A wicked sense of humor lifts Gordon’s seventh Fools’ Guild mystery (after 2007’s The Lark’s Lament
). The Fools’ Guild, under threat by those in the church who oppose the organization, hopes to manipulate events so that one of its own can replace the bishop of Toulouse. Soon after Theophilos, one of the guild’s most trusted agents, and his family arrive in Toulouse in 1204 on this delicate but vital mission, the body of local moneylender Milon Borsella turns up in a tanner’s pit, the day after Borsella argued violently with Bishop Raimon de Rabastens, the man Theophilos is plotting against. When another murder occurs, Jordan, a local fool, is arrested. Convinced that the crimes are connected to his mission in Toulouse, Theophilos and his capable, independent wife, Claudia, follow the clues to a logical and satisfying conclusion. Fans of Sharon Kay Penman’s Justin de Quincy series will enjoy Gordon’s blend of action, detection and convincing historical detail. (May)
