I always look forward to the latest Hugh de Singleton novel when it comes out each summer. It's taken me a while to get around to this latest one, and whilst I liked it overall, I found it this latest installment a little bit slow and plodding.

Not that I expect non-stop action in each novel. I don't care for my historical mysteries like that anyway, but this one just came over a little bit repetitive and the conclusion a little bit obvious when it came.

However, it was enjoyable to see the return of some new characters, and the development of some others. Little Bessie is growing up and goes to her first formal event, and Kate actually proves how much of an asset she is to our erstwhile sleuth.
As usual, the historical details about everyday life in the 14th century were also very well done. This time we get to learn a little more about the regular clergy of a small country church.

Thanks to Anne Rogers and the Publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this title. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

I have read all of the previous books and enjoyed them all immensly, and this one was no exception. Everything I like to read whilst the nights get darker and the atmosphere of the book and the time period comes through. An easy to read book which always ends well.

This is the thirteenth novel in the series of novels featuring Hugh de Singleton, a fourteenth-century knight, surgeon, and bailiff to Lord Gilbert, third Baron Talbot.

In the village of Bampton, Oxfordshire it is Easter. At Good Friday vespers, in St. Beornwald’s church, the priest closes the service by wrapping the host in a linen cloth and placing it, along with a crucifix, in the niche that serves as the Easter Sepulchre where it will remain until Easter morning. Until that time, the Sexton and the three priests’ clerks will watch over the Sepulchre day, and night.

The next morning, at first light, Hugh is woken from his bed to be informed that Odo Fuller, one of the priests’ clerks keeping vigil over the Sepulchre appears to have abandoned his post in the night and is missing. Hugh organises an extensive search of the village and the surrounding area but there is no sign of the clerk. When his body is finally found, it is apparent a murder has been committed.

It is not long before a likely culprit is identified. However, one of the priests of St Beornwald’s, Father Thomas, calls on Hugh to express his concern that the man identified, Ernaud le Tournier, may have been falsely accused. So, even though this crime took place within the jurisdiction of a bishop’s court and not that of the King’s Eyre, Hugh finds himself charged with undertaking a more thorough investigation and discovering the truth of what happened within the church in the dead of night.

As every avenue of investigation that Hugh explores takes him no further towards the discovery of the murderer and as the death toll rises Hugh comes to realise that the events surrounding the death of Odo are more difficult to fathom than he, at first, realised. But despite the false trails and blind alleys Hugh slowly and methodically examines and tests the evidence before him and so comes at length to the solution of the mystery.
I have to admit that, in spite of his having produced a number of novels, I was not aware of the author, Mel Starr, or his work when I began to read his thirteenth novel in the series, “The Easter Sepulchre”. He has an extensive knowledge of the period in which he has chosen to set his novels. This gives a good sense of realism to the narrative as there is a great deal of authentic detail in his description of the day to day lives of people of the time, prosperous and poor alike. Even the dialogue is evocative of how people at that time may have spoken.

The characters are varied and nicely drawn, and the author describes well their relationships and interaction with a convincing sense of their individual status in society. The plot is pleasingly complex and is resolved rather neatly at the end. There is little that I can find to criticise in this novel other than perhaps that it might be considered by some to be rather sedate and lacking in pace; and maybe that by the time I had finished the story I was perhaps a little too well informed about the diet of people of the fourteenth century. But, in truth, reading this novel has been a pleasant and satisfying experience and I shall, no doubt, be seeking out other novels in this sequence.

Watching over the Easter Sepulchre is a privilege and in Bampton the priests take turns. However when Odo, the clerk, is not at his vigil the churchmen are worried and call in Hugh. Hugh discovers some spots of blood on the floor and suspects foul play but when the body of Odo is discovered in the church he knows this is murder. Soon another clerk is found dead and Hugh is investigating more deaths.
Starr has written a lot of novels about Hugh de Singleton, a medieval baliff, surgeon and detective. They are very easy to read, not too long-winded and the plots are simplistic yet satisfying. Starr prides himself on his research (particularly about medieval food it seems) and the books are well-grounded in the era and also in the geographical region around Oxford. Whilst these are not the most complex novels they are comfortingly familiar and a pleasant read.

A good historical mystery that thoroughly enjoyed. It's well written, gripping and highly entertaining.
Good character development, a solid mystery that kept me guessing and vivid historical background.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I enjoyed this book. The storyline was a murder mystery set in medieval times. Murders piling up, stolen goods coming and going and you have to slowly work to solve this puzzle, as did the bailiff doing the investigation. I would call this a quiet read. It was a nice break from our hectic world and as a Catholic, I enjoyed the background setting.
This was my first book by this author and I have discovered it is book thirteen in a series. Yikes! I have some reading to do.