The Demon Archer - Hardcover

Doherty, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0747222398 ISBN 13: 9780747222392

Publisher: Headline, 1999

Synopsis

The long-awaited new medieval mystery featuring Hugh Corbett

About this title

Review:

Ashdown Forest, 1303: an outlaw, the Owlman, discovers the corpse of a woman (a noblewoman?) in a shallow forest grave, an arrow in her throat. Unwilling to leave the decomposing body to the scavengers--this writing is graphic--Owlman delivers her to the door of the local convent: "he'd give Lady Madeleine and her nuns an opportunity to show some charity". So begins The Demon Archer, Paul Doherty's 11th Hugh Corbett mystery and another classic in the genre of medieval detective fiction. Within pages, there's a second corpse: Lord Henry Fitzalan, the very image of gothic sexuality and corruption--the Owlman's prime suspect in the death of the woman, "a great lord, a friend and confidant of the King", he dabbles in the black arts--is felled by an arrow to the chest. Hunting accident, or murder? Enter Hugh Corbett, keeper of the King's Secret Seal, directed to track down Sir Henry's murderer and--the plot thickens--to test the dead Lord's allegiance to the King, Edward II. A heady brew of murder, history and politics drives this fiction--together with the promise of what Doherty calls a certain "historical truth" in the characters and events framing this complex tale. --Vicky Lebeau

Review:

'The maestro of medieval mystery... As with all Doherty's historical whodunnits, it is packed with salty dialogue, the smells and superstitions of the 14th century, not to mention the political intrigues' Books magazine

'The best of its kind since the death of Ellis Peters' Time Out
'Medieval London comes vividly to life' Publishers Weekly
'Wholly excellent' Prima
'Paul Doherty has a lively sense of history ...evocative and lyrical descriptions' New Statesman

'Vitality in the cityscape ...angst in the mystery; it's Peters minus the herbs but plus a few crates of sack' Oxford Times
'As always the author invokes the medieval period in all its muck as well as glory, filling the pages with pungent smells and description. The author brings years of research to his writing; his mastery of the period as well as a disciplined writing schedule have led to a rapidly increasing body of work and a growing reputation' Mystery News

'this book is written well with a great deal of self-assurance. I liked the period detail and the characterisation of the large cast of suspects' Deryn Lake, SHOTS

Demon Archer: 'For those who are keen enthusiasts of medieval murder stories the name Paul Doherty will need no introduction...He writes with enthusiasm about an era he knows well' SHOTS

About this edition

• Publisher: Headline
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0747222398
• ISBN 13: 9780747222392
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256