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Kathryn Swinbrooke #5
Saintly Murders
In the late summer of 1472, medieval physician and apothecary Kathryn Swinbrooke is summoned to investigate yet another puzzling situation in Canterbury. She is appointed by the Archbishop as Advocatus Diaboli - the Devil's Advocate - to argue against the beatification of Roger Atworth, a friar in the Order of the Sack and confessor of King Edward's mother. Atworth has died under mysterious circumstances, and there are rumours afloat of miraculous happenings surrounding his body. When Kathryn begins asking questions at the friary about Atworth's death, she discovers that the logical explanation is murder, not a miracle. But Kathryn suspects a link between his death and that of an English spy outside the friary. With the murderer still on the loose, what began as a search for the town's ills becomes Kathryn's pursuit of a killer...
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Celia L. Grace
9 books27 followersor C.L. Grace, alias of author Paul Doherty
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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 8, 2015
More problems for Katherine Swynbrook, apothecary and physician in the city of Canterbury in the reign of Edward IV. In this one she has to deal with a plague of rats as well as murders, but she can cope, aided by dishy Colum Murtagh, and her faithful Thomasina. Another very enjoyable mystery.
January 21, 2023
Interesting story with some interesting true history.
August 1, 2023
Saintly Murders
Kathryn Swinbrooke #5
By C L Grace, aka Paul Doherty
Reviewed August 1, 2023
It’s 1472, and as Friar Roger Atworth lays dying, he is haunted by his sins. A man well past his seventy-fifth year, Roger was once a soldier and a very unpleasant one at that. With Henry V at Agincourt, he was a member of one of the Free Companies and relished in not just “honorable” combat, but murder, rape, and pillaging. You know, the usual medieval military stuff.
But while in France, he was taken prisoner by the Vicomte de Sanglier, and whatever happened to him while captive changed him. When he was eventually released, he wanted to make up for his sinfulness. Roger returned to England, confessed his sins, and went on pilgrimage.
When he returned to England, he became a merchant but later gave up all his wealth and became a friar in the Order of the Sack, becoming known for his sanctity, austerity, and prayer. His holiness gained him the attention of the rich and famous, and he became the confessor of none other than Cecily, Duchess of York and mother of the current king. Yeah, Big Ed (my nickname for Edward IV) makes an appearance in this story, as does the rest of the York clan, including Baby Bro (Richard of Gloucester).
Following his death, Duchess Cecily wants to see the Blessed Roger Atworth beatified. As part of the investigative process, Kathryn Swinbrook, physician and apothecary, is appointed by Archbishop of Canterbury Bouchier to be Advocatus Diaboli (Devil’s Advocate) to argue against the saintly man’s beatification. There are already reports of miraculous happenings associated with Roger’s body, and while some are eager for Roger’s beatification, others are not. It seems that Canterbury is not big enough for a second saint who will siphon off the pilgrims (and their gifts/money) from the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket.
Meanwhile, Canterbury is dealing with a rat infestation – both the two-legged and the four-legged varieties. The four-legged vermin are showing up all over the place in larger numbers than ever seen before, eating food stores, infiltrating buildings, gobbling up the goodies in the midden heaps, and generally being the unwanted pests for which they are famous.
As for the two-legged variety? They may be related to plots being hatched across the channel, in the court of French king Louis XI, the Spider King as French and English agents converge upon Canterbury in a deadly medieval version of spy vs. spy.
Once again, Kathryn and King’s Commissioner Colum Murtagh are called upon to look into the death of the Blessed Roger (whose death is looking more and more like murder rather than a saintly, peaceful death), as well as other, seemingly unrelated, events.
To add to all this, King Edward and his court show up to find out how things are going. For the second time (the first in a previous story), Kathryn is summoned to appear before the king and give her report in person.
She sees Edward as a magnificent, towering man with cynical blue eyes and full lips whose lazy charm masks a steel will and an iron heart. She also meets the king’s younger brothers again. George of Clarence would be a truly handsome man if not for his scowl and sneer, and Richard of Gloucester is a prince with a reputation for being both a stalwart warrior and someone who can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies.
And of course, there is Duchess Cecily, who Colum considers a very dangerous woman, one who is proud and beautiful but with a vindictive streak. “She adores her eldest son, Edward, and does not brook opposition.”
