Coroner Sir John Cranston has been asked by under-sheriff Shawditch to
come and inspect a house, which has been robbed. It is the sixth in the
ward which has been robbed recently. In each case the owner has been
away and the servants heard nothing. No door or window has been
breeched.
Shawditch mentions another problem. A sailor had returned to his ship
in the early hours on the Thames, only to find that the watch was
missing. Where could they have gone and why? And, what caused the
death of the captain of the ship recently?
The following morning while Athelstan is at breakfast, a man comes to
the church claiming sanctuary. Soon after ruffians come charging into
the church in an attempt to capture the man because he has killed their
master. Just as the leader of the ruffians Is about to attack
Athelstan, Cranston shows up. They then go to examine the site of the
murder, leaving the apparent killer in the church.
Later, they go to the ship, which had lost its captain and three crew
members. They are unable to learn anything of use other than the fact
that the captain was not well liked, nor was his partner, who had been
apparently killed by the man now in Athelstan’s church.
When another robbery occurs, the thief is surprised by a maid. He kills
her. Athelstan is shocked to see that she was very young.
How will Athelstan and Cranston go about solving these crimes? Author
Paul Doherty has plenty of action awaiting the pair, including a battle
aboard the ship with French pirates. The conclusion is a surprise,
too. A rollicking good read.
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