Red Slayer: Being the Second of the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan

This is the second book in the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan series. This novel combined with the early books in the Hugh Corbett series is one of Paul Doherty's earlier offerings and he has since written many more books and is now an established author of medieval novels and has also added a number of novels on Egypt to his ever growing list of titles. Having said that it is one of his earlier offerings does not mean that it is inferior to his current books, quite the opposite. The Hugh Corbett mysteries were and are extremely popular and Paul Doherty has found another winner with the Brother Athelstan series. In this novel Brother Athelstan is set a conundrum. What appears to be the perfect crime, the murder of Sir Ralph Whitton. Sir Ralph is the Constable of the Tower of London and he is found in one of its bleak and forbidden chambers. But the door was still locked from the inside and was guarded by trusted men. The crux of the matter is how did the murderer enter the chamber, commit the crime and then get out leaving the door locked from the inside and not disturbing the guards in the process? Why was the Constable so terrified and appalled by the message he received on days before his death?

i read the first and second in this series this weekend-these are must reads for those who like medievil mysteries.^The plots are outstanding and you find yourself identifying with athelstan and the widow benedicta.There is romanse mystery and terrific plots.Not to downgrade ellis peters but i am not sure his novels are quite as good as these.These are books you cant put down and after reading them you will wonder as i did why the author stopped writing them.Read these and you wont be disappointed