The Song of a Dark Angel

This is the eighth book in the series of medieval mysteries featuring Sir Hugh Corbett. Obviously this is one of Paul Doherty's earlier offerings and he has since written many more books and is now an established author of medieval novels and has also added a number of novels on Egypt to his ever growing list of titles. Having said that it is one of his earlier offerings does not mean that it is inferior to his current books, quite the opposite. The Hugh Corbett mysteries were and are extremely popular and Paul Doherty is still adding to them. November, 1302 and Sir Hugh Corbett, Keeper of the Secret Seal and a spy for Edward I together with his servant Ranulf, ex bully boy and occasional thief are sent to a manor in the frozen wastes of Norfolk. A cold and merciless wind springs up sweeping the land and sending a chill through the villagers of the hamlets along the coast. It is called the Dark Angel because of the effect it has, but it is as nothing compared to the ice in the human heart. A headless corpse is found on the beach. At the same time a young woman is found hanging from the gallows. Corbett is soon embroiled in these gruesome deaths and also into the death of an old nun. Did she slip or was a human hand involved in her fall on to the rocks. The Lord of the Manor has his won secrets and the local villagers do not seem to take too kindly to the presence of outsiders.