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The second book in the critically acclaimed medieval mystery series featuring Sir Geoffrey Mappestone
In the year 1101, Sir Geoffrey Mappestone returns to his home at Goodrich Castle on the Welsh border. He is travelling in the company of a knight who claims to be carrying an urgent message for King Henry I. When the knight is killed during an ambush, Geoffrey feels obliged to deliver the message to the King himself, but quickly regrets his decision when the King orders him to spy on his own family in order to ferret out a dangerous traitor. Geoffrey returns home to find his father gravely ill and his older brothers and sister each determined to inherit the Mappestone estate. Geoffrey's father claims he is being poisoned by one of his own children, a claim no one takes seriously until he is found murdered with his own knife in the dead of night.
Geoffrey's investigation of the murder, however, takes him far beyond a family quarrel. Accusations are flying, and Geoffrey must prove his own innocence in the face of greed and fear. The villainous Earl of Shrewsbury is clearly implicated, and as Geoffrey delves deeper, he discovers a plot that reaches far beyond the realm of Goodrich Castle to that of the entire kingdom: the assassination of the King.
- Sales Rank: #2674619 in Books
- Published on: 2016-02-01
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.50" h x 1.10" w x 5.40" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 384 pages
From Publishers Weekly
Set shortly after the killing of English King William Rufus in 1100, this absorbing historical mystery features the return of Sir Geoffrey Mappestone, the unusual crusader knight and unwilling amateur detective who first appeared in Murder in the Holy City. After 20 years abroad, Geoffrey is informed of his father's impending death, and he reluctantly wends his way home to his family's estates near the Welsh border. On the way, a knight in his retinue who carries messages to the king is killed during an ambushAnot a propitious start to Geoffrey's homecoming. King Henry I orders Geoffrey to uncover the truth behind the suspicious happenings at the crusader's own home, Goodrich Castle, including the slow poisoning that is killing his father and the sudden death of his favorite sister, Enide. At home, Geoffrey discovers a hornet's nest of greed and treachery, wherein his three brothers and surviving sister wait for their hard-hearted father to die so they can inherit his estates. Geoffrey's father is then found slain by his own dagger, and the knight must strive to discern the murderer as more bodies pile up around him. Beaufort's lively prose and diabolical characters, as well as Geoffrey's sorely tested indestructibility, keep matters moving swiftly. The novel offers finely written descriptions of medieval life and, above all, the exceptionally engaging character of the bookish, highly moral Geoffrey. An exciting finale caps this entertaining period tale from the pseudonymous Beaufort.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
When Geoffrey Mappestone returns from the Crusades to his family's castle in Wales, he is not exactly welcomed by his feuding brothers and sisters-in-law or his cruel father, who is convinced that someone is trying to murder him. Soon Godric Mappestone really is dead, and Geoffrey must defend himself against a murder charge while uncovering the scary truth of his beloved sister's death. Taut, quick-paced, and full of excellent characterization, this sequel to Murder in the Holy City (LJ 12/98) is another winner.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Battle weary and disillusioned with the Crusades, Sir Geoffrey de Mappestone leaves the Holy Land and returns to his native Wales in order to make peace with his rapidly failing father before he dies. When Geoffrey discovers that both his father and his beloved sister have been poisoned to death, he initially suspects his three older brothers of foul play. Though it is widely known that the de Mappestone heirs have been feuding over the division of the family estate for years, it soon becomes evident that the murderer had an even broader and more daring agenda. At the behest of the king himself, Sir Geoffrey undertakes an investigation to expose a murderer and uncover a treasonous plot to topple the royal house. The twists and turns of the meticulously crafted plot will keep readers guessing until the last page. Margaret Flanagan
Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Sir Geoffrey's own 'crusade' proves deadly!
By Billy J. Hobbs
It's 1101--dawn of a new century, and Sir Geoffrey Mappestone is back in "A Head for Poisoning," this being the second in the series by Simon Beaufort. Taking up where the first episode was centered (in Jerusalem), Sir Geoffrey is throughly disgusted with the bickering--and lack of success--in the Holy City and returns home, to the Welsh border (he's been gone 20 years!). His companion on the return trip is a knight who claims he is carrying an urgent message for King Henry I. Alas, the knight is killed and it falls upon Sir Geoffrey to deliver the message to the king. Henry immediately "enlists" his help and Sir Geoffrey finds himself in an awkward position--spying on his own family! Unfortunately, too, Sir Geoffrey's father dies, and these inheritors of his estate are not the meek! He soon concludes that his father's death is murder and even Sir Geoffrey is a suspect! Beaufort's series--and it's continuing--is a good one, one that is historically bound--as far as most historical mysteries actually are!--and his style of writing is sound, quickly paced, and filled with anecdotal episodes that spice up the narrative. This novel of greed, fear, and eventually justice is well worth the read!(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Geoffrey's dog is all too human--
By Dianne Foster
I can positively say I like Geoffrey Mappestone's dog. God forbid anything should happen to him as he's the best thing in the book. Maybe I am cynical after years of reading P.D. James, Colin Dexter, and others, but I am getting a bit tired of Geoffrey Mappestone's goody-two shoes behaviour. I don't want him to be bad, just a little more human.
