Sara Conway – författare

On Monday, March 30 in the year 1220, the day after Easter, in a field outside the town of Hexham in northern England, the body of a young child, Alfred, is discovered -- murdered. Lord Godwin, Bailiff of Hexham and in the service of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is summoned to the scene. Alfred has been strangled, but even more shocking are the wounds marking his body: his palms bear puncture wounds, as if iron nails had been drive through them, and his left side has been pierced with a knife. Godwin reckons that Alfred died on Good Friday.Why would someone kill a child on Good Friday? And why would his body be marked in imitation of the crucifixion of Christ? Soon a rumor begins to spread that the Jews had murdered young Albert, and a mob seizes all the Jews in Hexham, an extended family of nine. Godwin's first task is to prevent the Jews' murder by the mob, his second to find the person guilty of the horrible murder.A disillusioned and battle-weary ex-Crusader, Godwin sets out to find the murderer as a means of atoning for his part in the crusade -- and for coming back when his dearest friend and kinsman Aidan did not. Will he be successful? Will the Jews' lives be spared? Will the murderer be exposed? And will Lord Godwin ever discover -- wherever -- the forgiveness he seeks for failing to protect the life of Aidan?

On the first day of Hexamshire's annual weeklong fair in late summer 1221, Master Gruffydd, an arrogant merchant and town worthy, is poisoned. A wealthy man, Gruffydd has been shamed by his low birth, a condition he could never overcome. By contrast, his wife, Maegden, is of noble birth, but because of her family's impoverishment, she had been sold off to the highest bidder: Master Gruffydd. Theirs had been an unhappy marriage. Gruffydd was abusive and suspected that Maegden was unfaithful, a suspicion that later proves to be correct. She has taken up with one of Lord Godwin's handsome young knights. At first Lord Godwin believes Gruffydd's death is an accident. But when he uncovers a ruthless merchant whose passing no one mourns, he begins to suspect murder. The lovers are the obvious suspects, but Godwin is doubtful. Complicating matters, Godwin faces difficulties of his own when Lady Constance, the widow of his dearest friend, is kidnapped by Fulk d'Oily, the archbishop's man who is determined to make Constance his wife despite her unwavering objections. When Constance strikes a bargain with the archbishop and essentially buys her freedom, Godwin realizes he would do anything to protect her, for his code dictates that kith and kin be safe-guarded at all costs. Now aware of a possible motive for Gruffydd's murder, Godwin realizes who might be willing to murder to protect Maegden from her brutal husband. Principles of justice, however, are not well defined in the thirteenth century, and in the end Godwin cannot bring himself to accuse and likely hang the murderer whose only intent was love and protection.