Michael Jecks has written some 22 historical mysteries involving the characters Baldwin (loosely, an investigator for the king) and Simon (a bailiff). Jecks is a meticulous researcher and always includes frontmatter that describes a bit of his research. In this case it is a snipet of real history that caught his attention and led him to the main plot and subplots of the story. The Malice of Unnatural Death is based on rumors of necromancy and an attempt to kill the king–in this particular book, I think I would recommend reading the frontmatter last. It does provide quite a bit of foreshadowing and hints of what it is to come.

One of the most fascinating parts of reading a Jecks historical novel is the knowledge that he used real people–people whose feet walked on the actual cobblestones, people who ate hard bread, drank ale from mean cups…knowing that these people really existed creates a sense of wonder in the story as it unfolds.

Jecks other strength is in his depiction of the time period. The daily lives of the characters, from peasants to bishops to king’s messangers, appear so ordinary, so human. Minute details are littered through the text: eating habits, the fact that a typical woman of the time is lucky to own two pots, the fact that many a peasant–even one with a home–might do without the benefit of furniture. These details are not shown in a pitying way; they are just laid out as part of the daily routine.

Jecks employs several POVs in telling his stories; in fact, I do believe he uses more POVs than in any other book I have ever read. The skill is in bringing unrelated lives into a satisfying conclusion where all the bits and pieces fit. Much like a Patterson novel, no one section is too long, and I was often left wanting to continue with a particular character, when just like that, I was back with another. Tension builds as the book progresses because it seems that more and more of the characters find themselves in a trouble spot. Early on it becomes clear which character is guilty of murder–the plot works because as the clues are doled out to the heros–Simon and Baldwin–you are eager to see what they will learn next and how they will gather together the various characters and their seemingly unrelated lives.

The worldbuilding is every bit as intricate as that of a fantasy novel; the difference being Jecks builds it from a keen knowledge and sense of history, filling in the lives and weaving a mysterious tale in the process. If you’re looking to be transported to another world for an afternoon or two, The Malice of Unnatural Death is an interesting journey–but take your cloak and perhaps a dagger. History shows, it’s not a safe place to walk.