Publication Date: September 18, 2013
Five Star Publishing
Hardcover; 264p
ISBN-10: 1432827200
The Study of Murder pits Scottish sleuth Muirteach MacPhee against a mysterious adversary in the medieval town of Oxford in 1374.At the command of the Lord of the Isles, Muirteach and his wife Mariota accompany Donald, the lord's surly thirteen-year-old son, to Oxford where Donald is to enroll in university. Shortly after their arrival a winsome tavern maid disappears. At his charge's insistence, Muirteach attempts to help Undersheriff Grymbaud with the investigation, as well as keep Donald at his studies and out of the taverns. He has little success with either venture, although the discovery of some bizarre and suggestive drawings on old parchments piques the curiosity of Donald and his peers. Meanwhile, Mariota thirsts to attend medical lectures at the schools, which are closed to women, and seeks a way to gain admittance to them. When an Oxford master is found brutally bludgeoned to death, Grymbaud asks Muirteach to investigate the slaying. The eventual arrest of an aged servant at the college stirs the ever-simmering discord between townsfolk and university students. The unrest culminates in riots and another senseless killing occurs, endangering Mariota. Gleaning clues from a cryptic manuscript and desperate to save his wife, a determined Muirteach tracks a wily killer through a dark and twisted labyrinth of deceit.
Praise for The Study of Murder
"THE STUDY OF MURDER is a worthy addition to Susan McDuffie's 14th century Hebridean mystery series.
Muirteach and Mariota may be in an alien world, when they accompany the son of the Lord of the Isles to Oxford, but neither town nor gown can match their clever wits in solving crime. This book is a treat for those of us eager for a fresh era, well-integrated history, and a host of interesting characters." - Priscilla Royal, author of the Prioress Eleanor/Brother Thomas Mysteries.
About the Author
Susan McDuffie has been a fan of historical fiction since childhood. As a child, Susan spent such vast amounts of time reading historical fiction that she wondered if she was mistakenly born in the wrong century. As an adult her discovery that Clorox was not marketed prior to 1922 reconciled her to life in this era. Susan’s first published works were two Regency short stories in Regency Press anthologies.
Susan’s childhood interest in Scotland was fueled by stories of the McDuffie clan’s ancestral lands on Colonsay and their traditional role as “Keeper of the Records” for the Lord of the Isles. On her first visit to Scotland she hitchhiked her way through the Hebrides and the seeds for the medieval Muirteach MacPhee mysteries were planted.
The Muirteach mysteries include A MASS FOR THE DEAD (2006), THE FAERIE HILLS (2011), and THE STUDY OF MURDER (September 2013). The New Mexico Book Awards named THE FAERIE HILLS “Best Historical Novel” of 2011. Currently plotting Muirteach’s next adventure, Susan shares her life with a Native American artist and four unruly cats, and enjoys taking flamenco dance classes in her spare time. She loves to hear from readers and her website is www.SusanMcDuffie.net.
Link to Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/thestudyofmurdertour
Twitter Hashtag: #StudyOfMurderTour
My Thoughts
The Study of Murder, to be released October 9th,is a murder mystery that takes place in Oxford in 1374. Muirteach and his wife Mariota are sent to accompany Donald, the son of the Lord of the Isles, Scotland to Oxford where Donald will be enrolled in the university. No sooner do they get settled in at a boarding house do they discover that a tavern maid has disappeared. Muirteach assists the under-sheriff of Oxford in the investigation into the disappearance. The girl is nowhere to be found and it is presumed that she ran off. Soon after one of the masters at the university is murdered, which complicates the investigation. With trying to find out who the killer is, his wife deciding to attend lectures at the university dressed like a man and keeping his charge and his two friends out of trouble keeps Muirteach rather busy. Mariota is a doctor, or the equivalent as women are not allowed to attend university, and she is very helpful in Muirteach's search for the killer. This story is filled with secrets, mystery and lots of suspects to make the story interesting and page turning.
Muirteach and Mariota are a great pair of sleuths in a medieval setting that I found fun to read. I love historical fiction and mystery's and even though I had not read any of the previous books in the series, I had no problems understanding who was who. A book well worth reading for sure...
I received a copy of this book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.
Thanks for your review, Kathleen. I'm so glad you enjoyed meeting Muirteach and Mariota, and their adventures in Oxford! The first book in the series is A MASS FOR THE DEAD and the second is THE FAERIE HILLS . Both are available as hardback and e-books. THE FAERIE HILLS is also available as a large print paperback.
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