Master Hugh, Kate, and their children attend the Midsummer's Eve fire. Next morning early Hugh hears the passing bell ring from the Church of St. Beornwald, and moments later is summoned. Tenants collecting the ashes to spread upon their fields have found burned bones. Master Hugh learns of several men of Bampton and nearby villages who have gone missing recently. Most are soon found, some alive, some dead. Master Hugh eventually learns that the bones are those of a bailiff from a nearby manor. Someone has slain him and placed his body in the fire to destroy evidence of murder. Bailiffs are not popular men; they dictate labour service, collect rents, and enforce other obligations. Has this bailiff died at the hand of some angry tenant? Hugh soon discovers this is not the case. There is quite another reason for murder ...

The morning after the festivities of Midsummer's Eve, the villagers of Bampton make a grisly discovery.

About the Author
Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating with a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School. Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren.

Reviews
"At last a worthy successor to Ellis Peters. Mel Starr brings medieval crime to life in the brilliant 8th chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon. As a crime writer and medievalist I'm looking forward to absorbing more books by Mel Starr." -- Mike Jeeks, author of Fields of Glory



Book Information
ISBN 9781782641339
Author Mel Starr
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Lion Fiction
Publisher SPCK Publishing