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Sir Robert Carey #7
A Chorus of Innocents
Thursday, October 12, 1592. Eighteen days after the action closes in An Air of Treason, courtier Sir Robert Carey and Carey's surly, larcenous, and loyal henchman, Henry Dodd, land sergeant of Gilsland, are back in Carlisle and the Debateable Lands - the Border country, the wild North, the land of the hot trod, where the thieving, feuding reiver clans are "English when it suited and Scots at their pleasure".
A Chorus of Innocents ushers forward Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, a married woman whom Carey adores but respects. It opens when a very pregnant young woman rides to Lady Widdrington's tower, crying that her minister husband has been murdered and she herself has been raped.
Listeners will meet canny King James VI; his amoral favorite Lord, Spynie; the fey Lady Hume; Mr. Anricks, a surprisingly skilled tooth drawer; Young Henry Widdrington, with his unfortunate spots; and all the boys in murdered Minister Burn's choir. The action proceeds full tilt and finishes with a bang.
©2015 P. F. Chisholm (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
A Chorus of Innocents ushers forward Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, a married woman whom Carey adores but respects. It opens when a very pregnant young woman rides to Lady Widdrington's tower, crying that her minister husband has been murdered and she herself has been raped.
Listeners will meet canny King James VI; his amoral favorite Lord, Spynie; the fey Lady Hume; Mr. Anricks, a surprisingly skilled tooth drawer; Young Henry Widdrington, with his unfortunate spots; and all the boys in murdered Minister Burn's choir. The action proceeds full tilt and finishes with a bang.
©2015 P. F. Chisholm (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 4, 2016
Please Ms. Chisholm I hope you are currently engaged in writing book 8. You cannot possibly leave us where this book finished. So near yet so far!
I have really enjoyed reading this series and I am going to miss all of the characters so much. I do have great hopes for another book though because the author had every opportunity in this one to tie up the loose ends and yet she did not.
As with all the others in the series this story was full of historical details and had plenty of action. More unusual was that it was mostly told from the point of view of Elizabeth Widdrington, the woman Carey loves but cannot have. She turns out to be a very feisty lady who would be an ideal partner for him if only the horrible husband would die soon:)
I read this book in one afternoon - it was so good I did not want to put it down. Highly recommended for readers of historical mysteries.
I have really enjoyed reading this series and I am going to miss all of the characters so much. I do have great hopes for another book though because the author had every opportunity in this one to tie up the loose ends and yet she did not.
As with all the others in the series this story was full of historical details and had plenty of action. More unusual was that it was mostly told from the point of view of Elizabeth Widdrington, the woman Carey loves but cannot have. She turns out to be a very feisty lady who would be an ideal partner for him if only the horrible husband would die soon:)
I read this book in one afternoon - it was so good I did not want to put it down. Highly recommended for readers of historical mysteries.
November 17, 2020
4.5★
“There was nothing wrong with killing somebody for money, of course, but killing one of your own surname for an outsider? That was disgraceful.”
Yep, it’s that kind of book, so trigger warning about triggers, just being introduced in this adventure with “dags”, a kind of matchlock pistol. But Sgt Dodds, of course, is happiest with his knife and sword.
“He didn’t like guns, thought a longbow was better because you could loose thirty shafts a minute once you had the way of it, and longbows didn’t explode in your hand either.”
We see Dodd return home to the north from London – at very long last! – to reunite with his beloved Janet, the lusty, redheaded Armstrong whom he wed ten years ago. She is a partner to him in our modern sense of the word. She can run things as well as he can, making her appearance always welcome. They live in the borderlands, near Scotland, where raids are commonplace, and thievery is a way of life.
We see Lady Elizabeth Widdrington being called to a village where a minister has been murdered in a manner most foul. (It’s hard not to slip into the language.) She is married to the evil Sir Henry, but luckily, he’s away, so when the minister’s very pregnant young wife, who was raped by one of the murderers, rides through the night to fetch her, Lady Widdrington goes immediately.
Why do we care about her? Well, she’s the woman who has captured Sir Robert’s imagination and heart. “Robin” to her, they are star-crossed, would-be-if-they-could-be-not-so-damned-honourable lovers. He is a courtier “the courtier” as he’s often referred to, the youngest son of Lord Hunsdon, and a cousin to Queen Elizabeth the First.
He’s the very picture of the dashing young hero, cutting a handsome swathe through the ladies at court. And he’s not above bedding someone who catches his eye. He's no saint! But we don’t see him for quite some time in this story.
Much of the action takes place in the village where the minister was murdered, with Lady Elizabeth managing the funeral preparation and food afterwards. This is reformation England, so anything that smacks of Catholic traditions – like a wake – is frowned upon. Now, the party takes place after the funeral, when there’s no hint of trying to wake the dead.
A wonderful cluster of local boys feature in this, sons of reivers (border raiders), whom the minister was teaching to read and to sing. Elizabeth needs to get into the minister’s study, to look for a will, and asks the boys if there’s a key. They pick the lock for her.
“’Well, we used tae steal books, ye see, fra his bookshelf. We’d allus bring ’em back ’cos he said they were too hard for us tae read…’
‘…which they weren’t…’
‘…and Andy said it was all a joke ’cos the books changed, the ones we could reach…’
‘I’ve brung the one back I wis reading,’ said Cuddy dolefully. ‘It’s in Scots about a’ Greek gods and that.’
He brought a worn copy of an Ovid from under his shirt, wiped it off ineffectually with his sleeve and then went solemnly to the shelf and put it back.
. . .
‘So he wanted us to steal ’em, didn’t he, ma’am?’ finished Andy. ‘Didn’t he?’
