The Meadows of Murder - (Brother Athelstan Mystery) by Paul Doherty (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The twenty-fourth gripping Brother Athelstan medieval mystery sees the friar-sleuth investigate a series of ominous murders with a dark secret at their heart - perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom, Bernard Cornwell, Candace Robb and Peter Tremayne.

London, 1383. William the weaver bursts into Brother Athelstan's church, desperately seeking sanctuary. His crime? The bloody murder of a vicious loan shark. Athelstan takes him in, but a short while later William lies dead in the locked church. Who would take revenge for the death of a universally hated man - and how did they commit an almost impossible crime?

Athelstan's investigations are complicated by news of the murder of an eminent member of the Guild of Fishmonger's, an ominous message left on his corpse. More deaths quickly follow. Athelstan and his old friend, the coroner Sir John Cranston, realise they have a serial killer on their hands.

But when their investigations lead to the small priory of St Osyth's, which hides a shocking secret, Athelstan starts to realise there's much more at stake than catching a twisted killer - and the truth will shock even as experienced a sleuth as him . . .

Review Quotes

A tortuous, fascinating historical mystery whose finely honed descriptions are not for the faint of heart-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Stone of Destiny"

As always, Doherty makes a past century come alive in the service of a carefully crafted plot. Impossible crime fans will be pleased-- "Publishers Weekly on The Hanging Tree"

Doherty displays exceptional narrative flair as he brings the often-squalid sights, sounds and smells of medieval London to life in another artfully crafted and plotted historical mystery-- "Booklist on The Godless"

Doherty doles out clues shrewdly and decorates the narrative with his characteristically sharp period details.This long-running series has yet to show signs of slowing down-- "Publishers Weekly on Murder Most Treasonable"

Hair-raising descriptions of life in the Middle Ages enhance a challenging puzzle-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Hanging Tree"

Outstanding . . . Doherty keeps the action brisk, the crimes baffling and the deductions and solution fair-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of The Godless"

Reinforces the author's reputation as a master of historical crime fiction . . . A deeply satisfying puzzle-- "Publishers Weekly on Murder's Snare"

The often-unpleasant sights, sounds, and smells of London come alive as a harrowing backdrop to a complex mystery-- "Kirkus Reviews on Murder's Snare"

Unsettling historical detail enhances a story of hate, revenge, and multiple murders-- "Kirkus Reviews on Murder Most Treasonable"

With consummate skill and pacing, Doherty answers the plot's mysteries in a series of startling revelations, and the atmosphere of a London driven by ambition and greed is palpable. The prolific Doherty shows no signs of losing steam-- "Publishers Weekly on The Stone of Destiny"