The hangman's hymn The carpenter's tale of mystery and murder as he goes on pilgrimage from London to Canterbury

P. C. Doherty

Book - 2004

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Review by Booklist Review

Doherty continues his series starring the characters from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales telling the stories Chaucer didn't collect. This time, the carpenter entertains his fellow pilgrims with a frightening story of deception and intrigue involving corrupt hangmen and witches. It seems that not all of those hanged in Gloucester die. When a coven of witches living in the nearby woods goes on a murderous rampage, the judges sentence them to death, but they somehow survive and plot revenge. The carpenter, an apprentice hangman, must figure out what happened before he and everyone else involved in the trial are killed for retribution. As always, Doherty is a master at re-creating the historical period. He captures the eerie atmosphere of the woods, the fear of simple folk who truly believe in the power of evil forces, and the mix of fun and solemnity that sets the mood as the pilgrims travel. A sure thing for fans of medieval mysteries. --Barbara Bibel Copyright 2005 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Prolific British author Doherty, whose historicals have ranged as far back in time as ancient Egypt and the age of Alexander the Great, offers an entertaining medieval mystery, the fifth in a series (An Ancient Evil, etc.) in which Chaucer's Canterbury pilgrims, in the dark of night, trade ghost stories. Three hangings prompt the carpenter to tell a frightening tale of murder, corruption and witchcraft. The carpenter's woodworker hero, Simon Cotterill, who may or may not be "fictional," is forced to join a Gloucester guild of executioners to avoid destitution. The brutal routine of Cotterill's new career is interrupted when the mayor orders the hangmen, under orders of strict secrecy, to execute three witches accused of a string of murders. The hangings, far from ending the menace, result in even more death, and Cotterill is forced to track down the mysterious coven leader responsible. More successful as an occasionally creepy atmospheric thriller than as a whodunit, this entry again demonstrates Doherty's gift for evoking the past. Agent, Sarah Thompson. (Jan. 3) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review

In the latest installment in prolific Doherty's dark version of the Canterbury tales (Ghostly Murders, 1998), the Carpenter pilgrim tells a bloodcurdling tale of hanged men who refuse to stay dead and buried. Moving to Gloucester in pursuit of Alice Draycott, young carpenter Simon Cotteril finds that the local Guild actively discourages freelance tradesmen--and Alice's father has no use for penniless ones. Desperate, he accepts Friar Martin's offer to join the band of hangmen, an exceptionally prosperous bunch including the friar; Merry Face, with an eponymous facial disfigurement; Flyhead, bald with insect-shaped birthmarks on his skull; and their leader Shadbolt, a former mercenary. But Simon's new trade has an uncanny side effect: He sees men he helped hang walking around town. His fellows, it seems, have a medieval scam going. For a price, they spare certain felons. The game seems literally harmless and certainly profitable until a trio of witches are convicted of a series of horrific killings. The hangmen execute them, but during a harrowing night, the witches escape their gibbets. People involved in their trial and execution are murdered, and Simon must track down the witches and their mysterious leader before he becomes the next victim. Bruised throats, blood, guilt, and satanic rites--but ultimately Simon survives using his wits rather than copious amounts of holy water. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.