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Roger the Chapman #9
The Saint John's Fern
It is October 1477 and Roger the Chapman, newly married and still enjoying wedded bliss, is surprised to find his old, familiar feeling of restlessness returning. Within a month he is setting off, once again, on the ancient ridge road that dissects Dartmoor and heads for Plymouth, driven by some instinct that he is needed there.
Roger accepts a lift from a carter who is going to visit his daughter, Joanna, in the oldest part of the city. Roger's instinct is soon proven correct when Joanna tells the story of her neighbor, Master Capstick, who was brutally beaten to death. The chief suspect is Capstick's great-nephew, Beric. Master Capstick's housekeeper saw Beric leaving the house that morning, his tunic stained with blood, and many more people saw the young man's wild ride for home on his great black horse. When the King's men arrived at Beric's manor house, though, the horse was already in the stables-and Beric had somehow managed to vanish completely.
The local people, quick to fall back on the witchcraft of their ancestors, blame the Saint John's fern, which if eaten can make a man invisible. Roger, already responsible for solving many difficult mysteries, suspects that there is a more obvious answer and begins his own inquiries. Roger notices that he is not the first to approach witnesses, and when an attempt is made on his life, Roger knows he must be close to a truth that is even more extraordinary than the superstition - if only he can live to tell it.
Roger accepts a lift from a carter who is going to visit his daughter, Joanna, in the oldest part of the city. Roger's instinct is soon proven correct when Joanna tells the story of her neighbor, Master Capstick, who was brutally beaten to death. The chief suspect is Capstick's great-nephew, Beric. Master Capstick's housekeeper saw Beric leaving the house that morning, his tunic stained with blood, and many more people saw the young man's wild ride for home on his great black horse. When the King's men arrived at Beric's manor house, though, the horse was already in the stables-and Beric had somehow managed to vanish completely.
The local people, quick to fall back on the witchcraft of their ancestors, blame the Saint John's fern, which if eaten can make a man invisible. Roger, already responsible for solving many difficult mysteries, suspects that there is a more obvious answer and begins his own inquiries. Roger notices that he is not the first to approach witnesses, and when an attempt is made on his life, Roger knows he must be close to a truth that is even more extraordinary than the superstition - if only he can live to tell it.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 1999
About the author
Kate Sedley
37 books105 followersBrenda Margaret Lilian Clarke, known by her pen name Kate Sedley, was an English historical novelist best known for her Roger the Chapman mystery series. Born in Bristol in 1926, she also published as Brenda Honeyman and Brenda Clarke.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 12, 2013
After the sad death of Ellis Peters and the realisation that Cadfael would be forever gone, with no new adventures. Kate Sedley was where I turned. This particular story has a twist at the end and it keeps you guessing all the way through, after Cadfael's adventures I've found Roger the Chapman equally as compelling, and again they show how history has changed the British landscape. This was one of the most enjoyable of Kate Sedley's books because of the unexpected ending!!
April 21, 2013
In 1477, Roger becomes suspicious of the supposed murder of an old man by his grand-nephew.
Another quick read from this Medieval era-detail oriented author. Lots of fun.
Another quick read from this Medieval era-detail oriented author. Lots of fun.
October 10, 2025
#9 in the 15th Century English Roger the Chapman mystery series. It is 1522 and 70 year old Roger is recounting his life starting with leaving the life of a monk at Glastonbury at age 19 in 1471, to set off into the world as a wandering peddler or chapman and finds his true calling in solving mysteries.
October, 1477 and Roger, now 25, is just reaching Plymouth. He left his home in Bristol in August newly remarried, for the open spaces is back driven by some instinct that he is needed there. In Plymouth, Roger finds himself involved in investigating the brutal murder of a prominent local businessman by his nephew who several witnesses identify that happened 5 months ago. Since the primary suspect has apparently vanished without a trace, the neighbors are convinced that witchcraft is involved due to the belief that eating the raw leaves of St. John's fern renders one invisible which Roger doesn't believe. So once again, Roger decides to use his considerable skills of detection to discover the truth as he uncovers an unsavory plot and an attempt on his life.
October, 1477 and Roger, now 25, is just reaching Plymouth. He left his home in Bristol in August newly remarried, for the open spaces is back driven by some instinct that he is needed there. In Plymouth, Roger finds himself involved in investigating the brutal murder of a prominent local businessman by his nephew who several witnesses identify that happened 5 months ago. Since the primary suspect has apparently vanished without a trace, the neighbors are convinced that witchcraft is involved due to the belief that eating the raw leaves of St. John's fern renders one invisible which Roger doesn't believe. So once again, Roger decides to use his considerable skills of detection to discover the truth as he uncovers an unsavory plot and an attempt on his life.
August 13, 2018
Another installment in what is so far a very well written series. The story is fast paced and engaging with lots of interesting characters, many of whom are quite endearing.
October 19, 2019
Very good read.
February 13, 2024
Pleasant, interesting, light reading. Probably fairly historically accurate. Ok to read out of sequence.
I'd not heard of this author or this series before, so it's nice to discover a new resource.
I'd not heard of this author or this series before, so it's nice to discover a new resource.
August 12, 2008
#9 Roger the Chapman medieval mystery in which a newly-married Roger heads off to Plymouth, directed there by one of his dreams, and sure enough, finds a mystery that needs solving. Oliver Capstick was murdered in his home about five months ago, and everyone knows the culprit—his nephew, Beric Gifford. They had argued heatedly the day before and he was seen both coming and going from the uncle’s home, even to the point of having a dark stain on his tunic on his way out. But no one, including the Sheriff’s posse, can find him, despite searching not only the countryside, known haunts and his manor estate.
