I started with the series from this book on. I didn't have the feeling that I couldn't understand the plot or the relationhip between the two protagonists, so I can recommened the book.
I was mostly interested in the story, as history and crime are quite a good combination for me. And I was not disappointed. The historical context is well shown, I didn't notice any obvious mistakes (as sometimes normal in historical novels) and I felt quite tranported in the past. The characters were well chosen and I feel like they are normal people who could also live today. But, and it is also important, they are not simply people from now transported into the past, what is also well done. I see them as people confined in their time and their habits and traditions and that is very important for a good historical novel.
The criminal case was interesting, even though I didn't really like the solution. It was not bad, but somehow not really expected by me.
Still it's a series I will follow and I can highly recommend the book!

The Canterbury Murders, a medieval murder mystery by E.M. Powell, picks up in the middle of a series which I admit I haven't previously read. Still, it works fine as a standalone, as ongoing mystery series usually do; any previous character development or plot details that might be needed to understand the detecting pair, Stanton and Barling, are exposited sufficiently in this story.

Aelred Barling and Hugh Stanton, a King's clerk and his assistant, are an unlikely pair of friends, but the complex relationship between the two - a distinctly Holmes/Watson dynamic - is by far the strongest aspect of the book. The prose is stilted and flat, while the plot - a series of grisly murders disrupting the rebuilding of Canterbury Cathedral in 1177, right at the height of Easter pilgrimages - ricochets along. Barling and Stanton make an interesting pair of characters, but are pretty terrible detectives, skimming over clues, accepting anything anyone tells them as verified truth, and jumping to conclusions all over the place. The unsatisfying solution comes out of nowhere and feels completely unmotivated, so I guess Barling's tendency to ignore clues doesn't really matter. Overall, the historical atmosphere is well-done, as is the relationship between the two central characters, but as a mystery, it's severely lacking.

Content warnings: Torture, murder, sexual assault, child abuse.

I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have never previous read any of the Historical Novels with Stanton & Barling .
However Canterbury ,Kent on the 9th day of April in the year of our Lord 1177. Benedict Prior of Christ Church , Canterbury says ``If God could grant a perfect close to a day it would be this one''! Little did he know then that sparks from a House Fire would cause a devastating Fire high in the Cathedral's Roof , & cause further damage to some of the best parts of the Cathedral including it's Choir Stalls, plus later in the same year a spate of horrific & gruesome Murders with some of the mutilated bodies being found within the Cathedrals grounds.
The City is swarming with Pilgrims who have travelled far & wide to pray at the Tomb of the Martyr Thomas a Becket who had been Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170, because especially the Sick believed a visit to his Tomb could bestow on them a miracle .
Aelred Barling the Kings Clerk was on his own Pilgrimage accompanied by is assistant Hugo Stanton ,they are engaged once they reach the City by higher authorities to solve the Murder (s) before the arrival of the King himself on Maundy Thursday . Solve these crimes they will even at the risk of their own lives & salvation .
This is a wonderful Read #NetGalley#GoodReads#Amazon.co.uk#Instagram#FB, <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/11bc11d0026952991f96874534f30a6fb6dbed74" width="80" height="80" alt="25 Book Reviews" title="25 Book Reviews"/>, <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>

This, the third Stanton and Barling offering from E.M. Powell is pretty much as expected from the first two. I didn't exactly enjoy the previous books, but I didn't dislike them either. This one plodded along in much the same vein, but I didn't expect a world-beater, so was not disappointed.

It's been while since I read book 2, and I recall why I found the characters so irritating. Stanton, while actually being quite a good investigator, is treated abominably by Barling - who is pompous, sanctimonious and self-righteous to a fault - but for some unknown reason rarely stands up for himself and seems to accept Barling's incessant berating as some sort of abasement penance. In this book, however, Barling seems to be getting something of a taste of his own medicine, as he, again for inexplicable reasons, accepts the constant reprimands of Prior Benedict of Canterbury Cathedral Monastery, who metes out his own frequent castigation. A reason for this inexplicable behaviour from the stiff-necked Barling is proffered, but this is woefully thin.

