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59-794: Sharon Kay Penman (August 13, 1945 – January 22, 2021) was an American historical novelist, published in the UK as Sharon Penman. She was best known for the Welsh Princes Trilogy and the Plantagenet series. In addition, she wrote four medieval mysteries, the first of which, The Queen's Man , was a finalist in 1996 for the Best First Mystery Edgar Award . Her novels and mysteries are set in England, France, and Wales, and are about English and Welsh royalty during

118-426: A New York Times Bestseller , continues the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her husband, and focuses on the rift between Henry II and Thomas Becket . Time and Chance spans a 15-year period from 1156 to 1171 as Henry II became estranged from his wife (although Eleanor and Henry have eight children during thirteen years), and from his close friend and advisor Thomas Becket. King Henry's decision to elevate Becket to

177-440: A case. Forensic science (often shortened to forensics) is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to the legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or to a civil action. Many major police stations in a city, county, or state, maintain their own forensic laboratories while others contract out the services. Detectives may use public and private records to provide background information on

236-415: A competitive examination, testing their knowledge, skills and abilities regarding criminal investigation, criminal procedure, interview and interrogation, search and seizure, collection and preservation of evidence, investigative report writing, criminal law, court procedure, and providing testimony in court. Competitive examinations are conducted by selected senior law enforcement officials. Following testing,

295-449: A detective who has worked as a uniformed officer will excel as a private detective due to their knowledge about standard police procedures, their contact network and their own experience with typical problems. Some are not public officials, and may be known as a private investigator , colloquially referred to, especially in fiction, as a "PI" or "private eye", "private ducky" or "shamus". The detective branch in most large police agencies

354-489: A household, complete with household knights, whom the wife relied upon to keep the household safe. In 1996, Penman published the first in the series of medieval mystery novels . Penman's first mystery, The Queen's Man , was a finalist for an Edgar Award for Best First Mystery from the Mystery Writers of America. Penman explained her reasons for turning to the mystery genre after writing only historical novels: "By

413-405: A list of results is provided by the department. At the department's discretion, some or all of the officers on the list are promoted to the rank of detective. Some departments have classes of detectives which increase the detective's rank after successful experience. Private investigators are licensed by the state in which they work (some states do not require licensing, but most do). In addition to

472-540: A member of a law enforcement agency . They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads them to arrest criminals and enable them to be convicted in court. A detective may work for the police or privately . Informally, and primarily in fiction , a detective is a licensed or unlicensed person who solves crimes , including historical crimes, by examining and evaluating clues and personal records in order to uncover

531-749: A police agency in addition to being a criminal himself. Police detective activities were pioneered in England by the Bow Street Runners and later by the Metropolitan Police Service in Greater London. The first police detective unit in the United States was formed in 1846 in Boston. Detectives have a wide variety of techniques available in conducting investigations. However, the majority of cases are solved by

590-414: A police detective, one must attend a law enforcement academy, which provides the officer with a foundation of education with 16 to 24 college units . After graduation from the law enforcement academy, the officer undergoes job training with a field training officer for a period specified by the law enforcement agency and continues to work while on a probationary period, ranging from one to two years. During

649-523: A private citizen might try to solve a crime vary from trying to ensure justice for a friend or relative, a strong dislike for crime and support for law and order , or just recreational enjoyment. As with other kinds of detectives, citizen detectives try to solve crimes in multiple ways such as searching a crime scene , interviewing and/or interrogating suspects and witnesses, doing surveillance on persons of interest , collecting evidence , acting as sources for local news , giving anonymous tips to

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708-598: A student, Penman researched and wrote The Sunne in Splendour that chronicled the life of Richard III . When the 400-page manuscript was stolen from her car, Penman found herself unable to write for the next five years. She eventually rewrote the book and by the time the 936-page book was published in 1982 she had spent 12 years writing it, while practicing law at the same time. Of practicing law, she admitted she "considered it penance." Penman lived in New Jersey, and in

