For most people getting kicked by a spooked horse would be
very bad news; especially in England in 1363 where a
person
might never be able to ride again or potentially die from
the injuries. Yet, when the event happened in Oxford in
that selfsame year, it is a Godsend for both the rider and
the newly trained surgeon who attends him. Fresh from his
year's medical training in Paris after graduating from
Oxford, Hugh de Singleton, the fourth son of a minor
knight
from Lancashire, is badly in need of coin and clients.
For
Lord Gilbert, he is fortunate to be immediately treated by
someone who not only saves his leg, but he now has a
reliable and trustworthy surgeon to do his bidding.
After accepting the patronage of Lord Gilbert in Brampton,
Hugh is even happier as he now has a house, good coin in
his
pocket and much better food in his stomach. So when a
skull
and bones are found in the cesspool at the base of
Brampton
Castle wall, Hugh cheerfully responds to examine the
bones.
Now, Hugh is charged to find out who is the victim as well
as who might have caused this horrible death. Hugh has
never investigated a death before. Is he up to this
tremendous task? He is new to the area - will people
trust
him enough to talk to him?
THE UNQUIET BONES is the first in a new series of medieval
mysteries, called The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton by
Mel
Starr, a gifted writer and former history teacher with a
love of medieval surgery and mediaeval English. Right from
the first uncovering of the bones in the cesspool, Starr
instantly pulls you right into the sights, sounds and
smells
of medieval Brampton, a village slowly recovering from
the
many deaths from the Black Death, and this unusual and
perplexing situation facing Hugh.
While the writing in THE UNQUIET BONES is clear and easy
to read, Starr keeps the reader fully immersed in the
medieval mindset by his liberal and appropriately used
sprinkling of medieval words and turn of phrase in the
conversations Hugh has to resolve this mystery (A Glossary
and map are included). I thoroughly enjoyed this first
chronicle of Hugh's adventures not only for the mystery,
but
especially for his descriptions of everyday life in the
villages as well as for the details of his growing medical
practice and the cures he employs.
As THE UNQUIET BONES is written in the first person, we
readers are privy to Hugh's innermost thoughts and
perspectives as he reflects on situations or his feelings
about the people he has conversations with. Hugh is an
intelligent, observant, and quick witted character that
will
appeal to many readers. He is grateful, kind, and bases
his
beliefs on religion not only on what he has been taught,
but
also on his readings of the gospels, some of which he can
afford "to rent" for a time. Starr's descriptions of the
secondary characters also seem very authentic for the time
period.
As Hugh is now in his twenties and with a house, his
thoughts turn to love and how much he would like a wife,
especially to keep him warm at night. Starr wonderfully
captures Hugh's "caught in the middle" situation as he
aspires for the love of a Lady far higher up the nobility
chain; yet, refuses to consider women below his station in
life. In THE UNQUIET BONES, Starr skillfully creates a
captivating romance along with a perplexing puzzle that is
sure to please both history and historical romance fans
who
will appreciate the author's sense of the time, historical
accuracy and vivid scenes.
If you are ready for an intriguing medieval adventure, I
highly recommend THE UNQUIET BONES. Next in the series
is
A Corpse At St. Andrew's Chapel... isn't it great when you
can
start off on a new series and the next chronicle is
waiting
for you? So don't delay and enjoy being in the 14th
century!
New editions of the first two installments of the
best-selling Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon
Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight, has been
educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy
orders. However, he feels no real calling-despite his
lively
faith-and he turns to the profession of surgeon, training
in
Paris and then hanging his sign in Oxford. Soon after, a
local lord asks Hugh de Singleton to track the killer of a
young woman whose bones have been found in the castle
cesspool. Through his medical knowledge, Singleton
identifies her as the impetuous missing daughter of a
local
blacksmith. The young man she loved-whom she had provoked
very publicly-is quickly arrested and sentenced at Oxford.
But this is just the beginning of the tale. The story of
Singleton's adventure unfolds with realistic medical
procedures, droll medieval wit, romantic distractions, and
a
consistent underlying sense of Christian compassion.
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