‘I think that I shall write a poem about him. I shall call it The Fools’ Folly.’

1485, Yorkshire, England. King Richard III has held the English throne for two years. His hold on the throne is under threat from Henry Tudor, and the country is rife with speculation about the fate of the two princes in the Tower of London. Following the deaths of both his son and then his wife, Richard III has named his nephew John de la Pole his heir. John de La Pole, Earl of Lincoln, is to preside over a meeting of the Council of the North at Sandal Castle. Sir Giles Beeston is the Earl’s Constable of the Castle and newly appointed judge to the Manor of Wakefield Court.

An unexpected death occurs in the Earl’s household, and Sir Giles and his assistant Will Holland investigate. But this is only the first of several deaths. Who is behind these deaths and why? There is no shortage of suspects.

I really enjoyed this novel. There’s plenty of intrigue, the main characters are well developed and there were a couple of unexpected twists. Are the deaths connected? Are these deaths part of a plot against the King? Sir Giles himself is in danger as he seeks the truth.

This is the second novel in Keith Moray’s Sandal Castle Medieval Thriller series. I’ve read and enjoyed them both and would recommend this series to anyone interested in crime in a medieval setting.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith
net-galley review-books4 s Kathy527 6

The Fool's Folly by Keith Moray
Reviewed August 24, 2020

“A serial killer is at large at the court of Richard III” (Sandal Castle Medieval Thrillers Book 2)

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This is the second is a series of thrillers in which the setting – Sandal Castle in Yorkshire – remains the same, but with each story set in a different period of history. The first, which I am reading now, is The Pardoner’s Crime: A historical crime thriller featuring Robin Hood which takes place during the reign of Edward II of England.

The setting for this story is the summer of 1485 in Yorkshire, England. John de la Pole – Earl of Lincoln, nephew of King Richard III, and the king’s designated heir – has called together the Council of the North, the governing body for that part of the country. It is against this background of national politics that the earl’s fool, Ned Bunce (an obnoxious little fellow who is prone to scatological humor and pranks, but who the earl loves because Bunce makes him laugh) is found dead, apparently the victim of an accidental drowning after drinking too much wine. Closer scrutiny, however, reveals that Bunce was not drowned (accidental or otherwise), but poisoned.

The matter is referred to Sir Giles Beeston, the judge of the Manor Court of Wakefield. An inquest is held, which both commoners and the lords of the Council of the North attend (some less thrilled to do so than others), as Sir Giles is determined to fulfill the dispensing of justice in a way that is fair to all, according to the king’s wishes, and not perpetuate a lop-sided system that favors only the wealthy. While this is going on, two more bodies are found, and the investigation takes a darker turn.

Are these the victims of a 15th century serial killer? Is there a depraved madman on the loose? (In addition to killing the man who raises pigeons, his birds are also found dead, their legs broken.) When the king shows up at Sandal Castle a few days later, wishing to spend a little time with his nephew and escape briefly the cares of kingship, Sir Giles begins to wonder if the events are, in fact, part of a larger conspiracy against the life of Richard III.

I found this to be a good mystery. There were plenty of clues and red herrings that kept me reading, trying to figure out who done it before Sir Giles did. The descriptions of the inquest, while no medieval style Perry Mason courtroom drama, were interesting. I also d the characters, especially John de la Pole, who in most other historical fiction I’ve read has often been portrayed as a Yorkist malcontent under Henry Tudor’s reign. Instead, Mr. Moray draws upon de la Pole’s famous ancestor, Geoffrey Chaucer, to give the earl a poetic streak.

One of my favorite bits in the story is a conversation between Sir Giles Beeston and Sir William Stanley (yes, my fellow Ricardians -- that William Stanley). I'm including the exchange here.

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Sir William entered and went over to the window. ‘A good view you have here,’ he said absently, before turning and coughing, as if to move from pleasantries to some matter of importance. ‘I seek no service, Sir Giles. I wanted to express my concerns. Concerns that I have already raised with his Grace, the Earl of Lincoln.’

‘I am not privy to his Grace’s thoughts, Sir William. Can you be more precise?’

‘Loyalty, Sir Giles. I speak of loyalty and the need for loyalty.’

‘You mean loyalty to whom in particular?’

Sir William frowned irritably. ‘Pah! This is the trouble in speaking with lawyers; they question everything when it is already spoken in plain English. I talk of loyalty to the throne, Sir Giles. That means loyalty to King Richard and to his named heir, the Earl of Lincoln.’

‘You are saying that you are loyal?’

‘Of course I am loyal. It is as I said to his Grace himself. I and my family are loyal. It is a question about other people that concerns me.’

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If you know your history of King Richard III, then you'll appreciate the irony of the man who, in a very short time, will betray his king and be responsible for Richard's death in battle speaking about his concerns over the loyalty of others.

I give this book 4 stars, which according to the Goodreads rating system means I really d it.historical-fiction historical-mysteries medieval ...more1 Pauline Calkin335 10

Conspiracy against the King?

Time: Summer 1485 Reign of Richard III.

Place: Sandal Castle seat of the Council of the North, presided over by the John De La Pole, Earl of Lincoln, Richard’s nephew
and designated heir.

Scene: The Earl’s fool is found floating in the moat surrounding the castle.

Giles Beeston is constable of the castle and judge of the manor court in nearby Wakefield. He discovers during the course of the investigation that the fool’s death was the result of poisoning. But was the fool the target? Several other murders take place and when the Richard III himself visits the castle, Giles is faced with the possibility that a conspiracy against the king’s life underlies all the murders.

The solution to the Sandal murders also leads to Giles’s discovery of the fate of the princes in the tower.