Elizabeth was trying not to laugh. How did you get the sons of reivers to read books? Well, you told them they couldn’t have them and let nature take its course.”
This is such an enjoyable series. The story seemed a bit slow to start, but it picked up well as the various characters were brought together to seek justice.
This is number 7 in the series, and they’ve all been entertaining and informative. The author seems to have a good handle on the times and the people, mixing her characters with the real ones, which makes “learning” history so painless for someone like me.
I have reviewed the earlier episodes, if anyone is interested. If you think you’d like to try them, start with the first, A Famine of Horses. My review includes some photos, a map, and some of the language with definitions. It certainly makes it easier to understand the following books. Here's the link.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“There was nothing wrong with killing somebody for money, of course, but killing one of your own surname for an outsider? That was disgraceful.”
Yep, it’s that kind of book, so trigger warning about triggers, just being introduced in this adventure with “dags”, a kind of matchlock pistol. But Sgt Dodds, of course, is happiest with his knife and sword.
“He didn’t like guns, thought a longbow was better because you could loose thirty shafts a minute once you had the way of it, and longbows didn’t explode in your hand either.”
We see Dodd return home to the north from London – at very long last! – to reunite with his beloved Janet, the lusty, redheaded Armstrong whom he wed ten years ago. She is a partner to him in our modern sense of the word. She can run things as well as he can, making her appearance always welcome. They live in the borderlands, near Scotland, where raids are commonplace, and thievery is a way of life.
We see Lady Elizabeth Widdrington being called to a village where a minister has been murdered in a manner most foul. (It’s hard not to slip into the language.) She is married to the evil Sir Henry, but luckily, he’s away, so when the minister’s very pregnant young wife, who was raped by one of the murderers, rides through the night to fetch her, Lady Widdrington goes immediately.
Why do we care about her? Well, she’s the woman who has captured Sir Robert’s imagination and heart. “Robin” to her, they are star-crossed, would-be-if-they-could-be-not-so-damned-honourable lovers. He is a courtier “the courtier” as he’s often referred to, the youngest son of Lord Hunsdon, and a cousin to Queen Elizabeth the First.
He’s the very picture of the dashing young hero, cutting a handsome swathe through the ladies at court. And he’s not above bedding someone who catches his eye. He's no saint! But we don’t see him for quite some time in this story.
Much of the action takes place in the village where the minister was murdered, with Lady Elizabeth managing the funeral preparation and food afterwards. This is reformation England, so anything that smacks of Catholic traditions – like a wake – is frowned upon. Now, the party takes place after the funeral, when there’s no hint of trying to wake the dead.
A wonderful cluster of local boys feature in this, sons of reivers (border raiders), whom the minister was teaching to read and to sing. Elizabeth needs to get into the minister’s study, to look for a will, and asks the boys if there’s a key. They pick the lock for her.
“’Well, we used tae steal books, ye see, fra his bookshelf. We’d allus bring ’em back ’cos he said they were too hard for us tae read…’
‘…which they weren’t…’
‘…and Andy said it was all a joke ’cos the books changed, the ones we could reach…’
‘I’ve brung the one back I wis reading,’ said Cuddy dolefully. ‘It’s in Scots about a’ Greek gods and that.’
He brought a worn copy of an Ovid from under his shirt, wiped it off ineffectually with his sleeve and then went solemnly to the shelf and put it back.
. . .
‘So he wanted us to steal ’em, didn’t he, ma’am?’ finished Andy. ‘Didn’t he?’
Elizabeth was trying not to laugh. How did you get the sons of reivers to read books? Well, you told them they couldn’t have them and let nature take its course.”
This is such an enjoyable series. The story seemed a bit slow to start, but it picked up well as the various characters were brought together to seek justice.
This is number 7 in the series, and they’ve all been entertaining and informative. The author seems to have a good handle on the times and the people, mixing her characters with the real ones, which makes “learning” history so painless for someone like me.
I have reviewed the earlier episodes, if anyone is interested. If you think you’d like to try them, start with the first, A Famine of Horses. My review includes some photos, a map, and some of the language with definitions. It certainly makes it easier to understand the following books. Here's the link.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 16, 2018
After their interlude in London, it's good to see Sir Robert Carey and Sergeant Dodds back in Carlisle ready to try to keep peace on the Border, but it's Elizabeth Widdrington, the woman loved by Carey, who holds centre stage for much of the novel. When a protestant minister is murdered and his wife asks her for help, her strong character and resourcefulness comes to the fore as she becomes involved in organising his funeral and trying to work out why he was killed. Eventually plots within plots are uncovered, and the action spreads to Carlisle, drawing in Carey, and old friends Lord Spiney and Henry Widdrington. Before the book is finished, Carey will have made a new friend in Simon Anricks, an enigmatic tooth puller and enraged Sergeant Dodds with a blow to their friendship that might not be recoverable.
This is such an enjoyable series, mainly because of the great characters but also because of the strands of history woven into the plots and the authentic feel of the people and the time. I can't wait to see what happens next.
This is such an enjoyable series, mainly because of the great characters but also because of the strands of history woven into the plots and the authentic feel of the people and the time. I can't wait to see what happens next.
July 10, 2020
Another exceptional entry in the Sir Robert Carey historical mystery series. This time Lady Elizabeth Widdrington is featured prominently. Lady Elizabeth is Sir Henry Widdrington's wife and the love of Sir "Robin's" life. There is murder and rape and the mystery of the culprits is slowly revealed. Wonderful characterizations: charming Sir Robert; sweet AND strong Lady Elizabeth; gruff but loveable Sergeant Dodd; cruel Sir Henry; plus young choir boys, a mysterious tooth-puller and many more memorable characters. What I love about this series is that from the very first book the author doesn't "dump" information onto the reader. Little by little she reveals the back stories to these complicated historical characters and how their lives are interwoven.