The murder the two are to solve soon becomes two, then three, and before long the corpses seem to appear in an unending stream. The plot moves along at an acceptable pace, but accelerates towards the end at the rate of a runaway train, as, a la Agatha Christie, the perpetrator(s) turn out to be the least likely persons, with just about every other character suspected along the way. The reader is unlikely to solve the murders by clues alone, since none of these point to the actual killers until the very end, by which point there are not really any other likely suspects left anyway. An entertaining and engaging enough read, but I wouldn't say I am avidly awaiting the next in the series, although I will read it readily enough if and when it comes.

This third book in the series with Stanton & Barling is the first one I read and I’m happy to say I liked it. It can be read as a stand alone.
When you go back to the 12th century you know that times were very, very different but the author did a very good job in writing the story in such a way that it doesn’t feel very different from a modern one. Stanton and Barling are an unlikely couple of friends, although they won’t admit that they are friends. They have none of the things we rely on nowadays – they only have their wits and their knowledge of how people may think and live. The characters are very well matched in that Barling is the one who tries to find a ‘scientific’ solution to the problem, while Stanton talks to people and goes by his feelings for them.
A wonderful atmospheric tale of a time we’ve almost forgotten, with a real mystery and an unexpected ending.
Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.

The Canterbury Murders is an easy, enjoyable read. The third in EM Powell's medieval murder series, we're given exactly what we expect, and more importantly, what you want from these books. There are murders galore, shifty characters, and interlinked plot lines.

I love the main two characters Stanton and Barling. Their interplay is great, and the contrasting characteristics work well.

The writing lacks the depth that i feel would push this series to greater heights. It feels like the plot is rushed. While this does lead to a hectic paced and thrilling read, it loses a level of quality that would improve the book.

All in all a decent read, and i'd happily read book 4 if there is one!

April 17th, 1177, Canterbury cathedral has just lost its centuries-old oaken roof to a devastating fire. The prior and archbishop order a marvellous new construction from William of Sens and his expertly talented stone-masons. The work is going well. That is, until a blood spattered body turns up beneath the scaffolding in the ruined choir. Peter Flocke, the first victim, sets in motion an intriguing and brutal medieval murder mystery.

Aelred Barling, King’s clerk, and his assistant, Hugo Stanton, arrive in Canterbury eager to visit the tomb of the miraculous martyr Becket (slain over the alter steps seven years prior by the four knights of Henry II). But their reputation precedes them, and the anxious prior enlists their help in stilling the commotion by finding the killer; peace in the cathedral being so especially vital -the King himself is scheduled to visit on Maundy Thursday, that’s just four days away!

E.M. Powell crafts a compelling mystery in which red herrings dart off the pages and Barling and Stanton get at each other’s throats, sinking into ever greater confusion. There is no clear motivation at all for the murder(s). Stanton, always the jokester, a man of flirtation (who plays well off Barling’s professionalism) is meanwhile busy hankering after a girl on pilgrimage. This curiosity takes a surprising turn, leading to a fast-paced denouement that concludes the tale with Barling and Stanton pushing the limits of their amateur sleuth skills in what is yet another life-threatening twist.

There’s an exceptional amount of blood, sinister plotting, and an array of odd-ball characters to interest even the most wearisome reader of historical detective stories. The perceptions of Barling are not startling or ingenious, but he makes up for it as a courageous and conflicted man striving for perfection – a compelling character – and readers, who know the pair from the two previous two books by Powell, will no doubt be thrilled to see them at their very wits’ end.

I am stirred for what’s next and will be visiting the previous two books in the series. Any reader familiar with Ellis Peters or C.J. Samson should seek them out.

Enjoyed this book thoroughly. Will go back and read previous books in this series, and eagerly await the next installment in this series. Barling and Stanton, men of mystery, are great investigators. Though polar opposites, one can tell that they truly care for each other and have respect and admiration for one another. I enjoyed the plot, the other characters, and the story kept me guessing the wrong killer throughout the book. A must read for those who like a good killer-investigator story.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

For troubled royal clerk Barling, a visit to Canterbury for Easter is a way to serve penance for his thoughts. However on arrival Barling and his assistant Stanton are pulled into another murder mystery as a stone mason working on repairs to the Catherdral roof is found dead. With the King due to visit in a matter of days, the pair are in a race to solve this and an increasing series of crimes.
I have read one of these books before but it was not so memorable, similarly with this one. The protagonists are very lightly drawn, Barliing's angst seems forced and Stanton's lost love seems incredulous. I liked the medieval setting but the plot was odd. the denouement came out of leftfield with little motivation or explanation.