The mystery is fairly well constructed. King Ricard’s commitment to the evenhanded application of the law is emphasized, and Giles embodies these principles when he conducts court proceedings that put a few noble noses out of joint. It is also interesting to have the Earl of Northumberland and Sir William Stanley going on a boar hunt and professing their loyalty to Richard a few weeks before Bosworth.

The character of Giles is maybe a bit blah. On the other hand, the Earl of Lincoln who was the great-great grandson of Geoffrey Chaucer is seen writing poetry at every opportunity. “Go on the boar hunt with Uncle Richard?. No way, I have to write a poem about his visit.” Sort of amusing, albeit obvious. And I guess you have to been a medieval nobleman to understand why Lincoln loved that insufferable fool.historical-fiction-mystery ricardian1 Cathy Geha3,953 104

The Fool’s Folly by Keith Moray
Sandal Castle Medieval Thriller #2

Legal mystery and thriller set in 1485 has Sir Giles Beeston working his skills as constable/judge to find out who is killing one person after another. Are the murders all perpetrated by the same killer or is more than one at play in and around Sandal Castle?

What I d:
* The plot, setting and writing
* Sir Giles: mental giant though in this book he was slow to find the culprit
* John de la Pole, Early of Lincoln: a potential king, writer of verse, good person and true to his friends
* The way the story is revealed a bit at a time
* The Falconer: would to know more about him – strong and dedicated to his charges
* Musgrove and his daughter: capable healers and interesting characters
* Knowing that some of the people in the story really did exist and being reminded of some history I had forgotten
* Looking up Sandal Castle and finding out it is in ruins but that it was once a glorious castle
* Finding out who was behind the murders
* Seeing justice done

What I did not :
* Knowing that some of the characters in the story, ones that I d, will not live long after the time this story was set in
* Being reminded of the intrigue and evil that existed in the past and realizing it still exists today

Did I enjoy this story? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars
1 Mystica1,482 31

1485 England. King Richard on the throne and though he is a good king, the countryside is rife with rumours - about his marriages, the deaths of his own wife and son, the two famous nephews whom no one has seen (the King also admits he has not seen them for a long time).

In this setting Sandal Castle has not been without its murder and mayhem. One murder in the castle under the watchful eyes of the heir to the throne is bad enough, but then when more grisly murders take place, seemingly random, no connection to any known opposition the entire castle is on full alert as to whether what is taking place is actually with an aim of toppling King Richard off the throne and for the Tudors to get hold of it

A lot of treachery, scheming and the manipulative greed of the aristocracy and the never ending wars and plunder in order to be on top of it all seems to epitomize England's politics at the time. There was a never ending stream of deaths all with the aim of maintaining one's position.

How many families were torn apart, children orphaned women widowed long before their time, did not seem to matter to these families.
1 Janet4,351 48

1485, Yorkshire, England
King Richard III has held the English throne for two years. But the country is rife with rumours about the fate of his nephews, the two princes imprisoned in the Tower of London, and there is a continual threat of rebellion by Henry Tudor. King Richard's heir, John de la Pole, presides over the stronghold of Sandal Castle. When a suspicious death occurs in his household, he instructs Sir Giles Beeston, the newly appointed judge, to the Manor Court to investigate.
But before Sir Giles can get to the bottom of the murder, more grisly deaths occur.
This is the second book in the series & once again it’s a well written page turning read, we move forward in time to the fateful year of 1485. I found the book to be well researched with well portrayed characters there was a lovely mix of intrigue, mystery, betrayal & loyalty. I particularly enjoyed the mix of fact & fiction & once started found the book very hard to put down
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
1 Loves162 2

This was a really well researched historical mystery ,set during the reign of Richard 111 .
There are rumours circulating concerning the Kings nephew's in the Tower , there is discord in the general population, treachery lurks around every corner , amidst all this a murderer lurks in the shadows .
In the North of England , King Richards stronghold , the King's nephew and Heir ,John De La Pole , Earl of Lincoln ,presides over Sandal Castle . His fool has been found dead in the castle moat , is there foul play involved?
Sir Giles Beeston, Constable of Sandal Castle, undertakes the investigation .
The body count is rising , are the deaths linked ? Is there a treasonous plot underway?
This was such a gritty, dramatiic , descriptive, read. It kept you turning the pages as the tension builds and the plot thickens, with twists and turns in the storyline . You're left wondering who is friend and who is foe .
I especially d how Richard 111 is depicted not as a murderous , treacherous , grasping individual but one who seeks justice for all people regardless of their rank . It makes a change to see him as something other a villain.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read something authentic to the time period portrayed.
I received a copy of the book from #Netgalley and voluntarily leave this review. All thoughts are my own and unbiased. Laura plantladyreader253 30

This book was a thrilling tale of murder and mystery set in the court of King Richard III. It is the second in the series, but it works well as a stand-alone novel as well - I didn't feel I was missing any information on the characters that wasn't explained during this book.

Interestingly, the main focus of the book is the jduge, Sir Giles Beeston, and it often read a courtroom thriller. The Earl of Lincoln, heir to the throne, has discovered his Fool, Ned Bunce, floating face-down in the castle moat. When Sir Giles investigates, he and the castle doctor perform a postmortem, they discover that Bunce was poisoned. When Sir Giles starts to investigate with his trusted assistant Will, more murders start occurring, getting more strange as they happen. While Sir Giles starts to wonder whether this is all a greater plot to murder the King, he loses sight of what is really going on...

I really enjoyed this read! It was interesting to read about 15th century postmortems and what they could really determine, see the courtroom procedures, and the politics that surround a monarchy. I became invested in the story, and literally had an "oh NOOO" moment once the killer was discovered. It was a quick, light read that I would recommend.

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