The Sanctuary Seeker by Bernard Knight

Bernard Knight has been writing since 1963 and he is now the third longest serving member of The Crime Writer's Association. During the 1960's he published with Robert Hale LTD but it wasn't until 1998 that he stumbled upon the character for which he is now best known.

The character was Crowner John, a 12th century knight and crusader, who was appointed as the first coroner of Devon in 1194.


"The series was born of Bernard Knight's professional interest in the history of the coroner system, under which he worked as a forensic pathologist for so many years, combined with his fascination for the12th century, folowing the writing of two 'straight' novels about that period in Wales.
Crowner John is a complex character, on the one hand a bluff professional soldier, hardened by two decades of fighting from Ireland to the Holy Land - yet he is a passionate man, often involved in amorous intrigues. Married against both their inclinations to Matilda, sister of Sir Richard de Revelle, the crooked sheriff of Devonshire, he had spent twenty years trying to avoid her by staying away to fight, accompanied by his trusty Cornish henchman, Gwyn of Polruan.
His long-tern mistress is Nesta, landlady of the The Bush tavern in Exeter, but he also has a yearning for his former sweetheart Hilda of Dawlish, a beautiful blonde Saxon.
The other permanent member of the cast is Thomas de Peyne, an unfrocked priest, who acts as his clerk. Small, stooped and lame, his unprepossessing appearance is relieved by an astute brain and wide knowledge of almost everything.
Many of the characters actually existed in history and usually held the positions described in the stories. Only de Wolfe is fictional, as history does not record the Devon coroners until the 13th century.
All the other names are authentic for the period, being taken from the court rolls of Devon. "

Crowner John is called to hold an inquest on a rotted body found besides a stream near to the village of Widecombe. The local sheriff quickly arrests a man but Crowner John is sure that he has got the wrong man and then the dead man is identified as a crusader and a member of one of Devon's wealthiest and most respectable families. The investigation is hampered at every turn by Crowner Joh's own bother in law, Sheriff Richard De Revelle.

The problem with historical crimes is that so much period detail is needed that it can impede on a good story but the author understand this and first and foremost this is an entertaining crime story. That's not to say the history is not present - it is, the author is after all an expert on the period.

This is the first of the series I've read but I will definately be seeking out more - in fact I've got the next six titles in the series in my TBR pile.