From Publishers Weekly
The seventh Archer mystery from medieval scholar Robb (The Nun's Tale, etc.) presents an absorbing picture of 14th-century Britain, which is rife with intrigue, rebellion and murder. As Welshmen chafe under English rule, ex-soldier Owen Archer (who won his surname from his skill with a bow) is caught between family obligations in York and his mandate to find whoever hanged Cynog, an eminent but also enigmatic stonemason, who had been working on the tomb of Mistress Archer's late father. Having lost an eye in battle, Owen is reduced to conducting religious tours and investigations for clerics and other local powerbrokers. The scenes change quickly and often between St. David's shrine in Wales and Archer's home in north England, where his impatient wife, Lucie, an apothecary, and their restless son await his return. Wife and son both question Owen's loyalty to England when he's linked to the cause of Wales's legendary redeemer, Owain Lawgoch. Rumor has it that Owain has come from France to free his homeland. Strong faith and fear of God permeate all aspects of people's lives in this dour tale of misery and deprivation. Medievalists will enjoy such raw descriptions as that of the hero's visit to the high sheriff's castle, replete with floggings, acrid smells and streams polluted by offal and waste, but others less familiar with Welsh history and place names may find themselves lost in the maze. Maps, an author's note on the historical background and a glossary provide both interest and guidance. (Apr. 25)Betrayed: First Chapter of Margaret Kerr of Perth.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
In far-off Wales, Owen Archer struggles to discover who murdered a stonemason he had hired while entertaining notions of staying in his native land. Back in England, his wife, Lucie Wilton, contends with mysterious violence at her family's manor and a steward who is both more and less than he seems. There are several interesting mysteries in the seventh tale in this pleasing medieval series, but the best part is the inner struggle of the main characters and the way they eventually reconnect. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Spymaster Owen Archer returns in another medieval mystery brimming with political intrigue and personal vendettas. Prevented by circumstances from leaving Wales after completing his latest mission for the duke of Lancaster, Owen investigates the murder of a stonemason with treasonous ties to the rebel cause. A Welshman himself, Owen sympathizes with his discontented countrymen and even contemplates taking up arms with them. Meanwhile, his wife, apothecary Lucie Wilton, is left alone in York to deal with her father's death and a series of inexplicable threats against his rural manor house. As both Owen and Lucie attempt to deal with their difficulties, their lives are threatened by shadowy enemies. Another solid entry in an artfully crafted series of historical whodunits. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Late spring, 1370. Owen Archer, ex-soldier and spy, prepares to depart Wales after completing political duties for John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. But his attempts to arrange safe passage are thwarted when his stonemason is hanged. Meanwhile, in York, Owen's wife, Lucie Wilton, is disheartened by her husband's long absence and the rumors that he has abandoned his family. Equally angered is John Thoresby, Archbishop of York, who orders Owen's immediate return. But Owen is caught up in a country at war, and his return has engendered divided loyalties. Now he feels a powerful pull toward the rebel cause. And rebel leader Owain Lawgoch would rather have Owen fight the good fight with him-and never return home.


About the Author
Candace Robb lives in Seattle, Washington.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
It's easy to see why tales of the Welsh spy Owen Archer and his apothecary wife, Lucie Wilton, are popular favorites with lovers of medieval murder mysteries. Their creator, Candace Robb, is a member of the Medieval Academy of America and a truly fine storyteller as well. She brings late-14th-century England and Wales to life as she follows the adventures of the quiet but wickedly intelligent Owen, whose loyalty is at times divided between his sworn allegiance to the English Crown and his devotion to his Welsh homeland. A Spy for the Redeemer begins in Wales, where Owen has just completed his latest commission for the Duke of Lancaster but has been forced to delay his return to home and family, first by the passing of his father-in-law and then by his investigation into the mysterious death of the stonemason commissioned to carve the late knight's tomb. His plans are further complicated by rising political unrest in the area and by a persuasive Welsh war leader known as the Redeemer, whose strategy includes winning Owen over to the rebel cause. Meanwhile, as Owen deals with death and rebellion in Wales, Lucie must deal with danger closer to home￯﾿ﾽwhere someone close to her is planning a devastating betrayal.Sue Stone

FROM THE PUBLISHER