"A murder mystery set in the English garrison town of Berwick-upon-Tweed three years following the Battle of Bannockburn. A young woman is found murdered just as Scots forces are approaching the town. Unsuited to the rigours of military life, Benedict Russell, a young, English Squire, is bewildered when he is asked to look into the death. Russell is anxious to leave the town and return home but he soon finds himself drawn into an increasingly hazardous investigation suggesting the garrison may have a traitor in their midst."
F J (Fiona) Watson is a medieval historian specialising in warfare and Scottish history. This is her first venture into the world of fiction and she uses her knowledge to good effect. As a portrayal of a mediaeval town under siege, the novel is excellent. Daily life, religion and working conditions are well described and the first-person present-tense narrative helps to create a good sense of atmosphere.
To my mind, a decent mystery should persuade the reader to seek not only who did it, but why, where and how. This was a time before forensic evidence and before technology helped investigators. The basics of criminal investigation were paramount – accept nothing, believe nobody, challenge everything. Benedict Russell learns this the hard way as he is lied to and sent down blind alleys. Step by step though, he gets closer to identifying a killer. Whether he will be successful before the rampaging Scots arrive to take the town is uncertain but he needs to be, because his life and the lives of those around him may depend on it.
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
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