I really enjoyed this book, it was right up my street and I flew through the story.

It was really well written and I loved the characters, the writing flowed so well that I was completely immersed in the whole thing and didn't realise how much I had read only to find out when I checked that I'd nearly finished it in one sitting!

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I am so pleased to have found them! This is a great start to the new series and I hope the next book isn't too long away!

No hesitation in giving this one five stars - a brilliant read!!

An incredible story! The reader can immediately notice that the author has done a thorough study of the time, its laws and customs to provide a very realistic and detailed history. This is a historical series that deserves to be read and appreciated by those who like History.

A great beginning to a series that uses a mystery and historical fiction to keep you turning the page.

Taking place in medieval England, The King's Justice focuses primarily on a mystery that Aeired Barling and Hugo Stanton are tasked with solving. I felt the characters were fleshed out well and the plot intricate and well done.

It was great to see a mystery set in the 1100s instead of modern times and to have no fantastical elements in a medieval novel. I look forward to Barling's and Stanton's next adventure.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

The King's Justice is the first book in the Stanton & Barling mystery series, and it was definitely not what I was expecting. I think I was expecting a grander historical novel, with more historical figures, but it was much better than that as the story took us to a simple village and a murder that took place there, but the reader also got a glimpse into what life was like during this time period so I found it really interesting. Much better than if it was about the famous historical figures.

Whatever you may say or think about Henry II, and there is a lot of to say about him as he was well-know for his temper and bullying behaviour, he definitely accomplished a lot during his reign, one major accomplishment being the establishment of the new English judicial system, which included courts and prisons, and some very strict rules. While some of the rules are not something we would see today, thank goodness, many of them did acknowledge the role of the Church in their lives and often left final decisions to God. So, throwing a trussed up person into a deep pit full of dirty water to see if he floats or drowns is one of the ways matters were decided back then; if one floats, he is guilty and is immediately hung, if he sinks, he often drowns but is declared innocent.

First of all, the main characters, Barling and Stanton, are still dealing with previous traumas with definitely have an impact on their lives in this novel as well as some of the choices they make. Stanton appears in The Blood of the Fifth Knight so I was already familiar with his story and understood his anger toward Henry II. It doesn't really impact the story here though, but if you're interested that is where you'll find his story. I loved Barling and really enjoyed his more serious mien; hints of his background were given several times but no explanations were given at this time.

What is hard when reading a historical novel such as this is placing oneself during the time period and not trying to relate it to our modern time period when things are so, so, so different. While Stanton abhorred the cruelty that was often seen, a lot of it had to do with his background and not necessarily because he was against the cruelty itself having grown up with it - understand? People relied on their lord to keep them safe so if their lord was cruel or whatever, their protection was gone and they suffered horribly. And in order to keep the peace, the consequences of breaking the rules was usually quite severe, creating a culture of fear. So it's not surprising that Stanton would have difficulty getting information during the investigation and would have to earn the people's trust as some of the secrets could get those people into a lot of trouble.

The story itself was very interesting, with lots of twists and turns, some of which I didn't see coming. I thought the characters were quirky and each had an interesting tale to share, trying to make it through life despite the difficulties they faced. The Lord was okay, but definitely not fully trustworthy, selfish and always looking out for his own interests. I really enjoyed both Stanton and Barling as a team and thought they worked very well together, with Barling mellowing quite a bit throughout the story, and Stanton showing that he had some backbone and some insights that would help the investigation. The pacing was really good and who I thought was the murderer was way off, which surprised and pleased me as I don't get surprised very often. The only thing that kind of bothered me was the ending; the author kind of switched formats towards the end as if she didn't the reader to be able to figure things out on their own and that bothered me a little bit. Having everything laid out for you is not always the way to go - I like figuring things out for myself.

The King's Justice was a solid book that was both entertaining and enjoyable. While there were quite a few twists and turns, sometimes I felt there were too many and I thought for a while the story was going to get out of hand and run away. Luckily the author managed to reign it in and pull everything together. Barling and Stanton are a solid team and I am looking forward to seeing how they work together in the future and develop this fledging relationship they have started. It should be interesting to see how much trust they develop in one another and whether it will be enough to share their secrets. The King's Justice is much more than a historical mystery and you get quite a good sense of the time period and what it was like to live under the reign of Henry II. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series, The Monastery Murders, coming September 27th.

The King’s Justice by E.M. Powell is a medieval mystery set during the reign of King Henry II. The main characters are Aelred Barling, clerk to the justices and Hugo Stanton, his assistant.
When a murder happens in the village of Claresham, Barling and Stanton are sent there to determine the guilt or innocence of the man being held for the crime.
Things do not progress smoothly with the investigation as more murders happen putting the investigators in danger as well as the villagers.
There is a wide variety of secondary characters that are as well written as the main characters. The reader gets to know the personalities, quirks, and motivations of Barling and Stanton and to a great extent the secondary cast of characters, of course leaving out the murderer. The discovery of who is the killer reveals a person totally different from perceived.
The storyline is fast paced, well plotted, and keeps one guessing. A true who done it. I am looking forward to reading book 2 and following along on more adventures of Barling and Stanton.

THE KING'S JUSTICE (Hist Mys-Stanton/Barling-England-1176) - VG
Powell, E.M. – 1st in series
Thomas & Mercer – June 2018
First Sentence: Pit or Punishment: Hugo Stanton couldn't tell which excited the folk of these hot, crammed streets more.
With travelling courts established by Henry II having more than enough to handle, the justices send court clerk Aelred Barling, and his young assistant Hugo Stanton, to a village outside York. Although there were no witnesses, Nicholas Lindley has been imprisoned for the murder of the village smith. The case seems certain, yet Stanton has his doubts. The prisoner escapes, more deaths occur, and the two men are tasked with quelling the villagers, dealing with the lord of the manor, and finding the killer.
To Powell's credit, no attempt to pretty-up the period has been made. Justice is anything but just and the streets are beyond foul. However, it is interesting to see the early stages of the justice system.
All the characters have dimension and distinct personalities, pleasant and unpleasant. Barling is the type of character one likes more as the story progresses. He is pragmatic—"To dwell on an error is never of benefit."—focused on the details and dedicated to his role and responsibility. Stanton is observant and deductive. There is very nice, subtle humor—"And well done, Stanton: a good evening's work.' But he could believe the next. 'Good,' continued Barling, 'for one who is so new to learning how to exercise their wits.' The clerk carried on to his solar. Stanton mouthed a favourite word at Barling's retreating back. And for one who was supposedly limited in his wits, it was a fine, fine choice." Powell does a good job of building the respect and the relationship which develops between the two men. It's nice to know there will be more books in this series as watching the partnership grow will be interesting.
There is a very good twist and the introduction of danger to the protagonists, as well as a sad event. The story has something of a "Midsomer Murders" feel about it, except the number of murders surpasses that series usual three. One does start to wonder whether anyone will be left alive in the village, although it does raise the stakes as to who the murderer could be. Although revelation by exposition may not be a preferred style, it works in this instance and the killer is unexpected.
One criticism is that the Cast of Characters is at the end of the book rather than the beginning where it would have been more useful. However, the Historical Note is fascinating and well worth taking the time to read.
"The King's Justice" is much more than it appears when one first starts. Besides being a very good mystery, this is definitely a book for those who enjoy historicals.

This is a classic medieval murder mystery, complete with all the cast of characters you would expect, plenty of suspicious deaths - and a few surprises. E. M. Powell has a lively and readable style and a preference for short chapters, so this story is ideal for reading in those 'snatched moments'.

I particularly liked the development of the main character, Hugo Stanton, a messenger in King Henry II's itinerant justices, who I'm glad to see is destined for more action in another book - and has appeared in the Fifth Knight Series.

I also learnt about Henry II's reform of criminal law, although I'm not sure if I'd choose trial by water (yes, it's worse than it sounds) or ordeal by hot iron as proof of my innocence. Fortunately, the will of God can be relied on to make sure only the truly guilty are punished.

I'm happy to recommend this book, and have added the Fifth Knight Series to my reading list.

When I requested this, I expected a typical mystery, couched in a medieval setting, nothing more. In many ways, that is what I got - a mystery. But it was such a FUN mystery! It was well written and accurately depicted medieval life! It was well researched! I loved it! I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Because I enjoyed all of the Fifth Knight novels, I was really excited to read The King's Justice by E.M. Powell. I love that Powell took a minor character from the other series and made him one of the main protagonists in this new series. I love mystery novels and by combining mystery and historical fiction, Powell has made a fun, clever and really intriguing novel.

Hugo Stanton is a great character - young, troubled, with a strong conscience and a knack for picking up on details. His boss, Aelred Barling, seems as first to be a very stiff, overly formal stick in the mud who isn't too concerned with true justice. But as the novel progresses, he can be seen more clearly -- he is a stickler for rules - and this really doesn't sit very well with young Hugo. But they make a great team, with humor - sometimes very dry on Barling's part and eventually a mutual appreciation for each other's skills and dedication.

This novel was so much fun to read - I read it in basically one sitting. I was really drawn into this murder mystery and Powell did a great job of keeping me off the right track with lots of possible suspects, conflicting motives, some really great characters plus lots of historical detail as an added bonus. I was glad the story went in such a different direction than I was expecting -- I love to be surprised by mysteries.

