Rating: 
Summary: Oblivious Alais
Review: The book as a whole was a great first novel but I can only give it five stars because of the rather obvious identity of a character that Alais takes forever to figure out.
Rating: 
Summary: Not exactly a page-turner, but a decent read
Review: The book was not exactly a page turner, but it did have an interesting storyline. I was a bit hesitant in purchasing this book, because it is the author's debut novel, and recently I have a read a few debut novels that were pretty bad. This book is better than most debuts, but I did not find it extraordinary. The adventure the main character embarked upon was enjoyable to follow - and the story had enough twists and turns to keep me entertained. I'd recommend this book to someone who is interested in the specic time period, but not to anyone who is looking for a good historical mystery page-turner.
Rating:
Summary: a pleasant mystery, but a disappointing historical novel
Review: This book fits well into the genre of light historical mysteries. In this case, the word "light" especially applies becuse the plot is thin and much is obvious to the reader long before the rather dim-witted protagonist gets a clue.
As a historical, it fails to convince. The characters are 21st century people wearing medieval clothes. But sadly even the clothes fail to convince.
The medieval "facts" are lain on thick, but you never, ever feel transported in time. In fact, I spent much of the book, thinking I would look this or that up, because it just didn't seem right.
What didn't seem right? Well, for example and to deal in generalities, the privacy accorded all the characters for sleeping, dining and conversation whenever they wanted it; the general lack of piety as if religion had no intrinsic place in ordinary life; Richard Coeur de Lion (a notorious lover of men) as a heterosexual romantic lover; and so on.
All this said, I did read until the end. The book is short and had enough appeal to keep me turning the pages.
Rating: 
Summary: a compelling first novel
Review: Whether or not your familiar with the history of France and England during the twelfth century and all the power plays and intrigue that went on then, and the Plantagenets and the Capets, you have to read Judith Koll Healey's thrilling and engaging novel, "The Canterbury Papers." Cleverly mixing fact with fiction, Ms Healey gives a compelling new novel about Princess Alais Capet, once destined to be Richard the Lionheart's wife, but who instead returned to France unwed, and who spent many years of her life in obscurity.Bitter and angry about her current status in life -- unmarried and gossiped about -- Princess Alais Capet is in no mood to feel festive about her nephew's upcoming marriage. So that when her stepmother, Queen Eleanor of Acquitaine, writes to Alais, asking her to retrieve a few letters hidden in the cathedral at Canterbury, Alais is in the mood to entertain Eleanor's proposition. More important to Alais though is Eleanor's promise to divulge all that she knows about a child that was born in secrecy many years ago if Alais agrees to help her. Desperate to be away from the court and to learn all that Eleanor knows, Alais agrees to help Eleanor, little expecting that the journey would be fraught with so much memories and danger. For not only is journey to England bringing back many memories, both happy and sad, and reuniting Alais with many friends from her past, but people seem to be following her. But are they following her intending to harm or protect... "The Canterbury Papers" were a terrifically engrossing and engaging read. Judith Koll Healey is a brilliant storyteller, and her grasp on the history of the period and the personalities concerned is evident for all to see. Although I was fairly familiar with the history of the period, Ms Healey told her tale in such a winning manner and created such a wonderfully vibrant and taking heroine in Alais Capet, that I had to finish the book in one go. Thrilling from start to finish, "The Canterbury Papers" is one novel that should not be missed!
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