THE FOXES OF WARWICK

William the Conqueror’s crusty royal commissioner Ralph Delchard, leading an entourage to remote Warwick Castle to settle a land dispute for constable Henry Beaumont, is buoyed by the presence of his wry wife Golde. Still, disgruntled Ralph butts heads with his sneering French counterpart Philippe Trouville, who’s accompanied by his own enigmatic wife Marguerite. The party’s agenda abruptly changes when a local reeve is crushed to death on the castle grounds, and suspicion falls on Boio the blacksmith, the only man physically capable of such an act. Beaumont quickly locks the gentle giant in the dungeon and considers the matter closed. But he hasn’t reckoned on irascible Ralph, who upbraids him for this rush to judgment and launches his own investigation. As half-Saxon lawyer Gervase Bret and outspoken scribe Brother Benedict canvass the countryside for clues, Golde undertakes a probe of her own into the mystery of Marguerite’s apparently loveless marriage. Golde’s gossipy exchanges with Beaumont’s wife Adela and loose-lipped maid Heloise provide a refreshing counterpoint to the rougher action of the main story. In Warwickshire, meanwhile, Huna the medicine man—assisted by a dwarf, a donkey, and a performing bear named Ursa—astounds citizens but draws the ire of local clergy. When Huna heals a deathly ill lad, is it a miracle or a scam?

Vivid characters, rich historical detail, and energetic writing: a quick, smart read that culminates in a surprising but logical solution. The Domesday series (The Wildcats of Exeter, 2001, etc.) seems to be hitting its stride.