The Viking Prince

The Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mysteries, Book 11

By: Sarah Woodbury

Narrated by: Laurel Schroeder

Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

May 1148. All Dublin is shocked by the murder of a prominent merchant, but only Prince Godfrid knows that the dead man was also a co-conspirator in his brother's plan to take the throne of Dublin. With death stalking his every move, Godfrid must call upon new friends and old to find the killer - and with their help uncover a conspiracy stretching beyond Dublin's walls to every kingdom in Ireland.

Join Godfrid the Dane for murder and mayhem in medieval Dublin in The Viking Prince, the 11th Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mysteries.

A note about Godfrid the Dane: Godfrid makes his first appearance in the Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mysteries in the first book, The Good Knight. He comes to Anglesey at the behest of Prince Cadwaladr but quickly realizes that the deal he's made is not quite what he thought, and Cadwaladr is not worthy of his allegiance. He takes it upon himself to keep Gwen safe and gives her up to Gareth when he comes to Ireland in search of her.

He and Gareth grow to respect each other, and Godfrid returns to Gwynedd in The Fallen Princess, on a quest to find the Book of Kells, which has been stolen, and again in The Lost Brother, in search of allies in his conflict with Ottar of Dublin. In both instances, he ends up aiding Gareth and Gwen in their investigations.

It is the dispute with Ottar that, in the late 1140s, drives Godfrid and his brother, Brodar. They seek to overthrow Ottar, whom they believe usurped their father's, and now Brodar's, throne.

With the approach of the summer solstice and the coming thing, the great meeting of the Danes in Dublin, Godfrid is faced with a mystery of his own, which he must solve if his brother's victory is ever to come to pass....

The Viking Prince is his story.

Complete Series reading order: The Good Knight, The Uninvited Guest, The Fourth Horseman, The Fallen Princess, The Unlikely Spy, The Lost Brother, The Renegade Merchant, The Unexpected Ally, The Worthy Soldier, The Favored Son, The Viking Prince. Also The Bard's Daughter (prequel novella).

©2018 Sarah Woodbury (P)2018 Sarah Woodbury

Good Talr

Enjoyed learning more about other characters in Gwrn and Gareth's world. Dublin was an interesting backdrop for the story.

I love it!

I love Woodbury's Gareth and Gwen mysteries and this is the perfect next step in the story.

Loved it!!

I've loved all her books, happy to hear the proper pronunciation of names and places!!

Godfrid the Dane takes a turn to Sleuthing

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book at no cost to me, from the Author, with no requirement to write a review let alone a positive one. My review is my own honest opinion.*

I so hope this becomes the start of a new series!! As a character introduced in the Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mystery series we have met Godfrid previously, and if the other readers are anything like me, we’ve liked him! I did. To see him in his own milieu and dealing with the intrigues of his own country’s royal court - he is a Prince of the Dublin Danes after all - was so interesting and attention gripping, that this book just sailed on by in no time at all.

Connell, the Irish Ambassador and “spy” for the King of Leinster - who we’ve also met with Gareth & Gwen in previous books (and, likeable ? Yes, but he’s a bit of a puzzler) is also front and shares the center stage with Godfrid, and brings with him a new character who you will find a delightful addition to the cast.

The Mystery at the heart of the story is a good one, well played, and I did NOT guess whodunnit - great ending! Wrapped in history and learning new things about history. What a wonderful combo.

The narration is great. I enjoy Laurel Schroeder’s cadence and voicing of the characters. The books she narrates that I listen to come alive for me with her reading.

I highly recommend all fans of this series read/listen to this book even though our beloved Gwen (and Gareth) are absent.

Filled with history...

Sarah does not disappoint! Well researched as always. These characters come to life for me. Thanks Sarah (and Laurel)!

Disappointed

I couldn’t get past the first 10 minutes due to the horrible narration. Very disappointed.