Crispin Guest Book #9
Medieval noir by Jeri Westerson
GENRE : #Medieval-mystery
My rating: ★★★★★
5 full stars!😃
This series never disappoints me and this installment is no exception! Absolutely amazing !!!!
Once again Crispin Guest and his friends have involved me in an exciting adventure full of suspense and mystery.
As always, the book can be read as a standalone. However, I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE DOING SO, especially with this installment.
While the mystery is intricate and very suspenseful, kepting me thrilled until the end, the greatest emotional impact comes from the development of Crispin and his loved ones personal life.
---> MY ADVICE IS TO READ ALL THE BOOKS IN ORDER FROM #1 TO #15.
This book marks an important turning point in the series.
Only readers who have followed Crispin and Jack's journey from the beginning will fully appreciate the nuances of this story and connect deeply with our heroes and all the returning characters.
Before delving deeper,
_________ here's a BRIEF OVERVIEW of THE PLOT :
Crispin Guest is a former knight, who after being banished from court, reinvented his life as the Tracker, that is, the one who finds lost or stolen objects of great value and discovers the culprits even in cases of murder.
One day, while at his favorite tavern, he's approached -- seemingly by mistake -- by someone who wants to hire him as a killer.
After spending the night warning the intended victim first and then bedding her, Crispin finds himself arrested for her murder.
The only person he can rely on to start the investigation that will lead to the truth, is his young but smart apprentice Jack.
_________*********** _______
__ ABOUT THE FOREWORD ____ This book #9 begins, unlike the others, with a lengthy foreword by the author, detailing the legal system of the time period.
This introduction can be useful, but I don't find it essential for enjoying the story and fully understand all the procedures of the trial.
Anyway, if you find it tedious, don't be discouraged! You can always skip that preliminary matter.
I admit that by reading that boring ( according to my tastes ) foreword I was briefly discouraged, fearing the author had lost her way and could no longer write thrilling adventures for these characters.
If I weren't such a fan of Crispin, I might have given up after that opening speech. Fortunately, I love Crispin Guest so much that I persisted in reading and after the first few pages of chapter 1 I found myself filled with excitement again.
____ MAIN CHARACTERS : Crispin, the Tracker and his apprentice Jack ____
As mentioned earlier, this book marks a turning point. Several years have passed since the previous book, and six years since the first.
Crispin, now approaching 40, is no longer the young man of 31. In medieval times, this was an age for reflection on life, actions, and achievements.
Jack is no longer the eleven-year-old pickpocket and orphan who, with determination, settled into Crispin's house as his servant and apprentice.
Over the years, Jack has not only learned Crispin's trade but also learned to read, write, and even speak Greek and Latin, thanks to Crispin's lessons.
He has repeatedly demonstrated his loyalty and value as an apprentice, friend, and person, earning the respect of Crispin and others.
Now he is 19, he feels all the responsibility that comes from affection and gratitude, he would not abandon Crispin even in the worst case scenario and once again he discovers in himself a new strengths and resources he didn't think he had.
It's a stage of life where a boy not only changes physically but also experiences the awakening of physical and emotional instincts.
Instincts that were previously hinted at now emerge forcefully, and the thought of marrying the woman he loves becomes a constant worry, even at the most inopportune moments.
Reading the previous books is essential to fully appreciate the emotional depth of this installment.
The great emotional tension that the reader feels in living through internal turmoils and related changes, together with the characters, can only happen with the knowledge of their past torments and hopes, past sufferings and joys, past events and actions.
___________ SIDE CHARACTERS ______
Unlike previous installments, this story features a wider array of recurring characters, emphasizing their emotional and moral dimensions rather than their actions.
It's as if both the characters and the author are taking stock of the series' direction.
Among the characters who appear alongside Crispin and Jack throughout the series, some of them have strong personalities, and some are even based on real historical figures.
---> John/Eleanor Rykener (one of Crispin's best friends, an embroiderer who dresses as a woman by day and works as a prostitute, still dressed as a woman, by night) and Henry Bolingbroke (the son of John of Gaunt and future King Henry IV of England) are real historical figures who appear in the previous books and return here.
While Henry IV is well known through history books, very little is known about Rykener, but the author has been able to give such depth to the character's multifaceted personality, that I feel great enthusiasm every time I see him involved in Crispin's vicissitudes.
He may be difficult for others to understand, but he lives with less emotional complication because he has embraced who he is and lives his life with happiness, joy, and kindness towards others.
---> The previous stories in which we find him as a co-protagonist are so hilarious !!!!
Other recurring, purely fictional characters include:
the owners of Crispin's favorite tavern, the landlords of his and Jack's home, and old friends made during past investigations.
With so many supporting characters, the story doesn't dwell on their actions but emphasizes their importance in Crispin's life and the role their feelings play in the lives of our hero and his apprentice.
____ THE RECURRING THEME throughout the series:
It isn't historical relics, as one might expect, but the value of friendship.
The series emphasizes the importance of true friendship and judging people by their character, not by societal labels that deem some acceptable and worthy of respect while marginalizing others.
I appreciate very much the strong emphasis on these two themes.
______ A WELL-CRAFTED MYSTERY ____
While this book focuses more on introspection than renetic and sometimes violent action, the murders are still compelling.
Expect the usual web of lies, deceit, greed, perversity of the villains, plots and tenacious and clever investigations by our beloved and sharp-witted heroes.
There is no shortage of brilliant improvisations, a new funny character and a new charming one, who will reappear later in the series (you'll find out why in the final pages), and some laughs.
____ TWO NOVELTIES:
___ 1) In the first part of the book we find Crispin as the victim of a situation and unable to act, the new young emerging Tracker, Jack, will lead the investigation.
Initially, I was disappointed, but then I realized it was wise of the author to give Jack more prominence. This helps readers understand the significant changes he's undergone. Besides, Crispin is never truly inactive, even when he appears to be.
Around the halfway point, the pace picks up as the original Tracker becomes operational and more determined than ever.
___ 2) The introduction of a new four-legged friend touched my heart since I am a passionate animal lover, especially cats lover ( and loving owner ).
___ THE HISTORICAL ASPECT ___
This is the only book so far where historical elements are almost non-existent.
While past mysteries revolved around real relics and objects, the Tears of the Virgin are a product of Jeri Westerson's imagination, serving as a central element connecting the various misdeeds in this adventure.
The historical aspect is likely found in the judicial figures and the interesting development of the legal process (hence the author's foreword).
____ SUITABLE FOR ______
Recommended for readers seeking a mix of mystery, action, irony, sentiment, history, and fantasy.
----> There are no explicit scenes of sex or violence, and the language is appropriate.
_____ CONCLUDING _____
If it isn't obvious by now, I'm crazy about Crispin and this series.
I've loved him and his adventures since book #1.
I have six books left to read, and I'm pacing myself because I want to stay with this charming medieval man as long as possible.
Thanks you all for reading my opinion :-)
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If you want to know more about PREVIOUS BOOKS, you can read my reviews here :
BOOK #1 "Veil of Lies" :
BOOK #2 "Serpent in the Thorns" :
BOOK #3 "The Demon's Parchment" :
BOOK #4 "Troubled Bones" :
BOOK #5 "Blood Lance" :
BOOK #6 "Shadow of the Alchemist"
BOOK #7 "Cup of Blood"
BOOK #8 "The Silence of Stones"
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