Review – Rest Not in Peace

Mel Starr in his new book, “Rest Not In Peace” Book Six in the Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon series published by Monarch Books returns us to Oxford in 1368 for another mystery involving the intrepid bailiff and surgeon.

From the back cover:  “Is there any reason to suspect evil in this?” I asked.  “None…but that the man was robust one day and a corpse the next.”

Master Hugh, surgeon and bailiff, has been asked to provide a sleeping potion for Sir Henry Burley, a friend and guest of Lord Gilbert at Bampton Castle, near Oxford.

Three days before St. John’s Day, in the year of our Lord 1368, Sir Henry went to his bed hale and hearty after enjoying a long evening of music, conversation and dancing in Bampton Castle’s hall.   The next morn his valet found him cold and dead.

Master Hugh is asked by Lord Gilbert to determine the cause of death–despite shrill accusations from Sir Henry’s grieving widow…

I have become a huge fan of Mel Starr and am fantastically pleased with his creation: Hugh de Singleton.  These mysteries that he gets involved with are complicated and thoroughly enjoyable.  I think Mel Starr is an extremely talented writer who really knows how to tell a story that will grab you and keep you flipping pages until you find out who did it.

Agatha Christie used to place her murders in a confined area with lots of suspects.  Mr. Starr does the same.  Here the confined area is Bampton Castle and the suspects are Sir Henry’s current wife, a daughter by a first wife, two knights, two squires, and assorted servants.  Sir Henry is a friend of Sir Gilbert but he has overstayed his welcome by almost a month and after a night of revelry he needs Hugh to give him a sleeping potion.  When they try to wake him in the morning he is found dead.  Now Hugh has to go through the possible suspects with all their motives to figure out which one of them did it.  “Rest Not In Peace” is a very exciting book that will keep you engrossed in the characters as well as life in England in the 1300′s.   This is a wonderful series and I am glad I discovered Mel Starr and his wonderful hero.  I am already looking forward to the next book.