Hugh is on his way to Oxford to buy a Bible - an expensive luxury purchase in the middle ages. His wife is due to give birth around Christmas and his life is content. On the way though he finds a dead body, eaten by crows but clearly that of a monk from the local abbey. Hugh is commissioned by the Abbot to find the murderer, his reward will be a Bible. However in searching for a murderer Hugh uncovers blasphemy in the abbey, is accused himself and realises that his monk was more involved with the sins of the flesh that at first glance.

I have read a couple of Mel Starr's books and I find that there is the same problem, 200-odd pages of enjoyable whodunnit set in medieval times and a denouement that seems over in a couple of pages and is lightly sketched. That's rather frustrating as Starr obviously has researched the books well and is comfortable writing in period, the characters are round and the plots actually quite tight. In this case I loved the fact that Hugh was convinced he knew all the answers but then suddenly realised that he know nothing and had to formulate a completely different theory.

Very entertaining but just not quite there for me ( )

3.5-4 stars

It’s been eighteen months or so since I read my last Hugh de Singleton novel, and I have to admit, despite some of the (entirely legitimate) comments made by other reviewers, this was one of my personal favourites.
Provided expectations are not placed too high, its generally quite good- of course there is no high drama, political intrigue, and little in the way of real action or tension, but this is not something the series generally contains.
Those expecting such things (or a series to the level of another Cadfael) may be disappointed. The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton are a more slow-paced with the occasional foray into Medieval Medicine and surgery which I for one appreciate as someone personally fascinated with the subject.

I personally enjoyed the descriptions of life in and the working of a medieval Benedictine monastery, some of the other descriptions of social life, the impact of the Black Death and the exploration of some of the religious beliefs and ideas of the period. The story did perhaps drag a little in places, and Hugh is certainly not the sharpest tool in the barn, but generally the story was compelling enough that I wanted to read on. There is something endearing about Dear Hugh, despite his occasional failings a sleuth, and even Arthur, his burly bodyguard.

My only major gripe in terms of the plot-line was a serious contradiction given about the evidence of the night the murder was committed. Without meaning to give too much away it was early on stated that there was no moon on that night- and later that there was a full moon and a cloudless sky allowing persons to see clearly. This is not presented as an error, or seemingly even remembered, and for mystery buffs, might be considered a heinous fax pas- and perhaps the solution was a little obvious. Yet for all that, those seeking a ‘light’ mystery with sound historical content, or a clean read with a Christian flavour may be satisfied.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own.
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The Abbots Agreement is the 7th book in the series. The medieval background enhances the reading experience while putting the clock back to a time before mysteries were solved by forensics. You can read this as a stand-alone mystery however I warn you, you will become attached to the character and times of Hugh de Singleton and will be back for more. I recommend this series for those who like a cozy mystery, a police procedural or just any murder mystery. ( )

I received this book as an Early Reviewer book and enjoyed it quite a bit. I had not known of Mel Starr or his Singleton series, but even after several months [my review being late], the book stays with me. The story here is intriguing and the character of Hugh is likable and interesting. What I liked most about the book was the reality of the investigative methods used. After all, we are in medieval England and deciding the time of death or the circumstances takes observational skill and deduction. Which is what de Singleton has. I also enjoyed the mix of the venal and decent religious persons and other characters. How no person is precisely one type or another. This was a good introduction to Starr's works and I'll be reading more. ( )

Unfortunately I am unable to read this this Early Reviewers book. The print is dark and crisp, and the fond is clean but it is just too small. I read most of my books on a Kindle where I can adjust the font size. I have very little vision in one eye which creates some problems and reading small size font is one of them. In the future I will request only e-books or children's books which I read to my great nieces and nephews.

I have read books in Mel Starr's Hugh de Singleton series before. He has improved his plot and character development since the first I read [A Trail of Ink,] the third in the series. There is usually something to learn, usually a historical tidbit. I like it when an author pays attention to the historical period in which he places his book and keeps it as true as s/he can to the real events. Mel Starr does this and he often includes real people as a character. His books make me think of historical cosies not historical fiction.