Ioana said: Every year around this time, Mel Starr publishes an addition to his Occasionally these young men formed lawless bands, robbing and raping and I do all my 'pulp'/relaxation/mystery reading) but for the past four installments or.
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Historical mysteries just don't get better than this! Readers who have already become enamoured with Hugh's adventures will no doubt love this story, while readers who haven't yet had the pleasure of picking up a Starr novel will find much to love here. I strongly recommend this book and award it 4 out of 5 stars. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Lion Fiction, and Kregel blog tour services, for the purposes of this unbiased review. Nov 14, Lisa Johnson rated it really liked it. Lion Fiction My rating is 4 out of 5 stars. Master Hugh de Singleton now narrates his tenth chronicle for readers.
Once again, readers are transported to the village of Brampton, England in the 14th century. Hugh is tasked once again with solving a murder in his role as bailiff for Lord Gilbert. This time murder visits someone Hugh knows from the village, someone he has worked Title: This time murder visits someone Hugh knows from the village, someone he has worked with before.
In searching for clues, Hugh must make many trips to Oxford as well as a local abbey. More and more thefts are begin committed in the area, as well as murder. Hugh chases down clues related to a group of well-dressed young gentlemen as well as a group of poorly clad scholars or priests in ragged black robes. Are either group connected to the crimes, or is there another criminal at work yet to be discovered?
In addition, Hugh visits his father-in-law while in Oxford and discovers him close to death and his shop making no money. He has also recently been robbed of the few books he might have sold. Hugh decides to bring his father-in-law to Galen House where he might live his last days. I so enjoy visiting Hugh and the familiar cast of characters who aid in his crime solving. I like reading about the food eaten and clothes worn during that time as well as how difficult it was to survive in that time.
The observations of human nature, subtle humorous jabs, and words of wisdom were quite often true. The glossary and map at the beginning of the story was also helpful. Hugh has matured since his first chronicle. He has learned to hold his temper better and control his tongue more. I am already anxiously awaiting a trip to the s English countryside! Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Dec 09, Narita rated it it was amazing. He could write one every month and I would still want to read more! I have all is books and each one is a keeper! Once again, Hugh deSingleton, bailiff and surgeon to Lord Gilbert Talbot, is off to solve another murder mystery. From the minute I opened the book I could not put it down.
Even though each book is the same era and Hugh is the main character, they are never the same! This is crime fighting in the raw as there are obviously no DNA testing or computer data bases to aid in the search for criminals. Hugh never ceases to amazing me with his attention to the minutest details and brilliant deductions with the sparse information he is given. With his great sense of humor and incredible sleuthing I am laughing one minute and trying to guess the outcome another. There is also a wealth of historical information of the customs and ideas of the era.
As always, I especially enjoy the surgical practices and family life of the time not often highlighted in murder mysteries. I find the glossary of words from that age at the front of the book extremely interesting. Do you know what a dibble stick, a runcie, or hamsoken is? Once again Hugh is involved in another murder investigation. A local resident of Bampton has gone missing and his son comes to him for help.
His father was headed to Oxford, an hour away to do business which would involve 2 days including an overnight stay at the monastery along the way. Keep in mind most people walked the distance. The father never returned. In his searching Hugh finds that there have been more killings and assaults on this much traveled road.
It appears to involve 4 assailants dressed as monks. In addition, many homes are being robbed in both towns. As usual he has limited clues to go on, gathering a few here and there as he searches. He hates leaving his wife and children with the frequent, long, and dangerous travel between the two towns this job entails. Another wonderful book by Mel Starr! Immersed in history and suspense!
A book you will want to read! I received this book from Kregel Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
The opinions I have stated are my own. Nov 12, Vera Godley rated it it was amazing. As with the previous eight books I have read in this series, author Mel Starr does not disappoint. As he takes Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon and bailiff, in medieval England about his daily experiences we are given a fabulous glimpse into their the slow paced life and methods used by de Singleton to treat injuries and illnesses, resolve criminal activity, and interact with laborers, clergy, and family.
The books are not lengthy or difficult reading. The "tone" of the writing and speech reflects on w As with the previous eight books I have read in this series, author Mel Starr does not disappoint. The "tone" of the writing and speech reflects on what one would expect relevant to the times and sets the pace. Historical detail is interspersed in treatment of wounds, meals consumed barley loaves and maslin loaves are in abundance , and murders and theft solved using forensic clues and evidence that were available in the s.
In Deeds of Darkness the plague is past leaving the populace sparse with not enough to plow the fields, buy the goods in the stores, etc.
