Booklog 29/26: Sarah Hawkswood: Feast for the Ravens – Bradecote and Catchpoll #13 – Audiobook

[jacey]

Narrated by Matt Addis.

September 1145. Two small boys discover the corpse of a Templar knight in the Forest of Wyre on Worcestershire’s northern border. The corpse carries a parchment revealing the identity of a traitor. (We’re in the time of the Anarchy, when Stephen and Mathilda are slugging it out for the crown.) Bradecote, Catchpoll and Walkelin are sent to investigate. Because of what the children saw, the locals believe the knight has been killed by the Raven Woman, a mythical bird shapechanger who haunts the forest. William of Riversford denies knowing who the corpse is, but Bradecote doesn’t quite believe him, and his instinct turns out to be correct. The corpse is Ivo de Mitton who fled the country many years ago accused of killing his family and burning down their house, all but the youngest who is now grown and is the last of his family in charge of Mitton. There’s a parchment on the corpse suggesting that a prominent Lord is planning to turn traitor against Stephen. But something is off. The Sheriff’s trio find the investigation throws up more questions than answers, Was there a second knight? Who is the Raven Woman? Did Ivo kill his family all those years ago? The story gives up its answers slowly and effectively as the corpses mount, stretching out the dramatic tension. Matt Addis’s reading is excellent as usual. I’ve been binge listening to these books, but this seems to be the most recent, so apart from a couple I missed along the way, I’ll have to wait for the next one.