THE STALLIONS OF WOODSTOCK

It’s 11th-century England and King William has sent a trusted team to Oxford to settle opposing land claims: ex-soldier Ralph Delchard (The Serpents of Harbledown, 1998, etc.), lawyer Gervase Bret, rough-hewn Maurice Pagnol, and scribe Brother Columbanus, replacing gentle Brother Simon. The group is housed at Oxford Castle, the imposing territory of Sheriff Robert d’Oilly, its garrison church presided over by Alnulf the Chaplain. The Sheriff’s idea of Justice, observed by Ralph and wife Golde, is his merciless beating of the slave Ebbi, accused of killing Walter Payne, the rider of Bertrand Gamberell’s horse Hyperion, in the middle of a hotly contested race. Ralph and Gervase do some sleuthing at the race site and are convinced that Ebbi is innocent. Not so innocent, however, is their co-worker Maurice—found wanting in the ethics department and sent off in disgrace. Meanwhile, the Castle is preparing for a visit of Norman prelate Bishop Geoffrey Coutances, and the chaplain is grooming young Bristeva, daughter of Ordgar, to sing at the banquet, hoping to keep her from the news that Helene, her friend and once chapel singer, has killed herself. There’s more, a great deal more, as the villains get their just deserts and the heroes live on to populate the next adventure. Too much of everything—especially plots and people—make this sixth in the series less fun than it should be.