The Merchants Partner

Title: The Merchants Partner

Author: Michael Jecks
Reading level: All

Paperback: 377 pages

ISBN #:9780060846565
Received From: Bought It
Publisher: Harper Collins

Group Genre: Hit/Fic, Mystery

Cover: D

Overall: B

"As midwife and healer, Agatha Kyteler is regarded as a witch by hersuperstitious neighbours in the village of Wefford in Devonshire, yet she has no shortage of callers, from the humblest villein to the most elegant and wealthy in the area. But when Agatha's body is found frozen and mutilated in a hedge one wintry morning, there seem to be no clues as to who could be responsible. Not until a local youth runs away and a hue and cry is raised. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, is not convinced of the youth's guilt, and soon he manages to persuade his close friend Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford Castle, to help him continue with the investigation. As they endeavour to find the true culprit, the darker side of the village, with its undercurrents of suspicion, jealousy and disloyalty, emerges. And while Sir Baldwin becomes increasingly distracted by the beauty of a neighbouring merchant's wife, Simon finds himself wondering what happened to the foreigner who visited the normally sleepy area only to disappear shortly after Agatha's death, riding down towards the moors ..."

This book took a lot of getting into! And to be honest I probably wouldn't have purchased the book had it not been for the little blurb about it being a "Medieval Mystery". That being said once I got through the confusion of the first couple of chapters I became intrigued! Not only is it hard to find a goood medieval novel but even rarer a mystery-medieval novel. But here were my two main problems: 1. The book switches points of view rapidly and for awhile I had no idea who was speaking or thinking these thoughts (which I guess adds to the clue-like game of who-dunnit) and 2. There were soooo many characters it took half the book to get them all straight and new ones kept being introduced. I know it's a crime scene and all but even CSI slows down once in awhile to let the folks at home catch up!

That being said after I finally got the characters and perspectives down the book became really good. It held my attention and actually had me guessing (of course I never guessed the real murderer, I would make a lousy investigator!) But all in all I enjoyed the novel after working through the kinks. However; I don't recommend it to those of you who are impatient because it took me half the book to finally figure out all the characters. But if your up for the challenge and love you some Medieval Mystery I say try this one out!

LOL=Lots Of Love