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The Mammoth Book of More Historical Whodunnits
Three dozen mystery writers—among them Elizabeth Peters, Edward D. Hoch, Tom Holt, Margaret Frazer, Susanna Gregory, Derek Wilson, Marilyn Todd, and Michael Jecks—contrive deadly conundrums in the original stories commissioned especially for the volume. Its chilling, suspenseful pages include lethal doings in old Byzantium, the case of a serial killer loose in Elizabethan London, and terror in Celtic Wales, while inexplicable killings in medieval Sherwood Forest make sleuths of Robin Hood and Maid Marion and a perplexing murder in ancient Rome turns the orator Quintilian into Perry Mason. Readers of the immensely popular first Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits will welcome back Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder and his occasional employer, the lawyer Cicero (in a story never collected before in book form), Peter Tremayne's Sister Fidelma in medieval Ireland, and Mary Reed and Eric Mayer's John the Eunuch, the Emperor Justinian's Lord Chamberlain. Edward Hoch, Keith Taylor, and Cherith Baldry also turn such familiar historical figures as Christopher Columbus, John de Mandeville, and Geoffrey Chaucer into detectives in this new Mammoth collection of historical mysteries.
512 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2001
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142 people want to read
About the author
Mike Ashley
278 books131 followersMichael Raymond Donald Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 7, 2017
A real mixed bag with some strong stories and some mediocre ones. In this volume all of the tales had been specially commissioned by the editor. There should be something here for any fan of historical mysteries whether they be set in ancient Rome or Medieval England.
September 30, 2015
Poppy and the Poisoned Cake - Steven Saylor
Gordianus the Finder is tasked to discover why someone is trying poison a Roman censor. Outstanding story, with a political twist for ending. Gordianus is a very likable character.
Blind Justice - Michael Kurland
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus -- advocate and educator -- solves a blind young man accused of parricide. Rather humorous.
A Payment to the Gods - Rosemary Rowe
Libertus the Pavement-Maker is called by his patron to help a pious mercenary to honor the much prayed-for birth of his first son after many tries. However, the baby seems to vanish from his crib..
The last Legion - Richard Butler
Can't stand the writing. Skipped.
And All that He Calls Family - Mary Reed & Eric Mayer
In the days of Emperor Justinian, John the Eunuch investigates the strange case of a cursed tablet in connection with a young widow who once was a slave.
Death of an Icon - Peter Tremayne
Sister Fidelma investigates the real reason why an old, frail philosopher was hung to death in his room, in what seemed like a robbery gone wrong.
King Hereafter - Philip Gooden
A retelling of the MACBETH murder, from Canmore's perspective. Lady MacBeth is a wily one!
The Death Toll - Susanna Gregory
A knight hears out the age-long fight between a group of Welshmen and a Priory, on who should keep the toll collected from a bridge. After he gives the verdict, they drink to it, and the prior dies.
I really liked this one, a classic how-did-he-get-murdered story, with a handful of suspects and clear clues.
The Isle of Saints - Kate Ellis
A young monk is deceived into stealing a precious book by a devious man, who in turn, soon gets murdered.
A Perfect Crime - Derek Wilson
A group of Knights Templar travels to provide funds to the King. On the way, the leader is murdered, and the funds are stolen.
On Wings of Love - Carol Anne Davis
The King's falconer seeks high and low for the King's favorite falcon.
A Lion Rampant - Jean Davidson
An ex-spy is recalled to London by someone he implicated years ago. Upon his arrival, that someone is mauled to death by a lion. Coincidence?
The Amorous Armourer - Michael Jecks
The armourer is found murdered in his lonely house. This one bothered me, because all the sympathy is for the lonely dead man, but somehow
Benefit of Clergy - Keith Taylor
A girl-dressed-as-boy and her disreputable companion unravels a ruse on the road -- a rogue to be murdered by an honest man.
The Pilgrim's Tale - Cherith Baldry
Fittingly enough, Chaucer solves a murder among a group of pilgrims, and averts an international disaster meanwhile. Very fun.
And What Can They Show, or What Reasons Given? - Mat Coward
During the Peasant's Revolt, a murder must be solved the night before they all gather to the capital to negotiate with the King.
I've never heard of this event before: an early iteration of socialism, and the universal and galling nature of slavery.
