Historical mystery readers will find FitzDuncan is set in medieval times and tells of P.I. Casimir FitzDuncan, whose latest case revolves around a woman seeking to escape an oppressive marriage contract with man who holds a reputation for abuse.
After their initial meeting, she is kidnapped, prompting FitzDuncan to embark on both a mission to recover her and an effort to clear his own reputation, called into question since he was the last person to see her.
When the story opens, however, it's FitzDuncan who has been abducted, awakening in prison with a knot on his head and his quasi-friend Sir Oliver (Ollie) grilling him about the whereabouts of Miss Julienne Traval.
One satisfying feature of this story is that FitzDuncan operates on both sides of the law. Neither good nor bad guy entirely, his reputation for both brings with it a murky set of objectives and influences that cause many to doubt his word and intentions.
Despite his ancestry (he's the eldest son of Duncan Barry, Earl of the Eastern March), FitzDuncan goes his own way and has developed a wry sense of propriety and impropriety that often lands him in trouble as well as lending him a reputation for fact-finding savvy.
Both get him into dire straights in this story, which excels in presenting a flawed hero who doesn't always make the right choices.
As the tale progresses, John J. Spearman deftly juxtaposes history, fiction, and P.I. investigative tactics in a multifaceted story designed to please a diverse audience, whether they originate from historical interests or choose the story for its investigative mystery components.
It's no light task to represent medieval politics, culture, and people in such a way that all come to life; especially for readers who may be unversed in this era. Spearman accomplishes both while viewing events from the first-person perspective of FitzDuncan, which lends a personal and immediate tone to the world around him and his choices.
As the mystery evolves, a surprise is embedded when FitzDuncan discovers that the target of the kidnapper isn't actually obvious at all.
From the political conundrums he faces on who to trust and who is dangerous to his pursuit of a dangerous force steeped in deadly rituals, FitzDuncan interacts with royalty and dark forces alike.
His pursuit of a questionable truth and elusive justice is especially well written in the first person and presented through his encounters with friends, superiors, and those who confront him: "I thought quickly. “Your Majesty, I have prayed that you would listen to what I have to say with an open mind. Your willingness to dismiss your son from our meeting gives me hope that you will. I must also beg for your patience since it will take time for me to explain to you what I know. As for my innocence or guilt, I requested the King’s Justice. That will be for you to decide.”
Spearman does more than provide mystery readers with a detailed investigative probe. By setting his character in medieval times and thoroughly immersing him in the politics and processes of this era, he brings history to life, personalizing it with a first-person observational style that requires no prior familiarity with history in order to prove accessible.
The only prerequisite to enjoying this story is an interest in problem-solving and a rollicking good read that romps through cultural norms and politics, turning them on end as FitzDuncan struggles to arrive at the truth even as his beliefs get in the way of reality.
History and mystery collections alike should select the well-detailed FitzDuncan as a crossover title appealing to a broader audience than either genre alone.
Rviewed by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
