A Medieval Comedy of Errors for Modern Audiences
Death by Misadventure: A Novel
LGBTQ+ Humorous Fiction; LGBTQ+ Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+ Mystery
Lake Union Publishing
October 1, 2026
Ebook, Paperback, Audiobook
265
April 29, 1585. Coroner John Derrick is summoned to the cozy village of Bramley to investigate a naked dead man found beneath a waterwheel. An unfortunate drowning, by all indications. But upon closer inspection, the case takes a macabre turn: The deceased is missing a certain piece of his anatomy.
Impelled by the grisly discovery to uncover the culprit, John must contend with bumbling villagers in his quest for the truth. Only sixteen-year-old maid Rebecca Laurence seems to offer any help.
In Elizabethan England, servants rarely get a second glance. Rebecca prefers it that way, moving quietly through her world, picking up secrets like dirty clothing. Knowledge is power at a time when women are afforded little, and she deftly wields hers to protect her own clandestine affairs.
As John wades through the evidence, Rebecca treads into dangerous waters. And if she’s not careful, she could find herself in over her head.
Jane Bitomsky knows how to write medieval comedy. Death by Misadventure is a true comedy of errors, written in such an authentic historical voice that you just know the author has had some practice in this area. In fact, they have. Bitomsky has a Ph.D. in early modern English history and, my goodness, it shows.
Death by Misadventure feels like reading Shakespeare, with its bawdiness and wit, but made for modern audiences. I truly enjoyed the writing style. It may not be for everyone, but I found it to be laugh-out-loud funny.
The two main characters, housemaid Rebecca Laurence and Coroner John Derrick, each have their own role to play in the mysterious death in the small village of Bramley. Were it just that the body was found stuck under the water wheel at the old mill, it could have been ruled death by “misadventure,” or accident. It’s the curious fact that the male body is also stark naked and missing an important…part of its anatomy…that makes this a medieval murder mystery.
The story is told from both Rebecca’s and John’s viewpoints. Even though the culprit is a bit easy to deduce, there are enough suspects to keep the mystery interesting. In addition, the folks in the village—especially John’s “jury” of men helping with the investigation—offer continual comic relief throughout the story.
I had such a fun time reading this, and if you like accessible medieval historical fiction, I think you’ll enjoy it too. Death by Misadventure is a 4 out of 5 stars for me—good sport and merry hour!
Celeste is a woman who is unwavering about certain things in life; three of those being books, cats, and cold brew coffee. If she can enjoy all three at the same time, it’s going to be a good day. Her favorite genres are fantasy or sci-fi romance, historical romance, and historical fiction but every few books she likes to mix it up with contemporary fiction, a good psychological thriller, or an inspiring memoir. She has a busy schedule working full-time for an online university but she makes sure to unwind each day with stories, either by reading to her elementary school-aged daughter or tucking herself in bed with her Kindle or the latest book she picked up at a local book store.
