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Rating: 
Summary: Solace for a Sinner
Review: Another installment in the Issac of Girona series.This mystery is set in the 14th century in Girona, Spain, and features Issac of Girona, a Jewish physician, as amateur sleuth. The heat fo the summer is keeping Issac and his assistant, Yusuf very busy as everyone, even the Bishop of Girona, is suffering the effects of the summer heat. Unfortunately it's not his patients's health that is occupying Issac's mind, but murder. It looks as if a con artist has come to Girona in hopes of conning some of the wealthier merchants of the city into buying a cup he claims is the Holy Grail. Gualter Gutierrez, a merchant that deals with fine leather, believing that the Grail will bring him more food fortune, sells all his asserts to raise the necessary cash to but the Grail. Unfortunately he is murdered and all his money is stolen, thus leaving his remaining family quite destitute. However it is Gualter's son, Marti, that causes Issac to become more involved in the doings of the Christians in his city. Marti gets it into his head that Astruch, the Jewish banker who had lent Gaulter some of the money for this failed enterprise, was somehow involved in his father's murder, and drunkenly begins to procalim this about the city. This of course dismays Issac -- it is quite a serious thing to accuse a Jew of killing a Christian -- and so in spite of his rabbi's disapproval, Issac decides to investigate matters before Marti's accusations against Astruch is taken seriously by anyone. Who could have murdered Gaulter? Was it the conman? Or was it someone else with a more nefarious purpose? Issac will have to sift to much before he finds out the truth about who murdered Gaulter and why. This is an interesting novel, and Caroline Roe does a wonderful job of evoking the feel of 14th century Spain, esp the politics and intrigue of the times. Another nice point was that she fleshes out more of the peripheral characters that surround Issac, thus making the novel more interesting and involving the reader more in the goings on in the novel. Also, I think that Caroline Roe has struck gold in her creation Issac the physician -- here is a chracter that does not allow the petty opinions of others to rule his judgement in his pursuit of justice. An enjoyable installment in an interesting series.
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Summary: Great historical mystery
Review: In 1354, rumors abound that in the Pyrenees Mountain village of Taull lies the Holy Grail. The cup that Jesus and his disciples used at the Last Supper is blessed and contains powers that many mortals want for selfish reasons. A peddler, Baptista offers a silver cup to the highest bidders among Christian travelers in Gerona, Spain. The winner Master Gaulter arranges to meet with Baptista at the nearby cathedral to complete the deal. The exchange never occurs because someone kills the buyer and apparently takes the money too. Rumors fly that the sacred chalice is in Gerona leading to mass hysteria that the powers of the Holy Grail will destroy everyone. Isaac, a blind but respected Jewish physician realizes that Baptista's cup has no power except that being spread to misinform and frighten the townsfolk. When an unknown assailant murders Baptista, fear grips Gerona forcing Isaac to investigate what he believes is a human killer. Readers receive a vivid picture of the Jewish community in mid-fourteenth century Spain and how the segregated group relates to their Christian neighbors. Some prejudice exists, but for instance, Isaac receives much respect as a successful physician in spite of his religion. The well drawn historical mystery pulls the audience into the tale and will send readers seeking previous novels in a strong series that gets better with each new book. Harriet Klausner
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