 "A tangled web of mysteries in 12th century France" | 2009-09-25 |
| - Reviewed By resqgeek |
Catherine LeVendeur, the heroine of this novel, is ill-suited to the realities of her era. Strong-willed and learned, she has little interest in the subservient life expected of wives in the 12th century. Her only chance for happiness is life as a cloistered nun, working and studying within the confines of a convent. Unfortunately for her, someone has set out to discredit her order, pointing to a psalter made by Catherine as evidence that they are promoting heretical teachings. At the request of the Abbess, Catherine sets out to uncover the source of these attacks. What she uncovers is a tangled web of conspiracy, theft and madness that threatens to destroy her family. Can Catherine overcome her worldly innocence and unravel the threads of the mystery, or will the forces of evil prevail?
Filled with rich detail, this story transports the reader back to medieval France, providing an authentic glimpse at the struggles of life in the middle ages. From the power of the clergy, to the violence of both the knights and the poor, this book doesn't shy away from the less pleasant aspect of life in the period, but provides a believably realistic setting for the story. It should satisfy readers who enjoy historical fiction as well as those fans of complex mysteries. |
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| "Good" | 2009-08-05 |
| - Reviewed By kasthu |
It's late 1139, and Catherine LeVendeur is a novice in the convent of the Paraclete, whose abbess, Heloise, is the former lover of Abelard. A psalter has disappeared from the convent, one that could severely damage the already-damaged Abelard, and Heloise sends Catherine away from the convent, ostensibly in disgrace for misbehavior, to get the book back. But at the Abbey of Saint Denis, a stone mason literally falls dead, and it's up to the intrepid Catherine to figure out, using her wits, what happened.
The historical detail is quite good. I understand that the author has a PhD in medieval history, and she definitely shows it off a bit. Those who aren't well versed in medieval history might find themselves wishing that the book provided a glossary of terms; the author continually uses words and phrases like bliaut (a women's loose-fitting overgarment), aversier, bricon (rascal), chainse (a linen chemise), gaufre (waffles), braies (an undergarment tied at the waist) awaeris thu, and mesel (a leper). There's also a fair amount of Latin that's used in this book. Still, this is the kind of historical verisimilitude that I look for in a historical novel.
But I liked the story; it's mostly original (though there are one or two things that are a bit predictable), and it moves at a relatively fast pace. The main character is spunky, and the relationship between herself and Edgar, the English stone carver, held my interest throughout. I also enjoyed how philosophy and reason are interwoven throughout the story, contrasting them with sheer, blind faith, and I enjoyed watching Catherine use her wits in order to figure out what happened to the psalter. The addition of real historical figures didn't weigh heavily on the story or feel too contrived, either. I look forward to reading what's next for Catherine LeVendeur. |
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| "An imaginative mystery based on the philosophy of Peter Abelard ..." | 2007-08-19 |
| - Reviewed By tvc1 |
Fans of historical fiction as well as mystery may enjoy this book. Opening a few years before the death of Peter Abelard (d. 1142), it revolves around the basic tenets of his religious philosophy. The love story of Abelard and Héloïse serve both as a backdrop and as the outline for the romantic sub-theme involving the main character, Catherine LeVendeur.
The mystery is pure good versus evil, but it is not as simple as it may seem. Readers may want to brush up on the basics of Abelard's philosophy to recognize the parallels. Also, the storytelling is skilled so that whodunnit remains a mystery until the end.
The book opens what promises to be an excellent medieval mystery series. |
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 "disappointing" | 2006-10-20 |
| - Reviewed By bmqb |
| I've always been interested in the Heloise and Abelard story, and I've loved other historical murder mysteries (like Elllis Peter's ), so I had great hopes when I read the descriptions of this. There are some good points about the story, but I found the characterization poor. I finished it, but only because I didn't have any interesting books on hand. This is the first in a series and perhaps the author becomes more proficient as it goes on. |
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 "Excellent Historical Mystery" | 2004-05-16 |
| - Reviewed By gypsiphillipsbates |
| Catherine, a novice at the Paraclete, finds herself embroiled in a mystery outside the safe walls of the convent. Newman makes medieval Paris come alive, gives flesh to Abelard and Heloise, and writes an incredible first novel. This is by far the best of the series and a must read for fans of historical mysteries. |
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| "A Charming Medieval Series." | 2003-08-06 |
| - Reviewed By romonko |
| This is the first book in the Catherine LeVendeur series, and it appears to be a strong entry. I am certainly interested in reading this series further. It is set in 12th century France and Catherine is novice in a nunnery. When the book opens she has not taken her final vows. Catherine is asked by her Mother Superior to retrieve something that has been found near her home so she leaves the convent to do so. She gets embroiled in a nasty conspiracy that forces her to use all her wits to keep herself and an interesting scholar that she meets out of trouble. There's lots of excitement - dead bodies, stolen gems and more plots and counterplots within a great abby. Catherine manages to uncover all the mysteries, and finds love at the same time. This book has a bit more romance in it than I usually go for in mysteries, but it's fun all the same. |
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