A Head for Poisoning

First Sentence: The early morning mist lay thick and white across the river, and there was a chill in the air. Upon hearing that his father is dying, Sir Gregory Mappestone heads back to his family's home, Goodrich Castle. But rather than a warm family reception, he finds a feud between his family and their Welch neighbors of Llan Martin which results in the death of a knight carrying a message to King Henry I. Henry asks Gregory to spy on his family in order to identify a traitor. His youngest sister, Enid, is dead, his father claims he is being poisoned and his other siblings are continually bickering among themselves and accusing him of only coming home in an effort to take over the Castle. Any book by Beaufort/Gregory is one I know will be well researched and very well written. This was certainly no exception. Even with the setting in the 1100s, the characters come alive. The scenes of the family arguments reminded me of the scene from "The Lion in Winter" when they are all in the dungeon. Geoffrey is an unusual knight. He is a hardened warrior, more interested in education than looting, and with his own personal phobia. He is in a situation where no one is what they seem but he must uncover the truth before he can leave and return to France. What made it fun was that, as a reader, I was being continually surprised by the characters who are enabled by a deceptively twisted story. I've become a real junkie for mysteries in historical periods/setting but they must be done well. Beaufort does it very well.

It's 1101--dawn of a new century, and Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is back in "A Head for Poisoning," this being the second in the series by Simon Beaufort. Taking up where the first episode was centered (in Jerusalem), Sir Geoffrey is throughly disgusted with the bickering--and lack of success--in the Holy City and returns home, to the Welsh border (he's been gone 20 years!). His companion on the return trip is a knight who claims he is carrying an urgent message for King Henry I. Alas, the knight is killed and it falls upon Sir Geoffrey to deliver the message to the king. Henry immediately "enlists" his help and Sir Geoffrey finds himself in an awkward position--spying on his own family! Unfortunately, too, Sir Geoffrey's father dies, and these inheritors of his estate are not the meek! He soon concludes that his father's death is murder and even Sir Geoffrey is a suspect! Beaufort's series--and it's continuing--is a good one, one that is historically bound--as far as most historical mysteries actually are!--and his style of writing is sound, quickly paced, and filled with anecdotal episodes that spice up the narrative. This novel of greed, fear, and eventually justice is well worth the read!([email protected])

Set in the 12yh century this novel has multiple murders and multiple suspects.The plotis so good that you cant put it down.Even modern mystery fans will like this and i dont often reccommend historical mysteries to non officianados.For fans of historical novels i bet you will love it.Better than the first in the series which was set in the holy land.The plot surrounds a succession dispute within a noble family and is coupled with a plot to kill the king.Very believable and i bet you cant guess who the murderers are until the end of this book.