As the autumn storms of 1271 ravage the East Anglian coast, Crowner Ralf finds the corpse of a brutally murdered soldier in the woods near Tyndal Priory. The dagger in the mans chest is engraved with a strange, cursive design, and the body is wrapped in a crusaders cloak. Was the murder the act of a member of the Assassin sect, or was the weapon meant to mislead him in finding the killer? Ralfs decision to take the corpse to the priory for advice may be reasonable, but he is soon caught up in a maelstrom of conflict, both personal and political. The priory is deeply divided over whether to purchase a relic. The decision could endanger both Prioress Eleanors leadership and the future of the hospital. Brother Thomas becomes a suspect in the murder itself, and Ralf must choose between the demands of his brother, the sheriff, and loyalty to a friend. Meanwhile, the murderer watches and waits. Priscilla Royal grew up in British Columbia and has a degree in world literature from San Francisco State University. She now lives and writes in Northern California. Sorrow Without End is third in her Medieval Mystery series, following Wine of Violence and Tyrant of the Mind. www.priscillaroyal.com.
