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A medieval whodunnit set in Bampton, Oxfordshire during the plague years and featuring a newly qualified surgeon.
Hugh of Singleton, fourth son of a minor knight, has been educated as a clerk, usually a prelude to taking holy order. However, feeling no certain calling despite a lively faith, he turns to the profession of surgeon, training in Paris and then hanging out his sign in Oxford.
A local lord asks him to track the killer of a young woman whose bones have been found in the castle cess pit. She is identified as the impetuous missing daughter of a local blacksmith, and her young man, whom she had provoked very publicly, is in due course arrested and sentenced at the Oxford assizes.
From there the tale unfolds, with graphic medical procedures, droll medieval wit, misdirection, ambition, romantic distractions and a consistent underlying Christian compassion.
This is the first in a new series of medieval adventures in the style of Brother Cadfael, the incredibly popular books by the late Ellis Peters, and contains a strong plot with fascinating period details.
“I would almost have to assume that Mel Starr had a previous life in 14th-century England, so incredibly realistic are his descriptions of life then and his dialogue. The author brings it to life with panache. Starr’s lavish use of Medieval English adds a saucy flavouring to the tale. You will enjoy this excellent excursion into the past.” Dr Paul Maier, historian.
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