Paladin (The Welsh Guard Mysteries) Paperback – 16 Dec. 2021

Engrossing story, I couldn't put it down. When is the next one due?

Wanted to keep reading and found it hard to put down.

Lots of history woven into an adventurous story. Sometimes it feels a bit overdone but really that is all part of the tangles and twists.

Another great medieval mystery by an author who never disappoints.In this third book of the Welsh Guard series, Rhys and Catrin's team expands and I really like how the characters develop. This new trip to the Middle Ages in these troubled time when everybody's loyalty is doubtful is an excellent read.

Another fantastic book by Sarah Woodbury. A gripping Whodunnit with many twists and turns. Thoroughly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction

The Welsh Guard mysteries series is turning out to be my favorite of Sarah Woodbury’s series. The conflicts of conscience and the challenges faced by a bitter, defeated Welsh knight who was essentially coerced to serve the very English king who crushed Wales gives these mysteries an unusual poignancy and depth. It gives a sense of maturity and complexity to the characters not really seen in the author’s other books.In Paladin, Rhys and Catrin travel to England to investigate the sudden death of Prince Alphonso, King Edward’s son and heir to the throne. In the process, Rhys reconnects with old friends from the crusades, and thus begins to deal with his anger and sense of loss and betrayal. Actually, I felt like that element of his own healing and the renewal of what had to be badly ruptured relationships, his easy acceptance by Catrin’s son, etc., all moved too fast and far too smoothly.I’m concerned that without maintaining the counterpoint of Rhys’ deep sense of moral conflict and grief, and the inherent wariness and arrogance of his powerful Norman lords and friends, these stories will quickly become less character-driven, and be simply routine ‘group of pals’ procedural mysteries. There’s a real risk that Rhys and Catrin (who have such potential to be strong and unique characters) will just blur straight into Garett and Gwen v.2.As always, the author stays admirably close to history in fact and detail, and her plotting is well-constructed and tightly executed, with good pacing.

So many books! Have read all the books in each of the series and find it so hard to wait for the next one! This book was a well crafted book in the series that furthers my interest in the main characters and their times.The secondary and 'third art' (hahaha) characters are also there dimensional and I want to know more about them. This story was based on real facts and real people and though fictional, is z plausible explanation for the deaths of King Edwards children in a very fraught time in English history. I love that Ms. Woodbury is so adept at using real events and history related to Wales and England and the peop!e who fought against one another and then for one another and back and forth til this very day! I feel smarter after reading her novels. For me, that is a good thing! I recommend her books for adults and young adults and even Middle readers who are interested in the Middle Ages and knights and warfare and real feeling relationships that include some very exceptional and fascinating characters and situations. I cannot wait for her next forays into the times and the regions , countries and conflicts, people real and fictional, problems and solutions she writes about and her take on what might have happened then and there. Worth reading...or devouring as I do!