Fear in the Forest - Crowner John, Bk 7 Author:Bernard Knight Twelfth-century Devon. Much of the county lies under the iron rule of the Royal Forest laws, with all hunting reserved to the King. The penalty for killing a deer -- mutilation or death. These harsh laws are rigorously upheld by the King's foresters, notorious for their greed and corruption. June, 1195. A horse gallops into the sleepy villag... more »e of Sigford, the broken shaft of an arrow protruding from its rider's back. The embroidered badge sewn on the dead man's tunic identifies him as a senior officer of the Royal Forest. With the victim's purse still full of money, the motive for murder is a mystery. But when a second forest officer is violently attacked, county coroner Sir John de Wolfe begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy.« less
I think this may be Knight's best "Crowner John" story yet. Especially since I awoke this morning and decided to read a chapter or two before breakfast. When I finished the book I checked the time and it was 12:30 pm. Time to eat breakfast!