The voice doesn't really appeal to me - a lot of description and exposition and not much involvement in the story. DNF

[This review contains mild spoilers for a plot point in the section on historical content]

A decent medieval detective novel, with plenty of historical background (I especially appreciated the references to Wycliffe's early work) and a harrowing picture of the Plague and the difficult choices the main character must make.

The mystery itself is a cross between Agatha Christie (get a group of people together, then kill one of them and go from there) and Midsommer Murders (the bodies keep piling up, often in gruesome ways). I think there weren't enough clues given for the reader to solve it themselves, which was a little frustrating but I'm used to it. While this could be read on its own, I wish I had read the previous installments since Oswald references things in the past so often.

As for historical content, it actually feels like it takes place in the 14th century. They discuss more than just the plague, including the current trends in academic religion from Oxford, namely John Wycliffe, as well as namechecking Archbishop Simon Islip, though the author's note makes a couple mistakes about Lollardry and Wycliffe's involvement with the English Bible (he didn't actually translate the Bible himself, and very few people were actually burned for heresy). However, the book itself does a very good job of explaining the fears the clergy had regarding English translations of the Bible, I was very impressed by that since it's a perspective rarely discussed in the modern day. I also appreciated the author's inclusion of a glossary, showing an unusual dedication to historical detail.

Overall enjoyable, though Oswald's mother was incredibly annoying and some of the killings were a little too gruesome for me.

Sinister Eden Castle is the worst place to wait out the plague, and that choice of "safe haven" makes S.D. Sykes's The Bone Fire her best Somershill Manor mystery yet. Plague outside the walls, a killer on the loose within. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for locked room mysteries, and The Bone Fire delivers a multi-layered mystery that's fun to solve.

I've been a fan of this series from the first book, Plague Land, and it was interesting for me to witness how characters who had survived the first plague in 1348 behaved when it returned in 1361. Interesting facts about the era in which the book is set are seamlessly woven into the story. Oswald's friend Godfrey has prepared for a long siege, having his chosen guests bring in food and other necessities, while he carries out his own plans: the few servants in the castle are all female because females eat less, food storage is given top priority, and even entertainment is taken care of by hiring a fool.

The mystery is intricate, and you'll be surprised at just how much scuttling and hiding a few characters can do in a relatively small castle. Buttonholing each character and trying to find out his true agenda is quite a job, and as Oswald tries to do just this, he realizes his true task: "I was not a hero or a pariah. I was a nemesis." I would imagine I'm not the only person who immediately thinks of Miss Marple whenever I see the word nemesis, and Oswald definitely needs all of that woman's skills of deduction.

The setting is excellent, and so is the mystery, but the characters truly drive the story. Oswald has matured so much from the first book in the series. He's doing much less investigative stumbling around in The Bone Fire. His marriage is an interesting one, too. I still can't stand Oswald's mother, but the purpose of the supremely frustrating woman makes much more sense now. (Shame on me, but I'm still hoping that the next round of plague does her in.) The secondary cast of characters reads like something out of Chaucer: a lord and his lady, a knight, a religious extremist, a court jester, a drunk, a couple of traveling craftsmen-- and they all have an important place in this story.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, I urge you to read this series. Although best read in order, you can read The Bone Fire as a standalone. (But I hope you don't.)

The Bone Fire is a great mystery with interesting characters and storyline. This is the first I have read by this author and I will read more by this author.

I've been reading the Sommershill Manor Series since the first title came out, so it's no surprise that I found this book enjoyable. Sykes has a knack for creating historical settings and for putting into those settings characters whose world-view resonates for present-day readers. The book's central character is a man of his time—but a man of his time who asks questions and wrestles with doubts. One can simultaneously enjoy the experience of living in another era while reflecting on truths about one's own time. The mystery at the book's center is solid and keeps readers guessing. The development of secondary characters is carefully portrayed, making the book interesting not just for what happens, but for who is involved.