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But life goes on and Hugh de Singleton plods along the paths and across the streams trying to find out who is murdering people along the road and who is plundering homes when folks are at church. This is Christian fiction and Singleton's faith is intricately woven into his actions and speech. The Church is Catholic with monasteries and black robed monks abundant and all people are by law required to attend Mass.
This leaves homes unoccupied providing opportunity for thieves to plunder. And as admonished in Scripture, one is to have nothing to do with deeds of darkness but is to expose them. And that is just what Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon, does in this story. A good read and one I can recommend. I found the historic references very interesting and Starr includes a glossary defining period words and terms used in the text.
The frequent visits to monasteries for means of meals and lodging and Hugh de Singleton's respect for customs of the monks is interesting and enlightening. And Singleton's wit and conversational thoughts a pleasure to read. I received a complimentary copy from Kregel Publishing to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.
I received no compensation. Nov 09, Beckie Burnham rated it really liked it. Not only does Starr bring medieval England to life, he creates an intelligent mystery that keeps both the main character and the reader on his toes. Deeds of Darkness is the 10th book in the series and is as fresh as all the rest. If you love history and mystery this one is for you! Hugh is once again charged with uncovering a mysterious event in his bailiwick.
Besides determining what happened to businessman and coroner, Hubert Shillside, Hugh is faced with assaults, murders, hamsoken breaking and entering , and threats to himself and family. All in all, just another episode for his chronicles. Interesting details of everyday life and a sprinkling of old English words combine with the social order of the day. His characters are very much medieval in their attitudes and ethics, but there is plenty there for the modern reader to identify with. The mystery is filled with twists, turns, and puzzling clues.
Deeds of Darkness keeps the reader guessing. But it is certain that, one way or the other, everyone got what they deserved. Hugh is a very devout man and keeps the tenets of the church and the teaching of Jesus to the forefront of his mind, even when they are difficult to follow. Intelligent, intriguing, and just plain fun, Deeds of Darkness is a recommended read. And with other deeds of darkness sure to come in the future, I look forward to more adventures with Hugh. Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy.
All opinions expressed are mine alone. Nov 15, Meagan Myhren-bennett rated it it was amazing Shelves: Will Shillside is concerned that his father is late returning from a purchasing expedition in Oxford. But clues are few and no evidence can be found of foul play other than Hubert's unexplained disappearance.
But a stop at Osney Abbey reveals that others have fallen prey to the same apparent fate as Hubert. Putting his skills to use Hugh is hard-pressed to find the victims he seeks. But as the days pass crime seemingly has moved into the area. And an unidentified victim has been found. But how to apprehend these youths? They have protectors far above Hugh's station. He must deal with the claims of justice on the one hand and the power of great men to protect their henchmen on the other.
Read more Read less. Add all three to Cart Add all three to List. Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Buy the selected items together This item: Ships from and sold by Amazon. Customers who bought this item also bought. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Sponsored products related to this item What's this? The Girl Who Lived: A Thrilling Suspense Novel. A Marine on loan to the CIA caught in a conspiracy contrived by those he trusts most. Jack Noble is part Reach, part Bourne, and all action. The 1st of 13 novels in this popular series set in the Florida Keys.
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The Washing Away of Blood: A Fu Chen Murder Mystery. Authentic forensic detective work in Medieval China. Review "Mel Starr's writing is superb. Related Video Shorts 0 Upload your video. Do you love vintage-style mysteries? Meet Inspector de Silva in the first in this entertaining series, spiced with humour and an exotic setting.
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A Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery. A thrilling race against time for Jayne Sinclair to discover the truth about John Hughes in Ireland's past. Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention hugh de singleton deeds of darkness mel starr main character surgeon and bailiff opinions expressed book in the series chronicles of hugh look forward hubert shillside well written century england singleton surgeon coroner hubert received a copy book from the publisher bailiff and surgeon read any books copy of this book good read.
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. This is a pleasurable series and Hugh de Singleon is an appealing protagonist. He isn't a knight looking for heroic adventures, but a responsible thoughtful man who does his duty as a surgeon, bailiff and member of a community, all of which means he winds up as a hero.
This time he becomes involved in looking for a missing member of the town which entails several trips to nearby Oxford. For us this might mean a trip of about an hour; for him, it involves an overnight stay at an abbey. He discovers that four men have been attacking travelers and murdering other travelers. The suspicions of the reader are aroused early as to just who the culprits are but it is still enjoyable to see how Hugh finds the solution.
