I have read almost all of this wonderful series and was sad to find that this, #17, will be the last. At least I have those missed entries to track down and enjoy. This story is set in 1216 and King John has no idea who to trust as invading forces try to take over. Josse d'Acquin is one he does trust and Josh, though battle weary, goes to serve. Leaving his wife and daughter, his story follows one thread and Heloise and Meggie become involved with a very dangerous treasure. Though I think this story can be enjoyed as a stand alone, I would encourage fans of historical mystery series, especially long ones such as this one, to start at the beginning and savor each installment. I wasn't ready to see the series come to a close.

I have not read any of the books in the Hawkenlyne series. I got attracted to this final book for its mysterious cup, but more for its time period of the 13th century England and its conflict with France.

The story is more for those who are into mystery genre than historical fiction.

Everyone’s journey leading to some evil object surrounded by mystery is not an engrossing read to me.

Alys Clare follows the last days of King John when he looses his royal fortune in the Wash and many barons have revolted under Prince Louis of France. An Outremor lady and her son seek sanctuary in Hawkenlye Abbey; they seek a cursed object, the Devil's Cup, which they fear is in the hands of the king or queen. A family in the forest has split loyalties between the two camps. The quest to find the cup coincides with last days of King John. Interesting combination of history and spiritual beliefs in poisonous curses.

(Thank you Netgalley for an early reader copy)

I love the Hawkenlye mysteries, and I am sorry that this is the last one, but oh, it's a great story to go out on!

King John has managed to annoy all his lords, and get England invaded by France. Ever his devious self, he manages to put together an army, but many of his nobles have gone to fight against him. He sends Sir Josse d’Acquin a personal note asking for his support, and against the wishes of Helewise he takes himself off to help John. Meanwhile, family and friends, like much of the country, are divided on whether to support John, or anyone but John, including Jehan, the husband of Josse's daughter Meggie. Meanwhile, at Hawkenlye Abbey, Meggie is called upon to help a foreign woman and her son. The woman is very ill, but is on a mission which she won't disclose, except that she and her son must right a great wrong that was done long ago.

Like the other Hawkenlye mysteries, The Devil's Cup is very well written, with wonderful characters, both the usual cast from previous books, and some new ones as well. I just keep reading, wanting to know what was the mysterious wrong that needed to be righted, and how would it be done? The Devil's Cup will keep you reading well into the night to find the answers.

In this seventeenth and final installment of the Hawkenlyne Abbey series, it is 1216, England. Sir Josse D’Aquin finds himself on the road with his brother Yves and son Geoffroi to join King John and his supporters in thwarting an invasion from Prince Louis of France. At the same time, his daughter Meggie sets out on another journey with Faruq, a foreigner, in search of an evil treasure that he is forbidden to speak about but which he needs to find to prevent some tragedy from happening. While Josse and Meggie are on their journeys, Helewise, Josse’s wife nurses Faruq’s mother, who is delirious but also secretive about this evil treasure. Add Meggie’s lover, Jehan, who is on his own mission to assassinate the king and you have the entire plot.

The prologue of The Devil’s Cup started with a bang—the discovery of some evil object, which led to several murders, but then nothing else happened that focused on the object’s evil or built mystery. Instead the novel became about everyone’s journeys, which ultimately come to a head together. I wasn’t even aware that the evil object had been retrieved until it was revealed in the final chapters.

I have not read any of the other novels in the Hawkenlyne series, but this final installment was thin in plot, thick in characters’ thoughts and fears, and lacking in any suspense.
Reviewed for Historical Novels Society

Sins of the fathers!

"The treasure had been above ground for under an hour and already it had claimed three lives. This was how it began."