Geoffrey is the product of a mega-dysfunctional family and he's spent years surving in the Holy Lands as a Crusader. He's in his thirties and as as far as I know (after two books) he doesn't even know what sex is. Even Cadfael had an affair. Also, Beaufort's 21st Century ruminations about the morality of the Crusades are getting a bit old. The author is an historian, but as nearly as I can tell from my reading, hisorians disagree about the Crusades. At least one school says the West would be a very different place if the Jihad had succeeded. Call me sentimental, but I much prefer Ellis Peters views of the Crusades via Cadfael. I am aware the Crusades mostly failed, but I think the one Cadfael and Mappestone participated in was at least motivated by good intentions. I know Constantinople was sacked by Crusaders later on--probably why it eventually fell and that the Albigensians were destroyed. However, the infidels who wreaked havoc on the Byzantine Empire--including the Levant were not "good" guys. And, the eye-for-an-eye, slavery, and enshrouded women still exist in the Middle East.
My biggest objection to this book, however, is it's failure to be a good mystery. Writers like Penman, Peters, and Candice Robb write historical mysteries that sometimes 'modifiy' the truth--whatever that is--but they never subvert their tale by constantly dropping in value laden judgments concerning the times which tend to get the reader "off story." Peters novels contain comments about the futility of war, especially civil war, but she doesn't take sides with Stephen or Maude and she doesn't beat the reader over the head. Why shouldn't Mappestone take a similar objective stance about the Crusades. He can certainly have a moral center and engage in acts of kindness without constantly harping about pillaging knights.
Second, Beaufort's plot itself is a bit thick. There are so many false starts (not red herrings) one cannot reconstruct what happened--even after Mappestone explains it. A good mystery writer lays a trail the reader can follow, so that step by step you think you're getting somewhere. Sometimes you even work out the story a step before the detective. Each new plot twist Beaufort introduces seems to force Geoffrey--and the reader--to backtrack and start over again. A certain amount of that is expected or the story is dull and boring, but I was exhausted by the end of this book.
I think a mystery must start with a central question for which an elementary answer is provided. Veteran readers know the initial answer is always (well usually) wrong. Bits of information are added as the investigator goes about his business and determines what is relevant (or seems to be, but mostly is) and what is not. A good tale often has several subplots, but they must come together in a logical way when the investigator finally unravels the mystery. The best authors work in subtle red herrings that may or may not be explained. Some plot elements are so obvious both the investigator and the reader fall over them together but they should never be so obtuse that the reader cannot say at the end with a slap on the forehead, "Why didn't I get that! " or "Wow, am I smart, I figured that out!"
Thirdly, a reader is willing to accept a certain amount of 'suspension of disbelief' but this is a mystery after all, not science fiction. One of the reasons some mysteries are better is because you learn something while you have fun. I don't want to learn blatent lies. Did anyone really understand lead was poisonous until modern times--if so, why not put that in the historical footnote. Did Geoffrey learn about chemicals in the Holy Land the way Cadfael came to understand the properties of herbs from Miriam?
On my scale of historical mystery writers, Beaufort is a 4, Robb is a 6, Penman and Peters are 8's and Colin Dexter a 10 (an historical novel set in the 19th century that Morse solves--from his hospital bed).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Beaufort does it again!
By L. J. Roberts
First Sentence: The early morning mist lay thick and white across the river, and there was a chill in the air.
Upon hearing that his father is dying, Sir Gregory Mappestone heads back to his family's home, Goodrich Castle. But rather than a warm family reception, he finds a feud between his family and their Welch neighbors of Llan Martin which results in the death of a knight carrying a message to King Henry I. Henry asks Gregory to spy on his family in order to identify a traitor. His youngest sister, Enid, is dead, his father claims he is being poisoned and his other siblings are continually bickering among themselves and accusing him of only coming home in an effort to take over the Castle.
Any book by Beaufort/Gregory is one I know will be well researched and very well written. This was certainly no exception.
Even with the setting in the 1100s, the characters come alive. The scenes of the family arguments reminded me of the scene from "The Lion in Winter" when they are all in the dungeon. Geoffrey is an unusual knight. He is a hardened warrior, more interested in education than looting, and with his own personal phobia. He is in a situation where no one is what they seem but he must uncover the truth before he can leave and return to France.
What made it fun was that, as a reader, I was being continually surprised by the characters who are enabled by a deceptively twisted story. I've become a real junkie for mysteries in historical periods/setting but they must be done well. Beaufort does it very well.
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