A Trail of Ink

A Trail of Ink by Mel Starr is the third book in the Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon series which takes place in 14th century England. Hugh has gone to Oxford to visit his former teacher and friend Master John Wyclif who quickly asks him to discover who has stolen his entire library of twenty-two books, quite a collection at that time. Hugh has another reason to spend time in Oxford, Kate Caxton, the daughter of a stationer, who has recently agreed to allow him to court her. Hugh's master, Lord Gilbert, gives Hugh leave to both investigate the theft and to come home with a wife, both jobs Hugh takes to with a relish. But the theft is far more complicated than it first appears, and wooing Kate's heart just may be dangerous to Hugh's very life. I absolutely adore this series; it's one of my current favorites. I find myself smiling throughout, laughing aloud occasionally at the exceptionally witty dialogue, and gasping at the thrills. I'm not normally a "loud" reader, but Starr's writing pulls me in some completely, I can't help myself. Hugh's careful courting of Kate is a delightful and smart. This is a couple who will only get better with age, and Kate already enjoys aiding Hugh in his investigations. Starr manages to mix together history, murder, political machinations, faith, and romance with exceptional results. May Hugh and Kate live happily ever after, providing us with many sequels to come.

Thank you to LitFuse Publicity for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Make sure you read The Unquiet Bones and The Corpse in St Andrews Chapel to get caught up with Hugh's previous books.