This was an enjoyable light read, took a little while to get into it but once it got going I read it quite quickly. ( )

En 1193, el joven Justin de Quincy descubre casualmente una pista que puede desvelar el paradero de Ricardo Corazón de León, a quien se da por muerto. Leonor de Aquitania, la reina que escandalizó al mundo al divorciarse del que sería rey de Francia, Luis VII, para casarse con Enrique II, le encomienda una investigación que le obligará a adentrarse en el complejo y peligroso mundo de las intrigas que rodean la corte de Leonor.

This is one of the best of the few Mysteries I've read, entertaining and plausible without ever being tedious. The plot itself isn't historically accurate, but the setting, characters, and action feel period-appropriate and the important details of the time period are solid.

Words I learned from this book:
Alaunt - An extinct breed of dog, generally resembling a mastiff
Certes - Certainly, assuredly
Compline - Evening prayers
Cresset lamp - A lamp where the wick is contained in a cup or basket.
Lazar - A poor and diseased person, especially one afflicted by a feared, contagious disease such as leprosy.
Leman - A lover or sweetheart, most often a mistress.
Malmsey - A sweet fortified wine.
Rouncey - An ordinary, all-purpose horse.
Settle - (noun) A wooden bench with a high back and arms, typically incorporating a box under the seat.
Vituperative - Bitter and abusive. ( )

Competent and entertaining historical mystery set at the time of Eleanor of Acquitaine and Richard the Lionheart. Penman is a good story teller and knows the details of daily life very well.

But as I often find with this genre mix, the interests of historical fiction clash with the contrived requirements of the mystery story. In this case, the early promise of court intrigue involving the kidnapped King Richard and his dastardly brother Prince John never come to anything. Instead we are served up a conventional murder mystery with some characters who would seem more at home in a 1940s B-movie mystery. Also, while the main characters are engaging and sympathetic, too often they do not seem to act or speak like people of their time. ( )

What promises to be a new series of medieval murder mysteries gets off to a flying start with a likable hero in Justin de Quincy, the bastard son of a bishop. Justin stumbles across a botched ambush and discovers that the victim is carrying a letter for Queen Eleanor. The letter contains information regarding the whereabouts of her missing son, King Richard the Lionheart. Justin is commissioned by the Queen to investigate the circumstances regarding the ambush. Could Richard's enemies be aware of the letter's contents or did the letter-bearer's family have a more pressing motive for his death ? Is John, Richard's ambitious, wily brother behind the plot ? Justin must use all his wits to search for the truth.
In addition, Justin must decide who he can trust. A beautiful lady in waiting who is not all what she seems, an arrogant under sheriff, and a vicious double spy serve to complicate matters. The search takes Justin to the seedy backstreets of London to track down a ruthless assassin.
Justin is a likable hero and there are enough twists and turns in the plot to make this an enjoyable read. ( )