Heretical Murder - Margaret Frazer
A nondescript scribe is found murdered after a bar brawl. Or was he killed for some other reason? A priest and a young apprentice investigates.
A Moon for Columbus - Edward D. Hoch
Christopher Columbus has to solve the murder of his favorite page boy the night before he sets foot onto "India."
House of the Moon - Claire Griffen
An Italian assassin and spy is inveigled into Istanbul to solve the murder of the sultan's favorite odalisque. On the one hand, mystical and lush world of the harem a la One Thousand and One Night. On the other hand, stereotypes of the twisted oriental-middle eastern minds, murderous and salacious and cruel. Enjoyable, but potentially problematic.
Flibbertigibbet - Paul Finch
Savage serial murder plagues London in the days of Henry VIII, decapitating prostitutes and splitting their bellies open. Urmston the reluctant Spy and his servant Kingston investigates.
The Vasty Deep - Peter T. Garratt
Hamlet the exiled prince of the Danes is trying to make ends meet by acting as scribe to a troupe of London Players, polishing up scripts and solving mysteries on the side. He is inveigled by Walsingham into taking a closer look at a nobleman and his mistress, who claims to be the descendant of Owen Glendower.
Light and rather sweet, to think of Hamlet, a prince poorer than even actors, having to keep his deluded friends Rosencrantz and Gildenstern in an insane asylum while writing false letters back home about himself laboring under more delusions in order to escape the attention of his stepfather.
A Taste for Burning - Marilyn Todd
Humf. Romance and bad historical backgrounding and anachronistic talking and behavior as a woman investigates the burning his her sister for a witch. Dislike this one.
Gordianus the Finder is tasked to discover why someone is trying poison a Roman censor. Outstanding story, with a political twist for ending. Gordianus is a very likable character.
Blind Justice - Michael Kurland
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus -- advocate and educator -- solves a blind young man accused of parricide. Rather humorous.
A Payment to the Gods - Rosemary Rowe
Libertus the Pavement-Maker is called by his patron to help a pious mercenary to honor the much prayed-for birth of his first son after many tries. However, the baby seems to vanish from his crib..
The last Legion - Richard Butler
Can't stand the writing. Skipped.
And All that He Calls Family - Mary Reed & Eric Mayer
In the days of Emperor Justinian, John the Eunuch investigates the strange case of a cursed tablet in connection with a young widow who once was a slave.
Death of an Icon - Peter Tremayne
Sister Fidelma investigates the real reason why an old, frail philosopher was hung to death in his room, in what seemed like a robbery gone wrong.
King Hereafter - Philip Gooden
A retelling of the MACBETH murder, from Canmore's perspective. Lady MacBeth is a wily one!
The Death Toll - Susanna Gregory
A knight hears out the age-long fight between a group of Welshmen and a Priory, on who should keep the toll collected from a bridge. After he gives the verdict, they drink to it, and the prior dies.
I really liked this one, a classic how-did-he-get-murdered story, with a handful of suspects and clear clues.
The Isle of Saints - Kate Ellis
A young monk is deceived into stealing a precious book by a devious man, who in turn, soon gets murdered.
A Perfect Crime - Derek Wilson
A group of Knights Templar travels to provide funds to the King. On the way, the leader is murdered, and the funds are stolen.
On Wings of Love - Carol Anne Davis
The King's falconer seeks high and low for the King's favorite falcon.
A Lion Rampant - Jean Davidson
An ex-spy is recalled to London by someone he implicated years ago. Upon his arrival, that someone is mauled to death by a lion. Coincidence?
The Amorous Armourer - Michael Jecks
The armourer is found murdered in his lonely house. This one bothered me, because all the sympathy is for the lonely dead man, but somehow
Benefit of Clergy - Keith Taylor
A girl-dressed-as-boy and her disreputable companion unravels a ruse on the road -- a rogue to be murdered by an honest man.
The Pilgrim's Tale - Cherith Baldry
Fittingly enough, Chaucer solves a murder among a group of pilgrims, and averts an international disaster meanwhile. Very fun.
And What Can They Show, or What Reasons Given? - Mat Coward
During the Peasant's Revolt, a murder must be solved the night before they all gather to the capital to negotiate with the King.
I've never heard of this event before: an early iteration of socialism, and the universal and galling nature of slavery.