Everyone thinks he took St. John’s Fern, a flower that legend says can make a person disappear. Roger is a bit skeptical of course, though isn’t one to totally discount the supernatural. His travels lead him over the countryside to several villages and to Beric’s home of Villetort Manor in search of the young man or at least a search for some clue as to w here he’s gone.
I always enjoy this series, even though I thought the solution to the mystery in this one was quite obvious right from the beginning. In fact, I wanted to clunk Roger over the head with the oh-so-simple clues, but I let him off easily since he was a newlywed and likely to be a bit muddled. LOL Anyway, another wonderful foray into 1400’s England; I wish these weren’t so difficult to find—I always have to order them from my library and I hate giving them back. A
Everyone thinks he took St. John’s Fern, a flower that legend says can make a person disappear. Roger is a bit skeptical of course, though isn’t one to totally discount the supernatural. His travels lead him over the countryside to several villages and to Beric’s home of Villetort Manor in search of the young man or at least a search for some clue as to w here he’s gone.
I always enjoy this series, even though I thought the solution to the mystery in this one was quite obvious right from the beginning. In fact, I wanted to clunk Roger over the head with the oh-so-simple clues, but I let him off easily since he was a newlywed and likely to be a bit muddled. LOL Anyway, another wonderful foray into 1400’s England; I wish these weren’t so difficult to find—I always have to order them from my library and I hate giving them back. A
October 22, 2015
This is yet another entertaining medieval tale from Kate Sedley. It's 1477 and Roger the Chapman, still on his 'honeymoon'with his new bride in Bristol, England, finds his restlessness returning. Driven by some instinct that he skills as a sleuth are needed, he sets off through Dartmoor to Plymouth on the southwest coast of England. Roger's instinct is soon proven well founded when he hears of a brutal murder, the victim a Master Capstick, a well respected and wealthy businessman. The chief suspect is Capstick's great-nephew, Beric. He is seen leaving the scene by many witnesses, but when the constables arrive at his manor, Beric had somehow managed to vanish completely.
The locals believe the witchcraft of their ancestors, and blame the Saint John's fern, which if eaten can make a man invisible. Roger, is not convinced, and begins his own inquiries, and when an attempt is made on his life, he knows he must be close to a truth. A most enjoyable read that provides the reader with an excellent sense of life in those harsh times of medieval England. As a murder mystery, the plot was an interesting one, but I have to admit that I solved it a couple of chapters before the end.
The locals believe the witchcraft of their ancestors, and blame the Saint John's fern, which if eaten can make a man invisible. Roger, is not convinced, and begins his own inquiries, and when an attempt is made on his life, he knows he must be close to a truth. A most enjoyable read that provides the reader with an excellent sense of life in those harsh times of medieval England. As a murder mystery, the plot was an interesting one, but I have to admit that I solved it a couple of chapters before the end.
September 9, 2008
It took me a while to get into this book, but about halfway through it finally grabbed my interest, so I'm not sure if it was me or the book.
I don't read a lot of mysteries, generally speaking, and when I do, I tend to prefer the ones that I THINK I have figured out and then WHAMMO it turns out to be something totally different. With this book, I had it cracked about 50 pages before the sleuth. I kept waiting for the big twist that would blow my mind, and it just turned out that I was right. I was kind of let down by that, oddly enough.
The one big disappointment was that I thought that the book would give more atmospheric details from the period of the book, and there wasn't that much at all. There were some interesting social differences, though, like sharing your bed with a stranger who needs a place to stay and general superstitions, but I was hoping for a bit more.
I don't read a lot of mysteries, generally speaking, and when I do, I tend to prefer the ones that I THINK I have figured out and then WHAMMO it turns out to be something totally different. With this book, I had it cracked about 50 pages before the sleuth. I kept waiting for the big twist that would blow my mind, and it just turned out that I was right. I was kind of let down by that, oddly enough.
The one big disappointment was that I thought that the book would give more atmospheric details from the period of the book, and there wasn't that much at all. There were some interesting social differences, though, like sharing your bed with a stranger who needs a place to stay and general superstitions, but I was hoping for a bit more.
August 17, 2010
A rich old man is beaten to death. His nephew is seen leaving the scene, all bloody, and has now disappeared. The question of why and how the accused murderer disappeared as if invisible is a neat mystery. Roger the Chapman doesn't like murderers who get away with it, but things don't work out quite the way he expected. He can charm clues out of the local housewives, but somebody is working hard to twist the information.
Roger's forest travels made me feel his love of nature. It balances his chatty, sociable nature and gives me a sense of being at home on the road with him.
Roger's forest travels made me feel his love of nature. It balances his chatty, sociable nature and gives me a sense of being at home on the road with him.
April 23, 2014
From the time of the Wars of the Roses, these novels give readers a double pleasure: lots of good cultural and social, as well as historical, detail about Medieval England and really fun puzzle/murder mysteries. It helps that the protagonist "detective," a chapman (travelling salesman) who has a background in the holy orders and is big, good looking, and skillful at fighting, is engaging and sympathetic (often fooled along with the reader).
April 25, 2011
Murder and alleged witchcraft abound in this offering from Kate Sedley. A twist in the tale that would make Agatha Christie proud.
January 23, 2012
A tepid mystery, with a sanctimonius main character, which I nevertheless felt compelled to complete, just to find out how it ended.
December 19, 2015
Enjoyed it, but I guessed the ending by about the two thirds point in the book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews