The Red Hill (Thomas Berrington Historical Mystery Book 1)

An interesting but Troubled man task to do do something other than being a doctor. And so he pursues the quest that is given to him by the sultan and what follows is Twist turns and much intrigue it is also a historical look into the time the Moors settled parts of Spain. I really wasn't sure until almost the end who was the guilty party and it was a pleasant surprise because I couldn't guess it so this book had I also love the character development in the story and I am going on to read his second book because I want to know more about the characters that I developed a bond for a while reading this book very likeable and the other characters that were not of such moral standing we're also very well developed and you did not like them they were dislikable but it was the picture of Good vs Evil . It held my attention it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend giving this first book a good read . .

When historical fiction is done well, it plops the reader into a surprising setting. Perhaps the protagonist is sharing well-known events but from an unusual perspective, such as in The Other Boleyn Girl or the Maggie Hope WWII novels. But it's even cooler when the tale is told about a time and place about which the reader is only vaguely familiar. There's the story itself (whether a mystery, romance, whatever) and then there's the setting. Even if the storytelling disappoints, you feel as though you learned a dollop of history. It's education in the guise of fiction!That's the case for The Red Hill, a historical mystery set in 1482 in Moorish Spain. The protagonist, Thomas Berrington, is a surgeon who started life in Britain, but has served the sultan for many years. It's evident -- at least to Berrington -- that the Moors are losing the war to the Spanish, but he's loyal. Certainly, Berrington is politically astute enough to recognize that a "request" to look into the murder of a woman in the sultan's harem cannot be refused. So with a harem eunuch as sidekick, Berrington proceeds to -- reluctantly -- investigate who had motive, means, and opportunity.The history is great. I have a vague memory of a visit to the Alhambra when I was 15 (the worst time to travel with your parents: you're old enough to know you *ought* to care about the cultural sites, and yet you don't, really) but my knowledge of the era is minimal. Certainly, I didn't know what the women in a harem did all day, nor was I cognizant of the medical knowledge a doctor of the time might have.The characters are good, too. I cared about Berrington, and easily accepted the attitudes adopted by Jorge the eunuch, Bazzu the servant, and the war chief's daughter Lubna. And I enjoyed the unusual experience of a reluctant "cozy" sleuth who stays resentful all the way through.The mystery itself, however, didn't quite sell me. I'm not sure I am willing to accept the perpetrator's purpose and motivations.Yet, the setting and characters were good enough to capture and hold my attention all the way through. If you want a mental trip to another place-and-time, this novel is a worthy bit of escapism.

Thomas Berrington, a former soldier and native Englishman, now lives in Moorish Spain and works as a physician for the sultan. Generally Berrington patches up the wounded after battles, but when a sultana is murdered in the harem, the sultan asks Berrington to find the assassin. This intricately plotted book has twists and turns, but it is the characters that make the book so compelling. Berrington, helped by the Eunuch Jorge and other people at the palace, is an honorable man who struggles to stay tru to himself while surrounded by treachery. A great read,

Red HillBy David PennySet in 1492 in Moorish Spain, Red Hill features Englishman physician Thomas Berrington. As physician to the Sultan, Berrington is given the additional task of solving murders committed within the palace. How's that for ingredients for a great adventurous novel...harem beauties, dashing fighting men, court intrigue, and the sights and sounds of 15th century Spain. Add to the mix, violent murders of women in the Sultans's harem and an exotic puzzle to be solved by the brilliant surgeon-physician. Although he is billed as brilliant he des not prove it in trying to solve the mystery of the murders. Here the plot suffers. Berrington makes one wrong assumption after another and breaks in the case come by chance and have little to do with crafty sleuthing. The writing style is serving the story well but isn't very inventive. I was bothered with too many typos and grammar errors as well. Where was the editor? All this to say the the novel was interesting as to the setting but the plot was rather mundane. Berrington is an interesting character with a backstory only partially revealed and will surely be expanded in the next two novels in an advertised trilogy. With Red Hill's flaws, I will try the sequels.

