by the said King.
The tale hangs together well and the author weaves historical documents and events into a compulsive and coherent narrative.
Recommended
The tale hangs together well and the author weaves historical documents and events into a compulsive and coherent narrative.
Recommended
May 20, 2017
A well written and engaging fictional account of the death of King Edward the II of England. Doherty tells the tale through a series of letters written by the clerk Edmund to his friend Richard, a prior at Croyland Abbey. Edmund is hired by King Edward III to investigate his father's murder and uncover the truth. Or least that is how it appears but the task soon becomes more complicated. This was Doherty's first work of fiction. The action moved quickly once the setting and characters were introduced.
January 16, 2021
In 1345 Edward III demands an insignificant clerk, Edmund Beche, investigate the 1327 murder of his father, Edward II. Beche soon comes to realise all is not what it seems as he starts asking questions including of Edward III’s mother, Isabella, leading to his presence at the Battle of Crecy and finally, pursued by the King’s men, to Italy to resolve the mystery. Unveiled in a series of letters to a Prior friend, this is involving and “plausible”, although many characters sound the same and Beche’s persistence goes beyond common sense. 3.5
November 9, 2022
Clerk Edmund Beche is commissioned by King Edward III to investigate the murder of his father Edward II eighteen years previously. What follows is a wild goose chase across medieval Europe with plenty of twists and atmosphere. Written as a series of letters penned by Beche, this is a clever mystery based on well-researched historical facts, paired with intriguing speculation.
November 6, 2023
Decent little novel, exciting for the most part, but I found it peters out a little towards the ending, but still offers a satisfactory conclusion.
As ever Doherty ties everything to historical event and fact very tightly.
Not so much a whodunnit as a "What if?" Story.
As ever Doherty ties everything to historical event and fact very tightly.
Not so much a whodunnit as a "What if?" Story.
September 3, 2025
Wonderful Stuff.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Just the right balance of fact and fiction to grasp you and hold you enthralled in the moment of history. A right Royal who did what to who where and when. Wonderful Stuff.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Just the right balance of fact and fiction to grasp you and hold you enthralled in the moment of history. A right Royal who did what to who where and when. Wonderful Stuff.
July 7, 2024
I was lukewarm about this book, but it just kept getting better and better, and ultimately very surprising.
June 1, 2012
This was so much better than I expected. I was hesitant to read this book mostly because it's description and cover looked so dates I was certain it would be snoozefest.
I was so wrong. I read the entire book in one sitting and then researched the characters online. Doherty really made an already intriguing subject (the murder of Edward II) even better by presenting it through such a unique lens. Having the murder investigated and then reported on through a series of letters made every discovery feel important and urgent.
I will be honest and say if you are a historical fiction reader who thrives on historical accuracy this may not be the book for you. Doherty has clearly researched the subject but much of his conclusions are based on unsubstantiated rumors. They are undoubtedly more interesting than the truth but probably not accurate.
I was so wrong. I read the entire book in one sitting and then researched the characters online. Doherty really made an already intriguing subject (the murder of Edward II) even better by presenting it through such a unique lens. Having the murder investigated and then reported on through a series of letters made every discovery feel important and urgent.
I will be honest and say if you are a historical fiction reader who thrives on historical accuracy this may not be the book for you. Doherty has clearly researched the subject but much of his conclusions are based on unsubstantiated rumors. They are undoubtedly more interesting than the truth but probably not accurate.
August 23, 2010
A historical quasi mystery set in 12th century England. Using historical information, the author turns the death of King Edward II into a mystery regarding how did he die and what actually happened. In this story, King Edward III commissions an Oxford clerk in 1345 to find out the truth regarding the supposed death of his father, Edward II, at Berkley Castle in 1327. The clerk, Edmund Beche, then embarks on an investigation that takes him around England, France and Italy to discover the truth putting his life in peril by placing him in the middle of court intrigues.
The story is told through a series of letters by Beche to a friend. Not the greatest mystery novel, but it keeps one's interest.
The story is told through a series of letters by Beche to a friend. Not the greatest mystery novel, but it keeps one's interest.
June 30, 2016
I didn't like this as much as I hoped to, though the second half of the book was better than the first. I found the writing to be somewhat self-conscious: the language seemed forced, the characters were one dimensional, and the plot plodded (sorry). Still, it was an interesting gloss on the fate of Edward II.
June 5, 2011
This book is definitely Historical Fiction. Very interesting. It is the story of the Plantagenets - particularly Edward II, Edward III and Queen Isabella. Edmund Beche is commissioned to find out the truth about the death of Edward II. What he finds may cost him his life.
July 2, 2012
Paul doherty took an already mysterious situation from history and wrote a whole mystery novel around it. I did only give it 4 stars because it took a bit to get into. once it got moving though I couldn't put it down.
November 18, 2015
I liked how much I learned from this book, and from looking up the historical facts, on which it's quite firmly based. Of course there is a somewhat fantastical hypothesis set out regarding the topic of the title. The style is somewhat stilted, though, and the characters a little sketchy.
October 7, 2007
Read this a while back. All I remember is that I was surprised by how easily I was drawn into the story.
October 6, 2010
I couldn't make it through the faux-fourteenth-century language. "I tried to hide my trembling breathlessness."
Yeah. Me too.
Yeah. Me too.
December 7, 2010
A surprisingly good read.
March 14, 2011
Fascinating read. Engrossing. Never saw that ending coming.
March 3, 2012
I love historical mysteries that gives one pause for thought. Could this story really be true?
June 10, 2013
You can see the development that led to Hugh Corbett. Some unusual twists and turns.
June 26, 2013
It took awhile for me to get into it, but by the end I was liking it a lot. Enjoyed the history aspect.
October 26, 2013
Marvelous! Intricate, dense, well written. A short book that packed a real punch!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews