Dragon's Lair: A Medieval Mystery FROM THE PUBLISHER
July 1193: Richard Lionheart, eldest and most favored son of Dowager Queen Eleanor, languishes in a German dungeon, held for ransom by the Holy Roman Emperor. In England, his brother John, desperate for the crown, plots with the King of France to make sure Richard never leaves his prison alive. But the queen has already begun to meet the ransom demands. It is only a matter of time before the Emperor turns over his royal prisoner.
And then one of the ransom payments vanishes in the fastnesses of Wales, itself wracked by rebellion and intrigue. Into this maelstrom, Eleanor sends her trusted man, Justin de Quincy. Murder soon follows.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In Penman's third polished medieval mystery (after 1998's Cruel as the Grave), her dedicated and resourceful hero, Justin de Quincy, tries to recover, quite literally, a king's ransom in coffers of precious metals and bales of wool, which are as valuable as gold, that have been stolen in northern Wales. It's 1193, and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine fervently needs to ransom her eldest son, Richard Lionheart, from the Holy Roman Emperor before King Philippe of France can interfere and her younger son, John, can seize the crown. Justin proceeds into the thickets and wild forests of Wales, where he's deeply mistrusted both as an Englishman and an outsider. He must penetrate abundant Welsh intrigues and deceptions in order to discover the treasure as well as solve murders and comfort bereaved lovers. Despite a large cast of characters from every social class, Penman keeps them all clearly distinguishable. Her familiarity with Cheshire and Wales is evident in her descriptions of the terrain and verdure, while her use of modern language, with only an occasional "for certes" to remind readers of the period, makes the story a pleasure to read. Author tour. (Oct. 13) FYI: The first mystery in the series, The Queen's Man (1996), was nominated for an Edgar. Penman is also the author of The Sunne in Splendour (1982) and five other historical novels. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Library Journal
Justin de Quincy heads for Wales, where a payment to help ransom Richard Lionheart has disappeared. The third in a series. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
Adult/High School-In this sequel to The Queen's Man (Ballantine, 1998), Dowager Queen Eleanor is desperately trying to rescue her son Richard Lionheart, imprisoned by the Holy Roman Emperor. Meanwhile, her youngest son, John, plots to ensure that his brother never leaves prison alive. Justin De Quincy, the illegitimate son of the Bishop of Chester, is sent to Wales by the queen to recover one of the ransom payments, which has mysteriously disappeared. It was primarily in the form of fine Cistercian wool sent in wagons under guard to Chester. De Quincy investigates the theft and delves into the labyrinthine politics of Wales. Davydd, a prince of North Wales, claims the payment was stolen and the guards slain. Using friends and contacts and his own wits, De Quincy comes close to tracking it down, and then becomes a target himself. Amid scheming, murder, and mayhem, he ultimately prevails. Medieval Britain comes alive in this fast-paced tale. Students of history and those just looking for a good mystery will be equally rewarded.-Molly Connally, Chantilly Regional Library, VA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A sample of the deadly historical intrigue behind the phrase "a king's ransom." As summer wears on in 1193, Eleanor, Dowager Queen of England and Duchess of Aquitaine, is working feverishly to raise the extravagant ransom demanded for the release of her oldest son Richard, King of England, from Germany. John, her sly and ruthless youngest son, is working equally hard to keep Richard rotting in prison. When a shipment of expensive wool, an important ransom contribution, disappears in Wales, Eleanor turns to young Justin de Quincy, one of her most capable men, to recover it. Justin travels to Chester en route to Wales, where he must take into his and the Queen's confidence his father, Aubrey de Quincy, Bishop of Chester, a man loyal to the Queen who has never acknowledged Justin as his son. At length he learns that Davydd ab Owain, the Welsh prince, was responsible for the loss of the ransom: He'd sent it almost entirely unguarded directly into an ambush. Either Davydd is actually as incompetent as he seems, or, as Justin suspects, there are wheels within wheels turning in Wales. The third in Penman's medieval series (Cruel as the Grave, 1998, etc.) sandwiches a polished and absorbing historical mystery in between Justin's frequent encounters with beautiful women and dangerous men.
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