The Canterbury Murders

I'm delighted to have found another medieval mystery series with interesting, likeable characters, good plotting, and period settings. The main characters Stanton and Barling are a study in contrasts—one happy-go-lucky, the other a bit pompous and overly concerned with form and rules. The tensions in their relationship are a key part of the novel, and provide a key reason why I'm now waiting for volume four in this series. (I did go back and read volumes one and two in the three days after I finished volume three.) The mystery kept me guessing, which I appreciated.

12th century investigators Barling and Stanton have experienced much mayhem during their missions on behalf of England's King Henry II, but they anticipate a welcome break from dangerous royal assignments when they travel together on a spring pilgrimage to Canterbury. However, troubled cleric Baring's hopes for spiritual healing and young Stanton's dreams of merry leisure time are not to be. An exceptionally gruesome homicide has interrupted work on the fire-damaged cathedral, and church authorities direct the pair to find the murderer before the king arrives for an Easter visit. More mutilated bodies turn up, raising local fears and increasing the pressure to solve the crime. The mystery's surprising unraveling involves life-changing consequences for each of the partners, hinting at things to come in future adventures. As with the previous two novels in this character driven series, Powell places the page-turning action within a vivid and totally believable setting of the sounds, colors, odors, architecture, and landscape of medieval Britain, supplemented by interesting author's notes following the narrative. Thanks to the publisher for supplying an advance reading copy via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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.