767-555: A subject. Police detectives can search through files of fingerprint records. Police maintain records of people who have committed felonies and some misdemeanors . Detectives may search through records of criminal arrests and convictions, photographs or " mug shots " of persons arrested, hotel registration information, credit reports, answering machine messages, phone conversations, surveillance camera footage, and technology used for communication. Before 2017, prospective British police detectives must have completed at least two years as

826-534: A suspect into an admission or confession as long as they do this within procedural boundaries and without the threat of violence or promises outside their control. This is not permitted in England and Wales , where interview of suspects and witnesses is governed by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its extensive Codes of Practice. Physical forensic evidence in an investigation may provide leads to closing

885-698: A uniformed officer before applying to join the Criminal Investigation Department . Since 2017, applicants from outside the police force have been able to apply directly for positions as trainee detectives. UK Police must also pass the National Investigators' Examination in order to progress to subsequent stages of the Initial Crime Investigators Development Program in order to qualify as a detective. Before becoming

944-527: A way after becoming fascinated with his story and researching his life, both in the United States and in the United Kingdom, which led her to believe that "his was a classic case of history being rewritten by the victor." Once finished with The Sunne in Splendour she claimed to have become "hopelessly hooked" on writing. She had plenty of material to be written about the "rebellious sons and disgruntled brothers and conniving kings and willful queens" of

1003-406: Is conducted by the police. Criminal activity can relate to road use such as speeding, drunk driving, or to matters such as theft, drug distribution, assault, fraud, etc. When the police have concluded their investigation, a decision on whether to charge somebody with a criminal offence will (depending on legal jurisdiction) often be made by prosecuting counsel having considered the evidence produced by

1062-511: Is organized into several squads and departments, each of which specializes in investigation into a particular type of crime or a particular type of undercover operation, which may include: homicide , robbery , burglary , auto theft , organized crimes , missing persons , juvenile crime , fraud , narcotics , vice , criminal intelligence , aggravated assault / battery , sexual assault , computer crime , domestic violence , surveillance , and arson , among others. In police departments of

1121-510: Is set in the 13th century, two centuries earlier than The Sunne in Splendour . During her research for Here Be Dragons , the first book in the series, she became fascinated with the complexity of the role of women in medieval society; for example, Welsh women at the time had a great deal more independence than the English women. Whether in Wales or in England, a noble wife had responsibility for

1180-460: The Archbishop of Canterbury becomes a fulcrum for discord between Henry and Eleanor. Devil's Brood (2008) opens with the conflict between Henry II, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their four sons, which escalates into a decade of warfare and rebellion pitting the sons against the father and the brothers against each other while Eleanor spends the period imprisoned by Henry. Penman places

1239-684: The Middle Ages . The Sunne in Splendour , her first book, is a stand-alone novel about King Richard III of England and the Wars of the Roses . When the manuscript was stolen she started again and rewrote the book. Her work was generally well received, with the more recent novels reaching the New York Times Bestseller List . Critics have praised her meticulous research of settings and events presented in her fiction, as well as

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1298-602: The Plantagenets and hoped to write as many as a dozen books on the subject. After the publication of The Sunne in Splendour , Penman began work on the Welsh Trilogy, set primarily in Wales. The "Welsh Trilogy" was followed by the "Plantagenet series", which presents the events of the life of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine . Penman's settings are all in the Middle Ages ; the Welsh Princes trilogy

1357-685: The University of Pennsylvania Library in Philadelphia, which has an excellent medieval selection. But it really helped to see the scenes for myself. At Lewes, we actually walked along the same path that Simon de Montfort and his men would have followed. It was breathtaking to stand on the Downs, gazing out upon the same view that he would have seen". The Reckoning (1991) chronicles the reign of England's King Henry III in Penman's final volume of

1416-507: The 12th century, Penman presents the young Justin de Quincy as a medieval sleuth . In the first book he is elevated to the status of "queen's man" by Eleanor of Aquitaine . The Queen's Man and Cruel as the Grave depict the period after King Henry II 's death, as Eleanor, about age 70, rules the Angevin empire with one son (Richard) in captivity, and another son ( John ) hovering at

