The Sanctity of Hate

Starred review from October 8, 2012
The plight of English Jewry under Edward I propels Royal’s ninth medieval mystery (after 2011’s Killing Season), the best yet in a consistently strong series. As the author explains in an afterword, the king promulgated a series of anti-Semitic proclamations once the Jewish community no longer served Edward’s “financial requirements.” As of October 1275, in a move anticipating the Nazis, Jews were required to wear yellow badges. Against this backdrop, the death of Kenelm, a man hired to help protect some traveling Jews, one of whom, Jacob ben Asser, had argued with him, leads to suspicions that the Jews are responsible. But the local coroner, Crowner Ralf, believes the solution to Kenelm’s murder is less straightforward, since the order of, and reason for, the victim’s fatal injuries aren’t clear-cut. Period details fit unobtrusively with the action, and the pacing makes this a one- or two-sitting read at most.

November 1, 2012
The death of an unpopular man exposes some ugly truths about the residents of Tyndal Village. A newcomer to the area, the surly Kenelm has made no friends. But when his corpse is found floating in the millpond at Tyndal Priory, Prioress Eleanor and her friend Crowner Ralf join forces to find the guilty party. Most of the villagers have already picked out the killer: Jacob ben Asser, who, with his very pregnant wife and mother-in-law, is awaiting the birth of their child in a local stable. In 1276, King Edward I, having found an Italian source for money lending, has bled the Jewish population dry and restricted their habits to certain areas. Jacob had been on his way to one of the areas when he was forced to stop. Harassed by the villagers stirred up by the baker, whose son is asking to join the priory, they are protected by the crowner and his staff. In the search for the killer, Eleanor looks closer to home at Brother Gwydo, the newest member of the priory, a mysterious but seemingly gentle beekeeper. When he is also killed, she must continue her search. Only the intervention of Brother Thomas saves the Jewish family when he explains to the skeptical and ignorant mob that the church and the pope have forbidden Christians to persecute or kill Jews. The prioress and the crowner must use the time his speech has bought to solve the murders before the town explodes in senseless hatred. Royal's ninth (A Killing Season, 2011, etc.), though certainly not her best mystery, includes some fascinating historical information that may come as a surprise to many readers.

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November 1, 2012

Prioress Eleanor finds summer is less than idyllic when a drowning death turns out to be murder, in her ninth investigation (after A Killing Season).

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2012
Royal's ninth mystery finds Prioress Eleanor and her sisters and brothers helping Crowner Ralf with the investigation of a murder. The body turned up in the priory's mill pond. Kenelm, the victim, was not liked in the village, and the locals don't want one of their own convicted of the crime. A Jewish family passing through the town on their way to a new home, as required by King Edward's Statute of the Jewry, quickly become the focus of the inquiry. Jacob ben Asser, his very pregnant wife, and his mother-in-law take refuge in the inn to await the birth of their child. It promises to be difficult, but they are reluctant to seek help at the priory's infirmary because they fear that the child will be taken from them, baptized, and given to a Christian family. Eleanor and Ralf must solve the case quickly before it is resolved in the court of public opinion. Riots loom, and threats against the Jews escalate. Historical-mystery fans will find much to like here. The novel is well researched, with an intriguing plot and a timely message about religious tolerance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)