Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Murder in the Holy City
Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Simon Beaufort
Class/Genre: Mystery Historical Ethnic
Series: Sir Geoffrey Mappestone # 1
St. Martin's, Dec 1998, $22.95, 280 pp.
In 1100, the holy city of Jerusalem remains a fractured place even though the Crusaders have retaken the city back from the Infidel. Returning from a desert patrol to the city, Sir Geoffrey de Mappstone hears a woman's screams from the nearby Greek bakery. Accompanied by his Sergeant of Arms, Guy goes to investigate. They meet the frazzled woman, Melisande Mikelos, who informs him that there is a corpse in her home. He goes inside and finds the murdered body of John, a Norman knight.
Norman Prince Tancred assigns his vassal Geoffrey to investigate this murder and several similar ones. However, instead of uncovering a simple serial killer or even some twisted from of vengeance, Geoffrey finds a conspiracy to overturn the current precarious power structure of the city. As he continues to make inquiries, Geoffrey places himself in danger of becoming the next victim.
MURDER IN THE HOLY CITY, the first novel in what hopefully is a long series, is a brilliant historical mystery that brings home early twelfth century Jerusalem to the audience. The who-done-it is fun, but it is the motives of the various groups and daily life in the city that makes this a necessary novel for genre fans. Simon Beaufort, a historian at the University of Cambridge, turns history into a gourmet's delight
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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