1216. King John seeks to combine his forces against the invading army of Prince Louis of France supported by disloyal barons. John calls on his loyal supporters, amongst them Sir Josse d’Acquin. Joss sets off with his brother Yves and his son Geoffroi to join the King.
Meggie his daughter, a healer has been called by Abbess Caliste to Hawkenlye Abbey. When the message comes Meggie is deep in the forest. She finds strength and knowing here, descended as she is from the Forest People. At the same time Meggie is concerned about her partner's absence, Jehan, the smithy. She's troubled about their relationship and what she wants for her future.
At the Abbey, Meggie becomes involved with a distressed woman and her son, strangers to England and seemingly on an urgent quest. A quest that will involve a cursed treasure.
Thus begins Meggie's gripping race across England trying to save the life of Queen Isabella, wife to King John, and then onto searching for King John himself. All the while gleaning snippets of information about what drives the woman Hadil and her son Faruq.
Based partly on the death of King John, Clare has woven fact and fiction into an exciting landscape of intrigue and treachery with a touch of magic. The nature, the strengths and weaknesses of King John are nicely illuminated.
Evil is very much in ascendency and Meggie's search will take her into an armed camp and into the king's presence, where her father, uncle and brother are, and unknowingly in the same vicinity as her missing lover, Jehan.
This last in the seventeen book series, the Hawkenlye Mysteries draws to conclusion a very satisfying journey.

A NetGalley ARC
(August 10, 2017)

This was an impressive blunder even by my standards – to find myself reviewing the final instalment in a seventeen-book series – and it is to Clare’s credit that I was able to crash into this world without any undue floundering whatsoever. While I am sure I would have better appreciated the characters and their final outcomes had I read the previous books, there was no stage where I felt unduly adrift. Indeed, the strength of the book for me are the characters and the worldbuilding, which is excellent. Clare manages to evoke the uncertainty of times and I very much enjoyed the way we get an insight into both sides of this conflict. I was particularly impressed with the characterisation of King John, who has always seemed to be an interesting character full of contradictions. The famous scene at The Wash was described with suitable drama and pulled me into the story – I only wish that we had spent more time following the King, rather than other aspects of this tale.

It is also a treat to read a story where religion and its impact on everyday life is fully acknowledged – I get a tad fed up with stories set in these times when it is all about the swordplay and lack of modern amenities, yet somehow omitting how much people prayed and looked to God for guidance throughout the day.

The protagonists in this unfolding story are all well depicted and cover a range of ages – another plus for me, as I rarely get to see my own age group represented as a main character in this type of story. However, one of my misgivings is the huge amount of freedom the main female characters seem to have. Helewise is able to retreat to a small cottage in a wood – despite being the wife of a landowner. She would be responsible for running the house and trammelled by a host of tasks that modern women would not have to consider, even if she had a number of servants performing chores for her – especially if she had a number of servants. Likewise Meggie is also able to wander off on an adventure, leaving the Forge and adjoining home shut up and idle. It simply wasn’t an option. Most households had a pig and chickens, along with a piece of land that would need tending to keep producing food for the table. The Queen’s experience would be the lot of most women of the time – and while she may well have felt frustrated at being so confined, it would not be unusual for high-born women to be kept tucked away in fortified homes and castles, given the custom of kidnapping noble family members and holding them as surety or ransom.

However, the one issue with this book that did compromise my enjoyment of the story is the lack of narrative tension. Due to the title and cover art – the reader already has a very good idea what the cursed object is, while Clare writes the story as if this is part of the mystery. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, as there was much else to enjoy about this tale – but a shame that this fundamental issue wasn’t addressed at some stage during the book’s production process. However, I will be looking out for more books in this series and am pleased to have discovered another talented author.

While I obtained the arc of The Devil’s Cup from the publisher via NetGalley, this has in no way influenced my unbiased review.
7/10

As much as I love murder mysteries this is not a book I enjoyed at all. Perhaps the fact that this book is part of a series of sixteen previous titles, none of which I have read, has influenced my low rating but I think it is more to do with the lack of pace and the weak plot.

Fans of historical murder mysteries may disagree with me but I could not engage with the characters in this book and found the plot sadly lacking. The writing style seemed very simplistic and did not make me want to rush through each page to reach the conclusion. I always judge a book by the length of time it takes to read and this book took ages to finish. Murder mysteries should engage the reader to such an extent that the reader is dying to turn each page as the mystery unfolds, and this was not the case.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This is a novel that can actually be a bedtime story that your grandmother told you many times. It has so many familiar elements from folk tales, superstitious beliefs, magical powers and even a religious curse.

