Chaucer And The House Of Fame - Hardcover

Philippa Morgan is a former school teacher who now lives in the West Country. This is her first book.

*Starred Review* In her debut mystery, Morgan succeeds where many old hands have failed. Set in 1370, the novel tells the story of a soldier and diplomat sent by the king of England to persuade a French nobleman to maintain his loyalty to the British monarch. When he arrives in France, our hero discovers that the nobleman has died, apparently in a hunting accident. Suspecting foul play, the diplomat determines to solve the murder. It's a solid, well-told story, recommendable for plot alone, but what really makes this one special is Morgan's portrayal of her hero, who happens to be Geoffrey Chaucer, future author of The Canterbury Tales. In other series starring real-life authors as sleuths, the heroes have attained their literary fame when the stories begin, but by casting Chaucer only as a wanna-be poet, Morgan adds a fascinating element to her characterization. In addition, she has clearly done her homework but knows that the secret to good historical fiction is parceling out information to the reader gradually and naturally, avoiding indigestible chunks of backstory. She also understands that readability requires a more contemporary manner of speech than is absolutely authentic, but she treads this dangerous line carefully. By adroitly avoiding the pitfalls that trap many writers of historical mysteries, Morgan has created a central character and a story that will leave readers clamoring for more. David Pitt
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