1170 AD Canterbury, this is a fictional retelling of history whereby five knights have been sent to kill Thomas Becket and retrieve the young Sister Theodosia and her mother. This is their adventure. ( )

I only read this to chapter six. At that point I had a strong suspicion that it was turning into a romance novel so I stopped. I may be wrong, and missing a good thing, but it isn't what I was looking for. It is an alternative history of the way the Thomas Becket murder happened in the cathedral, which is accomplished very early in the novel.

A very good Medieval read about knighthood and such, The Fifth Knight. It was part history, part mystery, and part thriller. It included such characters as Henry II, Eleanor of Aquataine, actual knights such as Sir Fitzurse, and Thomas Beckett. This was your typical knight book, get caught, escape, get caught, escape, etc. However, it was still very enjoyable and readable. I really liked how the Church was interwoven into the storyline. I learned what an anchoress was and about their lifestyle and duties. There are 2 more books in this series that I will probably read after a short break. I mean a girl can only take so much swashbuckling at one time! 391 pages 4 1/2 stars ( )

3.5 Stars

Motivated by the promise of significant financial gain, Sir Benedict Palmer agrees to join a small group of knights charged with seizing Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, and delivering him to the King. Much to Palmer's dismay, the mission turns into a sinister one when Becket is gruesomely murdered and Theodosia, the young nun who witnessed the crime, kidnapped. When Palmer learns the leader of his group plans to force information out of Theodosia through torture, he takes action to save her. Working together, Benedict and Theodosia must solve the mystery behind Becket's death and the secret that Theodosia unknowingly carries, all the while staying one step ahead of the remaining group of knights, who will stop at nothing to get Theodosia back.

Although The Fifth Knight started off a little slowly, once Benedict and Theodosia escape from her kidnappers the narrative unfolds quickly. Indeed, the action in this novel is almost non-stop, which kept me eagerly turning the pages. While I found certain aspects of the plot to be implausible - Theodosia's secret, for example, as well as the uncanny ability of Benedict and Theodosia to get themselves out of tricky situations often using nothing more than their wits - I was nevertheless completely engaged in the story. Benedict and Theodosia are unlikely heroes and I enjoyed how their characters and relationship evolve over the course of the novel. The book's primary villain is truly despicable, making it very easy for the reader to root against him. I think Powell does a nice job with the novel's minor characters, many of whom play only a small part in the narrative but make a memorable impression nevertheless.

Overall, The Fifth Knight is an enjoyable read, one that is sure to appeal to fans of historical thrillers and/or readers interested in a different take on Thomas Becket's murder. I look forward to hearing more from E.M. Powell.

Note: I received a copy of this novel as part of E.M. Powell's Virtual Book Tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )

This books starts off with the murder of Thomas Becket and it doesn't let up until the very end. Utilizing one of the most polarizing murders in history Ms. Powell invents a conspiracy behind the killing beyond Henry II's desire to be rid of "that meddlesome priest." Mixing the real killer knights with fictional characters running for their lives after a secret is uncovered and you have a book that keeps you turning the pages until the very last one.

Young nun Theodosia, planning to be an anchoress at Canterbury Cathedral is witness to the killing and one subject of a search by the five knights taking part. Sir Benedict Palmer is that fifth knight - as we know history only reports four killers. The fictional Palmer finds that he is on a mission far beyond what he signed on for; he is a mercenary but he has a sense of ethics. When he learns that their leader, Fitzurse is going to torture Theodosia for information about her mother Palmer steals her away. They are followed by the evil knights as they race to save both Theodosia and her mother and find out why they are in danger.

I really enjoyed this book and read it just about in one sitting. The last few chapters had to be held 'til the next morning because I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. It's a fast paced historical suspense novel if you will. I had a love/hate thing going with both Theodosia and Benedict as both were annoying at any given time but I figure when a character in a book has me wanting to slap them as well as embrace them they are well developed! The twists and turns are many and there is a bit of a Keystone Cops feeling at times but it was a fun book to read. The "secret" was pretty predictable but the bad guy was a surprise. ( )