Veil of Lies
""... mediaeval London is vividly portrayed..." "
Synopsis:
Set in 14th century London at the time of Richard II, the hero is a disgraced knight, Crispin Guest, who has, unusually, been allowed to live after being accused of treason against the King. He has been stripped of all possessions and influence, and is left to survive by taking on some dubious and dangerous inquiries for wealthy men-the forerunner of a modern private eye.
London is a centre of manoeuvring for power, and Crispin is well acquainted with many of the main players. Add in the influence of a powerful relic, a beautiful widow with her own agenda to pursue and the dangerous everyday life of mediaeval London and you have a recipe for an exciting story.
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Review:
First and foremost this is a cracking good story. Crispin is a great character who engages our sympathy for the plight in which he finds himself and our admiration for the way in which he extricates himself from some difficult situations. There is a touch of the swashbuckler about him. He can read situations and we feel a vicarious pleasure when his opponents are outwitted. The atmosphere of mediaeval London is vividly portrayed and the reality of everyday life in different social situations is clearly depicted. The interesting subtleties of servant-master relationships are particularly intriguing, not least because of Crispin's ability to move across class divisions. This book is a good beginning to Crispin's career and I look forward to more tales from the mediaeval city.