A body is found at the base of a quarry wall on Christ's Mass day. It was discovered under a bank of snow, so must have been there for a few days since the blizzard that had struck four days before. The death was not caused by a fall because there is a knife wound through the heart.
Basot de Marins is asked by the castellan and sherrif of Lincoln to investigate. His servant Gianni discovers an ancient coin above the quarry where the body fell from. It is in excellent shape, but is from the reign of Stephen. It should have been turned in long ago to be melted down to form coins of the current reigning monarch, John. Is it evidence of a treasure trove that rightly belongs to King John? Did the murder occur because of the trove? de Marins has his work cut out for him.
Before long, another murder occurs in a similar fashion. Is it tied to the first murder. Author Maureen Ash is excellent at giving clues to potential murderers. Each one could be the potential criminal, but surely only one is. The reader is left wondering along with the investigator de Marins.
An excellent historical "whodunit".
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