Heretical Murder - Margaret Frazer
A nondescript scribe is found murdered after a bar brawl. Or was he killed for some other reason? A priest and a young apprentice investigates.
A Moon for Columbus - Edward D. Hoch
Christopher Columbus has to solve the murder of his favorite page boy the night before he sets foot onto "India."
House of the Moon - Claire Griffen
An Italian assassin and spy is inveigled into Istanbul to solve the murder of the sultan's favorite odalisque. On the one hand, mystical and lush world of the harem a la One Thousand and One Night. On the other hand, stereotypes of the twisted oriental-middle eastern minds, murderous and salacious and cruel. Enjoyable, but potentially problematic.
Flibbertigibbet - Paul Finch
Savage serial murder plagues London in the days of Henry VIII, decapitating prostitutes and splitting their bellies open. Urmston the reluctant Spy and his servant Kingston investigates.
The Vasty Deep - Peter T. Garratt
Hamlet the exiled prince of the Danes is trying to make ends meet by acting as scribe to a troupe of London Players, polishing up scripts and solving mysteries on the side. He is inveigled by Walsingham into taking a closer look at a nobleman and his mistress, who claims to be the descendant of Owen Glendower.
Light and rather sweet, to think of Hamlet, a prince poorer than even actors, having to keep his deluded friends Rosencrantz and Gildenstern in an insane asylum while writing false letters back home about himself laboring under more delusions in order to escape the attention of his stepfather.
A Taste for Burning - Marilyn Todd
Humf. Romance and bad historical backgrounding and anachronistic talking and behavior as a woman investigates the burning his her sister for a witch. Dislike this one.
July 23, 2019
This book is difficult to find because the title is too similar to many other mystery anthologies that Mike Ashley has edited over the years. The cover art even appears on a book called "The Mammoth Book of More Historical Whodunnits" but I took time to make sure this is the correct book before reviewing it.
There are 22 short stories in this collection -- I've found that has been the case with most of the Ashley edited mystery anthologies that I've read before. Five of the stories are set in ancient Rome though all during the Imperial period. The rest of the stories are in the Middle Ages into the Age of Discovery (going by European categories). All but two stories take place in Europe while "A Moon for Columbus" by Edward D. Hoch takes place on the ocean and "And All That He Calls Family" by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer is set in Constantinople (modern day Turkey).
Because of the time periods covered, these mysterious are a matter of observation and interview, not science though some attempts at a rough scientific idea is applied in a few. If you really want lab scenes that are part of modern mystery solving, you won't find them here.
For me, this was a mixed bag in terms of stories that kept my attention. Isn't the case for most anthologies?
There are 22 short stories in this collection -- I've found that has been the case with most of the Ashley edited mystery anthologies that I've read before. Five of the stories are set in ancient Rome though all during the Imperial period. The rest of the stories are in the Middle Ages into the Age of Discovery (going by European categories). All but two stories take place in Europe while "A Moon for Columbus" by Edward D. Hoch takes place on the ocean and "And All That He Calls Family" by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer is set in Constantinople (modern day Turkey).
Because of the time periods covered, these mysterious are a matter of observation and interview, not science though some attempts at a rough scientific idea is applied in a few. If you really want lab scenes that are part of modern mystery solving, you won't find them here.
For me, this was a mixed bag in terms of stories that kept my attention. Isn't the case for most anthologies?
December 1, 2018
I enjoy these big collections because there's usually a wide variety in the stories.
But now I'm going to admit: I didn't read all the stories in this book. Medieval blasted England; I am so very, very sick of medieval damn England. If you put together all the characters in the mystery novels and short stories set in medieval England, they would outnumber the people who were actually there. I've enjoyed my share, but it seemed like half the stories in this book are set in medieval England. There are other time periods and other countries, people!
Proved by other stories in the book: we have some ancient world (Rome is starting to become overpopulated by detectives, too) and some later time periods (the story of "Christopher Columbus, Navy Detective" seemed to end a bit abruptly).
But still, not enough variety. I went out of my way to find a copy of this book. It was a disappointment. Unless, of course, you're really into medieval England.
