Heather’s Bookshelf: A Fair Knight Slain: Murder at the Renaissance Fair
Author: Linda LeBlanc
Released: 09/06/23
Genre: Murder Mystery
“Suddenly from the beer garden rang the boisterous sounds of men who’d already imbibed too much. When the ruckus amped into gun fire, Sara yelled, ‘Ryker, we’ve got trouble.’”
“A Fair Knight Slain: Murder at the Renaissance Fair” introduces Detectives Sara and Ryker as they investigate a death at a Renaissance fair in north Florida. The death of Gunnar the Undefeated, the slain knight, is further complicated by a mayoral election between their boss and a drug lord.
Determined to find the truth regardless of the threats or opposition to do so, Sara and Ryker have nine days to find the killer before the fair leaves with their truth.
The detectives each have their past traumas and demons which come to the surface throughout their investigation. But each is determined not to let it interfere with the case. Following leads and interviewing witnesses and suspects, the duo must work their way through the layers of scandal and actors that accompany the Renaissance Fair.
Will Sara and Ryker find the killer before their time runs out?
Trigger Warning: violence, reference to sexual assault, rape, adult language, alcoholism, reference to drug use, murder, sexual situations
Overall, I was a little torn on this tale. I loved the concept of a murder mystery at a Renaissance fair and the setting of Northern Florida (as I happen to live there). I also thought the author did a nice job describing the scene and characters of each group and tribe. Both of the main characters of Sara and Ryker were flawed but good at heart and I loved the juxtaposition. Ryker also added a bit of comic relief which was welcome in a story that had some dark things happen. However, the plot structure and pacing was challenging for me. The story jumps around at times from interviewing suspects to being intimidated by drug lords, and then investigating clues so quickly that I had to re-read sections to make sure I didn’t miss something. Then, there were other portions where the plot seemed to drag along or the lines of questioning that led to seemingly nowhere. By the end of the story, I felt that I understood a majority of the ancillary characters: their motives and their backgrounds, but there were so many of them that the ending was less emotionally connected than it could have been. And while the ending addressed all angles, it still felt unresolved. I would have loved to see an epilogue like six months to a year down the road. This story certainly could setup as a first in a series.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A murder mystery at a Renaissance fair with strong protagonists and setting, held back by the structure and pacing of the plot overall.
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Check out my interview with Linda LeBlanc
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