A Trust Betrayed
- Book Review,
by Candace M. Robb
From Publishers Weekly
Author of the acclaimed Owen Archer mystery series (The Nun's Tale; etc.) set in late 14th-century England, Robb introduces Dame Margaret Kerr in the alluring first of a new series placed in 13th-century Scotland. The spring of 1297 finds Margaret with her mother-in-law, Katherine, in Dunfermline. Roger Sinclair, Margaret's husband, has not been heard from since he set out for Edinburgh on business months earlier. Roger's cousin, Jack, leaves to find Roger, but instead returns home in a shroud, the victim of a brutal murder. After his funeral, Margaret determines to go to Edinburgh with her priest brother to search for her husband and to discover what she can about Jack's death, her only clue being a small weight clutched in Jack's dead hand. Margaret finds an Edinburgh occupied by English soldiers and clouded by political unrest. As she follows Roger's trail and seeks Jack's murderer, she uncovers truths that tear at her heart and cause her to question her beliefs and loyalties. Robb carefully unfolds her story, allowing the reader to become immersed in the day-to-day life of the characters. With meticulous attention to historical details, from the soup Margaret eats to her characters' plaid clothing and the language they speak (there's a helpful glossary), the author lovingly re-creates medieval Edinburgh. But like Katherine's altar cloth or Margaret's needlework, the story remains unfinished and readers can only wait patiently for the sequel. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Robb brings historical mystery fans a new series featuring Dame Margaret Kerr of Perth, Scotland. It is 1297 and the Wars of Independence against the English are raging. Intrigue abounds as the various Scottish factions fight among themselves to gain control of the country and drive the English out. Dame Margaret's husband, Roger, a merchant, has been missing for five months. After his cousin, Jack, goes to Edinburgh to find Roger and turns up murdered, Margaret sets out to determine what really happened. She quickly finds that Edinburgh, full of English soldiers, is no place for a woman alone. When she starts investigating, Margaret lands in a web of politics and betrayal. She realizes that she knew very little about her husband and his cousin. Robb's captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes Medieval Scotland. Those who enjoy her Owen Archer novels will want to step back a century and read about Dame Margaret Kerr. Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
It is Scotland, in the spring of 1297, and Margaret Kerr's husband, Roger, a merchant, has been missing since winter. Though he originally set out for trading purposes, Margaret now worries that he may have been caught up in the rebellion against the English, if he is even alive. Roger's cousin, Jack, travels to the city of Edinburgh seeking news of him, but is brought home dead, bearing wounds that could not be self-inflicted. Now Margaret herself follows the trail in search of her husband and the truth about Jack's death. The journey takes her to Edinburgh, which is occupied by the British, where Margaret's uncle, Murdoc Kerr, reluctantly agrees to let her stay at his inn. As Margaret and her uncle become part of perilous activities, they risk endangering his clandestine war-time work, spiraling into one mystery after another.
Download Description
Dunfermline, 26 April 1297. Margaret Kerr has endured a long, lonely winter, with her heart as cold as the sleet falling on Scotland. Her husband, Roger, has been missing since Martinmas in November, when he rode off to Edinburgh, and Margaret doesn't know if he is still alive. As spring approaches, Jack Sinclair, her husband's young cousin and the factor in his trading business, pledges to find him. Then Jack's body is carried home from that same fog-shrouded city, his death attributed to a brawl. But Margaret dares to inspect the corpse and discovers that Jack did not die from a simple beating--he was viciously mutilated. Leaving her quiet life as a merchant's daughter, the young, vibrant woman decides to search for her husband and Jack's killer. Margaret soon finds herself in a harsh world that is no place for a lone woman. Seeking shelter with her uncle, an innkeeper who is reluctant to have her in his household, Margaret knows her mission will test both her prowess and her loyalties. English troops occupy Edinburgh, and Roger's trail leads into a dangerous labyrinth of politics and betrayal. Set in a medieval world of hot passions and cold-blooded intrigue that stretches from the cobblestoned streets of Edinburgh all the way to the English king's throne, A Trust Betrayed combines an intricately detailed historical mystery with the taut suspense of contemporary crime fiction.
About the Author
Candace Robb is the author of the Owen Archer series. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
Buy from Amazon
Compare Prices
|
|
Home
