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MYSTERIES THROUGH THE CENTURIES
A Selection of Historical Mysteries
at the Williamsburg Regional LibraryMysteries set in earlier time periods often provide an interesting glimpse into the daily lives of the people of those periods in addition to presenting a puzzle to solve. The library has mysteries set in periods ranging from the 15th century BC to the present day. This list contains mysteries set in 18th Dynasty Egypt, 1st century Rome, and in Europe from the Norman times until the 18th century. The selections below are arranged by time period, and the specific books may be found by searching under the author's last name. All of the books listed are the first book in a series, focusing on the detecting skills of a particular character. These series contain at least two or three books, and, in some cases, as many as twenty. If you need help finding a particular book please ask a reference librarian for assistance.
15th Century BC Egypt:
Robinson, Lynda S. — Murder in the Place of Anubis. Robinson's Lord Meren series centers around Meren, a close confidant and chief adviser/agent of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun. Reviews of the books praise the authentic details of palace life and the depiction of the "sun-seared landscape of the Egyptian Nile."1st Century AD Rome:
Davis, Lindsey — The Silver Pigs. Davis's hero, Marcus Didius Falco, is a private detective in ancient Rome, who finds himself often in the employ of the Emperor Vespasian. The stories are set throughout the Roman empire and contain many details of Roman life, art and architecture.Saylor, Steven — Roman Blood. Saylor focuses his mysteries on the political life of ancient Rome. His detective, Gordianus the Finder, works for the noted Roman orator Cicero, and together they delve into the schemes and plots of Roman politicians.
7th Century Europe:
Tremayne, Peter — Absolution by Murder. The Sister Fidelma series centers around the crime solving abilities of an Irish nun, Sister Fidelma, and a Saxon monk, Brother Eadulf. Much of the mystery in the series is rooted in the struggle for power between the old Celtic Church and the newer Church centered in Rome. The books are set in England, Ireland and Rome, and interweave real persons and events from the time, with well drawn fictional characters. The author is a Celtic scholar and makes great use of detail in the books.11th Century England:
Marston, Edward — The Wolves of Savernake. Marston's series is set in the England of the Norman period. The detectives in this series are Ralph Delchard, an ex-soldier, and Gervase Bret, young lawyer, who are both agents of William the Conqueror. Filled with historical detail, this series has been criticized for being too packed with information, but the later books have received better reviews.12th Century France:
Newman, Sharan — Death Comes as Epiphany. Newman's series follows Catherine LeVendeur as she becomes a novice in a Paris convent. In the first book, Catherine is called on to uncover a plot involving stolen gems, mad monks and murder. In the later books, Catherine leaves the religious life to marry Edgar, a Parisian student, and with his assistance continues her crime solving.12th Century England:
Peters, Ellis — A Morbid Taste for Bones. Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is centered around monastic life in the Benedictine Abbey at Shrewsbury, although some of the mysteries have Brother Cadfael, a former Crusader who came to the monastery late in life, journeying farther afield. Well researched and written, these stories trace the efforts of Brother Cadfael to unravel crimes, often with the assistance of Hugh Berringer, Sheriff of Shrewsbury. The stories are as much about the lives of the characters, and their dilemmas, as about the solving of the mystery.13th Century England:
Morson, Ian — Falconer's Crusade. William Falconer is a former student of philosopher Roger Bacon, and now Regent Master at Oxford University. The series highlights the conflicts between university scholars and townsfolk and between church and university, with a healthy dose of political and ecclesiastical intrigue thrown in. Morson's books have been described as "conscientiously shadowy--the Dark Ages at their darkest--with a whirlwind climax."14th Century England:
Doherty, P.C. — The Crown in Darkness. The Hugh Corbett series is set in early 14th century England and is centered on the detecting abilities of Corbett, a clerk and spy for the English King Edward I. Doherty's style has been described as cinematic, and reviews note that he "brings a sense of humanity to all his characters." Doherty also has a series of historical mysteries based on stories from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.Robb, Candace — The Apothecary Rose. Robb's series has as its hero Owen Archer, a one-eyed Welshman, now a soldier/agent in the employ of the Archbishop of York. Reviews note that the backgrounds of the mysteries are excellently depicted, and are part of the story rather than being simply a backdrop. "Robb puts the history back into the historical mystery."
14th Century Italy:
Eyre, Elizabeth — Death of the Duchess. The main character of Eyre's series is Sigismondo, agent and troubleshooter for Duke Ludovico of Rocca. Sigismondo is aided in his efforts by his seemingly simple-witted companion Benno. These action-filled stories center on the countless plots and machinations of the courts of the Italian Renaissance, and in the center of all of the plotting can be found Sigismondo.15th Century England:
Grace, C.L. — A Shrine of Murders. Kathryn Swinbrooke, a physician and herbalist, is the central character of these works. With the assistance of her companion, the Irish soldier Colum Murtagh, Kathryn solves crimes against the backdrop of medieval Canterbury, England. Reviews note the strong sense of everyday life that Grace evokes in the stories.Sedley, Kate — Death and the Chapman. Unlike many of these historical mysteries, Sedley's Roger the Chapman series is not set exclusively in courts and palaces. Roger, who left a Benedictine monastery for lack of a calling, wanders throughout England selling goods from his pack, and spends much time in the company of the less well-to-do. Nonetheless, the mysteries in this series also center around the intrigues of the English nobility during the period of the Lancasters and the Yorks.
16th Century England:
Chisholm, P.F. — A Famine of Horses. Sir Robert Carey, Deputy Warden of the West March under Queen Elizabeth, struggles to keep the peace on the turbulent border between England and Scotland. At the same time, Carey is seeking to enrich himself and win the favors of his mistress. The series is noted for both its humor and its suspense.Clynes, Michael — The White Rose Murders. Set during the rule of King Henry VIII, this series features Sir Roger Shallot, who serves as the secretary to Benjamin Daubney, nephew of Cardinal Wolsey. Shallot recalls his adventures and misadventures in the service of both the English crown and his own best interests.
Marston, Edward — The Queen's Head. Marston's Nicholas Bracewell series takes the historical mystery into the theater of Elizabethan England. Bracewell is the stage manager for Lord Westfield's Men, an acting troupe based in London. In addition to dealing with the usual problems of a stage manager — money, actors, playwrights, etc. — Bracewell is also called on to unravel mysteries of various sorts. This series presents a vivid picture of the Elizabethan theater.
17th and 18th Century New York:
Meyers, Maan — The Dutchman. Not technically a series, in that there is no main character that carries over from book to book, the Meyers books do deal with mysteries set in the early days of New York, first under the Dutch, and later during the Revolutionary War. The fictional characters interact with many of the well-known figures from the period — Peter Stuyvesant, George Washington, etc.18th Century England:
Alexander, Bruce — Blind Justice. Alexander's series has as its main character an historical figure, Sir John Fielding, magistrate of Bow Street and the founder of the Bow Street Runners, London's first police force. Fielding, who is blind, is assisted in his work by Jeremy Procter, a young boy who has appeared before his bench unjustly accused of robbery. Fielding sees through the false accusations, and takes Jeremy on, as the boy is a orphan. With well-drawn characters and well-told stories, these books are first rate reading.Hall, Robert Lee — Benjamin Franklin Takes the Case. Like Alexander's Sir John Fielding mysteries, Hall's series takes for its main character an historical figure, in this case, Benjamin Franklin. Set in London in the period prior to the Revolution, Franklin is assisted in his cases by Nicholas Handy, ostensibly the great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather of Robert Lee Hall. While working in London as an agent of the Pennsylvania colony, Franklin unravels mysteries that take him and Nick from the houses of the rich and powerful, to the shops of the tradesmen, to the haunts of the poor and outcast.
(BT 11/97)
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