Once again, Bernard Knight has brought 12th Century England into exciting realistic focus. His handling of the class system and the world of the lowest classes ruled by the church and the privileged is interesting reading.
John de Wolfe is a rugged, somewhat impious former knight whose loyalty to King Richard has resulted in his being appointed crowner, an early form of coroner, for Devon.
In a Plague of Heretics, it is In late 1196 and John has returned to Exeter after a spell serving as royal coroner at Westminister. He attempts to solve several grisly killings, starting with a man dumped in an isolated area outside the Exeter city wall who had his throat cut and his tongue ripped out, but the plague also stalking the region's inhabitants distracts him from his investigation. Church authorities increase the pressure after the murder victims prove to be heretics who opposed papal authority.
A wealth of historical detail and a compelling protagonist who's believably a man of his age make this another satisfying read from one of my favourite authors. ( )