Wheel of Fate

April 5, 2010
British author Sedley smoothly integrates a complex murder case with the cataclysmic political events that roiled England in 1483 in her solid 19th Roger the Chapman historical (after 2009's The Dance of Death
). Rakish investigator Roger makes his way home to the West Country after the announcement of Edward IV's death only to find his family gone. Eventually, he tracks his wife, Adela, to London, where she insists that he help her hosts, the Godsloves, who believe they've been targeted for death. Two members of the Godslove clan have been killed, and a third survived an attempt on her life. Roger explores a number of possible theories, including one that a criminal sent to prison by attorney Oswald Godslove seeks revenge. Meanwhile, he must work to avoid getting enmeshed in the struggles for power as England prepares to be ruled by a 12-year-old, Edward V. Sedley's encyclopedic knowledge of the times is evident on every page.

April 1, 2010
Forsaken by his family, Roger the Chapman follows them from Bristol to London, and despite his desire for peace and quiet is again embroiled in mystery and intrigue.

After a woman shows up on her doorstep along with what she claims is Roger's child, Roger's wife Adela celebrates 1483 by fleeing to the home of distant relatives. Arriving at the home of the Godslove family, Roger is surprised to receive a warm greeting. Adela, it seems, wants Roger to help the family solve the mystery of the often fatal accidents that are plaguing them. Clemency, Sybilla and their lawyer brother Oswald live with their half-sister Celia in a rambling house run by housekeeper Mistress Rokeswood, who appears to be in love with Oswald. Two of their siblings are dead, and others have had close shaves. Who's responsible? Oswald suspects a doctor who's in love with Celia and a silversmith whose family used to own their home and wants it back. But Roger wonders if the plotter may be a displeased client. When Celia vanishes, the family is desperate to find her. Roger searches London while trying to avoid involvement with the Duke of Gloucester. Though he's undertaken several secret missions for the Duke, he's wary of getting mixed up in the latest royal infighting now that King Edward IV has died.

Sedley (Dance of Death, 2009, etc.) provides another fine mystery set against the backdrop of the turbulent 15th century.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 15, 2010
Sedleys latest offering in her Roger the Chapman series sees the intrepid peddler returning home after months on the road, only to learn that his wife has left him after hearing that he fathered an illegitimate child. Panicked, Roger follows his wife to London after learning shes staying with distant cousins, the Godsloves. After he pleads his case and his wife agrees to reconcile, Roger learns that the Godsloves believe theyre under a curse; after urging from his wife, he investigates their claim. In the chaos of London in the wake of the death of King Edward IV, Roger employs all his considerable investigative skills to the Godslove case and eventually learns of a terrible secret from their past. Sedleys ability to capture the intimate details of daily life in fifteenth-century England, combined with both her well-researched plot built around the sociopolitical situation of the time and a likable, larger-than-life main character, make this latest entry in her Roger the Chapman series a fine choice for fans of historical mysteries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)