The Sanctuary Seeker: A completely gripping medieval mystery

by Bernard Knight

Overview

He fought for his nation in the Crusades. Now he must prepare for a wholly different kind of battle…

1194. Appointed by Richard the Lionheart as the first coroner for the county of Devon, Sir John de Wolfe, former crusader knight, rides out to the lonely moorland village of Widecombe to hold an inquest on an unidentified body found in a stream.

But on his return to Exeter, the new coroner is incensed to find that his own brother-in-law, Sheriff Richard de Revelle, is intent on thwarting the murder investigation – particularly when it emerges that the dead man is both a Crusader and a member of one of Devon’s finest and most honourable families.

Assisted by his loyal bodyguard Gwyn and his new clerk, defrocked priest Thomas, Sir John sets out to solve the mystery – whatever the cost.

A thrilling medieval mystery full of suspense and intrigue, perfect for fans of Ellis Peters, E M Powell and Edward Marston.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781800329539
Publisher:	Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	03/28/2022
Series:	The Crowner John Mysteries , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Cardiff-based Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, became a Home Office pathologist in 1965, after having served in Malaya as a medical officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps. During his 40-year career, he performed over 25,000 autopsies and was involved in many high-profile cases, including that of Fred and Rosemary West. The author of numerous non-fiction books, he is the author of the Crowner John mystery series.

Cardiff-based Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, became a Home Office pathologist in 1965, after having served in Malaya as a medical officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps. During his 40-year career, he performed over 25,000 autopsies and was involved in many high-profile cases, including that of Fred and Rosemary West. The author of numerous non-fiction books, he is the author of the Crowner John mystery series

Editorial Reviews

Crowner John, coroner for the county of Devon, must deal with his obstructive brother-in-law, Sheriff Richard de Revelle, during an inquest on an unidentified body in Bernard Knight's The Sanctuary Seeker: A Crowner John Mystery, the first title in this solid British medieval series. Powerful nobles and church officials aren't so helpful either. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Knight’s US debut (five adventures in his series have appeared in England, this one in 1998) isn’t so much a whodunit as a police procedural that happens to be set in 1194, as Sir John de Wolfe criss-crosses Devon, the first coroner appointed by King Richard the Lion-hearted. Assisted by the imposing Cornishman Gwyn and the dour defrocked priest Thomas de Peyne, who serves as his clerk, Crowner John records all crimes and legal events. Though he could hardly have refused the appointment, it doesn’t sit well with stolid wife Matilda, who mutters about his absences and turns a cold shoulder, or with her brother Richard de Revelle, the Sheriff of Exeter, who never misses an opportunity to belittle his brother-in-law. Crowner John finds comfort and a soulmate in mistress Nesta, the local tavern keeper, as he oversees the local hangings that are permitted by law twice a week, holds an inquest after a brawl at the Saracen Inn ends with a fatal knife wound and, in the thorniest case of his new career, begins an investigation when an unidentified corpse is found facedown in a stream in the moorland village of Widecombe. Though locals unconvincingly claim ignorance of its identity, the body is identified as that of a young nobleman recently returned from the Crusades. Richard de Revelle pressures Crowner John to prosecute an apparently innocent man, but the evidence points to quite a different killer. Maps and a glossary bolster the historical flavor, effectively transporting the reader back 800 years.

Kirkus Reviews