An interesting book, set in a Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire in the 12th Century just after Xmas. A bleak, cold place where life was hard enough without someone murdering the monks. One of the king's investigator's is sent to find the murderer - at that time there was only on monk had been killed. Once he arrives all hell breaks loose - literally. Will he be able to solve the mysteries before all the monks are killed?

Read it and find out.

A very enjoyable historical mystery, fast paced and well written I am much looking forward to the next one

This is the first book I've read by this author and I can say it won't be my last.I thoroughly enjoyed it.I enjoy CJ Sansoms Shardlake novels and S J Parris' Giordano Bruno novels.I believe E M Powells Barling and Stanton to be right up there with them I will be reading her first,'The Kings Justice' as soon as I can get it.
Set during the reign of Henry the Second so several hundred years before the aforementioned authors books. There are two excellent central characters ,the Kings men Barling the Clerk to the Justice and his assistant the younger less cerebral Stanton. They play off nicely against each other and the partnership is nicely judged with the subordinate Stanton well aware of the limits of his position.no anachronistic attitudes here thankfully..

Called in to a remote Cistercian Monastry in Yorkshire to assist in finding the murderer of one of the monks ,killed in a most horrific and unusual way and the Abbot .who was a student in Paris with Barling needs help.Many of the monks resent their presence and are grudging in any assistance they are willing to offer.Not long after their arrival a second murder takes place and soon the bodies are mounting up.
This is an atmospheric and well written novel with a really well plotted storyline great characters well set in their time .The book is well researched with the depiction of a harsh monastic life and an even harder life outside. When they catch a suspect he is not handed over to the authorities but is to be put in a cell on the Monastry grounds clergy and Lay brothers being subject to church not the Kings law,(The arguement between church and the King lead to the death of Thomas Becket under Henry)
I really enjoyed this book the tale zips along at pace and is a must for fans of historical fiction. Highly Recommended.

When a monk of Fairmore Abbey is discovered dead a summons from Ranulf de Glanville sends
Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barling to investigate. In the wintery month of January 1177 they make their way from London to North Yorkshire and this very isolated community. They have not been long at the monastery when the murderer kills again.
A well-written mystery, an enjoyable read. A story where we also discover more of the history of the main two characters, who seem to complement each other throughout the book and become more well-rounded as a result.
It can certainly be read as a standalone story but I would recommend the first book as a worthwhile read.

The Monastery Murders is the second book in the Stanton & Barling series by E M Powell and whilst I have not read the previous book in this series I found the book to be an enjoyable read with no issues from a lack of knowledge of the previous story.

The book is well paced and the author's research clearly shows without overwhelming.

Overall a good book which is recommended

The Monastery Murders is the second masterful book in the Barling and Stanton series, from E.M. Powell. It is a novel full of rich characters, a scintillating murderous plot and a backdrop truly immersed in medieval, 12th century England.

Fairmore Abbey is a monastery of the Cistercian Order located in a secluded area in the remote Yorkshire countryside. Abbot Philip of Fairmore, through King Henry’s great justice Ranulf de Glanville, has requested Aelred Barling, the King’s clerk, to investigate a gruesome murder at the abbey. Barling and his assistant, Hugo Stanton, are dispatched in the dead of winter to investigate. No sooner have they arrived at the abbey than the death toll starts to mount, and each a very specific and brutal death. (view spoiler)

Elaine’s writing is just a joy to experience and her ability to build on layers of mystery, suspense and intrigue are amazing. I love a story where we pick-up unexpected information from sources not always straight in front of you. In the opening scene, there is the public spectacle of bear baiting and both Barling and Stanton watch on for a period. This little scene was used to such massive effect as we appreciate how this was all a normal part of public festivities during that period and also how our main characters responded in ways that help build our understanding of them.

What really sets this book apart, is the wonderful characterisation of Aelred Barling and Hugo Stanton. As a duo, they possess background, context, characteristics, motivations, conflicts, uncertainties, skills and dialogue that are totally unique and full of depth. Their characters are full of varying personality shades as they both contribute at many levels of ability and knowledge. Barling is a King's clerk and has a position of authority which frames his intelligent and methodical approach. Stanton is the younger assistant who is also quick-witted, able to read people very well and has a moral compass which challenges our perception of the lower class at the time. They both have their failings, which get exposed at times, showing they are human and can be wrong-footed. Their relationship is gradually maturing and trusting but at times Stanton still oversteps his position to the admonishment of Barling. In my opinion, they are a fantastic duo, much better than the Matthew Shardlake and Jack Barak partnership in the C.J. Sansom series.

