The Cross-Legged Knight

By Candace Robb

“[A] medieval mystery grounded in the intrigue spawned by the bitter rivalry among King Edward III’s sons . . . An evocative and suspenseful whodunit” (Booklist).
 
York, 1371. The Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham, is tasked with bringing home the remains of the powerful patriarch of the Pagnell family. But Wykeham’s arrival is fraught with tension. The Pagnells are reeling from their father’s death and they suspect Wykeham of having a hand in it. Days after his arrival, his townhouse burns to the ground—a terrible accident, or a threat.
 
When the charred body of a woman is found in the remains, Wykeham fears for his reputation and his life. The Archbishop of York, John Thoresby, turns to spy Owen Archer for help. Preoccupied by his wife’s tragic miscarriage, Archer reluctantly agrees to investigate. But the story is bigger than anyone suspects. This tangled web includes knights, bishops, and even kings. And after Owen discovers the dead woman is a midwife, this dangerous plot starts to hit close to home . . .
 
“Lively . . . A convincing plot and a believable cast of characters.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Thoroughly bolstered by a wealth of authentic historical detail.” —Booklist

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jul 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781682306192

Candace Robb

Candace Robb has read and researched medieval history for many years, having studied for a Ph.D. in Medieval & Anglo-Saxon Literature. She divides her time between Seattle and the UK, frequently visiting York to research the series. She is the author of twelve previous Owen Archer mysteries, three Kate Clifford medieval mysteries, and the Margaret Kerr trilogy.

Reviews for The Cross-Legged Knight

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An accident in the grounds of York Minster nearly kills the biship and then a few days later his townhouse is found ablaze. In the house there's a dead woman and a badly injured man. Examination shows that she actually died before the fire. Who did it and their motivation proves complicated. Some of the complication comes from the family of Ranulf Pagnell who died as a hostage and not all of the money given to the negotiator was returned to his family. This is my first reading of Candace Robb and I have to say I want to find more!

[neilsantos_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't get it. I liked the presentation of the era, I would have liked to seen a little more character development, but the mystery itself I totally didn't follow. It didn't really feel like the book was about the mystery.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A pretty good mystery. I did get annoyed with Lucie. I know she is stressed and overwhelmed, but she was just annoying.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

1371 William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester arrives in York with the remains of Sir Ranulf Pagnell. His arrivals brings tension to York, but soon the burning of one of his homes uncovers a dead female. Owen Archer investigates.
Enjoyable and well-written historical mystery