Once again Doherty gives us a mystery with lots of twists and turns and good doses of history as Kathryn tries to learn the truth about the death of the Blessed Roger Atworth while making sure she doesn’t step on royal toes and anger the wrong person. Anyone familiar with the history of the House of York and the assorted scandals associated with it will probably be able to figure out Duchess Cecily's big secret, but that didn't make the book any less fun to read.
Kathryn Swinbrooke #5
By C L Grace, aka Paul Doherty
Reviewed August 1, 2023
It’s 1472, and as Friar Roger Atworth lays dying, he is haunted by his sins. A man well past his seventy-fifth year, Roger was once a soldier and a very unpleasant one at that. With Henry V at Agincourt, he was a member of one of the Free Companies and relished in not just “honorable” combat, but murder, rape, and pillaging. You know, the usual medieval military stuff.
But while in France, he was taken prisoner by the Vicomte de Sanglier, and whatever happened to him while captive changed him. When he was eventually released, he wanted to make up for his sinfulness. Roger returned to England, confessed his sins, and went on pilgrimage.
When he returned to England, he became a merchant but later gave up all his wealth and became a friar in the Order of the Sack, becoming known for his sanctity, austerity, and prayer. His holiness gained him the attention of the rich and famous, and he became the confessor of none other than Cecily, Duchess of York and mother of the current king. Yeah, Big Ed (my nickname for Edward IV) makes an appearance in this story, as does the rest of the York clan, including Baby Bro (Richard of Gloucester).
Following his death, Duchess Cecily wants to see the Blessed Roger Atworth beatified. As part of the investigative process, Kathryn Swinbrook, physician and apothecary, is appointed by Archbishop of Canterbury Bouchier to be Advocatus Diaboli (Devil’s Advocate) to argue against the saintly man’s beatification. There are already reports of miraculous happenings associated with Roger’s body, and while some are eager for Roger’s beatification, others are not. It seems that Canterbury is not big enough for a second saint who will siphon off the pilgrims (and their gifts/money) from the shrine of St. Thomas a Becket.
Meanwhile, Canterbury is dealing with a rat infestation – both the two-legged and the four-legged varieties. The four-legged vermin are showing up all over the place in larger numbers than ever seen before, eating food stores, infiltrating buildings, gobbling up the goodies in the midden heaps, and generally being the unwanted pests for which they are famous.
As for the two-legged variety? They may be related to plots being hatched across the channel, in the court of French king Louis XI, the Spider King as French and English agents converge upon Canterbury in a deadly medieval version of spy vs. spy.
Once again, Kathryn and King’s Commissioner Colum Murtagh are called upon to look into the death of the Blessed Roger (whose death is looking more and more like murder rather than a saintly, peaceful death), as well as other, seemingly unrelated, events.
To add to all this, King Edward and his court show up to find out how things are going. For the second time (the first in a previous story), Kathryn is summoned to appear before the king and give her report in person.
She sees Edward as a magnificent, towering man with cynical blue eyes and full lips whose lazy charm masks a steel will and an iron heart. She also meets the king’s younger brothers again. George of Clarence would be a truly handsome man if not for his scowl and sneer, and Richard of Gloucester is a prince with a reputation for being both a stalwart warrior and someone who can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies.
And of course, there is Duchess Cecily, who Colum considers a very dangerous woman, one who is proud and beautiful but with a vindictive streak. “She adores her eldest son, Edward, and does not brook opposition.”
Once again Doherty gives us a mystery with lots of twists and turns and good doses of history as Kathryn tries to learn the truth about the death of the Blessed Roger Atworth while making sure she doesn’t step on royal toes and anger the wrong person. Anyone familiar with the history of the House of York and the assorted scandals associated with it will probably be able to figure out Duchess Cecily's big secret, but that didn't make the book any less fun to read.
September 27, 2026
Saintly Murders is another solid installment in the Kathryn Swinbrooke mystery series. Once again, the mystery is well-considered, the setting is engaging, and the relationships between the regular characters continue to develop.
