The Crediton Killings

Knights Templar #4

by Michael Jecks

The Knights Templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land—until an avaricious king who wanted their wealth savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his innocent murdered brothers.

An Ill Wind

The arrival of the eminent Bishop of Exeter to the small Devonshire town of Crediton—coupled with the unwanted appearance of a particularly unsavory band of mercenary soldiers—has made life exceedingly difficult for Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, and ex-Knight Templar Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace. But it is the grim discovery of the body of a young girl hidden in a chest that unleashes a village-wide plague of fear and suspicion. Stemming the chaos may be beyond the powers of two dedicated upholders of the law. For the Crediton killings have only just begun—and each murder to follow threatens to be more heinous and baffling than the one before.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Medieval, Historical, Crime

386 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

Michael Jecks is a best-selling writer of historical novels. The son of an Actuary, and the youngest of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994

He is the author of the internationally popular Templar series, perhaps the longest crime series written by a living author. Unusually, the series looks again at actual events and murders committed about the early fourteenth century, a fabulous time of treachery, civil war, deceit and corruption. Famine, war and disease led to widespread despair, and yet the people showed themselves to be resilient. The series is available as ebooks and all paper formats from Harper Collins, Headline and Simon and Schuster. More recently he has completed his Vintener Trilogy, three stories in his Bloody Mary series, and a new Crusades story set in 1096, Pilgrim's War, following some of the people in the first Crusade on their long pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He has also written a highly acclaimed modern spy thriller, Act of Vengeance.

His books have won him international acclaim and in 2007 his Death Ship of Dartmouth was shortlisted for the Harrogate prize for the best crime novel of the year.

A member of the Society of Authors and Royal Literary Society, Jecks was the Chairman of the Crime Writers' Association in 2004-2005. In 2005 he became a member of the Detection Club.

From 1998 he organised the CWA Debut Dagger competition for two years, helping unpublished authors to win their first contracts He judged the CWA/Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for three years.

Michael Jecks is a popular speaker at literary festivals and historical meetings. He is a popular after-dinner and motivational speaker and has spoken at events from Colombia to Italy, Portugal to Alaska.

His own highlights are: being the Grand Marshal of the first parade at the New Orleans 2014 Mardi Gras, designing the Michael Jecks fountain pen for Conway Stewart, and being the International Guest of Honour at the Crime Writers of Canada Bloody Words convention.

Michael lives, walks, writes and paints in North Dartmoor.

Reviews

[Michael Jecks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This came from reading Terry Jones' excellent book Chaucer's Knight. A wonderful read that puts the medieval knight into a true perspective. They weren't the kindly, gentlemanly folks from Arthurian legend, but a group of all-powerful, money-grabbing crooks who could have a man killed for an insult without fearing retribution.
This was the period before the Hundred Years War, and when a group of mercenaries turned up in Crediton, it was reason for everyone to be careful. A story which should grab even the most lacklustre historical crime buff!

[David Serxner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get Michael Jeck's books sent to me from by my family in England, as I do not know if you can get them in the States. He does his research. The books are excellent--very well written. I like a good mystery, and these most certainly are!

[Nigel James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just started rereading it as I have friends who live in that part of Devon the books are wickedly written he keeps you griped from page 1

[Janette Townend]

Another excellent Medieval Mystery that kept me guessing til the end.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying this series by Michael Jecks.

[Deborah Pickstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fourth book in the series is weaker, I think, than the first three. This is because the 'mystery' rests on the device of the unnamed murderer's thoughts being available to the reader but not his identity, which I find rather clumsy. The ending also was poor and, to me, did not gel.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An A1 author who offers well researched, well written historical fiction. I love Dartmoor and Devon and it was a joy to find these stories that enlivens the history of this area.

[Dyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would classify this as a medieval murder mystery/medieval police procedural/historical fiction. The plot and main characters are memorable and well-written, and all five senses are used when reading about the lifestyles of the people, customs, countryside setting, smells, sounds, raw brutality, etc. of the time period. It is evident that it has been well researched. The political intrigue and infighting that takes place in the series background has been laid aside in this book; and in fact, Sir Baldwin Furnshill, ex-Knight Templar, is portrayed as a hero instead of a villain. There are also plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings to keep the plot moving along. I gave it four instead of five stars because the reading of the investigatory questioning became slow in spots.