But now I'm going to admit: I didn't read all the stories in this book. Medieval blasted England; I am so very, very sick of medieval damn England. If you put together all the characters in the mystery novels and short stories set in medieval England, they would outnumber the people who were actually there. I've enjoyed my share, but it seemed like half the stories in this book are set in medieval England. There are other time periods and other countries, people!
Proved by other stories in the book: we have some ancient world (Rome is starting to become overpopulated by detectives, too) and some later time periods (the story of "Christopher Columbus, Navy Detective" seemed to end a bit abruptly).
But still, not enough variety. I went out of my way to find a copy of this book. It was a disappointment. Unless, of course, you're really into medieval England.
October 1, 2019
Honestly, I found the collection to be disappointing. Even the best-known writers' contributions are a bit thin. I found myself wondering, halfway through the volume, if the conventions of historical mystery are simply ill-suited to the short story. Ellis Peters' novellas may be the exception proving the rule. Character development, plot, and atmosphere all fell fairly consistently flat for me here, from the 3rd century to the 17th.
June 30, 2018
As with all anthologies it was a mix of the good, the bad and the average but with a definite bias towards the good. Some of the authors I knew, some I was happy to learn about. It did add a number of new entries on my "to-read" list so in this aspect this anthology has been a success - and it made me interested in other "mammoth" books by this author.
March 11, 2022
Almost every story was 4.5 stars. From the Roman era through the Elizabethan era it was full of well written mysteries. My favorites were "The Amorous Armorer" by Michael Jecks and "The Perfect Crime" by Derk Wilson.
January 17, 2010
Very enjoyable collection of stories overall, although I would have preferred perhaps more stories set in Roman times or post-Elizabethan England. There were quite a few stories set during the Dark Ages and the Crusades, eras which I have very little interest in.
My favourite stories in this anthology are probably The Last Legion by Richard Butler, telling of the "last crime" before the Romans sailed away from Britain, and Flibbertigibbet by Paul Finch, featuring a "Jack the Ripper" in Elizabethan times. Finch really captured the grittiness and heavy, oppressive feeling of danger hanging the detective as he investigated the treacherous streets where the desperately poor live.
My favourite stories in this anthology are probably The Last Legion by Richard Butler, telling of the "last crime" before the Romans sailed away from Britain, and Flibbertigibbet by Paul Finch, featuring a "Jack the Ripper" in Elizabethan times. Finch really captured the grittiness and heavy, oppressive feeling of danger hanging the detective as he investigated the treacherous streets where the desperately poor live.
May 23, 2020
"Poppy and the Poisoned Cake," by Steven Saylor (2005): 7.25
- A distracting little ditty, if you don't stare at it too hard or think too much about the actual “sleuthing” on display here, as well as the connection between the manner and situation in which information is divulged and the actual workings of the human psyche [in which a Roman “Finder,” from Cicero’s era investigates the potential poisoning of a Senator by his wife and son]. Oh well, I've learned by now that that's far from the point. What matters is seeing the plan, at the end, in whole. And, here, tossing in some dashes of “historical” half-otherness and half-recognition to keep the bread and circus crowd chomping.
- A distracting little ditty, if you don't stare at it too hard or think too much about the actual “sleuthing” on display here, as well as the connection between the manner and situation in which information is divulged and the actual workings of the human psyche [in which a Roman “Finder,” from Cicero’s era investigates the potential poisoning of a Senator by his wife and son]. Oh well, I've learned by now that that's far from the point. What matters is seeing the plan, at the end, in whole. And, here, tossing in some dashes of “historical” half-otherness and half-recognition to keep the bread and circus crowd chomping.
October 7, 2007
I started this earlier but just finished it over the weekend. It's a collection of historical mystery short stories. Overall, I liked the book a lot with a few stories here and there that I wasn't overly found of. It's a great introduction to historical mysteries.
January 12, 2010
Mystery short stories from Roman to Elizabethan times. Gave this up as a waiting-room book and finished it off. Enjoyed all but the last few, set in medieval and elizabethan times, which seemed less well written and more gothic-romance-ish.
June 27, 2015
This wasn't what I thought it was going to be and really wasn't my cup of tea. I don't much care for this type of story. Most of them fit too nicely into a template of shorts. Mystery is presented. Seems impossible. Investigator guy does one clever thing. Then solves it with a tidy summary.
March 21, 2012
Not as good as the third one, but still entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews