The Durham Chronicles is a medieval mystery trilogy which follows of the adventures of our heroine, Emma DeWitt and her friends Brother Thomas, the smuggler Jean DuLac, Alex Atta-Smith and Rebecca, a Jewish widow, as they stubbornly pursue justice in the face of danger in early 14h century England. This is a troubled time in Britain. There have been a series of weather events resulting in seed rotting in the fields and a succession of murrains. The latter, a mysterious disease affecting sheep has greatly affected prosperity, since the economy of England at this time is almost completely dependent on the wool trade. And to make matters worse, the wars with the Scots continue. Scotland is now firmly in the hands of Robert the Bruce and the borders are dangerous and troubled.
The first book in the series, A Lethal Shade of Blue explores how the combination of these wars and the dominance of the wool trade result in a series of murders whose roots they link to the pervasive influence of the Prince Bishop of Durham. Clue by clue, they uncover a web of intrigue that includes Emma’s family, secular authorities and even the church.
At this time the crusades have ended, but part of the aftermath is the downfall of the mysterious order of the Knights Templar whose leader was burned at the stake in Paris in 1307. But rumors continue to circulate about what happened to the many members of the order who were not executed. Where did they go? And what happened to their treasure? The second book in the series, The Scarlet Robe, suggests one intriguing possibility. It is primarily set in Kingston-upon-Hull, but our band travels all over the midlands trying to unravel the mystery of a Muslim woman dressed in Templar robes, who is found dying in the hold of DuLac’s ship.
The third book in the series, The Mask of the Green Man, is set in Oxford, at this time already embroiled in the town-gown battle for the control of the city that will characterize its government for centuries. Emma, who has discovered the joys of disguising herself as a boy, goes off to study at the newly established university and as usual, becomes involved in a series of murders that begin with the death of a prominent but controversial lecturer who has attracted the attention of the kings spies, the academic administration of the university and the students themselves. Emma, along with Nicholas, a fellow student, follow this mystery to surprising conclusion.
All of the books are impeccably researched and some of the more prominent characters and the stories themselves are shaped around the actual events of the day. It is historical in a way, but these books are purely for fun. Enjoy!
New murder mysteries 