In the gentle Shrewsbury spring of 1140, the midnight matins at the Benedictine abbey suddenly reverberate with an unholy sound- a hunt in full cry. Persued by a drunken mob, the quarry is running for its life. When the frantic creature bursts into the nave to claim sanctuary, Brother Cadfael finds himself fighting off armed townsmen to save a terrified young man. Accused of robbery and murder is Liliwin, a wandering minstrel who performed at the wedding of a local goldsmith's son. The cold light of morning, however, will show his supposed victim, the miserly craftsman, still lives, although a strongbox lies empty. Brother Cadfael believes Liliwin is innocent, but finding the truth and the treasure before Liliwin's respite in sanctuary runs out may uncover a deadlier sin than thievery- a desperate love that nothing, not even the threat of hanging can stop.
- ISBN10 0751502170
- ISBN13 9780751502176
- Publish Date 25 November 1992 (first published 12 October 1984)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 18 December 2004
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
- Imprint Time Warner Paperbacks
- Edition New edition
- Format Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
- Pages 271
- Language English