Mel Starr

Dear Readers,

The Abbot’s Agreement, by Mel Starr, is book #6 in the Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon.  I have review a couple of them and loved all 6 of them.  I was unsure if I wanted to review another as I didn’t want to just repeat myself about the series, but as I was reading the book I was once again struck by how much fun this book was to read.  The quirks of some of the characters and even Hugh himself are so interesting to read.  To be able to experience life in the 14^th century is a delight. 

Mel makes the characters and their experiences come to life.   How the pestilence –black plague – wiped out families and sometimes entire communities.  They lived in terror of if and when it would enter their communities.  It was part of life and nothing they could do anything about.  I have no experience with such a disease or anything that would just wipe out everyone I knew.  Mel weaves that into his stories, each and every person has lost family and friends to the pestilence and each understands when someone brings it up.  The work force is smaller because of it.  People have been able to purchase more land as landowners and churches lost money because of the loss to this tragedy.  I never thought of how much it would affect.  It made the story much more intriguing. 

Master Hugh is on the way to Oxford to purchase a Bible.  He has longed for one for some time now and has finally the coin and time to get one.  His wife is expecting their second child soon and he wants to be back in time for this event.  While on the way he is distracted by a flock of birds alongside the road and goes to investigate, what he finds is the body of a missing novice from the local Abbey.  He is soon hired by the Abbot to figure out who killed young John and why.  His wages for doing so?  A new and complete Bible.  More than ample reward for his services. 

 

As the clues start coming together, Hugh and groom Arthur find themselves at risk and the murderer would do just about anything to keep his secret.  Is it the younger son of the local land owner?  Is it a different suitor for beautiful young Maude’s hand?  When John’s father asks Hugh if he had any in mind that would kill his son,  Hugh responds with “Several.”  It is what makes the mystery so fun to read in these books.  It is all testimony and word of mouth.  No surprise DNA results to help you along the way.  No find a small drop of blood on the dagger that is tested to show you whose blood is on the dagger.  It is all just listening for the clues and trying to figure it out yourself.  Mel does a good job of pointing you in a certain direction and then changing your mind.  I love that part of the work, no CSI to come in and tell you the answer in the end, just good old fashion leg work.

Happy Reading.  

Mel Starr

Dear Readers,

Once again I am reviewing a Mel Starr book for a Kregel blog tour.  They send you a free book and ask you to write a review for it.  This is not a problem with this series of books.

This is actually book #5 in the series about Hugh de Singleton, surgeon.  They are a series of books set in the 1300's, that always have a mystery to them  There is a quote on the book of the book from the Library Journal, "Fans of medieval mysteries will revel in Starr's lively blending of intriguing suspense and telling historical details."  Great quote, but one that made me laugh.  I am not a big fan of medieval stories at all, and who knew there was a genre for medieval mysteries. 

I guess I am saying that if you are a fan of mysteries and want something with a little bit different twist to it, then try these books.  Mel writes a good story and mystery that isn't solved in the first two chapters and his main character, Hugh, is very human and as Hugh himself will say, has some wit about him.  I actually enjoy Hugh's character because of the way he acts, speaks and does his job to the best of his ability.  Being a surgeon in 1367 could have been no easy task.  Modern medicine of any sort was unheard of.  Surgery was still viewed as something of the devil and the plague is busily wiping out hundreds of thousands of people. 

Because of his saving the local lord's life, Hugh is also the local sheriff.  This means when a man is found beaten to death it is his job to figure out who did it and why.  With not much to go on he first works on figuring out who the man was since he is not from Bampton.  The clues lead Hugh on a merry little investigation. 

Don't get me wrong here; I did enjoy the mystery part of it.  But learning about life in the 1300's was fascinating.  I have found it a pleasant part of the books before, but for some reason in this book I found it a much bigger part of the story.  I don't know if I just missed it in the other books or if Mel just included more this time.  At one point Hugh is going to do surgery on one of the men at the local monastery and the monk in charge won't let him do it because the stars are not aligned.  Who knew the Catholic Church followed the Zodiac?

I found this book just a bit different from the others and I am sure it's because of the everyday details that Mel put into it.  If he had done this before and I missed it, sorry, but if not then you can really enjoy it this time also.

Happy Reading

P.S. This book is available at Baker Book House or by request at bakerbookstore.com