We will never know what it was truly like to live in medieval England: this might just be close as we can get. It's a time when educated men are few and a book is worth such a fortune to a poor man that he risks theft. Language and descriptions work so well, that when the tale erupts, you are there with Hugh de Singleton, surgeon and bailiff, using wits and logic. I loved the archaic words, characters and scenes from many different layers of society - and the juicy descriptions of medieval food. Thankfully there are no explanatory asides to mar the experience; but there is a lexicon: "... a woman dressed in a long cotehardie of blue, and a man wearing parti-colored chauces, a red cotehardie, and a cap ending in a long yellow liripipe." Read on.

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Missing books and the murder of a poor young scholar take Hugh de Singleton from his personal search for a wife. He is attracted to the lovely Katherine Caxton but so is someone else who resents Hugh's courting to the point of framing him for theft, a hanging offense; kidnapping; and possibly murder. Meanwhile, he investigates the theft and discovers the body of a scholar who is believed to have drowned. Hugh's examination shows that isn't so. Is the same person responsible for the theft? Hugh doesn't know but works hard to unravel the mystery.
In the process, his personal troubles interfere with and slow the investigation.

Starr does a remarkable job of placing this mystery in the medieval era. Detail and individual actions seem consistent with what must occur during these events. I liked it and found the author's writing a joy. If you like medieval mysteries, this is one you can put on your reading list.

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Anohter excellent book in the series. More of this book was set in Oxford very interesting setting of the time. Love the romance too. Now I need book 4.

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