1475-429: The 15 years she spent writing three novels and four mysteries set during the period of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Penman claimed she found no villains. Instead she focused on the human characteristics: she believed Henry II was a brilliant king but a bad father. Of Eleanor of Aquitaine, she claimed she was a "law unto herself", and Penman was intrigued by the role of a medieval queen. Time and Chance (2002),

1534-463: The 19th century, there were few municipal police departments, though the first had been created in Paris as long ago as 1667. As police work went from being done by appointed people with help from volunteers to being done by professionals, the idea of dedicated detectives did not come up right away. The first private detective agency was founded in Paris in 1833 by Eugène François Vidocq , who had headed

1593-485: The Holy Land, and on what happened to Eleanor when she was finally released after spending sixteen years in a confinement that was ordered and enforced by her husband. A King's Ransom is about the second half of Richard's life, during and following his imprisonment, ransom, and life afterward. Penman's approach to her novels is to present meticulously researched medieval life and history as everyday life, and to present

1652-576: The Shadow to Simon and The Reckoning to Llewelyn". Penman's characterization of Simon de Montfort is that of a man increasingly disillusioned by his sovereign, who rebels in 1263, becomes regent to Henry III, and attempts to re-establish rights granted under the Magna Carta . In addition to the story of Simon de Montfort and his wife, Eleanor the Countess of Pembroke and sister to King Henry III,

1711-493: The United States, a regular detective typically holds the rank of "Detective". The rank structure of the officers who supervise them (who may or may not be detectives themselves) varies considerably by department. In some Commonwealth police forces, detectives have equivalent ranks to uniformed officers but with the word "Detective" prepended to it; e.g. "Detective Constable" (DC) or " Detective Sergeant " (DS). In some countries , courts and judicial processes have yet to recognize

1770-406: The beginning of their tempestuous union. Time and Chance continues their story at high noon. From the greenwoods of Wales to a bloodied floor at Canterbury Cathedral, theirs was an amazing story, and I very much enjoyed being along for the ride! When Christ and His Saints Slept introduces the genesis of the Plantagenet dynasty as Empress Maude fights to secure her claim to the English throne. In

1829-465: The characterizations. Penman died from pneumonia on January 22, 2021, at the age of 75. Born in New York City , Penman grew up in New Jersey. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin , where she majored in history. She also received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Rutgers University School of Law, and worked as a tax lawyer before becoming a writer. While

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1888-463: The characters against a tightly woven tapestry of medieval life, personal conflict, and dramatic characters. The Devil's Brood was supposed to be the final volume in Penman's Plantagenet series, but the "Angevins were not ready to go quietly into that good night." Lionheart (2011) is about the children of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The book focuses on Richard the Lionheart 's Crusades in

1947-497: The characters in scenes in a variety of medieval royal residences, castles and abbeys , in England and present day France, many of which still exist such as the Château de Chinon , Fontevrault Abbey , and Château de Loches . Edgar Award The Robert L. Fish Memorial Award was established in 1984 to honor the best first mystery short story by an American author. The winners are listed below. The Lilian Jackson Braun Award

2006-411: The complex events and emotional drama of the 12th – 15th centuries." Although set in the 12th and 13th centuries, Penman sets the characters and narrative in her novels in medieval sites that still exist and can be visited, including castles , churches and archeological areas. Areas such as Aber Falls and Dolwyddelan Castle have important scenes in Penman's novels. In Devil's Brood , Penman sets

2065-826: The conflict between Ellen and her cousin Edward, soon to become King Edward , who opposes the betrothal. The Plantagenet series focuses on the Angevin King Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine , beginning with the sinking of the White Ship , the marriage of the Empress Maude and Geoffrey of Anjou , and Henry's birth and childhood in When Christ and His Saints Slept. Of Henry and Eleanor, Penman explained: Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine were larger than life, legends in their own lifetimes. He

2124-475: The early 1980s moved to Wales to research her second book, Here Be Dragons . She had a second home in the Welsh mountains where, she said, the history inspired her and provided material for her novels. The Sunne in Splendour is about the end of England's War of the Roses . In the book, Penman characterizes King Richard III as a healthy, if misunderstood, ruler. She chose to write Richard's character in such

