- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Mysterious Press (April 1 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0446678503
- ISBN-13: 978-0446678506
- Product Dimensions: 20.2 x 13.5 x 1.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 231 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #933,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Author of the acclaimed Owen Archer mystery series (The Nun's Tale; etc.) set in late 14th-century England, Robb introduces Dame Margaret Kerr in the alluring first of a new series placed in 13th-century Scotland. The spring of 1297 finds Margaret with her mother-in-law, Katherine, in Dunfermline. Roger Sinclair, Margaret's husband, has not been heard from since he set out for Edinburgh on business months earlier. Roger's cousin, Jack, leaves to find Roger, but instead returns home in a shroud, the victim of a brutal murder. After his funeral, Margaret determines to go to Edinburgh with her priest brother to search for her husband and to discover what she can about Jack's death, her only clue being a small weight clutched in Jack's dead hand. Margaret finds an Edinburgh occupied by English soldiers and clouded by political unrest. As she follows Roger's trail and seeks Jack's murderer, she uncovers truths that tear at her heart and cause her to question her beliefs and loyalties. Robb carefully unfolds her story, allowing the reader to become immersed in the day-to-day life of the characters. With meticulous attention to historical details, from the soup Margaret eats to her characters' plaid clothing and the language they speak (there's a helpful glossary), the author lovingly re-creates medieval Edinburgh. But like Katherine's altar cloth or Margaret's needlework, the story remains unfinished and readers can only wait patiently for the sequel.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.From Booklist
Robb brings historical mystery fans a new series featuring Dame Margaret Kerr of Perth, Scotland. It is 1297 and the Wars of Independence against the English are raging. Intrigue abounds as the various Scottish factions fight among themselves to gain control of the country and drive the English out. Dame Margaret's husband, Roger, a merchant, has been missing for five months. After his cousin, Jack, goes to Edinburgh to find Roger and turns up murdered, Margaret sets out to determine what really happened. She quickly finds that Edinburgh, full of English soldiers, is no place for a woman alone. When she starts investigating, Margaret lands in a web of politics and betrayal. She realizes that she knew very little about her husband and his cousin. Robb's captivating blend of history and mystery vividly evokes Medieval Scotland. Those who enjoy her Owen Archer novels will want to step back a century and read about Dame Margaret Kerr. Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
I would read the sequel,
By Angeline Koh (Singapore) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Trust Betrayed (Paperback)
I have not read much of Candance Robb. I think having read some of her writing before did much to prepare me for what to expect in A Trust Betrayed. No, the novel is not a "serious" piece of historical fiction. A Trust Betrayed does not echo the rich, complex and painfully crafted historicity found in... say, Emberto Eco's books. Robb's book is, instead, popular fiction for the long flight. (Popular fiction allows one to choose to switch on or switch off during reading). She has a plot which seems simple at first- Margaret Kerr searches for her husband in Edinburgh, then the plot grows more and more complex, including the civil unrest and fight for Scottish freedom. It reads smoothly. Sure, I switched off while reading, merely enjoying the story, never contesting the historical information in the book. I finished it in a few hours. I was a pleasant read- a fine way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon. I would read the sequel.
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Read and Looking Forward to More,
By Holly E. Frantz (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Trust Betrayed (Paperback)
I have read a few of the Owen Archer series and find them tedious with rather fantastic story lines. I was pleasantly surprised with the story of Dame Kerr. I found her extremely interesting and extremely believable. The story was also interesting, without going in to the dramatic. Too many times in a historical mystery I find myself asking if the female character would really do such and such. Not so with Dame Kerr, whose actions and concerns are believable, given the time and place.Robb's historical research has also improved. She deserves kudos for not romanticizing the world and actions of William Wallace. I look forward to reading more.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A 4 for historical accuracy, a 3 for the mystery.,
By
This review is from: A Trust Betrayed (Paperback)
Although I enjoy Candace Robbï¿s Owen Archer series, I found the Margaret Kerr of Perth series less satisfying. A Trust Betrayed is less a classical murder mystery and more a dark history of a darker period in Scottish history, the 13th century battles for the Scottish throne. John Balliol and Robert the Bruce were rival claimants to the title. To complicate matters, King Edward of England had been called upon to arbitrate the dispute and used this as a means of controlling Scottish politics and ultimately as an excuse to invade and occupy parts of the country. The mystery involves a murder and a disappearance that serves as the motivation for the central character, Margaret Kerr, placing her and members of her family in the midst of the events in Edinburgh. While I find Luci Wilton a wise and engaging lady in the Owen Archer series, I found Margaret more simply willful in the Perth series. She often sets her agenda with little thought to how her activities will affect those around her. Although she does so out of naivety, she takes forever to learn. Certainly her resistance to good advice furthered the story, since it lead to ultimate clarification of the mysterious events, but Iï¿m not sure it is very realistic. I find it difficult to believe that such carelessness would be the case in times as trying as these must have been. One can sense by the end that the lady has learned from her mistakes and has set her course to advance the cause of her chosen king, John. As the title First Chapter of Margaret Kerr of Perth, suggests it is probably the authorï¿s intention to create an adventure series based upon the history of the civil war rather than to create individual murder mysteries. One can almost hear the ï¿to be continued.ï¿ If one enjoys this type of adventure fiction in an historic setting, the story will probably appeal. For myself, I look forward to the Owen Archer series more. The author has kept her multiple goals with greater balance and in keeping with the classic murder mystery genre in the latter series than in the former. A 4 for historical accuracy, a 3 for the mystery.
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