The King's Justice is a novel that I can wholeheartedly recommend and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is the 1st Stanton and Barling medieval mystery. Stanton is a messenger in King Henry II justices. Barling is a Senior Clerk in the justices. We start our story with the travelling justices of King Henry II court dispensing a trial by water. Sir Reginald Edgar local lord of the manor wants to dispense his own justice for a murder committed in his village. Barling and Stanton go to investigate to see the kings justice done if necessary trial by hot iron. Barling and Stanton must put there prejudices aside and work together to follow the path of a very evil murderer. This story pulls you right into the scents and smells of medieval England. I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

E.M. Powell's latest work of historical crime, The King's Justice, takes place in a Yorkshire village in 1176, during Henry II's reign. Charged with solving a brutal murder are the traveling royal clerk Aelred Barling, who prides himself on his organization and efficiency, and his reluctant assistant, Hugo Stanton. The local lord claims to have found the culprit, but Hugo isn't so sure. If you loved and still miss the medieval novels of Diana Norman/Ariana Franklin, you'll want to seek out this first in a new series. It combines a gritty murder mystery, unpredictable plotting, intriguing characters, and a wonderful dry wit. I'll be on board for book two, The Monastery Murders, which has a Sept 2018 release date.

See remainder of author interview at Reading the Past:
http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/2018/07/interview-with-em-powell-author-of.html

When the manorial Lord comes to seek permission of the king's justices to execute a man charged with murdering the town's blacksmith, the justice's clerk Aelred Barling along with Hugo Stanton, a messenger in the king's service, to make inquiries and serve justice. Stanton does not believe the accused committed the crime, but he's not the one there to give the verdict. Another man is murdered the night the accused escapes from the "gaol." The body count and attempted murder count climbs as the story progresses and the search for the missing man continues.

This was a nicely plotted mystery that held my interest. The guilty party was not immediately obvious although one might suspect the person among several others. The writing is not as strong or tight as it could be. I will probably seek future installments of this medieval mystery series. This review is based on an advance e-galley received from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review in exchange. (3.5 stars)

An entertaining and enjoyable historical mystery with an interesting plot that kept hooked since the first pages.
I really appreciated the settings and how the characters were written without any unhistorical trait.
A good debut for a series and I look forward to reading further instalments.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this ARC

This story was right in that wild and wacky "scary as hell" time period that I love. Which made for a fairly dissatisfied read. No, this book didn't suck! But, it could have used maybe a more deft editor. Still, I would like to read more from E. M. Powell. I did enjoy this book, even though I ended up skimming through a few parts. Also, the tale itself was solid. My thanks to Thomas and Mercer, and also Netgalley for an arc for the price of a review.

I love historical murder mystery books, so when I spotted this on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. The opening setting of the book; a trial by ordeal in front of a crowd of baying spectators set the scene perfectly. Unfortunately, for me at least, the sense of time and place didn't quite continue to the same degree through the rest of the book. The bare bones were there, the characters were for the most part well written and complex, but for me, there was something not quite right.

I'm not sure if it was the two main investigating characters that did it. The two viewpoints making it difficult to get to know either character properly, or something else. There was also a very large body count, I did wonder if we would find out the murder by a process of elimination, with all other contenders being eliminated both from suspicious and life.

With the high body count I couldn't help but be reminded of a medieval Midsomer Murders and this wasn't the only place that there was a similarity. The book lacked the depth and sense of place that other books in the genre have. BUT it was an entertaining, fairly light read. I'm not sure if some of my issues with the book was just because I didn't 'know' Stanton and Barling and if with a bit more familiarity, they might not have been more enjoyable. I'd certainly be willing to read the next in the series to find out.

In 1176 England Aelred Barling is a clerk in the halls of justice of the reign of Henry II. When he is sent with messenger Hugo Stanton to investigate the death of a smith in the village of Claresham. Unfortunately for them this will not be the last death. Both Barling and Stanton seem to have secrets, and look to be incompatible in their nature, but they must work together.
An enjoyable mystery with some interesting characters which I look forward to reading about again. So a good solid start to a new series.

Abbott and Costello. Vladimir and Estragon. Watson and Holmes. These duos line the corridors of fame and opposite comic stratum. Now E.M. Powell, author of medieval thrillers THE FIFTH KNIGHT & THE BLOOD OF THE FIFTH KNIGHT & THE LORD OF IRELAND, which have both been #1 Historical Thrillers on Amazon's US and UK sites, creates a new direction in her splendid fictional oeuvre, with a new pair of opposites: Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barling. The time is 1176, six years after Henry II ordered Thomas Becket to be murdered. It is fertile ground for our author.