A group of unsavory mercenary soldiers are returning to Gascony, France when they take a break and stop in Crediton, Devonshire for a few days. Sir Hector de Gorsone leads a group of 30 brutal and violent men who go where they want and fight for whoever they want. They make money for themselves by fighting for armies on the winning side. They change sides if the winner becomes a loser. They have become a nuisance to local villages because they take whatever they want.

At the same time, the eminent Bishop Stapledon, a great politician and man of God, along with Rector Roger de Grosse who is looking for a church to minister to, has come to town and is staying with Peter Clifford, the local priest. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace and Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, and his family are also visiting Clifford to meet with the bishop. Furnshill had been a warrior monk, one of the Knights Templar until the Order has been disbanded. Now he just wants to live a quiet existence. So far, that's not working out so well.

A young man named Philip Cole arrives and asks to join Gorsone's band. He is taken in hand by Henry the Hurdle and John Smithson, two of Gorsone's top men. Sarra, the tavern serving girl, is almost raped by one of the men, but Gorsone saves her and beds her himself. She is looking for someone rich to marry and is later found stabbed to death inside a clothing chest belonging to Gorsone. Did she see or hear something she shouldn't have? Furnshill and Simon are called in to investigate the murder. In the meantime, Gorsone is livid because his fortune in silver plate is missing, and he's sure the thief is Philip Cole and that Cole murdered Sarra. When Cole is found he is unconscious, and Henry and John are with him and claim to have caught him. Cole only had two silver plates and a small leather purse. Humm?

For Furnshill, the obvious murderer doesn't add up and Gorsone is pressing hard for vengeance. Furnshill and Puttock methodically and carefully investigate all possibilities and discover clues that only lead to more clues. Before it's all over, two more women are killed.

Some subplots include:
- Simon and his wife Margaret are trying to cope with the death of their infant son, Peterkin, to a childhood illness. They both are trying to process the loss and have drawn away from each other.
- It is obvious to his men that Gorsone's leadership is becoming questionable. Some of the men want a change because, lately he has been getting a reputation for losing contracts. A man named Wat is manipulating to make a move to oust Gorsone as leader and take over the band. Is he incompetent or not?
- The beggar woman who was killed left behind a little boy named Rollo. Who is his father? What's to become of him? The obvious answer is Simon and Margaret, but they have many reasons why that wouldn't be feasible. It's a surprise who does take him.

A summary of the investigation of events by Furnshill and Puttock is found in chapter 25. There is a juxtaposition taking place in this book between the loving relationship of Furnshill, Simon and Margaret and the power, greed and selfishness of the mercenaries. The climax is quite suspenseful and thrilling and involves Margaret. There is also a twist at the end that has someone getting his just desserts! Part of the time we have the POV of the killer. Creepy. The character development between our two sleuths is through the agony and grief that Simon is going through and the understanding and sympathy that Furnshill shows toward him and Margaret - they all become more humanized through these interactions. Highly recommended.

[Yarisel Margarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

En Los asesinatos de Crediton, todo empieza con lo que parece un simple robo: alguien se lleva el tesoro de Sir Henry, el temido capitán de los mercenarios. Pero lo que parece una travesura menor se convierte rápidamente en una pesadilla sangrienta para Crediton. El robo es apenas el primer hilo enredado de una trama mucho más oscura, y pronto empiezan a aparecer cuerpos por toda la ciudad, cada asesinato más brutal y espeluznante que el anterior.

Desde el primer crimen, queda claro que hay una mente calculadora detrás, alguien que no solo quiere venganza, sino que busca castigar con precisión quirúrgica. Los alguaciles Simon Puttock y Sir Baldwin Furnshill se ven atrapados en una carrera contra el tiempo, tratando de descubrir al culpable mientras enfrentan la hostilidad de los habitantes del pueblo, todos sumidos en una red de secretos, traiciones y viejas rencillas. A medida que los alguaciles avanzan en la investigación, descubren que el robo del tesoro de Sir Henry es solo la superficie de algo mucho más retorcido. La lista de sospechosos crece con cada pista, y resulta que en Crediton nadie es completamente inocente: desde los mercenarios hasta miembros de la iglesia y personas de influencia, todos parecen tener algo que ganar o perder. Cada nuevo descubrimiento nos lleva de una sospecha a otra, hasta que finalmente llega el momento de la verdad, revelando al culpable en un giro tan impactante como lógico.