Dark deeds in Holy places.

It's Easter, 1711 and Aelred Barling has a personal and exacting challenge metered out from his confessor--to make a pilgrimage to Canterbury. Our dour King's clerk has a deep, dark secret that pulls him down. He takes Hugo Stanton with him. Stanton of course is looking forward to the rumoured delights that abound on the pilgrimage trail but is foiled by the more moderate stops that the sanctimonious Barling chooses, much to Stanton's bitter chagrin.
After a penitent and bloody approach to the Cathederal, Barling is in line on the steps, almost through the door, ready to complete his task, yearning for the spiritual relief this will give him, when he's hauled out of the line at the King Henry II's request to support no lesser a powerful being, than Richard, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Murder has taken place and Barling is called upon to investigate. As the killings escalate he and Stanton struggle to find links that will lead to resolution.
Once more this unlikely duo are thrust into a situation that will stretch and test them.
As always a different but highly satisfying read.

An ARC provided by the author via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This is one of my favorite new mystery series, well written with incredibly interesting characters and plots I highly recommend

Only a handful of authors have ever really mastered the art of combining good historical fiction and credible, likeable crime solvers. Ellis Peters did it perfectly with her Cadfael novels set during the turbulent conflict between King Stephan and the Empress Maud. C.J. Sansom excelled with his hunchback lawyer Shardlake investigating during the reigns of King Henry VIII and his children. E.M. Powell now joins this tiny, elite group. She is as good as Peters and Sansom. She may yet prove to be better than them both.
Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barking are King's men. I couldn't help but like them both. It is 1177 and Hugo and Aelred investigate a series of murders in Canterbury.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more in the series.

Canterbury in 1177. Murder of a stonemason rebuilding the Cathedral brings the Kings Clerk Barling and his assistant Stanton. Barling is on a pilgrimage and does not relish having to look into this barbaric murder instead. When more murders follow, the bodies marked in the same way, Barling will have to overcome his fears to save a precious life. There is much personal friction between Barling and Stanton in the investigation of these murders with not much help from the monks. It becomes a very involved mystery with red herrings a plenty. It might help readers to read previous stories to get the back story on the main characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, this was underwhelming. The plot had potential, but it was also very obvious towards the end. Oh the "obvious" guilty people are found guilty, but wait, it's not them, it's the other two who were so very kind all the while.
This is the third novel in this series, and here we follow the investigation of a gruesome murder that took place in Canterbury, near the grave of St. Thomas Becket. The single murder soon turns into a spree and the monks are no help. The city is full of people because it is the week before Easter. The investigating partners have to solve the murder(s) before Easter and the arrival of the King.
This time constraint is a problem – this means that everything happens in 4 or 5 days. Which would not be a problem, but presumably the murderers are not COMPLETE idiots. Why kill a sea of people, one a day when they know that the investigators are here and the king is coming? Why step up the pace? They had killed 6 people without anyone noticing and then they just went crazy? No, they killed one, but to prevent suspicion coming to them killed the second, then a person who helped them, then a person who saw them…. Stupid.
And then – as a cherry on the top: “One of the victims was killed by another person” reveal time!
Oh and there’s also a paedophile bragging to a mum that he had other options for victims. I know a bad guy is not supposed to be the smartest guy in the book, but to be suicidal…
As you can tell, side characters are just caricatures. But what about the main characters?
We have Stanton – a person who lives for drink, but hides a dark sad story. And of course, we find out the story, but not before we at 95% of the book get an explicit sex scene for no reason whatsoever.
Barling is a bastard and an idiot. The fact that he is hangry all the time gets a bit annoying, especially when he is like this smart investigator dood but resents his partner for asking questions. He is afraid of heights, so of course he will be asked to climb something before the end in order to save someone. He hears about a disappearance of a girl, but he doesn’t care but instead berates the sister of the missing girl and his partner for trying to help her. Chill, dood.
Ok, I've used "dood" too many times, it's time to stop writing..

