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 Christian Fiction: Historical Mystery/Suspense

Unhallowed Ground - The Fourth Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon by Mel Starr Mel Starr sets his tales about Hugh de Singleton in the English countryside of the 14th century. In Unhallowed Ground the Bailiff of Lord Gilbert Talbot tries to discover who murdered Thomas, the most disliked man in the village, and who tried to make his death look like suicide. This is no easy task as Thomas had so many enemies. In the process Hugh is attacked and has his arm nearly cut off with a knife, his pregnant wife is in fear of her life and their home is set on fire and burnt to the ground. This gripping thriller has much to commend it as it recounts the life of the peasant people in the middle ages where they had to contend with bondage, rules, regulations, myth and superstition. Review by Guy Marshall  (19/11/11)

Paperback Price: £8.99 Publisher: Monarch imprint of Lion Hudson Published: September 2011 ISBN: 978-0-857-21058-6 View this book on its own page >>

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Beyond This Wilderness by John Thomas A weird and wonderful tale of evil happenings back in the eighteenth century, still having repercussions in the late twentieth century. Beyond This Wilderness is set in the context of an exchange of letters between a parish Priest and his Archdeacon. The Vicar is from a parish on the welsh border in Shropshire, an outlying part of the Lichfield Diocese and following unexplained and odd strangers in the parish, and with the remembering of old scary tales in his mind, the Vicar feels it necessary to report what has happened to his Archdeacon, without seriously considering that anything is amiss. With the finding of the ‘Testament’ of the Vicar of those past times, everything changes. This testament is included in full and is scary reading, yet contains some contrasting and beautiful, memorable passages. This Vicar had recorded his life in many journals, and years later he feels the need to write of what he has seen and experienced, then has the papers hidden in a way that will only be exposed if the evil re-appears. It has! A challenging and compelling read. Price quoted includes p&p from publisher Review by Mary Bartholomew  (12/02/11)

A Trail of Ink - The Third Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon by Mel Starr Another book of a series no other reviewer gets a chance to read! Hugh’s friend Master John Wycliffe of Canterbury Hall, Oxford has had his lifetime collection of books stolen from his room. Twenty-two books in all, two borrowed from a friend, twenty lovingly collected and annotated over many years of study. Hugh was in Oxford to further his cause with the stationer’s daughter Kate, on the excuse of ordering more ink to write up his records of completed cases. As bailiff to Bampton Castle he was expected to solve local crimes from poaching to murder, and so far he had been successful. Back in Bampton Castle Lord Gilbert, at the request of his wife Lady Petronilla, speaks to Hugh of his love lorn state and using the loss of Master John’s books as a worthy cause, sends Hugh back to Oxford to solve the mystery of the theft, and to find himself a wife. Though he has the help of a sturdy groom, Arthur, finding the books is no easy task, and wooing Kate meets with difficulties too. There are evil men afoot, murder and mistaken identity, monks and nobles, all are involved, and much happens before the end of the story. Review by Mary Bartholomew  (03/11/10)

The Unquiet Bones - The First Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon by Melvin R. Starr Having read the Second Chronicle in this series I was delighted to receive this First Chronicle and it did not take me long to have read this too! Set in the fourteenth century, Hugh is a young man starting on his career as a surgeon and trying to attract customers to his room in an Inn in Oxford. Fortunately for him an accident occurs below his window and he is able to help the injured man who turns out to be Lord Gilbert Talbot, Lord of the castles of Bampton, and of Goodrich. As a result, Hugh moves into Bampton to serve this Lord and his people as their Surgeon. Very soon Lord Gilbert asks him to examine some human bones found in the castle cess-pit. This leads to a search for the identity of the dead girl and to the subsequent finding of more bodies and their murderers. A murder story with historical interest which gives an insight into the lives of the people of this time. Review by Mary Bartholomew  (22/12/09)

A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel - The Second Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon by Mel Starr Reminiscent of a Cadfael story – but none the worse for that! - A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel is set in Bampton, Oxfordshire in the year of 1365. Hugh de Singleton is a surgeon who helped the Lord of the Manor of Bampton and was rewarded with the post of bailiff in addition to his other duties. In this story he has to solve two murders in some very queer circumstances, and while doing so journeys to Witney and to Oxford where he meets up with his friend and mentor Master John Wycliffe of Bible translation fame. Mel Starr has been as accurate as possible with the historical setting while weaving this mystery into the scene. Hugh and the other fictional characters are so very believable, but we shall have to wait and see whether Hugh manages to wed Kate, the daughter of an Oxford Stationer. Review by Mary Bartholomew  (07/12/09)

Adam by Ted Dekker Ted Dekker is my favourite fiction writer and again I am left sleep deprived for a few nights whilst I am gripped to find out what happens next. In this thriller, Adam, we follow FBI behavioural psychologist Daniel Clark in an obsessive pursuit to find the identity of the serial killer ‘Eve’ during which Clark will stop at nothing and risk all including his life. Dekker uses Adam to expose evil for what (or rather who) it really is and to the startling reality that although we may not want to accept that evil is all around us, it is a very real part of the world we live in. As ever brilliantly written and riveting from start to finish. Review by Zoë Stevenson  (06/11/09)

A Touch of Grace - Daughters of Blessing Book 3 by Lauraine Snelling
ISBN: 978-0-764-22811-7 Price: £8.99	Published: August 2008
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A Season of Shadows by Paul McCusker
ISBN: 0-310-25432-9 Price: £7.99	Published: 2005
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Murder in the Mummy’s Tomb - A G.K. Chesterton Mystery by Kel Richards
ISBN: 1-589-19963-4 Price: £6.99	Published: January 2005
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