El final deja una sensación de satisfacción oscura. Al final, el asesino no es solo una persona, sino un reflejo de una comunidad atrapada en sus propias pasiones y codicias. Te das cuenta de que el verdadero villano es ese tejido de secretos que todos guardaban, algo tan profundo y podrido que, al revelarse, no queda un solo rincón de Crediton sin mancha. La historia se cierra con ese tipo de impacto que solo logran las novelas bien construidas, dejándote con una mezcla de asombro y tristeza.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simon and Baldwin are in Crediton to meet with the Bishop and local priest, Peter Clifford. A band of mercenary soldiers also arrive and soon the bodies of murdered women are turning up all over town. The basic plot is credible but somewhat convoluted with red herrings in every direction. My reason for giving this book such a low rating, however, is due to Jecks extreme insensitivity regarding the death of loved ones, especially children. If you have ever experienced the loss of a child, I do not recommend this book. There are constant references to having another son to replace the one that died, to getting over the loss of a toddler due to illness, and to getting over the loss of a parent. This book was originally published in 1997. I am going to guess that Mr Jecks had never experienced the loss of a close loved one when he wrote this. Granted, the novel is set in the 14th century when death, especially of children, was a frequent occurance and viewed differently by society at that time. I would expect the views noted above to be expressed in that context but I would also expect an author writing in 1997 to show some sensitivity regarding how painful such views are to the bereaved.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Crediton Killings features a former Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin Furnshill. Earlier books may have explained how he escaped arrest and death when King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V united in their efforts to destroy the Order in the early 1300's.

At any rate, Sir Baldwin managed to survive and return to his father's estate in Devon. (oh, a little searching, and the first book in the series The Last Templar will probably explain Baldwin's survival and subsequent return to Devon).

At the time The Credition Killings opens, Sir Baldwin is Keeper of the King's Peace. Requested to investigate a theft of silver plate from the captain of a group of mercenaries and the murder of a young woman, Sir Baldwin and his friend Simon Puttock, the Bailiff find the situation a bit more complicated than it originally appears.

Things do not improve with the murders of two more women.

Not a bad mystery, but since I followed it up with The Leper's Return by Jecks, I can see the improvement in the series.

[Richard Schwindt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The medieval mystery holds an odd appeal. Those times are long departed and yet we want to impose a format that is modern in its sensibility. Much is known of the middle ages and we can see much we recognize in, say, the writings of Chaucer. Michael Jecks is surely one of the most skilled practitioners of this very specific art, and the Crediton Killings one of his best novels. A party of mercenaries; brutal and violent soldiers, arrive in town and take over the local Inn. Not long after a young serving girl is found murdered. This leaves keeper of the King’s Peace, Sir Baldwin Furnshill and his grieving friend, Bailiff Simon Puttock with a tricky problem. The obvious solution doesn’t add up and some very dangerous people are pressing for vengeance. Jecks manage to capture the raw brutality of the era, humanize his characters and tell a great story at the same time. This book holds your attention and, as an added bonus, is filled with interesting historical detail. Highly recommended over a tankard of Ale.

[Alger Smythe-Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very enjoyable novel with some real invention in places, but where it matters it reverts to the usual shortcuts of the genre (need to raise the stakes here, let's put someone in needless peril). Also, the personal issues of the characters take up too much space with soap opera banalities. I certainly enjoyed the story though, and the misdirection at several parts was very effective. The piecemeal delivery of additional details was particularly well done in my opinion, and each new piece allowed us to move through the case with the investigators. Less convincing however, were the sensibilities of the protagonists, who largely felt like 20th century characters in medieval garb. Uneven, but enjoyable.

[Janneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een heerlijke ontdekking. Een serie over twee vrienden, een baljuw en een vrederechter. De serie speelt zich af in de 14de eeuw werpt niet alleen een leuke blik over het functioneren van politie en rechtspraak, maar ook over de armoede, vuiligheid en misstanden in die tijd.
In het boek "Het mooie lijk" zorgt een horde huurlingen voor een heleboel onrust in het kleine stadje Crediton. Simon Puttock, de baljuw, en Sir Baldwin Furnshill (de vrederechter) moeten een diefstal en drie moorden zien op te lossen.
Tot op het einde blijft het raadselachtig wie de dief en de moordenaar is. Of is de dief ook een moordenaar?

[J. Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time of the Templar has always been appealing to me. Historical research has told us that their history is very complex. It is hard to know what is true and what is rumor and speculation. Other than being a Templar in the past and having been on a crusade, the main character, Baldwin, could have been any knighted man in the area. I don't see a good enough link to the Templar life in him and in the story. The story itself was entertaining. I enjoyed reading it, even though the identity of the killer was almost evident as soon as his wife was murdered and we learned that Hector and that wife were misbehaving.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars I enjoyed it but I didn't love it beyond all. The Medieval era is interesting, life SO different... and gross! Filth beyond our imagining, the lack of basic needs, the poverty. Even the wealthy didn't have it as good as most of us.
I did enjoy the banter between Simon and Sir Baldwin. They are good men whom one can respect, good solid main characters.
I'd like to go back to the beginning of the series because I like the characters, though it is not at all necessary to read them in order. I started with this one because it appeared and looked good. :-)

[K.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this. Nice brutal nasty murders, and a good misdirect wherein almost anyone could have 'dunnit'. a tense scene at the end where poor Margaret Puttock is captured by the villain and taken to the top of a church steeple! I really felt for Baldwin and Hugh climbing up it as I too have a deep hatred for heights!

[Rev. M. M. Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was enjoyable, but there seemed to be a bit too much explanation at the end. Like the old Hollywood mysteries, the detective brings everybody into the library and explains the crime. This worked the same way; at least three chapters were devoted to why things happened the way they did. It would have been better if the action showed the events.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in Michael Jecks medieval mystery series, the Crediton Killings. In the usually prosperous and peaceful town of Crediton three women are murdered as a band of mercenaries descend on the local tavern. Our duo investigators Baldwin and Simon have to weave the facts of the case into a theft of silver plate and rumblings of a leadership coup among the mercenaries. Satisfying read.

[MaiiNerea! · Rating 5 out of 5]

No me esperaba que este libro me gustase tanto, pero es que esta tan bien escrito, bien hubicado en la epoca y ademas tiene de todo.
Podes encontrar tanto el crimen en sí, como tambien traicion, romance, caballeros, etc.
Me parecio una lectura muy entretenida y medio chimentera, ya que contas con la perspectiva de cada uno de los involucrados de este pueblo.
RECOMENDADOOO!!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Figuring out "whodunnit"was too easy

This is the first time in this series that I knew who the killer was rather early. I didn't think it was as good as the others I've read so far

[Cindy DavisClark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read one other book by this author. Murder mystery that takes place in Medieval times. I don't think I will read another by this author. I did not enjoy the out come and how the crime was resolved. It seemed to take too long to reach the conclusion.

[Bethan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another mystery for Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King’s Peace, and Simon Puttock, Bailiff of Lydford, to solve. A band of mercenaries arrive at the Devonshire town of Crediton. The captain of the mercenaries had his silver stolen and 3 women are murdered.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

a well told tale

[Chris Turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing who was the murderer right through to the end. Good descriptions of village life in that era, I could nearly smell the offal.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and satisfying.

[Bryngel · Rating 2 out of 5]

So halfway through (not an easy read at that) I finally remembered that I had read this miserable book before. Obviously nothing much to remember.

[Gerry Grenfell-Walford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I couldn't get immersed in this. I might come back to it but it didn't seize and keep my interests, so am putting it aside unfinished.

[Gerry Grenfell-Walford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I struggled to keep engaged with this, and in the end decided to bow out early. Let see if the next installment picks up a bit.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was suspense but the read was slow and tedious