Kathryn is called to a friary in Canterbury to investigate the death of a friar who is being considered for sainthood. It's not long before the friar's death turns into a murder investigation, and Kathryn begins to wonder if his murder is connected to the murder of an English spy found dead at a nearby inn. At the same time, a mysterious rat infestation is spreading through Canterbury and other deaths and political secrets begin to tie into the case.
Most of the series has been centered around Canterbury, but spending so much of this book in a friary gave it a slightly different atmosphere, and I thought that worked really well. We also get to meet some new characters while still seeing familiar faces from the previous books. I’m really enjoying watching the relationship between Kathryn and Colum continue to develop.
My one disappointment was that Thomasina isn't as involved in the story this time. She’s my favorite character in the series, and I missed having her around. I also wish Colum had been a little more present. He plays an important role, but he didn’t feel as central as he has in some of the earlier books.
I'm looking forward to continuing with this series and recommend it to people who like cozy mysteries in a medieval setting.
Kathryn is called to a friary in Canterbury to investigate the death of a friar who is being considered for sainthood. It's not long before the friar's death turns into a murder investigation, and Kathryn begins to wonder if his murder is connected to the murder of an English spy found dead at a nearby inn. At the same time, a mysterious rat infestation is spreading through Canterbury and other deaths and political secrets begin to tie into the case.
Most of the series has been centered around Canterbury, but spending so much of this book in a friary gave it a slightly different atmosphere, and I thought that worked really well. We also get to meet some new characters while still seeing familiar faces from the previous books. I’m really enjoying watching the relationship between Kathryn and Colum continue to develop.
My one disappointment was that Thomasina isn't as involved in the story this time. She’s my favorite character in the series, and I missed having her around. I also wish Colum had been a little more present. He plays an important role, but he didn’t feel as central as he has in some of the earlier books.
I'm looking forward to continuing with this series and recommend it to people who like cozy mysteries in a medieval setting.
October 20, 2020
Saintly Murders
by Celia L Grice
Was lead to this book via the website. I loved it
Murder in the confines of the friary overlapped by a murder in the local hostelry. They can not have anything to do with each other but?
Rats - Rats and more Rats everywhere, why have they suddenly appeared and are running amok around Canterbury.
Kathryn Swinbrooke is called in to the friary to look at the murder of the brother found dead in his bed. She is also asked to look at the death of a stranger found dead in bed at one of the local taverns.
What is going on. Secrets held by the highest in the land are poised to be revealed and confidences broken.
How is the dead man in the tavern, how was the brother friar killed when his doo was locked from the inside?
Kathryn must find out and find out what is happening about the rats.
by Celia L Grice
Was lead to this book via the website. I loved it
Murder in the confines of the friary overlapped by a murder in the local hostelry. They can not have anything to do with each other but?
Rats - Rats and more Rats everywhere, why have they suddenly appeared and are running amok around Canterbury.
Kathryn Swinbrooke is called in to the friary to look at the murder of the brother found dead in his bed. She is also asked to look at the death of a stranger found dead in bed at one of the local taverns.
What is going on. Secrets held by the highest in the land are poised to be revealed and confidences broken.
How is the dead man in the tavern, how was the brother friar killed when his doo was locked from the inside?
Kathryn must find out and find out what is happening about the rats.
June 21, 2023
a brush with death. and happy news.
Thinks are going well with Mistress Swinbrooke. She has her license and is doing good business in her shop. Column is still a boarder. But Katherine is more in the attention of the court. A Devil’s Advocte in the possible beatification of the Queen Mother’s confessor - whom Katherine suspects was murdered. As well as the King’s own soy, an old acquaintance of Master Murtargh. And all these rats that seem to be plaguing Canterbury, just as the pilgrimage season is beginning. Katherine faces more danger than she ever has as the list of victims grows and the links between murders grow more complex.
Thinks are going well with Mistress Swinbrooke. She has her license and is doing good business in her shop. Column is still a boarder. But Katherine is more in the attention of the court. A Devil’s Advocte in the possible beatification of the Queen Mother’s confessor - whom Katherine suspects was murdered. As well as the King’s own soy, an old acquaintance of Master Murtargh. And all these rats that seem to be plaguing Canterbury, just as the pilgrimage season is beginning. Katherine faces more danger than she ever has as the list of victims grows and the links between murders grow more complex.
March 2, 2023
Betrothed.
