The Unquiet Bones

By: Mel Starr

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

First in the medieval whodunnit series set in Bampton, Oxfordshire, during the plague years and featuring a newly qualified surgeon

Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight, has been educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy orders. However, feeling no certain calling despite a lively faith, he turns to the profession of surgeon, training in Paris and then hanging out his sign in Oxford.

A local lord asks him to track the killer of a young woman whose bones have been found in the castle cesspit. She is identified as the impetuous missing daughter of a local blacksmith, and her young man, whom she had provoked very publicly, is in due course arrested and sentenced at the Oxford assizes.

From there the tale unfolds, with graphic medical procedures, droll medieval wit, misdirection, ambition, romantic distractions, and a consistent underlying Christian compassion.

©2008 Mel Starr (P)2019 by Blackstone Publishing

Intriguing and Interesting

What a multi-faceted character Starr has created! Looking forward to "reading" the next books in the series. Highly recommended.

Heart warming

Good guys win, bad guys die. just as it should be.
Nice narration. Relaxing listening

Very Happy with the First Installment

I have listened to and am a huge fan of the CJ Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake series. When we found out of Mr Sansom’s terminal illness not only were we grieved for the fine author himself but the end to a wonderful series that had become a favorite.
Then I downloaded The Unquiet Bones and am thrilled to be listening and enjoying the same well-written Medieval historical mystery.
If you are a Shardlake fan, you’ll be happy with this as well!

The Unquiet Bones.

I really enjoyed the fact that the surgeon wasn’t a genius, as are other “detectives,” but he made mistakes. He used his common sense, and made sure that he was right about things. I really enjoyed the story and Mr. Crossley is an excellent narrator. I very much enjoyed listening to him.

Depends On Your Taste

Other reviewers have said it well. The possible pluses: evenly paced, well written and narrated, historical interest, characters you can like, decent mystery. The possible minuses: not suspenseful, historical accuracy nebulous, unexciting narration. So it comes down to what you like and are in the mood for. It worked for me.

Decent. Will continue for at least one more book

liked the medieval words. A bit clichéd but enjoyable. I am obliged to renew research on the medieval era.

Worthwhile

The story is a bit plodding. However, in many ways the details add rather than detract from the novel.

Easy listening 🤗 👍

Totally enjoyed, bought Book 2 and look forward to many hours of listening as it's a beefy series 😊

Excellent

I loved this book because the author found that delicate balance between explaining ad nauseum about medieval normalcies and simply having them included smoothly in the storyline. The historical study was detailed but not delivered like a textbook. It made room to enjoy the story and the mystery.
I also liked that the pseudo-romance aspect of the tale didn't override - leaving the protagonist to be a true gentleman.

Excellent all around

Set in the years just after the second plague to sweep England, the main character, a surgeon, sets about his business but gets caught up in a murder investigation. All the characters are well rounded, the pace of the story excellent and the ending very satisfying. I look forward to more in this series.