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Product Description
Product Description
Some valuable books have been stolen from Master John Wyclif, the well known scholar and Bible translator. He calls upon his friend and former pupil, Hugh de Singleton, to investigate. Hugh's investigation leads him to Oxford where he again encounters Kate, the only woman who has tempted him to leave bachelor life behind, but Kate has another serious suitor. As Hugh's pursuit of Kate becomes more successful, mysterious accidents begin to occur. Are these accidents tied to the missing books, or to his pursuit of Kate? One of the stolen books turns up alongside the drowned body of a poor Oxford scholar. Another accident? Hugh certainly doesn't think so, but it will take all of his surgeon's skills to prove. So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton. Masterfully researched by medieval scholar Mel Starr, the setting of the novel can be visited and recognized in modern-day England. Enjoy more of Hugh's dry wit, romantic interests, evolving faith, and dogged determination as he pursues his third case as bailiff of Bampton.
About the Author
Mel Starr has spent many years teaching history, and has studied medieval surgery and medieval English. He lives in Michigan.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hugh continues to solve mystery of the 1360's,
By
This review is from: A Trail of Ink (Paperback)
Hugh de Singleton continues his facinating reports of his life in the 1360's England around the town of Oxford. The young man, a baliff and a surgeon, continues to become enmeshed in homicide cases which start out as small mysteries. This time on a visit to his mentor John Wyclif and to the girl who has caught his fancy he discovers that Wyclif's books have been stolen, a serious crime in a time when books were scarce; and that his girl has started walking out with a knight who might be involved in the theft somehow. I was happy to see Hugh again; it's interesting to think of how mysteries were solved before technology arrived. The author has made the third book in the series easy to read, interesting, and catches a new reader up-to-date quickly in the first chapter. There is a glossary at the beginning containing medieval words and their meanings that may be new to the reader. It is easy to flip to without losing one's place in the story. An excellent new story, I'm interested in reading the rest of the series.Thanks to Noelle Pederson and Kregel Publications for a review copy.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars (54 customer reviews) 32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
"A den of scholarly vipers",
By Patto - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Trail of Ink (Paperback)
In the third chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff, Hugh is asked to find twenty-two books that were stolen from John Wyclif (fourteenth-century theologian and church reformer), who was Hugh's mentor at Oxford.It seems likely (but not certain) that the theft is connected with someone at the university, which Hugh describes as "a den of scholarly vipers." Hugh's investigation meanders at first, but in the end there are enough fights, wounds and deaths to warrant calling this academic mystery "action packed." How Aristotle and Euclid could incite murder and mayhem might perplex modern readers, but in medieval times books were precious and pricey. A scholar rarely acquired as many as twenty books in a lifetime. Author Mel Starr, historian and scholar of medieval surgery, gives us a fascinating picture of medieval life among scholars, lords, sheriffs, surgeons, shopkeepers, monks and marriageable young women. I always look forward to dinner in these books too - fabulous fare like pork in pepper sauce, pear-and-herb fritters and eels baked in vinegar and spices. In A Trail of Ink, Hugh divides his time between finding Wyclif's books and courting Kate, an Oxford stationer's comely daughter. Both pursuits turn out to be life threatening. Although Hugh is a brilliant surgeon, he's a timid lover and a self-effacing (though determined) investigator. He faithfully chronicles all his mistakes and ineptitudes, and when he succeeds, credits the Lord. He also invites and listens to advice. His modesty is quite charming. I'm enjoying this series. When I'm reading escapist literature, I'm always pleased to learn something, and Mel Starr is a good medievalist. For fullest enjoyment of Hugh de Singleton's thoughtful character, I'd recommend reading the chronicles in order: (1) Unquiet Bones, (2) A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel and (3) A Trail of Ink. 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great medieval mystery,
By Mark A. Buzard - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Trail of Ink (Paperback)
I like this series of books. They are totally different from the suspense/mystery novels I read. This series is set in the 1300's, which requires methods of detecting and investigating than what we have today.The main character is Hugh de Singleton, who is both a surgeon and bailiff. As I commented on an earlier book in this series, I find the methods of surgery and doctoring in that day fascinating. This book, Trail of Ink, starts off a bit slowly, but then picked up and grabbed my interest. The story involves stolen books, and I figured it wasn't going to be a story involving murder and mayhem, but I was wrong. Thought it may have been slower getting to the suspenseful moments than the two books that preceded this one, it has a lot of suspense in it also, and even some romance thrown in - although that is also a lot different than modern day romances. The author has studied medieval surgery and medieval English, and that comes across in the book. Reading his books are like stepping into medieval times. He paints a great picture of what life was like in that day, and adds mystery and suspense to make it even more enjoyable. I have one complaint about the book. There is a glossary in the front of the book to define some of the unfamiliar words in the book, but there are still several used that are not in the glossary. I would have liked a definition of those also. I highly recommend this series. No, it isn't like reading a fast paced suspense novel set in modern times, but this book, and the other two in the series, make an enjoyable read and you won't be disappointed. 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
There's Treachery Afoot,
By annie "earthboundmisfit" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Trail of Ink (Paperback)
Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and baliff, journys to near-by Oxford to court the fair Kate Caxton and, is his wont, finds treachery at every turn and mysteries to be solved. Mel Starr has a gift for bringing his characters and settings to glorious life. His descriptions of the time and place, intoxicating use of language, and subtle humor whet the appetite for more medieval mayhem. Let's hope Hugh's chronicles continue apace!
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