Synopses & Reviews
An intriguing medieval mystery featuring Brother AthelstanFebruary, 1381. London lies frozen in the grip of one of the bitterest winters on record. The ever-rising taxes demanded by the Regent, John of Gaunt, are causing increasing resentment among the city's poor. When the seething unrest boils over into a bloody massacre at a splendid Southwark tavern, The Candle Flame, in which nine people, including Gaunt's tax collectors, their military escort and the prostitutes entertaining them, are brutally murdered, the furious Regent orders Brother Athelstan to get to the bottom of the matter.
For not only has Gaunt's treasure trove been stolen, he has reason to believe a French spy is active along the Thames, carefully recording for his masters in the Louvre the state of English war cogs. And a professional assassin, Beowulf, who has sworn vengeance against Gaunt and his minions, also stalks the shadows. Once again, Athelstan must enter the murky world of murder, where the darkness constantly shifts and no one is who or what they seem.
Review
"Doherty's intricate 13th whodunit set in 14th-century England" Publishers Weekly
Review
"Doherty successfully resurrects medieval London in all its grime, grit, and glory." Booklist
Synopsis
February, 1381. Splendid Southwark tavern, The Candle-Flame, is the site of a brutal massacre in which nine people, including John of Gaunt's tax collectors, their military escort and the prostitutes entertaining them, are murdered. The furious Regent orders Brother Athelstan to track down the culprits.
About the Author
Paul Doherty studied History at Liverpool and Oxford Universities, and is now headmaster of a school in Essex. He is the author of more than eighty historical mysteries including the Hugh Corbett, Mathilde of Westminster and Canterbury Tales medieval mystery series.