Master Wycliffe's Summons

The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon, Book 14

De: Mel Starr

Narrado por: Tim Bruce

One of Master John Wycliffe’s scholars is found dead after a thunderstorm. Was he struck by lightning, or was there something more sinister to his death?

Scholar Richard Sabyn, a particularly obnoxious fellow, was believed to have been struck by lightning. However, Master Wycliffe believes otherwise and calls upon Sir Hugh de Singleton for help. Sir Hugh shares Wycliffe’s suspicions and launches a private investigation, learning that it might indeed be possible to make it look as though a man has died from a lightning strike. But who would go to all that effort, and why?

When fellow scholar Simon Duby dies, it raises even more questions and suspicions. What is the connection between the two men? Sir Hugh believes a bronze pot, a bucket of urine, and a small quantity of charcoal and brimstone may hold the answer. During a bleak 1375, can he survive the insidious plague and several attempts on his life as he continues his quest for truth?

©2021 Mel Starr (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

I enjoyed the language and history.

I loved the characters. Clear use of good and evil was good I love the men of faith.

Love this series

Tim Bruce is a good narrator but I much prefer Steven Crossley I hope he returns for the next instalment

Plague years

Well told history, including information about second plague, facts about clothing and diet. Interesting religious practices.

An excellent series.

Mel Starr is an excellent builder of the Medieval world and a wonderful storyteller. The reader is also enjoyable.

Death and Filler

As a loyal reader of the Hugh de Singleton series, I was very disappointed in the demise of a beloved character in this installment, especially since the striking of this person seems random and, seemingly, without good reason for the larger tapestry of Sir Hugh’s future adventures. This part of the story just didn’t track for me, and as the death happens fairly early on, probably soured my palate for the rest of the book. I found Starr’s pursuit of the the villain to lack the usual good pacing and progression of the story, with lots of repetition and backtracking, and the ending was more or less predictable. The narration was good, but the tale itself was a bit of a dud.

Did Mel Starr write this book out of order?

I didn't like how when Arthur is dying, Hugh tries to argue theology with him and only barely comforts him at the end. This turned out to be Arthur's last human interaction and that made me feel sad and seemed out of Hugh's character. I know it somewhat enters the plot later but I wish the author had found a way around this. Hugh seemed to be barely affected at all by Arthur's death too.
And then somehow Arthur's wife Cicely is alive again in this book when she supposedly died of plague a couple of books ago in the series and he remarried a midwife who was just gone in this book, obviously if Cicely's back. It seemed insulting to the readers who have read the series up until now and gotten to know and like the characters.