Blood of the South - (Aelf Fen Mystery) by Alys Clare

About the Book

When Lassair encounters a veiled noblewoman on the quay at Cambridge, set on by an angry mob, she assumes involvement with her will be brief. She has no idea that the woman, alone but for her infant child, brings both mystery and peril. Then a devastating flood hits the fens, and among the wreckage and debris washed up at Aelf Fen is a body . . .

Book Synopsis

Apprentice healer Lassair encounters a mysterious veiled noblewoman who brings unexpected peril

When Lassair encounters a veiled noblewoman on the quay at Cambridge one morning, set on by an angry mob, she assumes involvement with her will be brief. She has no idea that the woman, alone but for her infant child, brings both mystery and peril. Then a devastating flood hits the fens, and among the wreckage and debris washed up at Aelf Fen is a body; Lassair, in the company of a sheriff's officer, wonders if she is dealing with murder . . .

Meanwhile, in the south, Lassair's partner Rollo is moving with relief towards the conclusion of his mission for King William in the Holy Land. But then disaster strikes, and, with the mighty forces of an emperor on his heels, abruptly he turns from hunter to hunted. In order to escape alive, he risks help from a stranger, and embarks on a voyage that turns out to be far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined.

Review Quotes

"A mesmerizing story"-- "Booklist"

"Clare does a good job generating tension by shifting the narrative in between England and Byzantium. Adding period flavor are the religious feelings characters evince at the beginning of the Crusades"-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Clare's grasp of the social customs and political and religious struggles of the time - combined with her knack of weaving a mesmerizing story - makes this new Aelf Fen installment a winner"-- "Booklist"

"Clare's impeccably paced sixth Aelf Fen novel"-- "Publishers Weekly"

About the Author

Alys Clare lives in the English countryside, where her novels are set. She went to school in Tonbridge and later studied archaeology at the University of Kent.