One Corpse Too Many

In the tumultuous summer of 1138, as England is gripped by the brutal Anarchy between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, Brother Cadfael is pulled from the tranquil confines of Shrewsbury Abbey into the heart of conflict. Following the swift and bloody fall of Shrewsbury Castle, its ninety-four loyal defenders, supporters of Empress Maud, are condemned to hang as traitors. It falls to Cadfael, a former crusader and now a Benedictine monk with a keen understanding of human nature, to prepare their bodies for burial. However, his grim task takes a shocking turn when he discovers ninety-five corpses laid out for interment. The extra body is not one of the castle's defenders; it's a murder victim, carefully placed among the dead to conceal the crime. Cadfael's sharp mind immediately recognizes the killer's cunning and ruthlessness. Amidst the chaos of war and the Abbey's tense political neutrality, he embarks on a dangerous quest to unmask a murderer whose motives are as complex as the era itself, navigating a world of political intrigue, personal vendettas, and the desperate struggle for survival.