Blood Runs Thicker

De: Sarah Hawkswood

Narrado por: Matt Addis

August 1144. Osbern de Lench is known far and wide as a hard master whose temper is perpetually frayed. After his daily ride to survey his land, his horse returns to the hall riderless, and the lifeless body of the lord is found soon after.

Was it the work of thieves or something closer to home? With an heir who is cast in the same hot-tempered mould, sworn enemies for neighbours and something amiss in the relationship between Osbern and his wife, Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, the wily Serjeant Catchpoll and apprentice Walkelin have suspects aplenty.

©2021 Sarah Hawkswood (P)2021 Allison & Busby Ltd

The cruelty and hatred ofuman nature is jarring

Dspite the dreadful circumstances for almost all of the characters the book is compelling and saved by the relationships of the three "detectives."

I’m so impressed with the author’s historical research!

I am a big fan of history and my home library bears witness to it. When I read historical fiction (was first introduced to it at the age of 9), historical accuracy is very important to me. A few weeks ago I ate dinner with a guest who gleaned at least some of his knowledge from TV miniseries. One of his claims made me burst out into laughter.

Reading the fiction of Griff Hosker, whose writing that I’ve read so far focuses mainly on battles and warfare, sent me on a track into reading about ore-and post-conquest history and culture. Because of this, I can appreciate not only the pronunciation of many Saxon names, but some of their beliefs.

Here are two examples that have delighted me so far in this series of novels:
1. The term “nithing”, a precursor to the word nothing. Used as an epithet, it means so much more. Calling someone a nithing indicates that that person is (or should be) considered so unworthy of society that it was amazing that they were even created. When people say that calling a criminal an animal is wrong because an animal wouldn’t perform such a despicable act. In the times that these books are set in, Saxons would call that person a nithing.
2. Wyrd - listeners might think the word used in the book was “weird”. Wyrd comes from Nordic beliefs and really means fate - especially a person’s individual fate.

I LOVE hearing these beautiful words resurrected by Hawkswood! Thank you, madam!