Riddle of the Poisoned Monk, The

There are too many plots in this time slip story which lacks any historical feel. Charlie’s mother is accused of witchcraft in Elizabethan England and Charlie is transported with his mother’s cat, to medieval Northumberland – the link for this being Saint Oswald’s finger, a religious relic in the local church. Charlie becomes a kitchen boy in Lord Goslar’s castle near the monastery where the monk of the title is poisoned. Lady Marian, a less than medieval girl, becomes Charlie’s accomplice in trying to discover the culprit. The plot moves too fast and is too complicated and most of it is conveyed in dialogue which makes it difficult to assimilate. Pared down and leaving out the time slip which is an unnecessary adjunct to the story, an appealing detective/adventure story could be told, but the complete lack of period atmosphere together with the modern language and characterisation would still remain a problem.