Highly recommend this series!
Highly recommend this series!
September 2, 2017
A Chorus of Innocents
By P.F. Chisolm
ISBN: 978146420460
A 2015 release from
Poisoned Pen Press
This reviewer is not a big fan of historical crime novels. There are, however, a few authors working in the genre who have deep understanding of the requirements of the genre, and who honor the strictures of whatever time period they choose to write about. That always includes being keenly aware of the technical, scientific and cultural circumstances and limitations of the period. This author is one such.
This novel, one of a series, involves the death of a churchman—a minister of the “new” meaning protestant—religion. It is a fine example of all of the above plus this is a cracking good story. When the churchman, Jamie Burn, is murdered and his wife, Poppy, raped, these events in the far north country along the English-Scottish border in 1592, set in motion turbulence that will disturb the court of Elizabeth I. Sir Robert Carey, a powerful courtier is ranging across the border region, trying to maintain order and keep away from the married woman he desperately loves.
The novel is really the story of a woman, the Lady Elizabeth Widdrington who takes on herself responsibility for pursuing and identifying the men who killed Poppy’s husband and raped her. This in spite of her awareness that her abusive husband will object to her activities. Lady Widdrington is a marvelous character, carefully developed, fully formed, emotionally consistent, who through adroit force of will and a keen sense of propriety, is able to manipulate and bend to her will, a number of the rude and brawling men who populate her world.
Chisholm’s style is tight, forward pressing, and she tries successfully to use the language of the time. That can be difficult at times. One of the “rules” of crime novel writing is to limit the number of characters in order, presumably, to make things comfortable for readers. Well, perhaps with her tongue firmly planted in cheek, this author has given readers three pages of characters and included as well some horses and dogs that played roles in the story.
I recommend the series, the writing is strong and excellent, the characters are compelling and interesting and the plot is thoughtfully and properly conceived and resolved.
By P.F. Chisolm
ISBN: 978146420460
A 2015 release from
Poisoned Pen Press
This reviewer is not a big fan of historical crime novels. There are, however, a few authors working in the genre who have deep understanding of the requirements of the genre, and who honor the strictures of whatever time period they choose to write about. That always includes being keenly aware of the technical, scientific and cultural circumstances and limitations of the period. This author is one such.
This novel, one of a series, involves the death of a churchman—a minister of the “new” meaning protestant—religion. It is a fine example of all of the above plus this is a cracking good story. When the churchman, Jamie Burn, is murdered and his wife, Poppy, raped, these events in the far north country along the English-Scottish border in 1592, set in motion turbulence that will disturb the court of Elizabeth I. Sir Robert Carey, a powerful courtier is ranging across the border region, trying to maintain order and keep away from the married woman he desperately loves.
The novel is really the story of a woman, the Lady Elizabeth Widdrington who takes on herself responsibility for pursuing and identifying the men who killed Poppy’s husband and raped her. This in spite of her awareness that her abusive husband will object to her activities. Lady Widdrington is a marvelous character, carefully developed, fully formed, emotionally consistent, who through adroit force of will and a keen sense of propriety, is able to manipulate and bend to her will, a number of the rude and brawling men who populate her world.
Chisholm’s style is tight, forward pressing, and she tries successfully to use the language of the time. That can be difficult at times. One of the “rules” of crime novel writing is to limit the number of characters in order, presumably, to make things comfortable for readers. Well, perhaps with her tongue firmly planted in cheek, this author has given readers three pages of characters and included as well some horses and dogs that played roles in the story.
I recommend the series, the writing is strong and excellent, the characters are compelling and interesting and the plot is thoughtfully and properly conceived and resolved.
June 3, 2019
This installment of the Sir Robert Carey series takes the reader back to the Scottish border, after several books set in London and Oxford. While parts of the book focus on Sir Robert and Sergeant Dodd, the main character of A Chorus of Innocents is Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, who Carey is STILL carrying a torch for. This book also introduces Simon Anricks, featured in Glorianna's Torch. As always, excellent history, character development and intrigue - if, possibly, containing more details of 16th Century dentistry than some readers may be comfortable with. 3.5 Stars.
January 4, 2016
One of a series of mysteries set in Scotland in the 1500's. This one's plot revolves around the murder of a minister whose pregnant wife is raped during the encounter. He is nearly decapitated and not only do we eventually find the culprit but we learn a lot about the language and culture of Scotland in that period. The book takes a little work understanding the Scottish brogue used. There is a tiny unsatisfying historical note that the characters and story is real based on memoirs with some artistic license but no details were given on what was real and what was the author's imagination.
November 9, 2018
The Scottish border 1592, and a Minister is murdered by two men. His pregnant wife rides off in a panic all the way to Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, who in spite of misgivings of what her husband will do when he finds out, rides back to help arrange the funeral and perhaps find out what's going on. There follows a tangled tale of border reivers and boy choirs and tooth drawers as Sergeant Dodd and Robert Carey are drawn into the mystery.
An absolutely splendid little yarn, full of domestic and social detail and twists and turns of the plot. Elizabeth, Dodd and Carey are great characters, and if I'm not mistaken there's the welcome appearance of Character From Another Series, too, which is nice.
An absolutely splendid little yarn, full of domestic and social detail and twists and turns of the plot. Elizabeth, Dodd and Carey are great characters, and if I'm not mistaken there's the welcome appearance of Character From Another Series, too, which is nice.
November 17, 2021
I love these in general, and I enjoyed this installment a lot.