With war and the trials of travel death is expected but when a murder is the suspected cause of Sir Simon's untimely demise the man's past with Hugh makes the most likely suspect. With his own life on the line Hugh must determine who had case to murder the man. The list of those with cause to dislike the man is long but did any have cause to take his life? With his normal attention to detail Hugh, with the support of Lord Gilbert, and aided by Arthur uncovers evidence that contradicts what has been reported. The answer to this question may be the key to determining why.
And when the why is answered the who is revealed. Life is fragile and Hugh is about to discover yet again just how fragile it is. Lucifer's Harvest takes the reader into the heart of 14th Century life and it's day-to-day workings. Life wasn't easy and one's future rested on the whims of kings and lords who ruled with little regard to the costs that their actions had upon their subjects.
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The need to rule ever expanding territories taxed the strength's of the hardiest men and often left those who survived in a weakened state. If you are in the mood for a mystery get ready to enjoy a medieval who-dun-it with this latest chronicle from the life of Hugh de Singleton. I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review - all opinions expressed are my own. Feb 22, Susan rated it really liked it Shelves: I won this book through Goodreads. So much happened in a short time. A must read in the series.
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Dec 12, Beckie Burnham rated it really liked it. The death of his nemesis mobilizes Hugh to uncover the murderer before he finds himself on the end of a rope. Mel Starr does a great job of bringing medieval society to life. Warfare was very different in the 14th century than it is today, and I found the strategy and weapons used very interesting. Hugh, as always, is resourceful in his investigations. With only limited understanding of science and forensics, his intelligence and intuition keep him on track.
Hugh is dedicated to truth in all things. Life is precarious and death comes for all, young and old. The pragmatism in a time of low life expectancies and high child mortality does not subtract from the grief and sorrow of a loss. All the books get a recommended rating from me. Thanks to Kregel for a complimentary copy.
All opinions expressed are mine alone. Dec 16, Jill rated it it was amazing. Readers will enjoy the acquaintance of Hugh de Singleton whether introduced from the first novel, or starting from the middle of the series. Lucifer's Harvest, is one of the shorter mysteries and would be a quick and efficient way to "sample" the series. I suspect it will whet one's appetite for the whole series. Set in medieval times, it's fascinating to learn of historical details and locations and even medical practices of the time , while enjoying the wit and wisdom of the surgeon and baili Readers will enjoy the acquaintance of Hugh de Singleton whether introduced from the first novel, or starting from the middle of the series.
Set in medieval times, it's fascinating to learn of historical details and locations and even medical practices of the time , while enjoying the wit and wisdom of the surgeon and bailiff , Hugh. In this installment, Hugh crosses paths with Sir Simon, a man who has held a grudge since he lost the hand of Kate to Hugh. When Sir Simon comes to an untimely end, Hugh is the obvious prime suspect.
So while he is providing surgical support to wounded soldiers, Hugh must try to clear his name and find the guilty party. I enjoy how Starr gives the readers a front row seat in the theatre of Hugh's mind. Knowing his plans and being party to his inner mental calculations, makes the reader feel as if he is not only in the story, but assisting with the investigations.
Each book in the series adds a little more dimension to the cast of characters. Lucifer's Harvest is a great read during the winter holidays and would make an especially great gift for any mystery enthusiast! I hope that Starr will continue chronicling the investigative life of Hugh de Singleton. I received a copy of Lucifer's Harvest from Kregel Publications for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received. Jan 01, Jay rated it liked it. I received this book free in return for an honest review, this in no way influences my opinion and the following is all my own words and thoughts.
Lucifer's Harvest follows the adventure of a surgeon in medival times. His chara I received this book free in return for an honest review, this in no way influences my opinion and the following is all my own words and thoughts. His character was very well developed as it should be in the ninth book , and most of the other cast members that make up the book were well written although their voices were all written in a very similar tone. The plot followed the same routine, it was developed but simplistic.
Many details of actual medival times were well placed and thought out to show off a well done setting which ended up being my favourite part of the book. The setting was very well explained and incredibly easy to picture while reading, but the plot being so plain made it harder to appreciate the setting.
As I said before I have not read any of the other books in the series so maybe this one was just a bit of a dull moment for the series as a whole. However if you enjoy books with easily thought up visuals and a medival setting this series is definitely for you. Sadly I got a bit bored with it as the plot seemed to carry too long for the small amount of action, but I enjoyed the characters enough that I may pick up some of the other books in the series and see how they are.
Dec 14, Mark rated it it was amazing. Every time I think the series is done, the author comes out with another novel in the series and surprises me Lucifer's Harvest is different from the others in the series in that Hugh travels further from his home than in the other books, and not for the purpose of solving a crime, but for being present during a war. Since this is a suspense series, there of course is a crime to solve, and one this time that he himself is accused of.
