Vale of Tears

'Ms Hawkswood clearly knows her stuff, both as a historian and a crafter of mysteries' Historical Novel Society

A fast-paced and suspenseful medieaval mystery

April, 1144. A body is found floating by Fladbury mill, a man who has been stabbed but not robbed. Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote, Serjeant Catchpoll and their young apprentice Walkelin discover him to be a horse dealer with a beautiful young wife who strays. Did the wife or a lover get rid of him? What link is there to a defrocked monk who was hanged for theft, and where is the horse dealer's steed?

The trio must unravel the thread that ties together seemingly disparate deaths before even more people die.

Perfect for fans of Ellis Peters, Bernard Knight and Paul Doherty.

Readers love Sarah Hawkswood:

'Another wonderful book full of light and shades, mystery and humour. It propels you to a different period and is life enhancing.'

'Suspenseful and thrilling novel that captivates the reader from start to finish.'

'Can't seem to fault these Bradecote and Catchpole books. They just keep on getting better and better.'

'A well-written, entertaining and well-plotted historical mystery, with its array of varied and likeable characters.'

Hawkswood's medieval world gets richer with each instalment, but you can start with any book in the series