Chisholm knows how to present the Elizabethan period accurately, and how to create strong female characters that exist within this period. She's wry, often very funny (there's a confrontation in a tavern here that's particularly amusing), and creates vivid characters, both human and animal.
What made Chorus of Innocents stand out for me from others in the series was the conclusion, which introduces some interesting tension between some major characters. I'm particularly looking forward to reading the sequel.
I did find that there were hints of homophobia in parts of the plot, but perhaps that's understandable as part of the time period and also given that the character primarily involved is meant to be a villain.
Chisholm knows how to present the Elizabethan period accurately, and how to create strong female characters that exist within this period. She's wry, often very funny (there's a confrontation in a tavern here that's particularly amusing), and creates vivid characters, both human and animal.
What made Chorus of Innocents stand out for me from others in the series was the conclusion, which introduces some interesting tension between some major characters. I'm particularly looking forward to reading the sequel.
I did find that there were hints of homophobia in parts of the plot, but perhaps that's understandable as part of the time period and also given that the character primarily involved is meant to be a villain.
December 31, 2019
Perfect book to finish the year, with the creative and mesmerizing double plot involving both Sir Robert Carey and his love Lake Elizabeth Widdrington! Having visited this Jedburgh (including the ancient Abbey) and this part of Scotland, I am amazed at the distances they rode, walked and traveled in all kinds of weather. The added aspect of the spy/tooth puller was fascinating and left me wanting to know more about Mr Anricks.
Though I still have to look up a few ancient/Scottish words (pottle of beer and quotidan to name two), this only aids in bringing the tale alive and making me appreciative of living in the 21st century.
Though I still have to look up a few ancient/Scottish words (pottle of beer and quotidan to name two), this only aids in bringing the tale alive and making me appreciative of living in the 21st century.
May 12, 2022
I do enjoy this series so listened to the AudioBook version narrated by Derek Perkins. This is #7 in the series centred on Sir Robert Carey, an Elizabethan courtier keeping the peace on the unruly borders where England and Scotland meet but the narrative centres around his love, the unhappily married Elizabeth Widdrington who investigates the murder of a teacher/minister.
I particularly enjoyed the tooth puller and his stories of the stomach worms who come up at night to attack teeth creating holes.
I particularly enjoyed the tooth puller and his stories of the stomach worms who come up at night to attack teeth creating holes.
November 15, 2018
This story features Lady Elizabeth Widdrington in the middle of a plot to murder a parish priest. As she attempts to discern who the murderers were, she helps to arrange the funeral and learns more about the minister's ministry. The parish's school has 12 boys learning to read and write. They are also a choir and desire to apprentice to the Carlisle Cathedral. Great read. Another worthy volume in this most entertaining series.
July 10, 2017
Very much enjoyed this book, I like P F Chisholm’s characters. I’m a bit disappointed in the way things have gone with Sergeant Dobbs at the moment, I’m hoping that improves, but as always a great swashbuckling story.
March 21, 2021
Another excellent tale, packed with historical detail, from P F Chisholm.
This time Sir Robert Carey takes a back seat to the resourcefulness, ingenuity and dogged determination of Elizabeth, Lady Widdrington as she persues justice for a murdered Scottish cleric.
This time Sir Robert Carey takes a back seat to the resourcefulness, ingenuity and dogged determination of Elizabeth, Lady Widdrington as she persues justice for a murdered Scottish cleric.
December 18, 2023
A plot to topple the Scottish Court of 1592. , adventures in the borders of Scotland and England. A real page turner - if you enjoy historical novels based on the above this could be for you. I really enjoyed this tale of treachery and ambition.
January 27, 2024
This book stars Elizabeth and Dodd more than Carey, and it is still very good. These two are less likely to leap into dangerous situations and have a more measured approach. I'm very eager to read the next two books that may wrap up the series.
December 21, 2017
Love this series!
January 7, 2020
It was interesting getting to know the Widdringtons better but I did find myself wanting more of the Carey / Dodd chapters. But very entertaining and easy to read!
December 25, 2020
This is a dandy series of books — full of adventure, swashbuckling, mystery and even a little romance.
February 19, 2021
this one is definitely my favorite - so far
April 3, 2015
A Chorus of Innocents courtesy of Netgalley
This is the seventh in a series of books. The six previous novels probably had more going on in them. First a few nitpickings: there were some words/phrases that lent authenticity but were not explained or defined. For instance: blackrent (blackmail), “they had gone out half an hour later with the trod”, “carried the lance with the burning turf on it”. These phrases might have come up in previous books of this series and been defined there or not. This can be annoying, but even if you don’t get the reference you soon learn just to pass over those words or phrases and continue on with the story. There were a couple of words that seemed to be anachronisms. In describing the colors of some doublets the word tangerine was used. According to Wikipedia: “The adjective was applied to the fruit. This usage appears in the 1800s.” I would think the color would be related to the fruit and therefore not used this way at the time of this book’s setting. Also, a character named Dodd, overheard men boasting about what they had done while they “powered through” their breakfasts. I think “powered through” a meal or a task is of fairly recent usage.
Now, trivial word usages aside, let’s onto the story. The characters were good, solid ones with real human problems and outlooks. The attitudes of the characters were true to the era. This point has been a bugaboo for me in some books. In some historicals, the characters are shocked by things that really reflect a modern sensibility. Not so here. The heroine accepts the fact that it is her husband’s right to beat her but wonders at the almost automatic nature of the beatings.