I haven't read a good historical murder mystery like this one for some time. The characters were well fleshed out and the storyline was intriguing. I'm looking forward to catching up with Thomas again. The historical aspect was just enough to inform the reader of the era and thankfully not enough to obfuscate the storyteller's rhythm.

Ambientato a Granada nel 15° secolo, The red hill è il primo volume di una serie promettente che racconta le avventure di un medico di origine inglese che oramai da molti anni esercita a Granada e serve il sultano locale.Quando il libro si apre, conosciamo Thomas Berrington al termine di una delle numerose battaglie degli arabi contro i re cattolici, mentre seleziona tra i feriti quelli in grado di sopravvivere e dispensa una rapida fine agli agonizzanti.Competente e pratico, Thomas è un quarantenne tenuto in considerazione dal sultano che lo ha nominato medico del suo harem. I suoi successi nella cura di uno dei giovani principi ferito in battaglia gli guadagnano in dono una delle odalische del suo signore, la bella Helena, vittima sei mesi prima di un brutale attacco nell'harem che l'ha lasciata sfregiata.I sentimenti di Thomas nei confronti di questo dono sono ambivalenti. Figlio del suo tempo, non ritiene vergognoso il trattamento delle donne quali merce di scambio. Piuttosto è diviso tra l'attrazione fisica che prova per Helena (la quale, dal canto suo, è espertissima nelle arti del letto) e l'incapacità di stabilire un contatto più intimo e significativo con la donna.Se non che, altre donne vengono assalite e uccise da uno spettro misterioso, vestito di nero che sembra apparire dal nulla nelle stanze più private dell'harem. Quando una delle mogli, incinta, viene brutalmente massacrata il sultano chiede a Thomas di trovare l'assassino. Il nostro eroe è restio, non avendo dalla sua particolari doti investigative; tuttavia non può dire di no e inizia le sue domande all'interno dell'harem aiutato da un bellissimo eunuco, Jorge, che si rivela un valido aiutante.La vicenda gialla non è poi così misteriosa (per chi è un poco addentro a questo genere) tuttavia essa non è neppure la parte più interessante.Il lettore infatti viene attratto dal racconto della vita in questa particolare epoca storica in un luogo che è scarsamente visitato dagli autori.Granada emerge con forza dalle pagine nelle sue strade tortuose e arrampicate, nei suoi pomeriggi pigri in cui nessuno si muove in attesa della sera più fresca, nella semplicità della vita per le persone normali e nei lussi in cui vivevano le viziate odalische, nei bagni pubblici che erano frequentati poiché ci si faceva vanto della pulizia e nella violenza che assume tratti di grande normalità in luoghi in cui la morte era merce comune ed importava molto di più come si moriva.Poiché si tratta del primo volume, la personalità di Thomas emerge ben definita, ma poco si sa del suo passato e dei motivi che lo hanno condotto alla sua professione, perché è invece chiaro, nel corso della vicenda, che Thomas è uno che l'arte della guerra la conosce bene e ha molti assi nella manica.Altrettanto interessante è il suo aiutante Jorge, uomo che ha conosciuto schiavitù e violenza, ma che ha trovato dentro di sé la capacità di rinnovarsi giorno dopo giorno e il cui cuore conosce ancora la capacità di voler bene.Ora sono curiosa di sapere cos'altro capiterà a questi due…..

I am quite enjoying this book at the moment but not as much as I thought. Not enough history.

This is the first book I have read by this author David Penny and it will not be the last. I found The Red Hill very readable as well as being a very enjoyable read. The characters are very life like. Thomas the physician who is obliged to investigate the murders that have happened in the palace because the Sultan asked him to and Jorge the eunuch. Loads of twists and turns, I have to admit that I found that the attitude and way of speaking of the females with the story rather unrealistic, I would have thought that females in a Moorish society who be more restrained and respectful but their attitude and speech in the book is more modern day, which to me spoilt it a bit, BUT apart from that I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I am now going to order the next book with Thomas Berrington and Jorge.

The central character is unique amongst crime fiction characters whether historical or otherwise. The period of history and the location - Moorish Spain - are fascinating and certainly not overdone in fiction. The plot is fascinating and the story overall gives real insight into what it might have been like to be in that time and place. On top of that, it's well written.