2183-461: The edge of power. The third novel in the series, The Dragon's Lair , is set during the same period, but Penman shifts the locale to northwest England and north Wales. And finally, in the most recent novel of the series, Prince of Darkness , Penman continues to show the conflict between mother and sons, and weaves in de Quincy's conflicts as well. In addition to the Edgar Award, Penman was

2242-557: The identity and/or whereabouts of criminals. In some police departments , a detective position is obtained by passing a written test after a person completes the requirements for being a police officer . In many other police systems, detectives are college graduates who join directly from civilian life without first serving as uniformed officers. Some argue that detectives do a completely different job and therefore require completely different training, qualifications, qualities, and abilities than uniformed officers. The other side says that

2301-402: The interrogation of suspects and the interviewing of witnesses, which takes time. Detectives may also use their network of informants, which they have built up over the years. Informants often have connections with people a detective would not be able to approach formally. Evidence collection and preservation can also help in identifying a potential suspect(s). Investigation of criminal activity

2360-427: The mystery-publishing industry." The winners are listed below. The Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award was established in 2001. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Fact Crime was established in 1948. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Critical/Biographical Work was established in 1977. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel was established in 1954. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original

2419-495: The nobility as fallible. Set against a backdrop of political tension, power struggles, war, and hardship, the main characters confront personal drama such as conflict in love, conflict between family members, conflict with God, and conflict in friendship, as well as conflicted loyalties between family, self, king and country. A Library Journal review praises Penman's attention to detail in which she "combines an in-depth knowledge of medieval Europe with vivid storytelling, re-creating

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2478-728: The novel presents characters such as the Welsh ruler Llywelyn Fawr and London's FitzThomas. Of her research for Falls the Shadow , Penman explained: "I did a great deal of on-site research, visiting the castles and battlefields that figured in Falls the Shadow, visiting the Reading Room at the British Library , the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth , and local reference libraries… Here at home, I made use of

2537-607: The police and at times even making citizens’ arrests while a crime is being committed. Citizen detectives can also help law enforcement by becoming witnesses for prosecutors , participating in local neighborhood watch groups, acting as citizen observers for law enforcement, or even aiding the police in searching for and arresting suspects as a posse . However, there have been cases of citizen detectives unintentionally compromising investigations if they lack real crime solving skills or even committing acts against suspected criminals that could be deemed vigilantism in nature. Before

2596-513: The police. In criminal investigations, once a detective has suspects in mind, the next step is to produce evidence that will stand up in a court of law. One way is to obtain a confession from the suspect; usually, this is done by developing rapport and, at times, by seeking information in exchange for potential perks available through the attorney's office, such as entering for a lesser sentence in exchange for usable information. In some countries, detectives may lie, mislead and psychologically pressure

2655-589: The practice of private detectives. In Portugal, presented proof loses significance when private detectives collect it. Even under these circumstances, the practice is in demand and governed by a code of conduct. A citizen detective, also known as an amateur detective, is an individual who devotes his or her time and expertise to aid in the solving of crime , without compensation or expectation of reward. Citizen detectives are private citizens that have no real professional relationship with law enforcement and lack any rational-legal authority whatsoever. The reasons why

2714-516: The probationary period, the officer is assigned to look for evidence. During this time, the officer is supervised and mentored by a sergeant with years of experience. Some police officers go to a two-year or four-year college or university to get a degree in criminal justice or the management of criminal justice. You can get a concentration or a certificate in a specialized field of criminal investigation at some colleges. Through years of on-the-job training or college education, officers may participate in

2773-461: The series that began with Here Be Dragons. The conflict between the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd who is the grandson of Llewelyn the Great of Here Be Dragons , and England's King Henry III is one subplot. Additionally, Penman chronicles the life and character of Ellen, daughter of Simon de Montfort and niece to Henry III; her betrothal to Llewelyn (negotiated prior to de Montfort's death); and