The details of daily life were enjoyable. Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, lady of a Scottish manor, dealt with tenants, horses, butchering a hog and various other duties that were a normal part of life in Scotland at the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and on the brink of King James’. These episodes were enjoyably educational. However, this device was a little overdone toward the end of the book. The only way to explain my sense of overuse is that if a modern-day novel described a character’s setting by going into: she took a package of bacon from the frig and stripped it open, laying the rashers in a pan on the top of the stove and turned on the burner beneath the pan. . . ad infinitum – a couple of times gets you into the scene but constantly doing this is overkill. Most of these occurrences were very enlightening but a few could have been culled for the sake of story flow.
The plot was laid out at the beginning as an investigation (but not a murder mystery, as such) into the death of a Scottish protestant clergyman. The solving of the crime was rather mundane, as most investigations into crimes are in real life. The focus of the book was more on the situation between the characters. Previous books dealt with the arranged marriage of Lady and Lord Widdrington and the eventual development of an attraction between Elizabeth and Sir Robert Carey. All this activity is in the past and this book does nothing to further a resolution to their state. I assume the next book will have to deal with this or continue the dance these two characters engage in to maintain their status quo. I suspect that fans of the series will want some complication that adds another problem for the characters to resolve (like Robert being forced into a marriage) or a conclusion (such as Lord Widdrington being murdered and Elizabeth being suspected of the crime with Robert coming in to defend her). The revelation of Lord Widdrington’s tendencies in this book certainly sets up the next book for that. Unfortunately that disclosure alone is not enough to justify this book. This book is just treading water, not moving the characters' dilemma toward another complication or a resolution. In a successful series, like a movie franchise, each book produced keeps money flowing in from fans until the author is eventually forced by readers' flagging interest to resolve the underlying narrative thread. So good characters, realistic attitudes and educational historical details aside, the story in Chorus of Innocents (good title, by the way) is a little threadbare.
This is the seventh in a series of books. The six previous novels probably had more going on in them. First a few nitpickings: there were some words/phrases that lent authenticity but were not explained or defined. For instance: blackrent (blackmail), “they had gone out half an hour later with the trod”, “carried the lance with the burning turf on it”. These phrases might have come up in previous books of this series and been defined there or not. This can be annoying, but even if you don’t get the reference you soon learn just to pass over those words or phrases and continue on with the story. There were a couple of words that seemed to be anachronisms. In describing the colors of some doublets the word tangerine was used. According to Wikipedia: “The adjective was applied to the fruit. This usage appears in the 1800s.” I would think the color would be related to the fruit and therefore not used this way at the time of this book’s setting. Also, a character named Dodd, overheard men boasting about what they had done while they “powered through” their breakfasts. I think “powered through” a meal or a task is of fairly recent usage.
Now, trivial word usages aside, let’s onto the story. The characters were good, solid ones with real human problems and outlooks. The attitudes of the characters were true to the era. This point has been a bugaboo for me in some books. In some historicals, the characters are shocked by things that really reflect a modern sensibility. Not so here. The heroine accepts the fact that it is her husband’s right to beat her but wonders at the almost automatic nature of the beatings.
The details of daily life were enjoyable. Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, lady of a Scottish manor, dealt with tenants, horses, butchering a hog and various other duties that were a normal part of life in Scotland at the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and on the brink of King James’. These episodes were enjoyably educational. However, this device was a little overdone toward the end of the book. The only way to explain my sense of overuse is that if a modern-day novel described a character’s setting by going into: she took a package of bacon from the frig and stripped it open, laying the rashers in a pan on the top of the stove and turned on the burner beneath the pan. . . ad infinitum – a couple of times gets you into the scene but constantly doing this is overkill. Most of these occurrences were very enlightening but a few could have been culled for the sake of story flow.
The plot was laid out at the beginning as an investigation (but not a murder mystery, as such) into the death of a Scottish protestant clergyman. The solving of the crime was rather mundane, as most investigations into crimes are in real life. The focus of the book was more on the situation between the characters. Previous books dealt with the arranged marriage of Lady and Lord Widdrington and the eventual development of an attraction between Elizabeth and Sir Robert Carey. All this activity is in the past and this book does nothing to further a resolution to their state. I assume the next book will have to deal with this or continue the dance these two characters engage in to maintain their status quo. I suspect that fans of the series will want some complication that adds another problem for the characters to resolve (like Robert being forced into a marriage) or a conclusion (such as Lord Widdrington being murdered and Elizabeth being suspected of the crime with Robert coming in to defend her). The revelation of Lord Widdrington’s tendencies in this book certainly sets up the next book for that. Unfortunately that disclosure alone is not enough to justify this book. This book is just treading water, not moving the characters' dilemma toward another complication or a resolution. In a successful series, like a movie franchise, each book produced keeps money flowing in from fans until the author is eventually forced by readers' flagging interest to resolve the underlying narrative thread. So good characters, realistic attitudes and educational historical details aside, the story in Chorus of Innocents (good title, by the way) is a little threadbare.
March 26, 2015
I discovered this fictional series about the real Sir Robert Carey thanks to NetGalley and have read An Air of Treason and A Famine of Horses so far.
Here is some information about the real Sir Robert Carey that I lifted from my review of A Famine of Horses:
A Chorus of Innocents focuses less on Carey and more on Sergeant Dodd and Lady Elizabeth Widdrington. Another engaging adventure in the Debatable Lands that finally allows Lady Widdrington a way to exert some control over her situation. I do wish the repeated attention to young Henry's "spots" had been edited, but I like his character.
As usual when reading historic fiction, I'm constantly researching such terms as couvre-feu (and its evolution to curfew), the rough wooing ( attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and the infant Mary, Queen of Scots), border reivers, wheellock, jacks (leather and other), and arquebus. Most of these were familiar to me in general, but I liked getting more information about specifics in this time period.
A violent and fascinating era with both fictional and real characters--and P.F. Chisholm writes about it with style. While it isn't my favorite of the three I've read so far, it is still historic fiction at its best.
Read in February. Blog post scheduled for July 20, 2015.
A Garden Carried in the Pocket
NetGalley/Poisoned Pen Press
Historic Fiction/Mystery/Crime. Aug. 4, 2015.
Here is some information about the real Sir Robert Carey that I lifted from my review of A Famine of Horses:
Background on Sir Robert Carey-- The real Robert Carey was the son of Lord Hunsdon, Henry VIII's illegitimate son by Mary Boleyn. Lord Hunsdon was also Queen Elizabeth's Lord Chamberlain (and half-brother) and patron to Shakespeare. Obviously, Robert Carey had some interesting DNA to draw from, and he had an interesting life as a dandified courtier in Elizabeth's court. Then, for whatever reason, he decided to switch to soldiering, and he accepted the position of Deputy Warden of the English West March. Quite a switch, that. From courtier to sheriff/marshall of the wildest part of the kingdom in the West March where murders, horse thieves, and outlaws abounded.
Evidently a charming and cheerful man, his memoirs are lively and entertaining, and Chisholm says that she lifted him "practically undiluted from his own writings."
A Chorus of Innocents focuses less on Carey and more on Sergeant Dodd and Lady Elizabeth Widdrington. Another engaging adventure in the Debatable Lands that finally allows Lady Widdrington a way to exert some control over her situation. I do wish the repeated attention to young Henry's "spots" had been edited, but I like his character.
As usual when reading historic fiction, I'm constantly researching such terms as couvre-feu (and its evolution to curfew), the rough wooing ( attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and the infant Mary, Queen of Scots), border reivers, wheellock, jacks (leather and other), and arquebus. Most of these were familiar to me in general, but I liked getting more information about specifics in this time period.
A violent and fascinating era with both fictional and real characters--and P.F. Chisholm writes about it with style. While it isn't my favorite of the three I've read so far, it is still historic fiction at its best.
Read in February. Blog post scheduled for July 20, 2015.
A Garden Carried in the Pocket
NetGalley/Poisoned Pen Press
Historic Fiction/Mystery/Crime. Aug. 4, 2015.
August 13, 2015
When it comes to books, I am a shallow person. I am swayed by titles, covers and blurbs. A Chorus of Innocents has a nice thistle on the cover, a good collective noun in the title and the blurb promised me an Elizabethan mystery: sold! Only when I started reading all the preamble to my Kindle review copy (why do covers matter when you read on a Kindle?) did I realise that A Chorus of Innocents is the seventh in a series featuring the real life Sir Robert Carey and a collection of real and imagined cohorts. Foolish and a little apprehensive is how I felt. Would number seven in the series leave me feeling like I’d joined the party too late?
Action kicks off in October 1592 (a mere 10 days after the last book finished) when a pregnant woman bursts into Lady Widdrington’s house having been raped and having witnessed the murder of her husband. Lady W loses no time riding into the Scottish Border lands to find out what happened.
We are in a world of clans and reivers, men who will steal anything that is not nailed down for which the only punishment is seeing your goods stolen back, provided what you steal is not the property of either important people or your own family. The murdered man had been a reiver but had somewhat unusually become a clergy man.
James VI of Scotland and his favourite Lord Spynie make an appearance. Everybody seems to think that the mysterious tooth drawer is in fact a Jesuit spy. We meet monks eking out a living in amidst the ruins of their monastery. Robert Carey flits around on the edges of the story only coming to the fore at the end.
A Chorus of Innocents is an excellent romp, although Robert Carey is a distant figure in the book despite being its hero. Some elements of the story seemed to just hang and have no resolution, doubtless volume 8 will reveal all. From my read of this book, if you are a fan of semi biographical historical murder mysteries with an Elizabethan setting then look no further than the Sir Robert Carey mysteries.
Disclaimer: A Chorus of Innocents was sent to me as ARC via NetGalley
Action kicks off in October 1592 (a mere 10 days after the last book finished) when a pregnant woman bursts into Lady Widdrington’s house having been raped and having witnessed the murder of her husband. Lady W loses no time riding into the Scottish Border lands to find out what happened.
We are in a world of clans and reivers, men who will steal anything that is not nailed down for which the only punishment is seeing your goods stolen back, provided what you steal is not the property of either important people or your own family. The murdered man had been a reiver but had somewhat unusually become a clergy man.
James VI of Scotland and his favourite Lord Spynie make an appearance. Everybody seems to think that the mysterious tooth drawer is in fact a Jesuit spy. We meet monks eking out a living in amidst the ruins of their monastery. Robert Carey flits around on the edges of the story only coming to the fore at the end.
A Chorus of Innocents is an excellent romp, although Robert Carey is a distant figure in the book despite being its hero. Some elements of the story seemed to just hang and have no resolution, doubtless volume 8 will reveal all. From my read of this book, if you are a fan of semi biographical historical murder mysteries with an Elizabethan setting then look no further than the Sir Robert Carey mysteries.
Disclaimer: A Chorus of Innocents was sent to me as ARC via NetGalley
August 5, 2015
I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
This story begins with the murder of a small village's minister and the rape of his pregnant wife. The wife rushes off on a horse to her friend, Elizabeth, and tells her the tale. Elizabeth then travels north back to the town where she begins an investigation into why the minister was murdered and who did it.
I really didn't get into this book. I don't really like historical fiction, but I thought this sounded interesting because it is just after the Middle Ages in England and Scotland, which I am a big fan of. So, I thought I'd give it a go. To be honest, it just seemed very slow and there wasn't very much going on at all. I'm not saying there wasn't a lot of action, because there was, but I was expecting a crime thriller but what I got was a forbidden love story with two characters that I barely know mooning over each other. I'm sure that if I had read the series from the start my feelings on this would be entirely different, but since Sir Robert Carey wasn't really a part of the book until the last third or so, it got a bit old to read so many pages of the thoughts of Elizabeth towards Robert and the scenes between them.
Another thing that seemed a bit odd to me was that there were a lot of plot holes in the story. There are two large ones in particular that I can think of right now, as well as several small ones that I noticed while reading. I understand that it is a series and that the next book might very well acknowledge those instances, but I would have preferred it if they had just put in an epilogue or something to wrap it up.
Anyway, despite all the negative things I listed above, there were still some things I enjoyed about it. The story had outstanding historical detail, from things like the language and setting down to the individual personalities of all the characters. It really takes you back in time to how people used to live.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, crime investigation, and romance.
This story begins with the murder of a small village's minister and the rape of his pregnant wife. The wife rushes off on a horse to her friend, Elizabeth, and tells her the tale. Elizabeth then travels north back to the town where she begins an investigation into why the minister was murdered and who did it.
I really didn't get into this book. I don't really like historical fiction, but I thought this sounded interesting because it is just after the Middle Ages in England and Scotland, which I am a big fan of. So, I thought I'd give it a go. To be honest, it just seemed very slow and there wasn't very much going on at all. I'm not saying there wasn't a lot of action, because there was, but I was expecting a crime thriller but what I got was a forbidden love story with two characters that I barely know mooning over each other. I'm sure that if I had read the series from the start my feelings on this would be entirely different, but since Sir Robert Carey wasn't really a part of the book until the last third or so, it got a bit old to read so many pages of the thoughts of Elizabeth towards Robert and the scenes between them.
Another thing that seemed a bit odd to me was that there were a lot of plot holes in the story. There are two large ones in particular that I can think of right now, as well as several small ones that I noticed while reading. I understand that it is a series and that the next book might very well acknowledge those instances, but I would have preferred it if they had just put in an epilogue or something to wrap it up.
Anyway, despite all the negative things I listed above, there were still some things I enjoyed about it. The story had outstanding historical detail, from things like the language and setting down to the individual personalities of all the characters. It really takes you back in time to how people used to live.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, crime investigation, and romance.
April 22, 2015
This is an historical mystery that takes place during the Elizabethan Era. This book is the seventh book of “ A Sir Robert Carey mystery” series. Yes, the seventh. I always start with the first book in the series, but I love historical fiction and this one sounded exceptionally good. And it is. However, I know I missed out on some of the backstories of the characters, and therefore feel like I am missing part of this story. But they are such interesting characters. The good news is that I purchased book one so that I can catch up on all of them. However, this is just a brief review and a recommendation to try out the series if you are a historical mystery fan like me.
Not only are the characters interesting, but the setting is interesting also. This mystery takes place in the Debateable Lands, the border lands between England and Scotland. The story begins here in 1592. This was a time in history that I didn’t know much about and I enjoyed learning more about it and reading something in a new and different place. The author uses a lot of terminology from the time and place. I liked learning the words but it might be cumbersome to some who don’t like using their dictionary every few minutes while they’re reading. The author has done her research on this era and setting and it shows. I also enjoyed the humor in her writing. I’m looking forward to starting the series.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Not only are the characters interesting, but the setting is interesting also. This mystery takes place in the Debateable Lands, the border lands between England and Scotland. The story begins here in 1592. This was a time in history that I didn’t know much about and I enjoyed learning more about it and reading something in a new and different place. The author uses a lot of terminology from the time and place. I liked learning the words but it might be cumbersome to some who don’t like using their dictionary every few minutes while they’re reading. The author has done her research on this era and setting and it shows. I also enjoyed the humor in her writing. I’m looking forward to starting the series.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2016
As I mentioned in my review of volume 6 of this series, I’m not fond of whodunits. But this one is set where I feel the Robert Carey books ought to be set – in the Borders - and therefore I can forgive it being a whodunit and award it a resounding 5 stars. Interestingly, it focusses not on Sir Robert Carey but on the love of his life, Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, who is ‘investigating’ the death of the husband of a friend. Elizabeth is a strong character with a dry sense of humour and I was immediately engaged by her situation. All the minor characters are equally well-drawn and the attitudes of the borderers are convincingly and humorously portrayed. Sir Robert Carey does feature in the book of course and the author uses text verbatim from his own biography which seemed a bit odd at the time of reading since the language was different from the rest of the dialogue. Nevertheless, it was nice to have that reference. There were some places where I felt the plot was a bit forced (for example, the victim’s wife was conveniently (or inconveniently) absent from the scene of the investigation when her presence would have immediately cleared up a few mysteries) but on the whole it was possible to ignore these and read the novel as a character-driven story. The ending is intriguing and bodes ill for our hero (and possibly heroine) in the next book in the series, the publication of which I await with baited breath.
May 9, 2015
This is my first Chisholm book and I was delighted to learn after finishing there were six previous books I could get stuck into while waiting for the next to come out.
The Tudor period is one of my favourites and I am always pleasantly surprised when I read something that does not revolve around one of the big main personages of the time. Chisholm does this with Robert Carey and Elizabeth Widdrington, bringing them to life with the skill of a great storey teller. Each of the characters has their own minds, with their own lives and motives. Many times I have read stories with multiple characters and found some bleed into one another. Chisholm does a fantastic job of keeping each person on their own path letting them make their own decisions free of artistic coercion.
Chisholm does very well with the use of the border vernacular. I had no trouble reading the Scots words and thought they gave an air of authenticity. The great majority of the characters live on the English/ Scottish border and the dialogue reflects this well.
Even though I have come into the Robert Carey story part way through, I think A Chorus of Innocents does flow well enough as a stand alone novel. The first chapter introduces us to the killers and the mystery of their motives. Successive characters are weaved into the story in such a way as it feels like the reader is meeting old friends.
The Tudor period is one of my favourites and I am always pleasantly surprised when I read something that does not revolve around one of the big main personages of the time. Chisholm does this with Robert Carey and Elizabeth Widdrington, bringing them to life with the skill of a great storey teller. Each of the characters has their own minds, with their own lives and motives. Many times I have read stories with multiple characters and found some bleed into one another. Chisholm does a fantastic job of keeping each person on their own path letting them make their own decisions free of artistic coercion.
Chisholm does very well with the use of the border vernacular. I had no trouble reading the Scots words and thought they gave an air of authenticity. The great majority of the characters live on the English/ Scottish border and the dialogue reflects this well.
Even though I have come into the Robert Carey story part way through, I think A Chorus of Innocents does flow well enough as a stand alone novel. The first chapter introduces us to the killers and the mystery of their motives. Successive characters are weaved into the story in such a way as it feels like the reader is meeting old friends.
April 4, 2015
This superbly written historical novel set in the borderlands between Scotland and England during the year 1592 is so much more than just a mystery to be solved. The author’s words took me back in time, allowed me to experience with all of my senses what life might have been like in the late 1590’s and made me thankful that I live in the present.
In this book Lady Elizabeth Widdrington has more time on center stage than Robert Carey and in some ways it is more her story than his, although, it is really a story of the time and its people and as such even more intriguing as it is based on real characters mixed in with some fictional ones.
This may be a Robert Carey Mystery and the 7th in the series but it was the first book of the series that I have read. I am now eager to read the other six books even though they do not need to be read first to have this one make sense.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes well written fact-based historical fiction that provides a wonderful reading adventure.
I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book and in so doing allow me to find an author I will gladly read the work of again.
In this book Lady Elizabeth Widdrington has more time on center stage than Robert Carey and in some ways it is more her story than his, although, it is really a story of the time and its people and as such even more intriguing as it is based on real characters mixed in with some fictional ones.
This may be a Robert Carey Mystery and the 7th in the series but it was the first book of the series that I have read. I am now eager to read the other six books even though they do not need to be read first to have this one make sense.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes well written fact-based historical fiction that provides a wonderful reading adventure.
I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book and in so doing allow me to find an author I will gladly read the work of again.
July 18, 2015
Robert Carey the historical man had such an interesting life and this series about him is everything I might wish to read. It is important to know that I put aside all my other ARCs to finish this book.
From the Publisher: "Thursday, 12th October, 1592. Eighteen days after the action closes in An Air of Treason, courtier Sir Robert Carey and Carey’s surly, larcenous, and loyal henchman Henry Dodd, Land Sergeant of Gilsland, are back in Carlisle and the Debateable Lands, the Border country, the Wild North, the land of the hot trod where the thieving, feuding reiver clans are “English when it suited, and Scots at their pleasure."
A Chorus of Innocents ushers forward Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, the married woman whom Carey adoresbut respects. It opens when a very pregnant young woman rides to Lady Widdrington’s tower crying that
her minister husband has been murdered and she herself has been raped."....
You have to preorder this book to get ready to learn the rest. I very sincerely recommend it!
From the Publisher: "Thursday, 12th October, 1592. Eighteen days after the action closes in An Air of Treason, courtier Sir Robert Carey and Carey’s surly, larcenous, and loyal henchman Henry Dodd, Land Sergeant of Gilsland, are back in Carlisle and the Debateable Lands, the Border country, the Wild North, the land of the hot trod where the thieving, feuding reiver clans are “English when it suited, and Scots at their pleasure."
A Chorus of Innocents ushers forward Lady Elizabeth Widdrington, the married woman whom Carey adoresbut respects. It opens when a very pregnant young woman rides to Lady Widdrington’s tower crying that
her minister husband has been murdered and she herself has been raped."....
You have to preorder this book to get ready to learn the rest. I very sincerely recommend it!
December 29, 2016
3.5 stars. This series should perhaps be renamed, as there is relatively little of Carey in this book, but he’s often in the thoughts of the two POV characters: Sergeant Dodd and Elizabeth Widdrington. I am glad to see everyone back in the north, away from London and the Court.
Carey has a bad tooth and is making everyone miserable. While searching for a tooth-drawer Dodd runs smack into a murder mystery which Lady Widdrington was trying to solve just before she was kidnapped for ransom…. The author does claim that all of these adventures are at least loosely based on real events.
As usual, I was much more entertained by the rich details of life in Tudor England: toothaches and acne; clothing and food and medicines; funerals and marriages. I hope there are more of these books, as I’d very much like to see Carey and Elizabeth marry. The timeline is quite slow - all seven books are set within the same calendar year, 1592. Wikipedia tells me they marry in 1593.
Carey has a bad tooth and is making everyone miserable. While searching for a tooth-drawer Dodd runs smack into a murder mystery which Lady Widdrington was trying to solve just before she was kidnapped for ransom…. The author does claim that all of these adventures are at least loosely based on real events.
As usual, I was much more entertained by the rich details of life in Tudor England: toothaches and acne; clothing and food and medicines; funerals and marriages. I hope there are more of these books, as I’d very much like to see Carey and Elizabeth marry. The timeline is quite slow - all seven books are set within the same calendar year, 1592. Wikipedia tells me they marry in 1593.
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