This is the first of the Stanton and Barling Mysteries that I've read, and I will certainly be going back to the first two books.

The Canterbury Murders is a well constructed and intriguing murder-mystery. The main characters of Stanton and Barling are as unlike as chalk and cheese, and I really enjoyed how they clashed with one another, even though they were working towards the same outcome, of solving the mystery.

The peripheral characters are well sketched, and there were times when I was convinced I knew who the murderer was only to discover I was wrong, and when the big reveal came, it was satisfying, and more importantly, made perfect sense.

This was a very well executed and thoroughly entertaining tale and I look forward to more of the same in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my review copy.

Bone on stone. Blood on stone.

During rebuilding of Canterbury Cathedral, a body is found slashed, the holy Cross carved into the victim’s forehead with a sharp blade.
Barling, the King’s clerk and Stanton, his assistant are asked to help find the culprit before the King’s visit to the Cathedral.
It seems an easy task. Maybe the victim had enemies. Maybe it was a burglary gone wrong. Or maybe the crime was committed by a madman.
But when two more bodies are found killed in the same way, Barling realizes they may have a serial murderer in town.

The Canterbury Murders, the third in the Stanton and Barling series, is a fast-paced and intriguing historical fiction interspersed with facts, many suspects and twists.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and the NetGalley for my copy of the book.

Thankyou to NetGalley and the author, E M Powell, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Canterbury Murders in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I really enjoyed the first two books in the Stanton and Barling mystery series, so was very excited to receive a copy of the third book. I was definitely not disappointed.
The storyline was well thought out and written with compelling characters. Such wonderful imagery makes the tale come alive. 3.5 stars.
A very enjoyable read.

A very good romp through Canterbury. We meet our two sleuths, Barling and Stanton,
investigating a
string of barbaric murders

and a host of unsavoury characters. . The descriptions of daily life are vivid as are the lives of the stonemasons

and the monks in the cathedral. There are red herrings aplenty to keep you guessing. On a personal note, I never

realised that I suffer from vertigo till now. E.M. Powell certainly captures the atmosphere of the time.

*Thank you to E.M. Powel, the Publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review"*
I confess I joined NetGalley because I couldn't wait to read the 3rd book in the Stanton & Barling Series.
In the latest story, Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barling who are the "King's men" go to Canterbury Cathedral and get caught up in a series of murders. The murders only have one obvious thing in common - a mark on the bodies.
I am a fan of English Historical Histories and Mysteries. I can't think of a better time to read this genre.
Barling is struggling with his personal reasons for going to Canterbury while Stanton wants to solve the murders and drink some ale along the way.
Powell does a great job of recreating the 12th century world. Henry II is King and Thomas Beckett is a Saint. Canterbury Cathedral has suffered from a fire which reminded me of Notre Dame and other fires we have seen this year. The great Cathedral in Canterbury is being repaired and there a lot of workers and a steady stream of pilgrims in the town. All the characters are well developed and their stories pull you in as much as that of the two Kings men.
I can highly recommend the entire Stanton & Barling series, though I think you could well read this one to start if you want to dip in and try out the series. They are all excellent.
The ending was very satisfying and pulled the threads together in a surprising way.
I am looking forward to #4 in the series.

Easter, 1177. Canterbury Cathedral, home to the tomb of martyr Saint Thomas Becket, bears the wounds of a terrible fire. Benedict, prior of the great church, leads its rebuilding. But horror interrupts the work. One of the stonemasons is found viciously murdered, the dead man’s face disfigured by a shocking wound. When King’s clerk Aelred Barling and his assistant, Hugo Stanton, arrive on pilgrimage to the tomb, the prior orders them to investigate the unholy crime. And so Barling and Stanton are on the use but not before murders occur. This was one of the better medieval mysteries I have read. This writer has done their homework and the settings, dialog etc all ring true. This held my interes5t all the way through and am really looking forward to more adventures involving these two. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.