I liked the setting of the story from the beginning, 13th century England in war with France, people on noble missions and fighting for a greater cause. But, it all went down pretty quickly. I feel that all that was told could be summarized in one short story. There were so many repetitive stories and old-school-like twists. For example, person holding crucial information refuses to tell it and when he does, someone interrupts him and we are back to the start.

This is not a deep mystery either. It is obvious what will happen and why is it happening. But, apart from that, I found this novel rather OK. This author has a very pleasant writing style that makes your reading easy and enjoyable.

When the French invade England in September, 1216 Sir Josse d'Acquin is called to the side of King John. Meanwhile his daughter Messie has joined up with Faruq, a man with a mission, on a journey to find the Devil's cup.
Having read the first couple of books in the series some time ago I had hoped to be reading a murder mystery, this was more of a historical thriller with a mystical element. If you have read all the previous books then this is probably a must read.
But as a stand-alone book is was just enjoyable enough, with some decent characters.

This book combines my two favourite genres of literature, mystery and history and both are carried off brilliantly. Centred round the character of Sir Josse, his wife Helewise and daughter Meggie the story is skillfully woven as each undertakes different tasks, which lead to the same conclusion. Alys Clare brings medieval England to life in a story which is gentle, evocative and a delight to read. I liked a lot about this book and particularly enjoyed the magical elements that are interlaced with the facts, adding to the mystery. More please!

Historical fiction set in the time of King John of England, a mysterious relic, a prophecy, a mystery - the makings of an excellent read along the lines of the Brother Cadfael or Owen Archer series.

For me, however, there were sixteen books that had preceded this one - and I, of course, had come late to the party. And I think that this really did detract from my reading enjoyment - I wanted to be immersed in the plot and the characters but it became obvious that I was missing something from not having read the previous books.

I think I will go back and see if I can track down the earlier books and then re-read and review again.

This is a solid entry in the Hawkenlye series, filled with the usual trappings of the books: medieval monastic life, historical background, some love story, the great forests, herbalism and a strong dose of the mystical.

King John summons some of his oldest followers to his side in the battle to keep the throne, and one of these followers is of course Josse D'Acquin, longstanding series character. In a parallel story Josse's daughter Meggie, a healer, is down into a journey with a strange foreigner that leads them into the action.

This is enjoyable and ties up a few elements of the series neatly, but it's not my favourite of the Hawkenlye books. Worth a read to provide a historical fiction fix, but the mystical element is a bit too much for my taste.

This is the 17th and final book in the series - it is not a pre-requsite for the reader to have read all the previous episodes, as the story stands alone adequately.
The narrative holds the readers' attention well, with a distinct sense of the period evoked through descriptions and the characters are well-rounded and likeable from the start - even King John is presented more kindly than in some other pieces of fiction. The pace moves along nicely as the story unfolds, a story with a sense of mystery. The whole narrative covers September 1216 - October 2016, as King John faces rebellion from all sides and cannot decide who to trust. He calls on his old and trusted warriors, one of whom is Josse D'Acquin, now growing old and weary of battle, but loyal nonetheless. One side of the narrative follows the progress of Josse, his brother and his son, through the toils and tribulations surrounding a demanding and unpredictable king, whose tenuous grip on the throne is growing weaker and weaker by the day. Will they be able to help the king adequately, or will their loyalty be tested too far?
Meanwhile a seriously ill and very mysterious woman and her son are on a deadly mission and are racing against the clock to avoid imminent disaster, one which could involve the king himself - both Hellewise, Josse's wife, and Meggie, his daughter, will become embroiled in the mystery and danger lurking amidst this accursed mystery that destroys everyone and everything in its path.
The plot and characterisation work well together to provide an adequate mystery, with some nice touches and attempts to keep the ending under wraps, though at times there are lapses in pace and some of the language could be more engaging. A good overall read for those who like historical fiction.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishers. Thank you.

Author Alys Clare has created a truly wonderful group of character studies in her Hawkenlye Abby series. I've come to respect and enjoy the main characters and continue to be intrigued by how Ms. Clare involves the time period - in this case 1216 - with the swirling political unrest and the way good people can influence the thinking of others. King John is fighting the French invaders as well as men of his own country who think he is weak enough to be overthrown. Dover Castle, thought to be impregnable, is beginning to suffer because of constant siege by the French and various other elements are coming together to keep John constantly unsettled. Josse d'Acquin and his wife, Helewise, are at home at the House in the Woods but events are soon to intervene and cause dramatic changes in the lives of everyone within this extended family. And it all began over eighty years before because of the actions of an evil man.

