Father Eadred just keeps getting better.

The latest Father Eadred book opens in 833, in the middle of a drought. Crops have failed and people are starving. When foreign hermits enter the north of the Kingdom, preaching that God’s wrath has fallen upon the people because the king and the Church have allowed sin to flourish, you know trouble in brewing. Meanwhile in the south, a boy with royal connections commits a grievous crime, and murder follows. Father Eadred is called upon to investigate the crimes before things get out of hand.

Soon Eadred uncovers a plot, which takes him from the north to the south of the kingdom, in a bid to prevent further death and misery.

Fans of the series to date will love this book - like them, it succeeds in bringing detail to a period of which we know little. The story moves along briskly, bringing back several characters from the previous book, including the Ealdorman. It's also rewarding to see how Eadred has grown in confidence across the three books.

Heartily recommended.

833 A.D. Fifteen year old Alcuin has been punished for his crime and sent to Lyndon Abbey to serve as a postulant. But on his murder miracles occur. Father Eadred is sent by Ealderman Aelfric to discover the murderer. But this is not the only death or disappearances to occur and for him to investigate.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its cast of interesting and varied characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lindsay Jacob presents his latest Father Eadred book, number three of the series titled “The Last Days”. He has brought us a magnificent, multiple murders mystery, continuing Eadred's detectiving in the year of our Lord 833. He has upped the ante and has given us another winner of a book, deserving of future book prizes.

He captivates us with his very atmospheric description of the fens of his native English county of Cambridgeshire, as Eadred travels across marshes in his visits to monasteries to do his investigations. Lindsay's mastery of the ins and outs of medieval life, down to the finest details is impressive and truly enhances his stories, for those of us who have a historical bent. Can say no more, except it's a great read and well worth a purchase, as your next exciting medieval detective read.

This is a well constructed mystery that often takes one step forward and two steps back as the various cases Eadred must solve overlap, and his thoroughness in investigating often has him going hither and thither. The 9th century is depicted well with the ongoing battle of church and state for the souls of those under its protection and as detailed within, when all else fails, the people resort to the "old" religion of the ancestors. Despite Christianity's spread, there were still pockets resistance and a resurgence was on the horizon!