Ashes to Ashes

The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon, Book 8

By: Mel Starr

Narrated by: Tim Bruce

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Master Hugh, Kate, and their children attend the Midsummer’s Eve fire. Early next morning, Hugh hears the passing bell ring from the Church of St. Beornwald and moments later is summoned. Tenants collecting the ashes to spread upon their fields have found burned bones.

Master Hugh learns of several men of Bampton and nearby villages who have gone missing recently. Most are soon found, some alive, some dead. Master Hugh eventually learns that the bones are those of a bailiff from a nearby manor. Someone has slain him and placed his body in the fire to destroy evidence of murder. Bailiffs are not popular men; they dictate labor service, collect rents, and enforce other obligations. Has this bailiff died at the hand of some angry tenant? Hugh soon discovers this is not the case. There is quite another reason for murder....

©2015 Mel Starr (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Hugh de Singleton

The new narrator is so much better than the old one
Fantastic series
Recommend this series to anyone who likes a who done it and a relaxing pace and historical information

Compulsive Bedtime Listening

Nothing happens at any pace in these novels which is why I listen before going to sleep, however, it is the simplicity of these stories which I enjoy most of all.

The narrator is good but, let's face it, he's no Crossley. Lack of variation in characters voices is confusing but, again, due to the simplistic nature of the stories, it's overcome easily enough.

They're almost like 'Children's Books' but not, paradoxically.

Simple, easy listening. Nothing spectacular but pleasant.

Enjoyable

Steady paced enjoyable medieval whodunnit. Narrator great and historical detail excellent. Hugh, Kate and Arthur make for characters you enjoy the familiarity of as part of the series.

Great series

I'm doing a review for the whole series as I've left it so long since I started listening to them.

I would highly recommend this series and in fact I have done so to a number of people already. Very impressed with the writing, the research that seems to have been done and the historical accuracy is excellent.

Nice characters, good pace, interesting stories. Really interesting to see the ability of surgeons then and the ways Hugh deducts things.

Improving

As the series goes on the writer seems to write more confidently and the storylines gradually improve.

Narrator!

Brilliant series!
However, changing the narrator half-way is disappointing and annoying.

Book 1 to 6 is read brilliantly by Steve Crossley.
Book 7 to 11 is read by Tim Bruce.

Doing this looses continuity and enjoyment especially when the main characters and their voices become friends and so familiar.

No disrespects to Tim but even with these books included free I’ve only finished one of them.
Book 8… I couldn’t finish, so I’ve jumped to book 12 and obviously the storyline!

Please consider re-recording these books.

And, please let it be Steven Crossley with new books 13 and 14!

Smashing

I Loved the whole series, it is a pity the storey teller changed half way through

Great Tale

Once again a really good story line, love the era in which it takes place and is very nicely narrated.