Rating: 
Summary: very enjoyable medieval mystery
Review: This is the first book I've read by Sharon Penman, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Told in the third-person, the narrative describes the actions and feelings of a queen, a criminal and a slew of London archetypal characters, but primarily our perspective is that of Justin de Quincy, the well-educated but illegitimate son of a cleric who is trying to find his place in the world. A dramatic chance encounter leaves him with an introduction to Eleanor of Aquitane, who subsequently engages De Quincy as her agent in solving a local mystery that may have international implications.The plot is interesting, the dialogue is authentic without being heavy-handed, and the characters are realistic in their histories and actions. Penman knows her period, which shines through many details. This is the first book I've read by Sharon Penman but it won't be the last.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful medieval mystery
Review: When Richard the Lionhearted goes missing, a merchant, carrying news about the King's whereabouts, is murdered on the road. Queen Eleanor hires your Justin de Quincey to solve the murder. Was the murderer a member of the merchant's family? Or did thugs, sent by the King of France, kill him? In this tale of historical intrigue, Sharon Kay Penman weaves a brilliant tapestry of deception, guilt and betrayal. While I don't enjoy her Murder Mysteries as much as I do her epic Trilogies, Penman puts a lot of work into the stories she tells, and carries them out beautifully, with much attention to detail. Her characters seem modern; though Penman's conversational tone makes those characters so very easy to understand. It is a scintillating, refreshing approach to the murder mystery.
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