The Canterbury Murders by E.M. Powell
Publication Date: November 12, 2020
Crosshaven Press
Series: Stanton & Barling, #3
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery
A fire-ravaged cathedral. An ungodly murder.
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.
But the killer soon claims another victim–and another. As turmoil embroils the congregation, the pair of sleuths face urgent pressure to find a connection between the killings.
With panic on the rise, can Barling and Stanton catch the culprit before evil prevails again—and stop it before it comes for them?
THE CANTERBURY MURDERS is the third book in E.M. Powell’s Stanton and Barling medieval murder mystery series. Combining intricate plots, shocking twists and a winning–if unlikely–pair of investigators, this series is perfect for fans of Ellis Peters’ Brother Cadfael or C. J. Sansom’s Shardlake.
My Take:
The Stanton and Barling novels are one of my favorite mystery series. Stanton and Barling are right up there with Powell's The Fifth Knight Series. The duo are fun to read about and I appreciate the way their friendship grows, but slowly and sometimes painfully. E.M. Powell's novels are always well researched and bring the historical period to life for the reader.
The Canterbury Murders take place at Canterbury, naturally. During the rush to complete the rebuilding of the cathedral and while Barling is on pilgrimage to the site of Saint Thomas Becket's tomb, there is a grusome murder that threatens to throw the rebuilding plans off course. Barling and Stanton are recruited to solve the murder, but there is another murder and then another. Needless to say, Barling is anxious to solve the murders so he can finish his pilgrimage. And Stanton wants to enjoy a pint or two and maybe help a young woman in distress.
There is so much going on in this fun romp of a mystery. The murders are truly gruesome and not funny at all, but knowing that Stanton and Barling are on the case will leave the reader reassured that things will be resolved. But not before several murders, a run in with a necromancer, a witch, an ambitious and less than scrupulous monk, and a complete surprise reveal and a mad dash rescue. There are several great candidates for the murderer and I confess that I wasn't even close to figuring it out! There are lots of twists and turns and I couldn't put the book down.
Honestly, I don't know what else one could ask of an historical murder mystery! As always, I highly recommend all of the Barling and Stanton novels. They can be read in order or as standalones, but I prefer to read them in order.
Available on Amazon
About the Author
E.M. Powell’s historical thriller and medieval mystery Fifth Knight and Stanton & Barling novels have been #1 Amazon and Bild bestsellers.
The third Stanton & Barling mystery, THE CANTERBURY MURDERS, will be released in November 2020.
Born and raised in the Republic of Ireland into the family of Michael Collins (the legendary revolutionary and founder of the Irish Free State), she lives in northwest England with her husband, daughter and a Facebook-friendly dog.
E.M. Powell is represented by Josh Getzler at HG Literary.
Find out more by visiting www.empowell.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, January 11Guest Post at Novels Alive
Review at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, January 12
Review at Reader_ceygo
Wednesday, January 13
Feature at Words and Peace
Guest Post at The Writing Desk
Thursday, January 14
Review at YA, It's Lit
Friday, January 15
Review at Gwendalyn's Books
Saturday, January 16
Review & Excerpt at Older & Smarter
Sunday, January 17
Interview at Reader_ceygo
Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit
Monday, January 18
Feature at I'm Into Books
Tuesday, January 19
Review at A Book Geek
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Feature at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, January 21
Review at Novels Alive
Interview at Madwoman in the Attic
Friday, January 22
Feature at Reading is My Remedy
Monday, January 25
Review at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals
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Interview at Jathan & Heather
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Review at Books and Zebras
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Review at the.b00kreader
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Review at Hoover Book Reviews
Monday, February 1
Review at A Darn Good Read
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Wednesday, February 3
Review at Impressions In Ink
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Interview & Excerpt at Books & Benches
Thursday, February 4
Review at Bookramblings
Friday, February 5
Review at Coffee and Ink
Review at Jessica Belmont
Review at Donna's Book Blog
Giveaway
Enter to win a paperback copy of The Canterbury Murders by E.M. Powell! Two copies are up for grabs!The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on February 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
The Canterbury Murders
