The Abbot's Gibbet

SUMMARY: It is 1319. Tavistock's fair has drawn merchants to Devon from all over England and beyond. Although the influx of visitors and their money puts temptation in the way of cut-purses and other villains, no one expects a murder. So butcher Will Ruby is shocked to discover a headless corpse. Former Knight Templar Sir Baldwin Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and Simon Puttock, Bailiff of Lydford, have just arrived in Tavistock as guests of Abbot Robert Champeaux when the body is found. When the Abbot asks Simon and Baldwin to investigate, they can hardly refuse. But with an unidentifiable victim, they're badly hampered in their inquiries. Can Simon and Baldwin unravel the complex web of intrigue that has brought death to Tavistock, as the undercurrent of anger and violence that lies beneath the bustling activity of the fair grows ever fiercer? The knights templarThey were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land -- until an avaricious king savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his murdered brothers.A gathering of evilWith scores of merchants streaming into Devon to participate in the Tavistock fair of 1319, a goodly amount of unlawful activity is expected. No one, however, anticipates a murder. The guests of Abbot Robert Champeaux, former Knight Templar Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, have been asked by their host to investigate the grisly discovery of a headless corpse by a local butcher. Hunting a killer in the din and bustle of the fair could prove a daunting task, especially with the victim's identity a mystery. But Sir Baldwin and Simon are determined to unravel the complex weave of intrigue, rage, and violence that has brought death to Tavistock -- even if it means courting their own destruction.