When one of her company falls ill on a return journey to Tyndal, Prioress Eleanor accepts lodging at a nearby manor. There, Master Stevyns's wife is having an affair with the groom, the master's eldest son and spouse are obsessed with sin and heaven, while his youngest son, bound for the church, unexpectedly returns with more interest in lute playing than the priesthood. It is no surprise when someone's throat is cut, the sheriff does all he can to avoid offending the family rather than seeking the real killer.
A reality TV show for aspiring opera singers descends on Wynter Castle, leaving baker Merry Wynter with her hands full catering to the endless demands of the distinguished judges and ambitious contestants. When a dogged reporter who's been covering the competition is attacked and left for dead, Merry is determined to discover who orchestrated the heinous deed.
In the summer of 1273, Martin the cooper has been poisoned at the local inn in the village of Tyndal. He had plenty of enemies; the killer could be anyone. Bodies multiply. Suspects disappear. No one likes the direction the evidence points, but God’s justice must be rendered, even for the forsaken soul.
