Oswald de Lacy was never meant to be the Lord of Somerhill Manor. Despatched to a monastery at the age of seven, sent back at seventeen when his father and two older brothers are killed by thePlague, Oswald has no experience of running an estate. He finds the years of pestilence and neglect have changed the old place dramatically, not to mention the attitude of the surviving peasants. Yet some things never change. Oswald's mother remains the powerful matriarch of the family, and his sister Clemence simmers in the background, dangerous and unmarried. Before he can do anything, Oswald is...

A gripping medieval historical crime thriller, from a brilliant new voice.

A brilliantly dark and compelling novel set in Venice from 'the medieval CJ Sansom' (Jeffery Deaver)

The brand new Oswald de Lacy thriller, for fans of C.J. Sansom, Minette Walters and S.J. Parris. 'Living legends Andrew Taylor and Susanna Gregory; bestselling phenomena SJ Parris and CJ Sansom... a league of extraordinary resurrectionists. If you love their books, I invite you to visit fourteenth-century England, with SD Sykes ... Savour the company of young Oswald de Lacy, among the most appealing historical sleuths currently on the hunt.' A.J. Finn 'A fascinating glimpse of an almost forgotten period of history.' Andrew Taylor 'If you love C.J. Sansom, you have to read S.D. Sykes....

Oswald de Lacy returns in this Medieval thriller from the author of PLAGUE LAND and THE BUTCHER BIRD.

The violent, poignant story of how Oswald de Lacy came to be lord of Somershill.