This author is a master storyteller, weaving compelling narratives that delve into the past. Her works are known for their intricate plots and richly detailed settings, often rooted in medieval times. Through her characters, she explores complex human relationships and moral ambiguities. Her distinctive prose is evocative, transporting readers to another era.
October, 1376. Owen Archer is summoned by sheriff Ralph Hastings regarding a stripped and bloodied body discovered on the road to York. At first Owen believes the catalyst for murder and menace in York is the arrival of the political pariah William Wykeham, but he soon suspects that a formidable adversary from his past has arrived in the city .
When two bodies are discovered in the grounds of York Minster shortly before the enthronement of the new archbishop, Owen Archer is summoned to investigate.December, 1374. With the great and the good about to descend on York for the enthronement of Alexander Neville as the new archbishop, the city authorities are in a state of high alert. When two bodies are discovered in the grounds of York Minster, and a flaxen-haired youth with the voice of an angel is found locked in the chapter house, Owen Archer, captain of the city bailiffs, is summoned to investigate.Tension deepens when an enigmatic figure from Owen's past arrives in the city. Why has he returned from France after all these years - and what is his connection with the bodies in the minster yard and the fair singer?Before Owen can make headway in the investigation, a third body is fished out of the river - and the captain finds himself with three mysterious deaths to solve before the all-powerful Neville family arrives in York.
Owen Archer, Thoresby's master of the guards, is determined to ensure that his lord's last days are as peaceful as possible, but his plans are thrown into disarray when Thoresby agrees to a visit from Joan, Princess of Wales, wife of the Black Prince and mother of the young heir to the throne of England.
When the wise woman Magda Digby is suspected of murder, Owen Archer sets out to prove her innocence in this intricately plotted medieval mystery. May, 1375. Owen Archer returns from London to find York in chaos. While the citizens are living in terror of the pestilence which is spreading throughout the land, a new physician has arrived, whipping up fear and suspicion against traditional healers and midwives. With the backing of the new archbishop, he is especially hostile towards Magda Digby, the wise woman who has helped and healed the people of York for many years. At the same time, Magda is uneasy about the arrival of two long-lost kinsfolk. Though they say they are seeking her help, she senses a hidden agenda.Magda's troubles deepen when she discovers a body in the river near her home - and finds herself under suspicion of murder. Days later, fire rips through a warehouse in the city. Amongst the charred debris lies the body of a man - not burned, but stabbed in the back. Could there be a connection to the corpse in the river? Determined to prove Magda's innocence, Owen sets out to find answers - but the more he uncovers, the deeper the mystery becomes . . .
The mystery of Tom Merchet's disappearance leads Owen Archer into a web of dark secrets and a menacing adversary seeking revenge. As Archer investigates, he uncovers layers of intrigue that challenge his skills and resolve. The narrative is enriched by its historical setting, showcasing the author's talent for weaving compelling medieval tales, as noted by Publishers Weekly's starred review.
1374. When a prominent citizen is found dead in the woods, rumours spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose throughout the city. Persuaded out of retirement to investigate, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is responsible. Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, Owen's enquiries will draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.
A man has drowned in the River Ouse after a skirmish with boys from St Peter's School. Owen Archer, Captain of Archbishop Thoresby's guard is brought to the scene by his adoptive son, Jasper. When another body is found in the river and Owen and Jasper get nearer to the truth, they find their own lives in jeopardy.
The 13th Century one-eyed sleuth, Owen Archer, investigates a murder against the background of a political dispute between King Edward III and Pope Urban V. The victim was the king's agent, visiting abbeys to gain support for the king's position.
A compelling, meticulously researched historical detective story from an author whose reputation is growing swiftly. The year is 1367, and the people of York are suffering. Not only has the harvest failed, but the plague has returned. In the midst of this scandal threatens St Leonard's Hospital, which is strugging to stay solvent and has suffered thefts. The deaths of several of its aged residents seems timely, for their care has long exceeded the sums they bequeathed. Rumours start to fly that their deaths were no accident. . . Owen Archer, already fully occupied helping his wife Lucie, the city's apothecary, deal with the plague, is forced to investigate
Devilish Deception And Unholy Murder Put Owen Archer On A Bloody Trail Through The Cloisters.
Owen Archer, the intriguing Welsch archer-turned-sleuth, is back-in another riveting challenge to Ellis Peters! High summer, 1365-and York is glorious with pageantry for the Feast of Corpus Christi. But wool merchant Will Crounce, who acts in "The Last Judgement," meets his maker all too soon, his throat slit in the shadow of the great cathedral. When Crounce's severed hand is found in fellow-merchant Gilbert Ridley's tavern lodging, the Archbishop calls in Own Archer. To unravel a second murder, and the grisly warning of another severed hand, Owen will need his sharp mind, his bow and arrows, and even his wife Lucie's apothecary skills. For soon he will be drawn into a tangle of greed, treachery, and passion that runs from Ridley and the wool trade all the way to the royal court.
