The Three Kings of Cologne

March 12, 2007
In Sedley's well-crafted 15th medieval historical to feature Roger the Chapman (after 2006's The Prodigal Son
), Alderman John Foster, the mayor of Bristol, suspects foul play when the corpse of a young woman, identified as Isabella Linkinhorne, is unearthed while land is being cleared for a new chapel to be dedicated to the three kings of the novel's title. The mayor asks the perceptive peddler to determine which of her three suitors killed her. The rub is, she disappeared 20 years earlier, in 1460, and the identities of her suitors, whom Roger nicknames after the three wise men, were unknown even at the time. Sedley effortlessly incorporates the details of daily life for a range of socioeconomic groups as Roger goes in search of answers. Roger's droll sense of humor enlivens a narrative full of unexpected plot twists.

February 15, 2007
Sedley's latest adventure in her Roger the Chapman series proves that, when it comes to solving crimes, hard graft and plodding investigative work were just as important in the fifteenth century as they are today. When a woman's body is discovered in a shallow grave, the mayor of Bristol commissions Roger to determine the victim's identity and find out who or what killed her. It seems hopeless, especially after Roger learns that the woman died 20 years earlier. But like all good detectives, Roger knows that dogged determination, deduction, and a bit of luck usually do the job. By the time he has narrowed the list of suspects to three, he has ruffled more than a few feathers and jeopardized his marriage. Sedley knows how to create authentic period ambience, build strong characters, and deliver plenty of adventure. Add a healthy serving of dry wit, and you have a fine series that just keeps getting better.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)