This is a book I would highly recommend and while it’s a different story there is a lot of benefit in reading The King’s Justice, first.

I would like to thank E.M. Powell, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC version of the book in return for an honest review.

A well-written mystery taking place in the middle ages. The protagonist is an agent of the King and his assistant. A group of monks are being systematically killed off and unless Barling and Stanton could discover the culprit, all those residing at the Monastery could be at risk.

I have no problem recommending the book with two exceptions. There is no warning given to the reader that there is one explicit heterosexual scene and a longer (though not explicit) description of a gay romance. If this were apparent in advance, this reader would have chosen to not read the book. If made into a movie (as written), I expect the film would be rated ‘R’ - though, with a bit of gentle editing (of the book or the movie), it could easily receive a ‘PG-13’ rating. Because of the lack of warning and the possibility of these scenes being triggers for some, the book receives a 3-star rather than a 4-star review.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

A very enjoyable historical mystery, fast paced and well written.
I liked the cast of characters, the plot was sound and entertaining.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

Stanton and Barling are only recently returned from their last investigation when they are handed a new crime to solve. It seems that there has been a murder at a secluded, the abbot of which is an old acquaintance of Barling's. Upon arriving at the monastery, they are greeted with a gruesome scene: the partially incinerated body of a monk. Barling and Stanton immediately get to work, soon realizing that all is not well among the brothers. The new abbot, Philip, is very young and is disliked by many. Most believe he should not have invited any outsiders to come investigate. After a second brother is murdered and then a third, a connection between the manners of death and a often used text is discovered. Unable to contact the outside world due to a snowstorm, Barling and Stanton must use every their combined skills to catch the killer before they become his next victim.

"The Monastery Murders" by E.M. Powell, is the second adventure of Barking and Stanton and it doesn't disappoint. While featuring pairs of investigators is certainly not new, Powell does it especially well with Stanton's relaxed attitude and Barling's rigid adherence to the rules. The two characters complement each other in a way that keeps the reader "glued" to the pages. The plot is engaging and fast-moving, concluding with a twist most readers won't anticipate. I recommend this book to all and rate it 4/5 stars.

*A copy of the ebook was the only consideration received in exchange for this review.*

1176.The sacrist of a Cistercian abbey has been horrible murdered. As the abbot is an old acquaintance of Aelred Barling,a senior clerk at the court of King Henry,it is evident that Westminster dispatches him and his assistant Hugo Stanton to this remote monastery in North-Yorkshire.
It is clear that their presence is not appreciated by the monks but a murderer is at large and a second murder is committed soon after their arrival. To make things worse, the weather takes a turn for the worse and the monastery is completely cut off due to heavy snowfall....and the feeling of security is replaced by a sense of fear.
Of course,an isolated snowed under monastery,is reminiscent of the Name of the Rose and Dissolution but both these book are quite an historical feat (and sometimes a bit of a challenge ) while this is an easy going read,with well developed characters and with a good insight in monastery life in the 12th century. And it is a good mystery !

In this novel set in England, a clerk and his assistant are summoned to a monastery to solve a gruesome murder. While they are working on this puzzle, murders continue to occur, seemingly tied to an ancient manuscript.

The novel is quite atmospheric, set in a broodingly isolated area during a harsh winter snowstorm. The plot is tight and the characters well-developed, leading to an intense and stunning conclusion.

The author thoroughly researched the background to the book. A bibliography and end notes are included.

I thought this book got off to a rather slow start, but then became quite a page-turner. Although interestingly portrayed, the murders were rather gruesome, as was the bear-baiting scene early in the novel. However, these aspects may appeal to some readers more than they did to my squeamish personality. I also felt the clerk's personal disclosures at the end were lengthy and detailed more than necessary. While they helped to illuminate the clerk's character, they were not essential to the plot development.

I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was available as an instant read on Netgalley - the second in a series. Set in the 12th century. Following a murder in an isolated Yorkshire monastery, a clerk and his assistant are asked to solve a mysterious murder. The story starts out in London with a bear baiting scene which is very gory - perhaps to highlight the difference between then and now?- I found it quite hard to read. Called to Yorkshire in January things are very cold, bleak and - as the order is Cistercian - spartan. Despite the religious commitment, there are terrible tensions between older and younger monks, monks proper and the monks who do the practical work, and the religious community and those villages that surround them. The mystery itself ultimately seemed a bit implausible, but the setting was compelling, I thought - atmospheric.

Stanton and Barling are back, this time to solve a murder at a monastery where undefined animosities simmer under the surface.

After Cuthbert doesn't ring the bell to wake his fellow monks for divine offices, they find him gruesomely murdered in the grate of the kitchen fireplace. Much to Stanton's dismay, the king's men are pulled away from the Christmas festivities in London to solve the mystery at this isolated cloister in Yorkshire. Although the abbot protests that all of his flock is innocent, both Stanton and Barling can sense that something is rotten in Denmark. As they uncover bitterness and jealousies among the monks and lay brothers, the killer resurfaces to find victim after victim. Can Stanton's shrewdness and Barling's logic find the solution in time before they themselves fall victim in the monastery murders?

This book was another fast-paced read from E.M. Powell. Both characters share more about their past lives, with Stanton pining for his lost love Rosamund and Barling trying to forget his youthful days in Paris. The relationship between our two sleuths deepens as one must fight against the clock to save the other when the killer strikes close to home.

As suspicions grow that the murders might be following a pattern outlined in an ancient text, one can't help but compare the book to Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. The books are markedly different in other aspects, however, as Powell is writing a thriller, and Eco's book is...something else entirely. 

One of the things I appreciate about Powell's books is the way she can blend crisp, understandable, modern-feeling dialogue with accuracy to the medieval period. She omits the "ayes" and "nays" of older-style language, allowing us to comprehend the characters without effort. But at the same time, when a red-blooded medieval man goes to a bear baiting, instead of launching an animal-rights campaign to have the poor animal released, he is truly a man of his time with his blood fired up, enjoying the ferocity of the spectacle. One area that I did feel smacked of modern sensibilities and current cultural agenda was the style of Barling's revelation at the end of the book. 

In sum, this book was a page-turning read, a little gorier than the last one in the series, and I recommend it for those not of faint heart or frail constitution. And as an aside, this may be my favorite medieval book cover ever--I love the fonts, and the image, and everything about it. 

Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I stumbled across the first book in this series a few weeks back, needing something quick to read, and was pleasantly surprised by it. So when i saw book 2 was available, i jumped on the chance to read it.

The Monastery Murders is a great book, one that builds on the first book and takes the series to the next level.

The developing relationship between Barling and Stanton is very enjoyable to read, as we see their pupil and master relationship develop into something deeper and more friendly.

The murder mystery itself kept me guessing right to the end. It was cleverly done, the plot weaves through bloody murder after bloody murder, keeping the reader gripped as we hurtle to its climax.

Added to the fact that its a nice short read, with no wasted pages, makes the lated E.M. Powell novel a huge success.

An enjoyable mystery, even though I am a little tired of mysteries. I still found myself wrapped up in the story and thought it was fast-paced and well written. I missed the first book in the series but didn't feel too lost or anything.

Interesting murder mystery that will have you on edge of seat until end of book. Hugo Stanton and Aelred Barling, two Kings clerks, are asked to investigate a horrific murder in a out of the way monastery. The clerks get there and another murder happens, and another, .....Non stop action. Well written book.

I would like to thank EM Powell, the publisher and Netgally for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Stanton and Barling Mystery Book 2 reads really well. The King's man and his assistant are asked to investigate a most mordid crime committed in a remote monastery in Yorkshire. The intrigue is intetesting and the characters are well developed and and the end we learn something more about Barling's past. The idea of a team of two working our mysteries has been long known and used by authors and this time is not a wasted one. Also, though language is modern, characters act like they should regarding the period. To sum up, a highly recommendable historical novel!