Rating: 
Summary: Penman's NExt
Review: What is unique about Penman is the period in which she sets her stories. In the Queen's Man, she establishes a relationship between this would-be-servant-come-detective and the mysteries of the Royal House. Well done, unique angles, great writing.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed emotions
Review: I did enjoy this book, but not as much as I had hoped. It was difficult to start, because Penman had to describe the circumstances of England and Richard I's situation for several pages. I was a bit disappointed with the outcome of the mystery as well. Justin de Quincy solved the mystery, but the the answer wasn't the one I had hoped. The story builds and reaches an anticlimax, which was somewhat frustrating.Penman also detracts from the story but following certain tangents that don't go anywhere. For example, Justin saves a dog from drowning, but doesn't form any sort of bond with it. He spends the rest of the novel trying to dump this burdensome dog of his onto others. At one point, I think Penman actually forgot about the dog! I remember reading and thinking, "Hey, where did the dog go?" On the other hand, some of her characters are quite funny and memorable. Some of them are Nell, the brave alehouse widow, Luke de Marston, the quirky under-sherrif, and Claudine, the flirtatous maid of Queen Eleanor. Queen Eleanor herself is not really a main character, but her character appears as more of a cameo. Overall, this is not so great a mystery novel. But if you are a Penman fan, it is worth reading. The medieval setting and Penman's wit are worth the comparatively short read.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun Story!
Review: While it is not as long as her more popular books, it was fabulous to have such a fun story that takes you into the lives of the average people of London and how they lived-not just the royalty. As a mystery it was charming, but not the best. As a no brainer book with an educational background-it was great.
Rating:
Summary: She takes you to medieval England in all its' danger!
Review: Historical details combined with a vivid description of an imaginary group of people make this a fine read.
Rating:
Summary: OK nothing special
Review: I agree with many of the previous reviews that Penman should stick to her historical fiction novels and stay away from her short mysteries. This book was not bad, but it certainly wasn't very memorable and it was way too short. She can do much better than that as we have seen in her previous novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely enchanting!!!
Review: I love all of SKP works. When reading this I was enthralled in the beauty of the characters and setting. I adore the main character Justin DeQuincy, his freinds Nell and Luke, and the illustrious Eleanor of Aquitaine. This book provided a side story on Eleanor, a great follow up after reading When Christ and His Saints Slept, or reading simultaniously with Here Be Dragons.
Rating:
Summary: A Medieval Knigh with a Cowboy Attitude
Review: The tread used by the author to link the medieval ages with a suspense novel is skillfully used and indeed we are presented with a book that is fun to read. Regretfully, the main character, Justin, have an attitude and a way to approach the Queen of England which in the highly stratified times of the Middle Ages, were the peasants could not talk looking at the eyes of their lords, is ridiculous to the Eleanor having a conversation with a "hired sword" like two friends chatting in a cafe eating donuts. Sadly the Justin de Quincy is just the typical representation of American best sellers heroes who are individualist with a lot of luck, and who end in bead with the beautiful girl of the story. If Mrs. Penman had worked harder in the psychology of the hero we could have had a five star novel, but as I mentioned before, that is not the case.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent mystery!
Review: As a lover of mysteries, I have to rate this at the top. I was frustrated when I got to the middle of my hardcover copy and found that about 50 pages were missing! The next morning I ran to a bookstore and exchanged it for an intact paperback version, and devoured the rest of it. The historical detail is very interesting, as is the main character and his relationships with the Queen and with others. A must-read for anyone who likes historical novels and mysteries.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good!
Review: This is my first Sharon Kay Penman book and I was pleasantly surprised. I never read mysteries and picked this book up in desperation (I was going through withdrawal after finishing the Outlander series!). It took a couple of chapters to get into, but it got very good after that. I just had my library put Cruel as the Grave on hold for me and am going to pick it up now! Definitely worth reading!
Rating: 
Summary: Penman damages Eleanor more than Henry ever could.
Review: Eleanor of Aquitaine is one of history's most fascinating women. Penman reduces her and her role to drivel as a result of Penman's clunky writing and total lack of ability to portray the tumult of the time in which Eleanor ruled. The best writing found in this book are the reviews found on the back cover of the book. Ms. Penman, what a marvelous era you write about. Give us more excitment than "Justin swore under his breath. But his bluff had been called." Really!
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