What do You think about A Gift Of Sanctuary (2000)?
While it definitely doesn't rank as the worst book I've ever read (or tried to read) A Gift of Sanctuary violates one of my personal "rules" for what makes a mystery good/great. It's a blatant case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. There are a multitude of characters connected to the mystery of a man's death, all of whom have their own agendas. One in particular seems to have no motive for his involvement other than causing discomfort for the local nobility.Because of all of the people/agendas/motives the waters are so completely muddied that the solution hardly seems like one at all. It seems more like a cop-out.
—Patricia
I read the first five books in this series years ago, so I was expecting to reacquaint myself with Lucie, an apocethary in York, but this was all about her husband, Owen Archer, who has to go on an errand to Wales for the Duke of Lancaster. It's an interesting mystery, but I was a bit confused by the Welsh names and political situation, also by the switching among three different POVs by three main characters. Owen left Wales many years ago and he reconnects with the remaining member of his family. His relationship with his father-in-law, who came with him on a pilgrimage, is very interesting. I'll be glad to get back to York in the next book, however.
—Vicki Cline
