Immortal Murder– a 25th Hugh Corbett Mystery

One of the most prolific writers of good historical fiction is Paul Doherty, and he’s been at it a long time.  He has several long running historical novel series, more than one of which focus on English history of the Middle Ages. For my money the best of these series is the Hugh Corbett series set in the late 12 hundreds and early 13th century A.D. dealing in particular with English kings Edward I and II.  The stories are full of murder, mayhem, mystery, and yet in the midst of it all stands a Christian man, Hugh Corbett, basically the most trusted and trustworthy of the King’s advisers and agents, sometimes even a secret agent abroad in France.  Doherty knows this period of English history thoroughly and while one enjoys the twists and turns of the plot, one learns a lot about the role of the church entwined with royalty, and often clamoring for justice.

Maureen Wright (probably a distant relative of mine in England, since the Wrights and Witheringtons of Northumberland intermarried as early as the battle of Chevy Chase, and the Wrights worked for the Witheringtons in their castle grounds on the North Sea shore near the current town of Widdrington.  I agree with Maureen’s excellent review which I take the liberty to repeat here…

“I have read, and re-read, every single book in this series & this tale ranks with the very best. Corbett, at the height of his powers as he settles into his middle years, has honed his powers of deduction, entrapment & denouement to the sharpest of points, as we are taken back (not for the first time) to the great crown jewels robbery on 1303 & the tendrils of Puddlicot’s murderous gang!

The action this time takes place in 1303, but there are 3 new characters introduced who, I hope, will continue to feature in the next volumes. Two are French, but in the service of Queen Isabella of England. The third, a Templar escaping from the horrors inflicted on his brethren in France after the destruction of their Order on the command of King Phillip IV, who leads a commitatus of 50 former Templars to Scotland, after receiving safe conduct from Hugh Corbett.

While each of these new characters offer fascinating ideas for future books, all our old favourites remain. Isabella shows her metal as a true scion of her father, Phillip. Ranulf, Corbett’s henchman, a committed Clerk who baulks at nothing to protect his master has grown out of his youthful, pleasure seeking, self-centredness to become a fiercely loyal servant of the Secret Chancery in his own way. The Welshman, Ap Ythel also returns, a leader of archers who always brings a moral note to every story he features in.

Here, there is stolen treasure, a new mother frightened by a threat to her child, a nun with an important message for Megotta the moon girl, and a villain who claims immortality! Oh, and a list ship for good measure! Corbett is tested & challenged to his limits, but I’m already thinking what might come next. I think it’s Bannockburn & the triumph of Robert the Bruce over the rather less military adept son of the Hammer of the Scots, Edward I. How Dr. Doherty will embroil Corbett & Ranulph in THAT story is something I can’t wait to learn!!!”

The two central fictional characters of Hugh and his right hand man and protector, Ranulf, are fascinating in themselves and we get to know them rather well.  My one regret is that most of these novels barely mention Hugh’s wife, Maeve and his children, and we could have used a sub-plot involving them more often.  In the 334 pages of this novel (which I ordered from Amazon U.K. as it will not come out in the U.S. until November) Hugh’s family barely gets a passing mention. More’s the pity.  If indeed the next installment in this series involves the disastrous war with Robert the Bruce (see the old Mel Gibson movie) it will be interesting to see how the master story teller, Paul  Doherty  approaches the matter. In the meantime,  by all means order a copy or two of this novel, perhaps as Christmas gifts, but full disclosure, it is a story full of blood and guts, but also courageous defense of what is good and right.