St Mungo's Robin

Fourth entry in the Gil Cunningham historical mystery series set in 1490's Glasgow, Scotland. Gil is a lawyer, now in the employ of the church and thus he is who is the Questore when the Deacon at St. Mungo's is found murdered. There are several suspects, as no one liked him much, and an inspection of the accounts reveals that he was skimming a lot of money and properties. He had only just announced his intention to marry--and not to marry his mistress, who essentially shared his home--which upset a number of people in the household, not least the mistress herself. And other dead bodies follow, which seem to be tied to the first murder but which only complicate things. On a personal note, Gil and his betrothed Alys are nearing their wedding day, and he is concerned because she grows more distant. He thinks at first that it's just all the preparations for out-of-town family and friends and the celebration itself wearing on her, but fears that she is regretting the decision to marry. Gil must also deal with his somewhat wild and unconventional younger sister, Tib, who was found in flagrante dilecto with her lover--with all the complications that entails in that place and time. I do enjoy this series, despite usually being able to figure out the mystery well in advance--as I did with this one. I will say again that the only reason I continue to mark these down somewhat is because of the copious use of the vernacular...if it were modern Scots slang used just occasionally, I wouldn't have such a problem with it, but the language of the time was quite different and the author uses it very pervasively. Sometimes you can figure out what's meant, other times not, and it does pull me out of the story momentarily. What might be helpful is a glossary of at least the most frequently used words, which I do find helpful in several other historical series. Still, I love the characterizations, the historical details and that's why I keep reading on in the series.

I began this series in Scotland getting the books from the library...and lining up for them as I was not the only one hooked. I have read the entire series and can't wait for the next one. Good story, great character development and the history just makes the whole thing a solid package.

1493 Glasgow Scotland is fast becoming one of my favorite places in which to immerse myself. Gil Cunningham is a man of law who escaped a life in the Church in book one of this series, the Harper's Quine. Instead he becomes the Archbishop's Questioner for his city and the surrounding countryside. He's a natural at it. His soon-to-be-father-in-law, Master Mason Pierre, is a great help and so is his bride to be, Alys. Each book reveals more about the intriguing world of late 15th century Scotland. This mystery is fascinating to watch unfold. From how long a body has been dead to telling time without clocks, it's a good puzzle dressed in unfamiliar garments. The characters often speak in broad dialect and some of the passages can be tricky to read. But once the vernacular gets in your head, it gets easier to figure out what was said. Some of the clues will be familiar to readers - how the accounts are kept, is there a woman or two to question, who's lying and about what. And a very satisfactory conclusion to the whole tangled mess. An excellent read!