#7 Crowner John medieval mystery set in and around Exeter. Devon’s coroner is investigating doings in the King’s forest in the nearby countryside, spurred by a verderer found with an arrow in his back. There has long been conflict between forest officials and the people who live there, but this is something different. It seems the forest lawmen have taken up with outlaws, using them to enforce their new, stricter and very unreasonable rules. But why? John de Wolfe thinks there must be someone with money and power behind the whole scheme, and even begins to suspect his brother-in-law the sheriff. While I figured out part of the mystery ahead of time, I think a more comprehensive knowledge of medieval laws and political workings would have been needed to sort the whole thing out. On a personal note, John’s mistress Nesta is expecting a baby and when his wife finds out, she leaves in a huff for the nunnery. While Matilda had long known of John’s dalliances, the news that a baby is forthcoming sends her over the edge and she decides to enter the convent as she’s threatened to do for many years. Nesta, rather than being joyful, is despondent over her condition and John is totally perplexed. While I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book (relating to the King’s laws about ‘venison’ and ‘vert’ in the forest) I thought this book was a bit too long and convoluted. At least, there have certainly been better entries in the series. I’ve got several more of these in series waiting and certainly will read them, but I do hope the story itself is a little more tightly put together in upcoming books.
If you go down to the woods today.......Crowner John investigates some dodgy goings on amongst the forest dwellers and officials. Murder, arson, intimidation; it's like a medieval episode of Eastenders. Thomas and Gwyn get a bit more to do and it's nice to see their characters develop a little more. De Wolfe's womenfolk are under a little stress too and the ending is rather bittersweet. The only thing that stops me from giving this 5 stars is that even after all this time, Knight's editor is still incapable of correcting the multiple errors that occur throughout.
What do You think about Fear In The Forest (2003)?
Bernard Knight never actually uses the phrase "and with one bound our hero is free!" but I had the feeling he was dying to do so. Set in the time of Richard the Lionheart "Crowner John" the Coronor for Devon is investigating murder and mayhem in the King's Forests. The book is crammed full of historical detail and gives us an insight into the lives of both the peasants as well as the minor nobility. However I found the characters fairly simplistic, and while it was an easy and entertaining read, I never felt really engaged.
—Trawets
