Book review - "The Devil's Hunt" by P. C. Doherty

This is the 10^th novel in Doherty’s series featuring Keeper of the King's Secret Seal to Edward I in the early years of the fourteenth century.  In The Devil’s Hunt, Corbett is called from his retirement by the King, who shows up at Hugh’s estate in Leighton begging him to go Oxford.  An outlaw calling himself the Bellman has been stirring up trouble in the university town, posting notices to church doors deemed treasonous to the King and supportive of his long dead enemy, de Montfort.  Edward wants any thought of rebellion planned by de Montfort’s followers. 

The city of Oxford, with its learning institutions, has no love for Edward I.  The university doesn’t like the rest of the city.  The citizens don’t like the university.  Therefore, Corbett does not find much cooperation for his investigation.  The only people he can rely on are his manservant, Ranulf and messenger Maltote.  Three of the masters have died, one mysteriously, another with an arrow in him, and the third poisoned after he was accused of the second’s murder.  It appears someone wants the university to be closed.

Again, Corbett survives several attempts on his life.  Without giving too much away, Doherty does kill off an important character.  I am disappointed to see this character go and I do not see the reason for that death. 

As with previous novels, Doherty’s habit of head-hopping within scenes gets annoying, especially when there are multiple people talking.  And he overuses the phrase “pulled a face”.  What does that mean?  That also becomes irritating throughout the novel.

One thing I did like about the novel is the university setting.  It reminds me of novels by Susanna Gregory and Pat McIntosh, both of which have centers of knowledge as settings for their stories.  So I’ll probably start binge-reading Gregory later on.

Doherty also likes to throw the reader off by having more than one mystery going on.  The reader thinks certain events must be connected, as does Corbett, only to be surprised in the end with multiple solutions.  Dastardly!