2832-406: The state examination, applicants testing for a private investigation license must also meet stringent requirements, which include college education, a range of two to four years of full-time investigation experience and the successful adjudication of a criminal and civil background check conducted by state investigators. Private investigators are licensed to conduct civil and criminal investigations in

2891-412: The state in which they are licensed, and are protected by statutes of that state. In states requiring licensing, statutes make it unlawful for any person to conduct a criminal investigation without a license, unless exempted by the statute (i.e., law enforcement officers or agents, attorneys, paralegals , claims adjusters ). In Vietnam , private detective work is not yet officially recognized by law but

2950-464: The story of Llewelyn the Great and Joanna , King John 's illegitimate daughter, is a remarkable one, which struck an emotional chord with many readers.” In Falls the Shadow (1988) Penman chronicles the family relationships of King Henry III and his brother-in-law Simon de Montfort . Falls the Shadow is a bridge novel as Penman uses the Simon de Montfort rebellion to lead her to the conclusion of

3009-585: The time I'd finished researching and writing When Christ and His Saints Slept , I was in danger of burning out. For the first time in nearly two decades, my boundless enthusiasm for the Middle Ages had begun to flag. So I decided I needed a change of pace, and since I am a long-time mystery fan, it occurred to me that a medieval mystery might be fun to write. Once that idea took root, it was probably inevitable that I'd choose to write about Eleanor of Aquitaine, surely one of history's most memorable women." Set in

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3068-525: The trilogy in The Reckoning . As Penman explained: '“After I'd finished Here Be Dragon s, I knew I wanted to continue the story… At first I'd planned to write one book in which Simon de Montfort would share top billing with Llewelyn Fawr's grandson, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd , who later wed Simon's daughter. I soon realized, though, that this was too much to tackle in one book, that Simon and Llewelyn each deserved his own novel. So I decided to devote Falls

3127-522: The winner of the 2001 Career Achievement Award for Historical Mysteries from Romantic Times. Here Be Dragons (1985) is the first of Penman's trilogy of novels about the medieval Welsh princes of Gwynedd . Of the novel, Penman stated, “I think Dragons is so popular because it was virgin territory for most readers. The saga of the Plantagenets was much better known, but not many people were familiar with medieval Wales or its princes. And then, too,

3186-403: Was established in 1950 and is irregular. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Radio Drama was established in 1946 and discontinued in 1960. The Edgar Allan Poe Special Award was established in 1949 and is irregular. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television Feature or Miniseries was established in 1972 and discontinued in 2007. Detective A detective is an investigator, usually

3245-416: Was established in 1955 and discontinued in 1975. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Foreign Film was established in 1949 and discontinued in 1966. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay was established in 1946 and discontinued in 2009. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Outstanding Mystery Criticism was established in 1946 and discontinued in 1967. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play

3304-469: Was established in 1955. The award "acknowledges important contributions to the genre as well as for a body of work that is both significant and of consistent high quality." The Grand Master Award winners follow: The Raven Award was established in 1953 to honor "outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside of the realm of creative writing." The Ellery Queen Award was established in 1983 "to honor outstanding writing teams and outstanding people in

3363-460: Was established in 1970. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel was established in 1946. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel was established in 1989. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile was established in 1961. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story was established in 1951. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Episode in a TV Series was established in 1952. The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Book Jacket

3422-439: Was established in 2022 to honor Lilian Jackson Braun and is presented in the "best full-length, contemporary cozy mystery as submitted to and selected by a special MWA committee." The G. P. Putnam's Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award was established in 2019 to honor Sue Grafton and is presented to "the best novel in a series featuring a female protagonist." The winners are listed below. The Edgar Allan Poe Grand Master Award

3481-596: Was one of the greatest of the medieval kings, and she was the only woman to wear the crowns of both England and France. They loved and fought and schemed on a stage that stretched from the Scots border to the Mediterranean Sea. Their children were branded by contemporaries as "The Devil’s Brood," but they founded a dynasty that was to rule England for three hundred years. My first novel in their trilogy [ sic ], When Christ and His Saints Slept , traces

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