I was a bit disappointed in the length of the book. The others in the series tend to run over pages at least, and this one came in at , short enough to be called a novella. I was just getting into the book when it ended. It was still a great read though. I liked the different setting for the book, and the added difficulty of solving a murder he himself was accused of made the task of Hugh solving the crime all the more interesting. As always, Starr does a great job of describing medieval methods of doctoring and solving crimes.
I enjoyed the book a lot, and did find myself wishing it was longer. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Dec 15, Becky rated it it was amazing Shelves: These books are unlike any others I've read, and I love them! Lucifer's Harvest, as with all of the books in this series, is written as Master Hugh's journal.
I love this style, as it allows for humor often self-deprecating and foreshadowing. Most of the novel focuses on Hugh's quest to find a murderer—which is often Hugh's quest in these novels. However, in Lucifer's Harvest, Hugh is the one who stands accused of murder, so the stakes for him are a bit higher. No one truly believes him to be guilty—save, perhaps, the accuser—but he still must prove his innocence or face an untimely death. I really enjoyed trying to discern the murderer's identity along with Hugh, and, while I did guess his identity fairly early on, the motive completely surprised me.
It's humorous, engaging, and oh so enjoyable. I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Nov 01, Katrina Roets rated it really liked it. Sometimes there is nothing better than to get lost in a good book and this book provided me just the escape that I needed. I've only read one other book in this series.
After reading this one, I'm going to have to try to figure out why that might be. While this book only clocks in at pages, that isn't a bad thing. It's the perfect size to tuck into a bag or to curl up with on a cool evening. While the author uses historical terms in the book, he also provides a fantastic glossary at the star Sometimes there is nothing better than to get lost in a good book and this book provided me just the escape that I needed.
While the author uses historical terms in the book, he also provides a fantastic glossary at the start of the book so you won't be lost among strange words you may have never seen before. As for the story itself, it moves along at just the right speed and while I had figured out parts of the mystery, parts of it took me by surprise. As a mystery lover, I appreciate this. Books where I feel clueless or far too smart just aren't as much fun to read. Pick up this book or heck, the entire series! This book stands perfectly on its own, but I highly suspect that you'll enjoy the entire series and with those cold winter nights ahead, why not build up your books to be read by the fire pile?
Dec 16, Kristin rated it really liked it Shelves: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Though I have started in on this series late, the author seems to have taken that into account. Though the book is not necessarily a stand-alone book, I felt like enough of the backstory was well-enough explained that I didn't feel like I was muddling through a storyline I couldn't understand. That very well could have been the case, as the premise of the murder in the book is the long-standing hatred between the two characters, Hu I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That very well could have been the case, as the premise of the murder in the book is the long-standing hatred between the two characters, Hugh and Sir Simon. Though there were a lot of different characters in this book, the author kept to a small band of friends Hugh stuck with. This helped immensely in recognizing each name and who they were associated with.
The only thing I feel the author could have expanded on is these band of characters themselves. They didn't feel too fleshed out, and pretty two dimensional. This was a very quick read, easy to do in less than a week, even with working overtime and family time. It was enjoyable enough that I wanted to keep coming back to the medieval times and see how Hugh would prove his innocence. Dec 15, Diane Estrella rated it it was amazing. I have read the entire Hugh de Singleton series by this author and have enjoyed each one very much.
They all have a similar feel to them but also add a new twist in the continuing story each time. This book added a bit more history of the time with England and France at war in It was interesting to see how the army lived encamped, as it awaited going into battle. This book is the shortest in length of the series but still packed a punch.
It is always interesting to see how a mystery is solv I have read the entire Hugh de Singleton series by this author and have enjoyed each one very much. It is always interesting to see how a mystery is solved without the high-tech devices we use today. Hugh gives the suspects a Columbo-esque interrogation and almost always gets the truth out of them with his wits and skill. This is not a fast-paced story, but one well crafted, that takes the rider on a low and slow journey to the truth behind the murder.
There were definitely a few surprises at the end so be aware. I curled up on the couch and felt no guilt about taking a day to read this story. I can not wait for the next, Deeds of Darkness! I received this book from the publisher but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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Jan 19, Vickie rated it it was amazing. This was really good! I am a huge fan of mysteries, with historical mysteries in the top ten of my favorites. I'd not heard of this particular series before, but I am going to remedy that. Hugh de Singleton is a surgeon in the time of Prince Edward. Hugh is skilled at what he does, helping and healing.