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Title: Plague Land
Author: S. D. Sykes
Narrator: Shaun Grindell
Format: Unabridged
Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
Language: English
Release date: 02-15-15
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 54 votes
Genres: Fiction, Historical
Publisher's Summary:
In this chilling historical mystery, young girls go missing from a medieval English village, and Lord Oswald de Lacy must find the killer before tragedy strikes again.
Oswald de Lacy was never meant to be the lord of Somershill Manor. Dispatched to a monastery at the age of seven, sent back at 17 when his father and two older brothers were killed by the plague, Oswald has no experience of running an estate. He finds years of pestilence and neglect have changed the old place dramatically, not to mention the attitude of the surviving peasants.
Yet some things never change. Oswald's mother remains the powerful matriarch of the family, and his sister, Clemence, simmers in the background, dangerous and unmarried.
Before he can do anything, Oswald is confronted by the shocking death of a young woman, Alison Starvecrow. The ambitious village priest claims that Alison was killed by a band of demonic, dog-headed men. Oswald is certain this is nonsense, but proving it--by finding the real murderer--is quite a different matter. Every step he takes seems to lead Oswald deeper into a dark maze of political intrigue, family secrets, and violent strife.
And then the body of another girl is found.
Sarah Sykes brilliantly evokes the landscape and people of medieval Kent in this thrillingly suspenseful debut.
Members Reviews:
Best book since Mistress of the Art of Death!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
This masterpiece is full of plot twists and surprises. You can not outguess it. You don't want to turn it off. One of those novels that is so good that, as a reader/listener, you experience a grieving period when it 's all over. It is the best novel I've experienced since Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death. The narrator's presentation is great, with dialects and voices as varied as the story requires.
What other book might you compare Plague Land to and why?
Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death, as far as complexity, plot twists, unforgettable characters.
Have you listened to any of Shaun Grindells other performances before? How does this one compare?
First time.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Good from beginning to end.
Any additional comments?
I hope to see more by this author!
More Coming of Age & Less Mystery
I thought Skye's writing was clear and concise. The story seemed more of a coming of age story than a murder mystery or thriller. At times the plot was flat, but character development was adequate. The narrator provided distinct voices for different characters without shrillness or overt volume (big personal bonus). Overall, the book was built on a strong foundation, but it would have benefited from a little more excitement.
Really well plotted, great historical setting
Sykes has given us a terrific story with plenty of realistic detail. I'm very glad not to live in the 14th century!
It was OK
There was just no fun to the story, which turned out to be rather predictable. There was so much description of the contents of chamber pots, abscesses, pits of dead bodies, etc. So, we get it was a rather grim time period, but it was hard to like anyone.
