THE TINNER'S CORPSE

The headless corpse of a tin miner baffles authorities. Such common forensic tools as fingerprints, DNA, and X-rays are unknown here in Devon during the reign of Richard Lionheart. It's up to "Crowner" John, the King's local representative, to uncover the facts--which he does while feuding with his shrewish wife and scheming brother-in-law, the shire's corrupt sheriff. As in the other Crowner John books, authentic period detail abounds. The characters are vivid, if lacking dimension. Ably serving up the whodunit's virtues, Paul Matthews gives us an unhurried rendition, bespeaking the pace of medieval life. The effect reminds one of PBS's "Mystery" imports. Y.R.
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 04]