Reviews
PRAISE FOR TROUBLED BONES:
“Jeri Westerson adds to the luster of her work about Medieval errant-knight Crispin Guest with her latest, Troubled Bones. A creative and enthralling retelling of the Canterbury Tales, complete with a deftly-imagined Geoffrey Chaucer, Troubled Bones will delight Westerson’s many fans and bring in many more new ones. If you enjoy authentic Medieval history combined with modern suspense, this one’s for you.” –John Lescroart, bestselling author of the Dismas Hardy legal thriller series.
Top Pick! “This is a fantastic book you won’t want to put down.” –Romantic Times
“The Agatha Christie–like solution will please puzzle buffs, while series fans will welcome the author’s efforts to further flesh out the lead and his apprentice, Jack Tucker.” –Publishers Weekly
“A murderous spin on The Canterbury Tales.. a very readable combination of historical fact and mystery.” –Kirkus Review
“This is the fourth book in Westerson’s mystery series, but the first I have read. It will definitely not be the last . Westerson has created an attractive, intelligent protagonist in Crispin Guest and a delightful sidekick in Crispin’s apprentice Jack Tucker, a boy Crispin had rescued from the streets and taught to read and write. Her knowledge of medieval England is extensive, but it never feels as if she is lecturing the reader. Instead, she draws you into the world of her characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys medieval mysteries, and I look forward to meeting Crispin and Jack again.” — Historical Novel Society Review
“Troubled Bones succeeded in having me travel to another time and place through the masterful author, Jeri Westerson.” –Best Sellers’ World and the Council Bluff’s Daily Nonpareil
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PRAISE FOR THE DEMON’S PARCHMENT:
* “Westerson skillfully lulls her sleuth and the reader into a sense of ‘I know what is going on,’ then zings them with the truth. Absolutely first-class; highly recommended for fans of medieval mysteries.” –Library Journal, Starred Review
“The best yet in the series!” –Publisher’s Weekly
“If you haven’t already discovered this great medieval series, start here.” — The Globe and Mail
TOP PICK! ****1/2 “The writing is wonderful and the history vividly presented. Not to be missed by fans of real historical mysteries.” –Romantic Times Magazine, four and a half stars
“There’s no shortage of mysteries set in the medieval period, but since the era lasted about a thousand years, there’s always room for more. Especially when they’re this good: a solid plot and cast of characters, a feel for the story’s place and time, and an appealing noirish air. A welcome addition to the medieval-mystery landscape.” –Booklist
“First rate…an exceptionally satisfying series!” –Renaissance Magazine
“Westerson is masterful at bringing the Fourteenth Century alive…a page turner.”–Mysterical-e
“The story moves at an excellent pace, with lots of action, suspense, and great dialogue…If noir is your genre, this is a book to reach for.” –Historical Novel Review
“Westerson tells a chilling and sadly believable yarn and infuses “The Demon’s Parchment” with a wealth of medieval English history. And Crispin and his apprentice, 12-year-old Jack Tucker, are among the most courageous and compelling protagonists at work in fictional detection.” –Richmond Times Dispatch
“The Demon’s Parchment is so good it’s sinful. With an unerring eye to historical detail and an uncanny knack for making the distant past feel comfortably contemporary, Jeri Westerson has written a novel sure to please even the most demanding reader. Protagonist Crispin Guest is seductive as hell, and the writing is some of the best you’ll find anywhere. Buy this book or be damned!”
—William Kent Krueger, Anthony-Award winning author of Vermillion Drift
“Westerson’s third novel is a compelling read. Her illustration of issues that still simmer today is nuanced and sensitive, her characters will surprise and delight you, and her elegant prose will lure you in from the start. With The Demon’s Parchment, Westerson is at the top of her game.” –Libby Fisher Hellman, author of Doubleback.
