A child is born. It's birth is kept secret from all who know the mother. When the child is a grown man he wants to know who his father is. He imagines that it is Lionheart ~ King Richard because he has a ring with Lionheart's emblem on it.
In his quest to find his father, he finds himself in Lincoln where he takes as a lover the wife of the head of the guild of furriers. One night, when the guild leaders of Lincoln are at the castle for a meal with the castellan, the couple sneak away for an amorous rendezvous. Afterwards, hearing a voice calling his name he follows it onto the ramparts where he is brutally murdered by someone using the castellan's crossbow; a crossbow meant for a woman. A waif sees the murderer on the way to commit the crime. That waif is under the care of the castellan and is taken out of Lincoln to a place where he and other foundlings will learn trades.
Bascot de Marins is requested to investigate. During the investigation he discovers a number of things about the townsfolk of Lincoln that might point towards the murderer. The waif returns to Lincoln in search of his father. When he is found he is taken to the castle where he fears for his life. Meantime, the maid of the castellan's niece is brutally stabbed in the streets of Lincoln. Is that because she knows too much?
As de Marins returns to the castle shortly after the stabbing, he realises who the murderer is and he must hurry before further murders occur.
Book Six in the "Alehouse Murders" is a quick, but good read. Author Maureen Ash maintains your interest throughout.
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