Every Bed of Roses: A Trail of Ink {52 in 52}

Monday 20 August 2012

A Trail of Ink {52 in 52}

This week in 52 in 52...

A Trail of Ink

The third chronicle

of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon.

Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 256
Publisher: Monarch Books
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-85424-954-8
Author Melvin R.Starr

Last week I shared about one of the best books I have read in a while. This weekend I have completed the sequel as well as the third chronicle in the series.

I enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Hugh in this third chronicle detailing his duties as bailiff. As with book one and two this chronicle has been written in the first person. Hugh takes us with him as he attempts to unravel the mystery of Master John Wyclif's missing books.

Melvin has once again done a stirling job of taking the reader into 1300's. I enjoyed the two assignments bestowed on him by his employer to find a comely lass and discover the whereabouts of Master Wyclif's books. As always his use of out of the ordinary language is inspiring and entertaining. I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to you and your family.

Melvin Starr is an avid student of medieval English and surgery and has written a page turning novel featuring Hugh de Singleton. Melvin's website hosts a great set of resources and you are able to read the first chapter to whet your appetite for the book.

No sense in reinventing the wheel. Here is a snippet of what others are saying about this book:

In the words of Stephanie

"A Trail of Ink is a fascinating description of fourteenth century life as Hugh searches for lost books. While that doesn't seem like much today, twenty-two books would have been a fortune for a monk during this time period. While the plot took a long time to pick up speed, once it did, it hooked me completely and I was fascinated and enthralled. With a less than satisfying ending, it did leave off with a tantalizing hook for the next book in the series, Unhallowed Ground, which I am really looking forward to reading. What Mel Starr does so well, however, is make you feel as if you're standing in fourteenth century England, with vivid descriptions and beautiful attention to detail. All in all it was a satisfying read.."

From Mel Starr Publisher's Description-

"So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton, near Oxford, and bailiff of Bampton Castle at the behest of Lord Gilbert Talbot. Hugh sets his cap at the delightful Kate, who proves equally resourceful in the search for the missing books. Some very determined adversaries are out to stop him, permanently if necessary – but are they motivated by greed, or more personal animosity? Then the corpse of a poor scholar, who had tried to sell one of the books, is found in the river: but he had not simply drowned ...."

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