Twelfth-century anatomist, Adelia Aguilar must once again examine the dead as gruesome events are beginning to unfold...Henry II's favourite mistress, Rosamund Clifford, has been poisoned - and, rumour says, by his jealous wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. If Henry believes the stories, England will be torn apart as King battles Queen.

The 12th century monks of Glastonbury have discovered strange skeletons buried in their graveyard. Since Glastonbury is the site of Avalon, are these the remains of King Arthur and Guinevere? The monks hope so. Somebody, however, doesn't want the skeletons identified and is prepared to kill in order to maintain the mystery.

The King of England has ordered his Mistress of the Art of Death, anatomist and doctor Adelia Aguilar, to accompany 10-year-old Princess Joanna on her 1000 mile journey to marry the King of Sicily. They must take with them the legendary sword Excalibur.

Adelia Aguilar is a rare thing in medieval Europe - a woman who has trained as a doctor. Her speciality is the study of corpses, a skill that must be concealed if she is to avoid accusations of witchcraft. In Cambridge a child has been murdered and King Henry has called upon an Italian investigator to find the killer fast.

Run, run, girl. In the name of God, run. 1141. A mercenary watches from the icy reeds as a little girl with red hair is attacked by his own men. He is powerless to stop them. But a strange twist of fate brings them together again. Sheltering in a church, he finds the girl freezing cold, close to death, clutching a sliver of parchment. And now he is certain of what he must do. He will bring her back to life. He will train her to fight. And he will protect her from the man who calls himself a monk, who lost a piece of parchment he will do anything to get back.