“And there was effected the betrayal of Llywelyn in the belfry of Bangor by his own men.” —Brut y Tywysogyon, Peniarth manuscript 20. (Chronicle of the Princes) This comment is sandwiched between the description of the defeat of the English at the Menai Straits on November 6th, and the death… Read More »Betrayal in the Belfry at Bangor by Sarah Woodbury
My Gareth & Gwen Medieval Mysteries are set during King Stephen’s reign, a time full of turmoil because of the conflict between him and King Henry’s daughter, Maud (Matilda). Both claimed the throne of England and tore the country apart trying to get it. Maud was supported by her half-brother, Robert… Read More »The Reign of King Stephen by Sarah Woodbury
One of my readers asked me the other day about what daily life was like. My books are about the few days of adventure in between daily living—which is of course the point. When a character is time traveling back and forth to a medieval world, the bits in between,… Read More »Daily Living in the Middle Ages by Sarah Woodbury
Stephen de Blois came to London, and the people received him and hallowed him to king on midwinter day. But in this king’s time was all dissension, and evil, and rapine; for against him rose soon the rich men who were traitors. Then was England very much divided. Some held… Read More »The Anarchy by Sarah Woodbury
One of the criticisms often leveled at historical mystery fiction writers is that we emphasize the history rather than the mystery in our books. Not so, in my less than humble opinion. Several historical mystery writers do very well with both, a conclusion that is probably shared by most of… Read More »The Proud Sinner or How I Tried to Channel Agatha Christie by Priscilla Royal