This was a particularly strong entry in the Hawkenlye series for me. Maybe it was partially because of the renewed relationship between Josse and his brother Yves. Once again the writing by Alys Clare depicted these characters and the political atmosphere in such a way that they immediately felt like close friends or people I should be wary of. I truly appreciate how Ms. Clare does not try to make me feel the time period simply by discussing the sanitary conditions, instead she uses other information to send me into the medieval world of her novel. By the end of this book there have been great changes in England and in the lives of those at the House in the Woods. Once again I find myself looking forward to the next book in this excellent series.

"September, 1216. A foreign army has invaded England. The country is divided.King John summons Sir Josse d'Acquin to support him."

I received an ARC of this book from Severn House via NetGalley for a review. I have read all of the Hawkenlye Mysteries and review many. I give the book 4.5 stars and did very much enjoy it, although the mystery was a bit more contrived and slow than it maybe needed to be.

That being said, if this is the last Heloise mystery, it is wonderful that most of the characters are well and settled at the end. It was a good ending to a long series, if that is the case.

"Sir Josse d'Aquin is summoned to assist the beleaguered King John in the 17th - and final - Hawkenlye mystery."

Reading the Ages: Preview "The Devil's Cup - A Hawkenlye Medieval Mystery - Alys Clare ~ Last of a successful series ~



"Ah.. that is what it says..Maybe one more peek in a few years? How will Meggie do? How will Heloise and Josse do in their declining years? Who will join the family in the future - and importantly how will Hawkenlye Abbey fare?

The book will be out in late July so you have lots of time to start reading other books in the series so that you too are able to really appreciate this final mystery.

The Devil's Cup by Alys Clare

This is the 17th novel in the Hawkenlye series. The first of the novels take place during the reign of Richard Plantagenet, the later books are set during King John's reign.

King John has sent for some of his more trusted knights as he faces challenges from all sides. Josse d'Aquin answers the summons.

Josse's daughter Meggie also sets off on a journey in hopes of preventing a tragedy.

While I like medieval mysteries, this novel was a little slow and depended on the keeping of secrets. Since the characters keep secrets from each other and from the reader, much of the explanation was kept until the very end. I got tired of the characters telling each other that they couldn't tell.

read in April; blog review scheduled for July ___?

NetGalley/Severn House

Medieval Mystery. August 1, 2017. Print length: 240 pages

Live post on Blue Cat Review on Apr 28, 2017
Disclaimer:
I was provided an eARC by Severn House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, for which I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review

My first response: Book 17 is really late to stumble into a series, but oh well! That didn't hinder me much. I only noticed it once or twice in some asides from the past, I think. This put me in mind of Ellis Peters' Cadfael series a bit with the abbey and the war with kings running around the country fighting. Full review on my blog after the 20th!

My Review:
This is not the same war as Cadfael was involved in. This is King John fighting off the French and dealing with the barons and Welsh. It is a rich and bloody part of British history when you could die at the stroke of a sword with one word from any man with a power greater than yours. All anyone had to do was question your past or current loyalty. And King John didn't trust the men around him, so he was always suspicious of everyone. It is a scary setting in which to place a magic cup that is supposed to kill the king.

Alys Clare has integrated her plot into real history very well, though. She has used the natural mistrust and skepticism of people to work in her magic cup and its evil. She creates quite a believable story line with her relic and queen's plotting. Though I'm not sure if the source of the original treasure was brilliant or overdone. I'm still undecided about that.

Things have changed on the political stage, as well as at home around the abbey. The conflict is settling. King John is dead. A successor and regent are chosen. Josse has said that he is staying home from now on. Does this mean the end of the series with this book seventeen? It rather looks like it. But if you, like me, have just found this author and series, there are sixteen other books that came before just sitting on the shelf waiting to be read. I'm rather looking forward to going back to see how it all started.

Here are the covers of the first five books
of the Hawkenlye Mysteries series.