Crowner John Mysteries
Encyclopedia
The Crowner John Mysteries are a series of novels by Bernard Knight
following the fictional life of one Sir John de Wolfe, a former Crusading Knight appointed to the office of Keeper of the Pleas of the King's Crown (custos placitorum coronas) i.e. the King's Crowner or Coroner
, for the county of Devon
.
Crowners were appointed in 1194, during the reign of Richard the Lionheart, in every county to check on the corruption of sheriffs, but also to raise as much money as possible towards the payment of the huge ransom after the king's capture in Austria
on his return from the Third Crusade
.
As Crowner, Sir John has to investigate all sudden deaths, murders, rapes, assaults, fires, wrecks and catches of royal fish, as well as trying to drive as much custom as possible into the royal courts, instead of the old manor and shire courts. We learn that Sir John has a large area to administrate – there are supposed to be three crowners for Devon but he is the only one. In all this, he is assisted by Gwyn, his old Cornish
retainer and Thomas de Peyne, an unfrocked priest, who is his clerk. John's surly social climbing wife Matilda is the sister of the sheriff of Exeter
, Sir Richard de Revelle, who does all he can to make life difficult for John, who seeks solace in the arms of his Welsh
mistress Nesta, the landlady of the Bush Inn in the city.
In Crowner Royal, set in 1196, John is appointed the first Coroner of the Verge by the king. He returns to Exeter in late 1196 in the next novel, A Plague of Hertics.
Apart from John, most of the main characters actually existed in history and every care is taken with research and the creation of atmosphere, to offer an authentic picture of twelfth-century England
. Most the places described in the stories can be visited by readers today, even the gatehouse of Rougemont Castle
in Exeter, where John had his office.
, Michael Jecks
, Bernard Knight and Ian Morson under the common pseudonym of the Medieval Murderers:
Bernard Knight
Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, became a Home Office pathologist in 1965 and was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, in 1980. He was awarded the CBE in 1993 for services to forensic medicine....
following the fictional life of one Sir John de Wolfe, a former Crusading Knight appointed to the office of Keeper of the Pleas of the King's Crown (custos placitorum coronas) i.e. the King's Crowner or Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, for the county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
Crowners were appointed in 1194, during the reign of Richard the Lionheart, in every county to check on the corruption of sheriffs, but also to raise as much money as possible towards the payment of the huge ransom after the king's capture in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
on his return from the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
.
As Crowner, Sir John has to investigate all sudden deaths, murders, rapes, assaults, fires, wrecks and catches of royal fish, as well as trying to drive as much custom as possible into the royal courts, instead of the old manor and shire courts. We learn that Sir John has a large area to administrate – there are supposed to be three crowners for Devon but he is the only one. In all this, he is assisted by Gwyn, his old Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
retainer and Thomas de Peyne, an unfrocked priest, who is his clerk. John's surly social climbing wife Matilda is the sister of the sheriff of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, Sir Richard de Revelle, who does all he can to make life difficult for John, who seeks solace in the arms of his Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
mistress Nesta, the landlady of the Bush Inn in the city.
In Crowner Royal, set in 1196, John is appointed the first Coroner of the Verge by the king. He returns to Exeter in late 1196 in the next novel, A Plague of Hertics.
Apart from John, most of the main characters actually existed in history and every care is taken with research and the creation of atmosphere, to offer an authentic picture of twelfth-century England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Most the places described in the stories can be visited by readers today, even the gatehouse of Rougemont Castle
Rougemont Castle
Rougemont Castle is the historic castle of Exeter.The castle was first built in 1068 to help William the Conqueror maintain control over the city. It is perched on an ancient volcanic plug, overlaying remains of the Roman city of Isca Dumnoniorum...
in Exeter, where John had his office.
Novels in the Crowner John Series
- The Sanctuary Seeker (1998)
- The Poisoned Chalice (1998)
- Crowner's Quest (1999)
- The Awful Secret (2000)
- The Tinner's Corpse (2001)
- The Grim Reaper (2002)
- Fear In The Forest (2003)
- The Witch HunterThe Witch Hunter (novel)The Witch Hunter is a novel by Bernard Knight and the eighth book in his Crowner John Mysteries series. It was published in 2004 and like other books in the series, it is set in 12th century Exeter.-Plot summary:...
(2004) - Figure of Hate (2005)
- The Elixir of Death (2006)
- The Noble Outlaw (2007)
- The Manor of Death (2008)
- Crowner Royal (2009)
- A Plague of Heretics (2010)
Short stories featuring Crowner John
Crowner John appears in a series of books formed of linked stories written by Philip Gooden, Susanna GregorySusanna Gregory
Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She writes detective fiction, and is noted for her series of mediaeval mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, a teacher of medicine and investigator of murders in 14th-century...
, Michael Jecks
Michael Jecks
Michael Jecks is a writer of historical mystery novels. The son of an Actuary, and the fourth of four brothers, he worked in the computer industry before becoming a novelist full time in 1994 – a decision forced on him when he was fired from his last position...
, Bernard Knight and Ian Morson under the common pseudonym of the Medieval Murderers:
- The Tainted Relic (2005)
- Sword of Shame (2006)
- House of Shadows (2007)
- The Lost Prophecies (2008)
External Links
- http://bernardknight.homestead.com/ author’s web site
- http://www.baronage.co.uk/2002b/bookpost-1.pdf Professor Knight’s Crowner John, Ann Lynn reviews the first six books, 31 May 2002