The Monastery Murders by E.M. Powell

Their lives are ones of quiet contemplation—and brutal murder.

Christmas Eve, 1176. Brother Maurice, monk of Fairmore Abbey, awaits the night prayer bell. But there is only silence. Cursing his fellow brother Cuthbert’s idleness, he seeks him out—and in the darkness, finds him brutally murdered.

Summoned from London to the isolated monastery on the Yorkshire Moors, Aelred Barling, clerk to the King’s justices, and his messenger Hugo Stanton, set about investigating the horrific crime. They quickly discover that this is far from a quiet monastic house. Instead, it seethes with bitter feuds, rivalries and resentments. But no sooner do they arrive than the killer strikes again—and again.

When Barling discovers a pattern to these atrocities, it becomes apparent that the murderer’s rampage is far from over. With everyone, including the investigators, now fearing for their lives, can Barling and Stanton unmask the culprit before more blood is spilled?

Barling and Stanton are sent to Fairmore Abbey, an isolated Cistercian Abbey cut off from world, to investigate a series of murders that happened there. While summoned by the Abbott, they’re not taken in with enthusiasm and the monks are reluctant to have an outsider to help them.

This is a second book in a series but works well as a standalone.
Barling and Stanton are learning to work together and starting to trust each other better. Their too different personalities still cause friction between them at times but they’re getting to know each other better. We also learn more about Barling’s past when he tells Stanton how he knows the Abbott from his youth in Paris.

Great addition to the series and I’m looking forward to reading their next mystery.

4,5/5

Published: Thomas & Mercer (September 27, 2018)
Format: ebook
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

About the Author

E.M. Powell’s historical thriller Fifth Knight novels have been #1 Amazon and Bild bestsellers. The King’s Justice is the first novel in her new Stanton and Barling medieval murder mystery series. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers’ The Big Thrill magazine, blogs for English Historical Fiction Authors and is the social media manager for the Historical Novel Society.

Born and raised in the Republic of Ireland into the family of Michael Collins (the legendary revolutionary and founder of the Irish Free State), she now lives in North-West England with her husband, daughter and a Facebook-friendly dog.

Find out more by visiting www.empowell.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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