A Mystery that Captures

Mysteries hold my attention more than almost any other genre at the moment, and the author who has captured my imagination is Kate Sedley, the author of the Roger the Chapman a series of mystery novels. I'm presently enjoying The Wicked Winter, and after our own nasty weather this winter I find it fascinating to see how those in the Middle Ages dealt with extreme winters and the problems they can create. Oh, and if you haven't guessed, the setting for the series is an England of the late 1400s. The author has closely captured the feel of the time, if not totally the language. But since I don't speak the English of the period, that's okay!

This tale centers around the death of a young noble woman and the winter that keeps everyone from the lowest to the the most wealthy together totally captured by a raging winter storm within the castle where the event has occurred - including (most likely) the murderer. From the descriptions of the life of the servants, to that of a chapman, or peddler, the author has given a good taste of the period as well as the stress surrounding the death. The anxiety that holds the mystery to who might have done the deed is there on every page too.

I found the book captivating, except for some of the language used by the main character, Roger the Chapman. At times it is a bit too modern and probably for the use of a more educated character. But in the same breath, I find that to capture the reader the dialog used is easy to follow and doesn't get bogged down with all the typical language and dialects of the period where many a reader would get stalled in the "thees" and "thous" that are usually used for books about the period.

I enjoyed this mystery and the view of the everyday people of England during the Middle Ages. Kate Sedley has an interesting character in the chapman and her stories have a depth that can truly capture the imagination.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I'm a writer, and a reader. I love well written magnetic book that holds you close till the very end, but these days a book like that can be hard to come by. There are always the escape novels, but I'm talking about really good books that capture you and carry you to the end on a cloud of anticipation. Well, I just finished such a book.

If you haven't heard of the book The Thirteenth Tale, you should check it out. This engrossing tale is a definite must read! The author is Diane Setterfield and her novel is one of those good old fashioned Gothic novels with all the twists and turns that keep you guessing. But what I loved most about it is the way it draws you into the characters. With four main characters, but only two in the forefront there is a lot of mystery created, a thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end. I'm pretty good at solving who-done-its, but this one had me in its grip till the very end - which was at the end of a long night because I couldn't put it down.

It opens with a mousy loner type of character who is rather nondescript. But right away I got the impression there was more through the way that first chapter was laid out. From the beginning it brings into the mix twins and the concept of twin language, and so much more. Oh, and yes, there is a deep dark secret...well, actually more than one! The twists and turns leave you hanging on the edge and if you're the type of reader who only reads an hour or two a night this will keep you coming back to just get a peek as to where it goes next. The best part - or maybe the worst is it leaves you with questions at every turn that can definitely keep you awake nights till you've finished this tome.

If you haven't yet explored the book, The Thirteenth Tale, take time to wander through the hallways of this narrative about this disjointed group of people until this innovative tale totally captures your imagination. Maybe like me, you’ll read and re-read the pages to discover another part of the twists and turns that makes this book so gripping.