November 1283. Prioress Eleanor of Tyndal priory is visited by her cousin, the Earl of Ness, and his wife, Eda. When she is murdered in chapel with his knife, he becomes the prime suspect. Soon after, her priest is also killed in the same chapel. Are the crimes connected or not? Eda was a ruthless woman with many enemies. Her priest was a quiet and pious man, completely disinterested in worldly matters. Crowner Ralf claims jurisdiction under the king's law since no monastic is a suspect. Prioress Eleanor denies his claim and his insistence that he be the one to question her cousin. Before the crowner is allowed to investigate, she must find out why the murders were done on Church land, and she is convinced that she is the best one to get the truth from her cousin. But, as she digs deeper, she begins to fear that the crowner was right. Not only do the problems grow, but her cousin, whom she believed was innocent, is lying to her. Must she turn him over for hanging?
