Rating: 
Summary: Queen's Man for Medieaval Fan
Review: A mystery is a notoriously hard genre to write in, but SharonPenman does an extremely creditable job. This book, written like asorbet to clense her palate before tackling her next large project involving Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry's romantic lives, gives an intriguing whiff of how good that book will be.
The aged Eleanor is concerned about the safety and life of her favorite son, Richard the Lionhearted, while her husband's favorite, John, currently sits on the throne. The murder of an obscure merchant, who might have valuable information regarding the Lionheart's whereabouts, is investigatd by Justin, who is given a "passport" to question which identifies him as "The Queen's Man".
Court politics and personalities are well handled by Penman, as always, but what makes this sorty of particular interest is her gift for portraying the life of the commoners and villiens in a story as well. Like Ellis Peters, her detecting relies on only the available technology and knowledge of the time, making her story credible as well as puzzling. The book passes muster as a mystery on its own, but fans of the medieval world will find it particularly enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than vegetables, not as good as chocolate..
Review: I enjoyed this book, especially the setting and main character. I have always had an interest in Medieval England, and a mystery set there was a treat. That said, the mystery part was a bit of a let-down, and I smelled a set-up at the end for a sequel. I guessed right away how the book would conclude, but kept reading in the hopes that something else would be thrown at me. Maybe this book was a practice swipe at becoming a great mystery writer, maybe not..., nevertheless, pick up one of Sharon Kay Penman's earlier works - you won't be disappointed
Rating:
Summary: This is a very well crafted mystery.
Review: This is the first of Ms Penman's books I have read. Mysteries are my usual fare and was given a copy of The Queen's Man: A Medieval Mystery. I loved it. I felt I was transported back in time with Justin and Queen Eleanor and her justified distrust of Prince John. The treachery at the Court is well described and one can appreciate Justin's inablilty to lay his trust in anyone. I enjoyed reading about this time period before, but had gotten away from the genre so was doubly pleased to find such a good author. I am now reading Falls the Shadow and am looking forward to the rest of her books
Rating:
Summary: A great mystery from Ms. Penman!
Review: This book is decidedly different from Ms. Penman's previous novels, and she's proven that she can diversify
and still maintain her own engaging style! This book remainded me of the writings of another of my favorite authors:
Mary Higgins Clark. Like Ms. Clark, Ms. Penman keeps the reader guessing by giving every new character a motive; every friend a reason not to
be trusted! Just when you're SURE you know who done it, there's a new piece to the puzzle! Perhaps the resolution of the murder was a little disappointing,
but the revelation of twisted loyalties was fantastic! I congratulate Ms. Penman on an excellent foray into the world of Mysteries....now let's have
more Eleanor!!!!! :-)
Rating:
Summary: Worth it...a good first effort at the Mystery novel!!
Review: I have read all the Sharon Kay Penman novel's. I have always enjoyed the genre and Penman is one of the better authors at it.
Rating:
Summary: Very good like all of her books
Review: Another excellent Penman novel. I do not usually like mystery stories, but I read anything Penman writes. Luckily, I did since this was one I would not want to have missed. It is not as long as her other novels (I love her lengthy novels!) but her attention to detail is ever present. All of her novels have been wonderful and keep us waiting and hopeful for the next
Rating:
Summary: Another good Penman novel...
Review: I read this book in one sitting, on a train from Boston to Washington, DC. It's a lot like her other books, and it's also a lot like a classical mystery.
Penman introduces the main character, Justin, early. We stick with Justin throughout the novel, and it's good that she's got a gift for characterization because Justin's plight held me rapt throughout the novel.
Highly recommended to Penman fans and other fans of medeival-set literature.
Mike Weintraub
Rating:
Summary: A fun read!
Review: I love all of Sharon Penman's books, including this one (though admittedly it is neither as "deep" nor as detailed as her major works). Still, if you're a medieval fan, you're going to enjoy this work. On the other hand, if you're really looking more for a detective story, you may be a bit disappointed--the "mystery" is at the periphery, not at the heart of the book: that is reserved for Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Queen's Man and Medieval England! Penman brings to this book what she brings to all of her books: her love of the Middle Ages, her vast knowledge of the period, and her extraordinary writing ability.
Rating:
Summary: A Lark of a Historical Murder Mystery
Review: Sharon Kay Penman has made her mark writing "traditional" historical fiction about medieval England ("The Sunne in Splendour," "Here Be Dragons," etc.). These books are magnificent, titanic books that throw the reader headlong into the power struggles among the "movers and shakers" of the British Isles and across the Channel in France. Similar to Colleen McCullough's "The Masters of Rome" series, these novels are replete with vivid battles and court dramas.
With "The Queen's Man," Penman takes on a slightly different genre -- the murder mystery. Fans of her other works will be pleased to note that Penman has not lost her talent for transporting the reader back to the England of Queen Eleanor (the novel takes place in the winter of 1192-93, after Eleanor's husband Henry II has shuffled off the mortal coil). But while novels such as "While Christ and His Saints Slept" had a certain amount of melancholy that results from a civil war, "The Queen's Man" is a much more humorous, light-hearted affair, as if Penman knows she's taking on lighter fare.
Well, lighter to an extent -- this *is* a murder mystery, after all. King Richard is missing, lost somewhere after departing for the Crusades from Venice. Justin de Quincy, the educated bastard of a respected bishop, nearly thwarts a murder, and the dying victim entrusts a mysterious letter to Justin, a letter that concerns Richard that must be brought to the Queen . . . a blood-soaked letter, to be sure.
A worthy diamond-in-the-rough, Justin soon finds himself "the Queen's Man," charged by Eleanor with tracking down who murdered the letter carrier. Penman may be writing her first mystery, but she is a natural, peppering the tale with red herrings, bloody fights, rampant duplicity, and a bevy of motives. Chock full of vivid characters and cliff-hangers, "The Queen's Man" is a thrill for both fans of murder mysteries and historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Superior Historical Mystery
Review: From the opening lines: "Do you think the king is dead?" we are immersed in the tumultous medieval society of Plantagenet England. Justin de Quincy, the series' hero, is an engaging and earnest young man, who, during a ride to London, comes across a robbery and attempts to stop it. The victim dies, leaving Justin with a letter intended for England's regent, the redoubtable Eleanor of Aquitaine -- and so begins a compelling and exciting journey into a world of terrible secrets, mysteries, and courage.
I have become a great fan of historical novels since I read C.W. Gortner's THE SECRET LION. Penman's book, while quite different in time period and in presentation, echoes that book with its intelligent and spirited hero, whose past is a dark cloud over his future; and in his quest to assist a royal person in need. Likewise, the characters shine through, depicted with great authority by a writer who has obviously done the research. The smells and sensations of medieval London are brought vividly to life, and some of the actual ways in which medieval detectives investigated a crime are fascinating.
This is a thrilling read, for historical fiction and mystery fans alike. I heartily recommend it.
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