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Kings River Life (Interview, Review, Book Give Away)
PRAISE FOR SERPENT IN THE THORNS:
“Appealing…Crispin’s derring-do is distinctly entertaining.” –Kirkus Review
“Readers who can’t get enough of medieval historicals will snap this one up.” –Library Journal
“Westerson’s noir-influenced historical mystery boasts a strong cast of characters and makes good use of period details, from broad background on England’s numerous wars with France to the particulars of daily life in fourteenth-century London. This makes an excellent choice for mystery and historical-fiction lovers.” –Booklist
“My favorite kind of historical novel–one that makes me feel I am there–sights, sounds, smells and all. Jeri Westerson has managed to create a complex character in Crispin, who nevertheless remains true to his time.” –Rhys Bowen, Author of the award-winning Molly Murphy and Royal Spyness mysteries
“(Serpent in the Thorns is) even more exciting than ‘Veil of Lies,’ the first in the series.”–Richmond Times-Dispatch
“This second outing for Guest is every bit as solidly plotted and historically deft as the first.” –The Globe and Mail
“Teens who like their hero with more devotion to justice and honor than to common sense, are going to love this novel. There are gripping scenes of escape, vivid descriptions of everyday life, and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.” –School Library Journal
“On one hand, it’s a work of historical fiction, playing on the usual medieval themes of pride and honor and written in such fabulous detail that you’ll almost be able to feel the chill in the air and smell the stench of the well-worn streets of the Shambles, where Crispin lives. On the other hand, though, it’s also a hard-boiled mystery, complete with some of the best elements of good pulp fiction: murder, corruption, a flawed hero, and a wayward woman. It’s a clever combination—and it makes for a wildly entertaining read.” –Nights and Weekends
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PRAISE FOR VEIL OF LIES:
“Brimming with medieval atmosphere, blessed with an elaborate plot and interesting characters, Veil of Lies shows great promise. And Westerson displays the skill of a writer who has mastered her subject and has used that knowledge to create erudite entertainment.”
—Richmond Times Dispatch
“A medieval Sam Spade, a tough guy who operates according to his own moral compass and observes with detached humor…this book is pure fun.”
—The Boston Globe
“…One of the more interesting aspects of this authentic-feeling tale is the dichotomy between Crispin’s acceptance of his new, lowly status and his inability to even think of himself as anyone other than a knight who could never fall in love with a commoner, even as his feelings for his client grow stronger. This is a strong first novel by California journalist, Jeri Westerson, who is a frequent blogger and an ardent enthusiast of all things medieval.”
—Mystery Scene Magazine
“Veil of Lies is labeled a Medieval Noir and I have to say that it is truth in advertising at work. Westerson’s character Crispin Guest is the 1300’s equivalent of Mike Hammer and that is not praise I use lightly…Westerson combines a encyclopedic knowledge of the middle ages with an obvious love for the hard boiled genre and adds a classic mystery telling ability to create what is one of my favorite reads of the year. I look forward to more from this wonderful new talent.”
—Crimespree Magazine
“Westerson takes the reader on a fine ride of a read, with her lone knight of the mean streets…The reader is likley to want more of this Crispin Guest. Much More.”
—Mystery News (four quills)
A “promising debut…an entertaining read that makes the prospect of sequels welcome.”
—Publisher’s Weekly
“…This first installment in a planned series, introducing a conflicted hero and delving into the grim lives of ordinary people in medieval times, will appeal to mystery and history fans alike.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“…This authentically detailed medieval mystery has an intriguingly dark edge that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and noir.”
—Booklist
* “…Brimming with historical detail and descriptions of life in 1383 London, Westerson’s mystery debut is a brilliant tale of survival in a hostile environment, where anything can lead to death. Fans of medieval mysteries will put this on their reserve list. Highly recommended.”
—Library Journal (Starred Review)
“Veil of Lies marks a spectacular debut! Westerson’s ‘medieval noir’ page-turner sports vigorous plotting, robust characters, and superb scholarship. An utterly beguiling alchemy of Canterbury and Connelly. The Crispin Guest series scores a bulls-eye on the first shot. The stuff of legend!”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of I Shall Not Want
“Jeri Westerson’s Veil of Lies is a great read, through and through. Her finely wrought portrait of gritty Medieval London is imbued with great wit and poignancy, establishing Crispin Guest as a knight to remember.”
—Cornelia Read, author of A Field of Darkness
“Westerson has full command of prose, plot and the historical detail of 14th Century London.” —Mystery Lovers Bookshop
*Editor’s Choice at The Historical Novel Society Review.
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