Cruel as the Grave

Rating:
Summary: Not her best, but enjoyable
Review: Although the Justin de Quincy series does not equal Penman's supurb historical novels (especially Here be Dragons, Falls the Shadow, and The Reckoning) and The Queen's Man is the better mystery of the two that have appeared so far, Cruel As the Grave is nevertheless enjoyable and Penman's gift for characterization is strongly evident here, as in all her novels.

Rating:
Summary: The other reviews are unfair
Review: No this is not the same quality of novel as Penman's brilliant historical fiction. But this is also 200 pages and a mystery. I think the other reviewers are comparing apples and oranges and unfairly judging this book. This is remarkably better than The Queen's Man. I must admit I did not solve that mystery, but neither did the author. The ending of that book was a cheap way out of a knot into which the story had been wound. This book was much more logical. The clues where there and although I had early suspiscions of the ultimate culprit, it kept me intersted to the end. The mystery in this case evolves separately from the intrigue at court - so there are really two simultaneous situations for Justin to juggle. It is NOT 1000 pages of brilliant fiction - but it is a fun, quick-read mystery set in 1193. Take it for what it is and you'll enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: The other reviews are unfair
Review: No this is not the same quality of novel as Penman's brilliant historical fiction. But this is also 200 pages and a mystery. I think the other reviewers are comparing apples and oranges and unfairly judging this book. This is remarkably better than The Queen's Man. I must admit I did not solve that mystery, but neither did the author. The ending of that book was a cheap way out of a knot into which the story had been wound. This book was much more logical. The clues where there and although I had early suspiscions of the ultimate culprit, it kept me intersted to the end. The mystery in this case evolves separately from the intrigue at court - so there are really two simultaneous situations for Justin to juggle. It is NOT 1000 pages of brilliant fiction - but it is a fun, quick-read mystery set in 1193. Take it for what it is and you'll enjoy it.

Rating:
Summary: This is not the Penman quality I've come to expect.
Review: The first novel I read of Sharon Kay Penman took me less than a week to complete. It was well over a thousand pages and I had finals in graduate school, but I couldn't put it down. Cruel of the Grave is not the same caliber of book. Penman's gift of developing characters and a storyline that readers feel intimately involved with is not established in this text. I have read all of her historical novels. After reading each novel I anxiously waited for the next to be published. Penman's talent clearly lies within her ability to write amazing medieval novels, not medieval mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: This is not the Penman quality I've come to expect.
Review: The first novel I read of Sharon Kay Penman took me less than a week to complete. It was well over a thousand pages and I had finals in graduate school, but I couldn't put it down. Cruel of the Grave is not the same caliber of book. Penman's gift of developing characters and a storyline that readers feel intimately involved with is not established in this text. I have read all of her historical novels. After reading each novel I anxiously waited for the next to be published. Penman's talent clearly lies within her ability to write amazing medieval novels, not medieval mysteries.