A treat awaits you! My review of "The Abbot's Agreement" by Mel Star

"My life would have been more tranquil in the days after Martinmas had I not seen the crows. Whatever it was that the crows had found lay in the dappled shadow of the bare limbs of the oak, so I was nearly upon the thing before I recognized what the crows were feasting upon. The corpse wore black."

Seeking to buy a costly Bible for his own use, Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff, is on his way to Oxford when he discovers a corpse, only a few days old, nearby an abbey. Unexpectedly, Hugh finds himself in service to the Abbot, seeking to discover who has murdered the former novice by stabbing him in the back three times. Hugh sets out with both skill and speed, as his lovely wife awaits at home soon to give birth to their second child. As he tracks down the truth, Hugh finds himself embroiled in the midst of a conspiracy that makes him wish he'd never pledged to come to the Abbot's aid.

This seventh addition to "The chronicles of Hugh De Singleton, surgeon", is a fine read indeed! I greatly enjoyed watching Hugh track down the clues to the crime, using his wit and tenacity to figure out exactly what is going on. Starr does a fabulous job at bringing to life the setting of the story in the 1300's, from what the characters eat and how they dress, to revealing that people struggled with the same sins hundreds of years ago that we do today! I especially enjoyed how Hugh found himself sharing verses of grace with the Abbot, that we do not have to earn our way to heaven as Jesus has already paid the price - but then finds himself accused of heresy. The story is fast paced, with plenty of unexpected elements thrown into the mix that kept me engaged throughout. Readers who enjoyed prior books starring the talented Hugh will no doubt enjoy following him through his latest adventure. And if you haven't yet pick up one of these novels, well then what are you waiting for? A treat awaits you! 

I strongly recommend this book and award it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Lion Fiction, and Kregel blog tour services, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

Purchase from Amazon:

 The Abbot's Agreement: 7 (The Chronicles of Hugh De Singleton, Surgeon)