Hugo, a minor character from her trilogy, dominates the opening scenes. He despises Henry II, due to his Majesty’s cruel water dunking trials, and other atrocities, especially the murder/execution of his beloved, which burns in his heart. These were allowed under the Assize of Northampton. Hugo falls for the common thief’s setup and gets robbed and beaten. He is our innocent protagonist. But he, to me, is the imperfect affable character.

Barling, on the other side of the see-saw, is a conservative judicial clerk, who serves his King and country according to tradition and policy. He despises tardiness and lack of procedure. He proves that when he awaits the arrival of Stanton: “he would wait for Stanton and make sure the man suffered repercussions for his distasteful tardiness. Enough was enough... It was time Hugo Stanton learned his true place in the world. And Aelred Barling would be the one to teach him.”

So, two of the players come together. Enter a drunken man who announces the basis for the main plot. He wants permission from the Justices to hang the man who murdered another in his village. His entrance is arranged cleverly, by the author: “The man’s glower matched his tone. ‘My name is Sir Reginald Edgar. And I wish to appeal a brutal murder.’ “ Sir Reginald tells us his village Smith was murdered: ‘Geoffrey Smith,’ said Edgar. ‘A well-respected member of the community. Murdered by Nicholas Lindley, an outlaw who most definitely is not.’ And: “Edgar’s clear drunkenness made him blind as he carried on. ‘My lords, there has not been a murder in Claresham in living memory. It is a respectable, God-fearing place. The word of a nobleman is surely all that is needed in such an obvious case as this. I can go back and hang Lindley myself.’ “

The Court orders Barling to return with Sir Reginald to his village and investigate, before Sir Reginald takes the law into his own hands. The Court also assigns Barling a messenger: Stanton, who stands next to Clerk Barling!

This novel, to me, brings a bit of comedy to the 12th Century, something history has forgotten. Thanks to the author’s pairing of opposites, we are able to laugh at the contrast between the dislocated revolutionary Stanton and the stiff-backed aristocratic Barling. Together, like it or not, they have to solve this murder, despite Sir Reginald’s drunken vendetta to hang the man he thinks is the culprit. This trip down the High Middle Age Yellow Brick Road is a masterful blend of research and human foibles.

To carve out these characters is no easy written assignment. Yet, the author offers us clean, clear strokes in the painting of these people for whom we can empathize and understand, thanks to clever scenes and realistic dialog. Stanton is harassed by Barling, constantly, while Reginald stands by with the hangman’s rope. It is comical to read Barling’s pleas for judicial order, while, around him, the village of Claresham tries to destroy any legal investigation:
They want Lindley dead.

I hope this review can lure the reader to open this book: it will reap rewards!

Disclaimer
Although I read a free copy from the author, my reviewer’s objectivity was not encumbered by the gift. This novel is one of the reasons why I am a fan of this author’s gift of writing. Tom Walsh , May 18, 2018

Hugo Stanton, a messenger for King Henry II’s court of justice, has been having a very bad week. Not only was he forced to witness the accidental drowning of an innocent man (during trial by ordeal), but he has also been set upon and beaten by cutpurses. And to top it all off, he has now been dispatched as an underling to the fussy and fastidious clerk Aelred Barling to investigate the horrific murder of a village blacksmith.

The local lord is convinced that the beggar in the village gaol is responsible for the crime, but Barling’s sense of order and Stanton’s sense of intuition perceive that the case it not so open-and-shut as all that. The men learn to work together, united in their common search for justice, puzzling out who in this village is telling the truth (anyone?) and who has something to hide (everyone?).

When the first murder is followed up by another, and then another, the whole village succumbs to the fear of not knowing who might be next. Barling’s methodical manner might help uncover some clues, but Stanton is also going to have to keep his legs spry and his wits about him if the King’s men will escape becoming victims themselves.

This well-paced medieval thriller kept me racing along to the very end. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Barling is no twenty-first century agnostic. While he believes that the threat of trial by ordeal can work wonders for confessions, he also has no doubt that God will manifest the right through the trial itself. Barling is also devoted to the strict imposition of the King’s justice across the land of England, justice that Henry II was famous for instituting during his reign. Stanton, meanwhile, is a man with a tortured past–he wants nothing more than to get away from the King’s court and to forget the woman he once loved.

In The King’s Justice, Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barling are both intriguing characters in their own right, and I can easily see a whole series built upon their grudging and unique friendship (much like Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin). Recommended for those who want a page-turner with some substance to it, and for those who don’t mind mysteries that are a little more gruesome than cozy.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.