Medieval MysteryThe Apothecary Rose is the first book in The Owen Archer series. Unlike Margaret Frazer’s books, Candace Robb mixes national politics and everyday life in her Owen Archer series.
Owen was the captain of archers for the Duke of Lancaster until he was blinded in one eye. The Duke saw something in Owen and trained him to act has his spy. When the Duke died John Thoresby, the King’s Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of York approached Owen with an offer to take Owen into his service. When Owen accepted his first job was to travel to York and look into the death of Sir Oswald Fitzwilliam, the Archbishop’s ward. It seems that Fitzwilliam was not a popular man and Thoresby wanted to make sure his death was by natural causes not murder.
As a cover for his investigation Owen poses as a solider that has lost the heart to continue and is looking for a new way to make a living. Owen has knowledge of herbs and healing from his years as a solider. York’s Master Apothecary Wilton is unable to work and Owen joins Wilton’s wife Lucie as an apprentice. That puts him right where he needs to be to discover a series of events from the past that lead to murder in the present. The Apothecary Rose has a great cast of characters, a wonderful plot, and a historically accurate setting. All in all it is a great start for a mystery series.
I really liked this series and have already been to the library to check out the next book The Lady Chapel.
St Martin’s Press published The Apothecary Rose
by Candace M. Robb in 1993.
by Candace M. Robb in 1993.I checked out The Apothecary Rose from the Roger, AR Public Library.
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