Wheel of Fate: A Roger the Chapman Medieval Mystery 19 (Roger the Chapman Mysteries) - Hardcover

Sedley, Kate

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 072787957X ISBN 13: 9780727879578

Publisher: Severn House Publishers, 2011

Synopsis

In fifteenth-century London, the child-king is not the only one under threat - 1483. Amidst the chaos following the death of King Edward IV, Roger the Chapman is called to London to investigate a threat to the Godslove family. In the past year, there have been two deaths and a mysterious poisoning. Roger dismisses their worries at first but, when another member of the family disappears, he stumbles across a shocking secret that threatens to destroy the entire Godslove family . . .

About this title

About the Author

Kate Sedley, a student of Anglo-Saxon and medieval history, lives in England. She is married and has a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren. ""The Saint John's Fern"" is the ninth novel in her critically acclaimed series featuring Roger the Chapman.

Review

Sedley's latest offering in her Roger the Chapman series sees the intrepid peddler returning home after months on the road, only to learn that his wife has left him after hearing that he fathered an illegitimate child. Panicked, Roger follows his wife to London after learning she's staying with distant cousins, the Godsloves. After he pleads his case and his wife agrees to reconcile, Roger learns that the Godsloves believe they're under a curse; after urging from his wife, he investigates their claim. In the chaos of London in the wake of the death of King Edward IV, Roger employs all his considerable investigative skills to the Godslove case and eventually learns of a terrible secret from their past. Sedley's ability to capture the intimate details of daily life in fifteenth-century England, combined with both her wellresearched plot built around the sociopolitical situation of the time and a likable, larger-than-life main character, make this latest entry in her Roger the Chapman series a fine choice for fans of historical mysteries. --Booklist, 15th March 2010

British author Sedley smoothly integrates a complex murder case with the cataclysmic political events that roiled England in 1483 in her solid 19th Roger the Chapman historical (after 2009's The Dance of Death). Rakish investigator Roger makes his way home to the West Country after the announcement of Edward IV's death only to find his family gone. Eventually, he tracks his wife, Adela, to London, where she insists that he help her hosts, the Godsloves, who believe they've been targeted for death. Two members of the Godslove clan have been killed, and a third survived an attempt on her life. Roger explores a number of possible theories, including one that a criminal sent to prison by attorney Oswald Godslove seeks revenge. Meanwhile, he must work to avoid getting enmeshed in the struggles for power as England prepares to be ruled by a 12-year-old, Edward V. Sedley's encyclopaedic knowledge of the times is evident on every page. --Publishers Weekly, 5th April 2010

About this edition

• Publisher: Severn House Publishers
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 072787957X
• ISBN 13: 9780727879578
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416