The Witch Hunter

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Eighth in the Crowner John Series - Rated
Bernard Knight, or to give him his correct title, Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, was a pathologist to the Home office until 1980 when he was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Wales College of medicine, 1980. He has written the extremely successful Crowner John series of medieval mysteries, of which there are now ten or eleven books, His character Crowner John is certainly among my favourite characters in medieval mysteries.

Exeter, 1195. Sir John de Wolfe is facing the wrath of the wife of one of Exeter's most prominent citizens. He has refused to hold an inquest on a prominent burgess and guild-master. The man had fallen dead across his horse's saddle, but this happened in front of witnesses and the man had recently been complaining of chest pains, plus there was no sign of injury on the body. However events take a turn when a straw doll with a spike through its heart is found under the saddle cloth of the dead man.

The dead man's wife is adamant that a spell had been cast upon her husband. A spell put on him at the behest of one of his business rivals who wants to acquire his business. With the help of her cousin, who happens to be a canon at the cathedral she begins a campaign in the name of mother church against witchcraft and the women in the town who are thought to practice the black arts. Sir John refuses to be drawn into the campaign, until, that is Nesta, his young Welsh mistress is accused of witchcraft. The only way Crowner John can save her is by finding the real culprit before the noose slips around Nesta's beautiful neck.

The Strange Case of the Missing Mystery - Rated
Lovers of medieval mysteries will find plenty of medievalism and precious little mystery in this John Crowner yarn. It is a sound enough adventure, with plenty of blood and open sewage flowing through the streets of an authentic twelfth-century Exeter, but don't expect to be presented with a puzzle or dazzled by the deductive powers of the sleuth.

The style is rather stilted, often reading like a dry history text rather than an entertainment. I know fans of this genre crave plenty of historical fact with their fiction, but it should be woven seamlessly into the story and not be too obviously and intrusively crammed in, as it is here. It was interesting to discover that the word 'exchequer' comes from the practice of using a chessboard to help tally piles of coins, but when this is related in a 'this is how it came to be known as' fashion, it destroys the illusion. This is not quite as bad as JT Edson's habit of adding footnotes to his Western novels, but almost. On the same theme, the characters often talk as if they were quoting legal documents or delivering a lecture.

The book is also prone to misprints, which is annoying. Thus we have a character who is afraid he will be in trouble "...if he failed to go back empty handed", when of course the opposite is meant. And Chapter 8 is heralded as one "In which Crowner John rides off with lady" when in fact he does no such thing. And there are others, all serving to trip the reader up and spoil the flow of the story.

Although they mostly have the same voice, the characters are well drawn. Gwyn and Thomas make perfect companions for Crowner. They are reminiscent of Pigsy and Monkey, Tripitaka's companions in the 'Monkey' legends. Gwyn's brutishness and Thomas's scholarly air make perfect complements to the noble warrior Crowner.

At 370 pages, this is long for a mystery. Knight tends to be prolix. Where other authors would be content with showing us one or two witches being persecuted, Knight has to throw in several covensfull. And scenes are played out at length when a shorter version would suffice. Perhaps Knight, an ex forensic pathologist, wants to ensure that his report will stand up in court!

Verdict: Patient readers who demand authenticity above all else and who value character above plot, even in so-called mysteries, could give this a try.

Fantastic, highly recommended - Rated
I have read all of Bernard Knight's book's. I've just finished reading the witch hunter and I think it was his best so far. He has a wonderful way of bringing the past. Just brilliant!! Read it, you won't be disappointed!!!!