The play’s the thing…

Winchester 1268

Crowds have gathered to watch a play. In the final scene the lead actor raises his sword and plunges it into the throat of his stage companion. The audience’s cheers turn to screams as they are sprayed with blood . . . This staged murder is all too real.

Days later a mysterious troupe of jongleurs arrive in Oxford to perform a series of plays.

Amidst the Christmas festivities lurks a brutal killer.

When another actor is stabbed on stage, this time with a chisel, William Falconer is called upon to use his famed logic and track down the murderer. But first he must determine why actors are in the killer’s sights.

With Christmas fast approaching, and the players rehearsing for their finale, Falconer is in a race against time to unmask the killer before more actors die.

The stage is set for the final performance. One not everyone will survive.

MEET MASTER WILLIAM FALCONER

Regent Master of Aristotle’s Hall at the University of Oxford, William Falconer has a fascination for the obscure and an unusual interest in scientific experiments. He is considered an eccentric. Suffering from poor eyesight, he has been able to obtain eye-lenses — a cause of great wonder among the townsfolk. However, Falconer’s keen logic draws him into curious murder cases. Featuring real life medieval characters and situations, William Falconer is the original Oxford detective!

THE SETTING

The University of Oxford was established in the twelfth century and has always been a seat of learning. Supported by the church, scholars would challenge European ideology, inspiring scientific discoveries and advancements in the arts. But this quest for knowledge hid jealousy and rivalries. A large Jewish community and a town mistrusting of the University provided plenty of undercurrents. Perfect for William to investigate.

Fans of C.J. Sansom, Ellis Peters, S.J. Parris, Paul Doherty, Rory Clements and S.W. Perry will devour this gripping medieval mystery series.