The Merchant's Tale

Oxford Medieval Mysteries, Book 4

De: Ann Swinfen

Narrado por: Philip Battley

Oxford, Autumn 1353

St. Frideswide's Fair is a great annual event in Oxford, bringing together merchants and buyers from all over England and Wales, and from as far away as Flanders and France. Yet the earnings from the fair, granted to the Priory of St. Frideswide centuries before, are resented by the town, and resentment can turn to violence.

Under the unscrupulous Prior de Hungerford, even more trouble is brewing. Nicholas Elyot is warned by intelligencer Alice Walsea that attendance at the fair may be used for something more sinister, and not all French merchants may be innocent.

When a merchant from Flanders is attacked and an English traitor is murdered, can Nicholas disentangle the crimes hidden under cover of the fair?

©2017 Ann Swinfen (P)2017 Ann Swinfen

Great episodes, a most admirable historical series

Book shopkeeper Nicolas Elyott is a most appealing, thoughtful, wise and interesting main character. Nothing wrong with really loving the protagonist in these books, makes for an excellent change. In this volume, nothing disappoints, superior character-driven story, good plot, and wonderful, authentic ambiance. Overall the series would get five stars from me, but the novels are on the short side and feel like episodes in a bigger story. So, perhaps at the end of this journey I shall award five stars.

Superlative narration.

Ann Swinfen

What beautiful stories.
I grieve the lost of such talent.
I will be sad when I complete the last volume.

Consistent

If you have read and enjoyed Ann Swinfen, she does not disappoint. She consistently brings quality books to the table. I would recommend

4th in remarkable hist. fiction mystery series

I am fast becoming a fan of Ann Swinfin's. The novels have a humanity and comfort that for me is reminiscent of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries. The mysteries are well-crafted, well-researched, and don't generally exceed the technology of the day. They are also believable.

I also enjoy that, while the story is complete in itself, there is also an over-arching "history" that is consistent from book to book. We see children growing and relationships develop.

A lovely series that I would recommend to most people.

Duh! When you know the answer to the mystery almost immediately!

I love this series , its great narration and characters. However, a mystery shouldn’t be solved so readily by the reader while the characters act so clueless to the obvious

Excellent Read - love this series!

Interesting and engaging characters with a real flavor of Medieval life. I've read each book in the series and they each just got better and better. The narrator was especially good, too.

Round About Reading!

These Medieval Mysteries never move in a straight line towards solving the crime! There is often too much information, additional characters that are hard to keep straight, peripheral narratives that take attention away from the central action. However, the extra work required is well worth the effort. Boy, can you learn a lot about late medieval society and how people lived and worked. So, interesting. The deviations from the main story are like an added gift - more than you paid for and well worth the cost! You will get to know the characters and really care what happens to them. Great historical fun! And as an added bonus the narrator is fantastic! Takes on the voice of time and place and makes it sound perfectly natural! Can't wait for my next credit to order immediately the next book in the series.

Delightful Easy Reading

It occurs to me that part of what I love about this series may also be seen as a weakness by some. These books will not stump you. Who "dunnit" is not going to surprise. That said, the journey is absolutely the star here. I ADORE these books, in part because of the ease of reading. For me, even the most mundane things are made fascinating by clothing them in another culture or historical era, and that is part of what Swinfen does so well. If you are looking for a brain-bender, this probably won't appeal to you. If, however, you enjoy detail, histories of the more common folk, and/or are craving something's of a "palate cleanser" then I suggest these books with joy. My only true regret is in knowing there can only ever be the few in this series that are already published, owing to the untimely passing of the author.

Charming, interesting and well-written

I have enjoyed this series immensely. It is delightful that each book seems better than the last. I rank this series up there with C.J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake series (high praise indeed). A degree or two less intense than Shardlake but every bit as enjoyable, Wonderful characters. Philip Battley's performance is superb.

Relaxed Story focused on Characters

This series of stories is centered not so much on the mystery featured in the particular volume but rather on the arc of development of the primary characters and their relationships. Some might not appreciate this approach, preferring faster pace and more tension building in the sleuthing. At times I even wonder when the author will get to the action. But then the relaxed pace, time spent with believable details of daily life and development of several likable characters draws me in. It is that aspect that has me eager to begin the next volume in the series. The reader does a fantastic job with consistent voices without being overly dramatic.