Love this man's work...and...after suffering along with the main characters as they stroll through and next to death...consistently... I believe that the betrothal of Kathryn and her Irishman should have been described in much more detail...the romance in these books is far too much left to one's imaginings for this reader!!! Anyway another well crafted plot with ...mostly...well written details and...though tough sometimes to read these varied and grisly details...A satisfying read. I do recommend Paul Robert's myriad works and thus recommend this book, as well.
Love this man's work...and...after suffering along with the main characters as they stroll through and next to death...consistently... I believe that the betrothal of Kathryn and her Irishman should have been described in much more detail...the romance in these books is far too much left to one's imaginings for this reader!!! Anyway another well crafted plot with ...mostly...well written details and...though tough sometimes to read these varied and grisly details...A satisfying read. I do recommend Paul Robert's myriad works and thus recommend this book, as well.
September 1, 2018
I wish Paul Doherty (aka C.L.Grace) would write some more Katherine Swinburne novels. I haven’t read one in awhile so I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed them. And it’s nice to have a principal character who is an intelligent woman with her own skill sets, and who has earned the respect of her community.
August 13, 2017
Great story
Again I Marvell at the twists and turns this book takes all the while keeping the reader engaged. Marvellous reading
Again I Marvell at the twists and turns this book takes all the while keeping the reader engaged. Marvellous reading
January 25, 2018
Una donna medico e speziale nella Canterbury medievale. Una storia di spie alla corte d'Inghilterra, alla fine della Guerra delle Due Rose. Adoro.
April 6, 2022
Who was it this time? I shall not tell!
One hell of mystery!! I even got it wrong. Nice work. Well written, an a whodunit at every turn. Great works from Paul Doherty
One hell of mystery!! I even got it wrong. Nice work. Well written, an a whodunit at every turn. Great works from Paul Doherty
February 12, 2023
As always Doherty at his very best.
March 12, 2023
Excellent addition to this fascinating series.
May 6, 2024
Für mich bis jetzt der beste Band. Die zwei Fälle waren super spannend und endlich geht zwischen Kathryn und Collum was weiter.
May 11, 2011
I enjoy the main character in these series of mysteries set in the time of the Yorkist King Henry IV> She is a local healer and herbist. She also has a boarder, Colum, an Irish mercenary now in the employ of that king. They are in love. the problem? Kathryn has a husband: is he still alive or was he killed fighting for the Lancasters? The archbishop has a problem: one of the local monks has died and there is a move to begin the process of sainthood. He appoints Kathryn to be devil's advocate and promises to seek the truth about her husband. Kathryn finds out the monk was murdered. They find the reason for the murder and the murderer. The archbishop tells her he has found her husband, her late husband , dead and buried. Kathryn & Colum are betrothed in a ceremony. The history of the times is interesting and quite fascinating in and of itself.
October 26, 2010
Written under one of the many pseudonyms of Paul Doherty, the Kathryn Swinbrooke series is one of my favorites of his and one of the best historical mystery series around. Apothecary and physician Kathryn is appointed Devils Advocate in the canonization of a newly dead friar in Canterbury. As she unravels the mystery of his death, more occur, engaging the very highest levels of the English nobility. Absolutely fascinating and wonderfully written, a delight at every level. Please, start at the beginning of this series as several major character themes are resolved.
June 28, 2014
This was my first book featuring Katheryn Swinbrooke and I enjoyed it very much. Because of Goodreads recommendations I had recently tried books from other series written by this author under his name Paul Doherty...liking one and not the other. Since I liked this book so much I will revisit Doherty's other series after I polish off all the Swinbrooke books. I know I will continue to like these!
September 1, 2010
Using Kathryn's medical skills, she and Colum make a good team investigating the mysteries of medieval Canterbury. Fascinating look into the lifestyle and politics of the time along with the influence religion plays. This is a buy...
July 17, 2013
Mediocre medieval murder mystery
July 10, 2014
I was quite surprised that Grace (Doherty) used another closed room mystery. This makes 3 in a row. A very complicated story but well written with an easy flow.
April 9, 2016
When ever I am finding it hard to get a good book I turn to Paul Doherty. Her always manages to hit my mystery sweet spot. This book did not let me down. A good read.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews