Rest Not in Peace

The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon, Book 6

By: Mel Starr

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

Master Hugh is asked to provide a sleeping potion for Sir Henry Burley, a friend and guest of Lord Gilbert who has outstayed his welcome at Bampton Castle. The next morning after Master Hugh provides the potion, Sir Henry is found dead, eyes open, in his bed. Master Hugh, the target of the wife’s wrath, is asked by Lord Gilbert to determine the cause of death....

©2013 Mel Starr (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Hooked on this series!!!

The writer is a master storyteller and the narrator does true justice to the well written tale. I was hooked from the very first installment and will continue on til the very end!!! 💜💜💜

So much listening delight.

The stories get better with each volume. The pace and tone of the reading greatly add to each tale and feel inline with those times.

Complex mystery

Storyline good, performer very good, perfect for these books. A bit over the top on the religious portions on this one though.

Good series, except for a few things.

I've enjoyed the plot, characters, and narration of this series. However, if I never hear the term "pulled a forelock" ever again, I'll be happy. It's repeated over and over again. Okay, I get it. It's medieval. And the extent to which the author goes into for the description of eating is exhausting. All right already, we know Hugh loves to eat. The mystery is good enough to overlook these little things.

Rest not in Prace

Just then mention of seeing a rat in the castle sets you up for the ending of this conical.

A great midevil sleuth finds his Murderer

I really enjoy this book and the series about the Middle Ages of England. I have learn many things about that time and their customs.

Love the series!

Good intrigue and winding path to justice. I do wish the references to women "having partaken overmuch" of food would stop. Sexist and unfair to describe women but not men this way.
Sad to lose Lady P.

Depressing tale, unsatisfying conclusion

While I love this series, this installment was a disappointment. There is no humor. The story line is very dark. While all this may be historically accurate, it is not why I turn to historical mysteries. I want to escape from the difficult times we all now face in the world. So my point of view is somewhat colored by living through the very dark days we face in the present moment. Mel Starr usually provides that antidote but did not this time. One major story thread is never wrapped up which is always frustrating. And the narrator throughout is constantly preaching religiosity when clearly there is no one out there listening given the misery of the lives of the people in this time in history.

redundancy takes away for the seasoned reader

alas, book 6 has confirmed the fatal "redundancy"-plague prognosis that has brought death to so many well-loved and lively stories.

the 6th book fails to seamlessly impress backstory for the fresh-faced reader new to the series while keeping attention to the reader whose been journeying along since book 1.
some lines are written word for word from previous books. dialogues, characters' inner voices, and even descriptions of places past travelled are so repetitive it carries a feel of "cut and paste."

if you, like me, started this series at book 1, you hoped with all your imagination this story would be cured of it's death-toll disease by now.
you had stayed hopeful when the story began to drag and lose luster in books 4 and 5.
you worriedly paced through main characters' lack of deeper and layered insights giving off a stunted, almost "first experience" comprehension.
the subtle humorous spirit generously sprinkled in past books now falls so sporadically you can easily miss it.
with painful sorrow, you've realized the long fatigue was actually the welcoming of death and you sit in acceptance of the inevitable beside the deathbed of book 6.