Too Good to Hang

By: Sarah Hawkswood

Narrated by: Matt Addis

April, 1145. Thorgar the Ploughman is found by the bloodied body of Father Edmund, a village priest in Ripple, and is summarily hanged for being caught in the act, despite his pleas of innocence.

When his sister goes to Worcester to seek justice for Thorgar, the lord Sheriff sends Hugh Bradecote, with Serjeant Catchpoll and Underserjeant Walkelin, to discover the truth. They soon expose strong motives for placing the blame on the ploughman’s shoulders, some unpleasant secrets festering among the villagers, as well as the whisper of a treasure long lost and now rediscovered.

The shadow the noose casts is a long one, but the Sherrif’s men will need to plumb the darkness to uncover the true killer.

©2023 Sarah Hawkswood (P)2023 Allison & Busby Ltd

A Great Series

I am enjoying this series, having started with the first book. I have had no disappointments and I hope there will be more to come. Every successive story has gotten better and better. Matt Addis is an excellent narrator and has joined his voice to the characters and given them substance. These characters and stories have become old friends by now. My favorite genre is historical mysteries, primarily medieval. It's a great escape.

Powerfully moving and compelling

I “read” the series through Audible; but no matter how you get it, this is her best so far. Matt is outstanding in his characterizations and there are a number of characters, male, female, adult, and children, that he has to voice. He gives each his own tone, nuance, and cadence. A superb job that shows he is a master of his craft.
Because of my profession, the hanging of a. Innocent man by means of a quasi-judicial proceeding was difficult to get through. However, it was a necessary plot device and comes together in the end. The author is not one for gratuitous violence.
Regular readers of the series will be glad to know that the characters are as one would expect, like a meeting of old friends one has not seen for a time. They are not stale or “expected”. There is even (faint spoiler alert) a soft side to Sergeant Catchpoll in this story. As usual, and for obvious reasons, the greatest character development from the last story is Young Walkelin. He is becoming more and more competent, confident, and Catchpollesq. A pleasurable part of the series is watching him grow and develop.
The story is interesting, does not drag, and moves at a good clip. There are two female characters that I wish could become
semi-regulars but because of geographical constraints in the time period of the series, most likely will not. I shall not give out more since I do not want to give away plot points or clues.
The author has written a number of these stories; some better than others. None are mediocre. For sheer power and impact, this one is the best.
For full disclosure and understanding, I am a criminal defense attorney, have not, and will not be compensated for this review, and paid full price for the Audible download.

A well written story

The author’s use of language is superb and a joy to listen to as read by Mark Addis. Characters are believable and 3 main characters are all admirable. Grateful that author has main characters that like and respect each other rather than the oftentimes unpleasant relationships.