Desolation: A medieval murder mystery — a chilling tale of death and deceit in plague-stricken York
About this ebook
The Black Rood of Scotland, stolen.
A coroner of York, murdered
An evil worse than plague itself, at large...
1361, York. As the country recovers from the war with France, and whispers that the pestilence has returned to England grow louder, fear is in the heart of every nobleman and commoner alike. Sir Ralph de Mandeville, ex-solider and newly appointed Justice of the Peace is sent to Langbarugh, just outside York, to investigate the murder of Coroner Sir Boderick de Whitby.
More deaths quickly follow, and while these are swiftly dealt with as plague victims, Sir Ralph and his two assistants Merek and Peter soon uncover something altogether more horrifying... A greater evil is at large in the northern wapentakes.
As panic escalates and the lines between plague and murder blur, Sir Ralph is thrust into a desperate race against time. Every shadow hides a potential killer, every cough could be a death knell. Can he unmask a murderer lurking in the terrifying shadow of the Black Death before they’re all consumed by a terror more sinister than any plague?
A gruesomely wicked medieval mystery, perfect for fans of C. J. Sansom, Paul Doherty and E. M. Powell.
What readers are saying abut Keith Moray...
'Dark and wonderfully addictive!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'For any one who loves Phillipa Gregory and Kate Mosse, this is a must read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'An excellent blending of poison, murder and the historical events' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'Comparable to other murder mystery books by well known others such as Ellis Peters or S.J Parris.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
'An exciting historical fiction novel that’s well worth your time!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
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About the author
I was born in St Andrews and studied medicine at the University of Dundee in Scotland. I lived and worked in Wakefield in Yorkshire for 40 years, within arrow-shot of the ruins of a medieval castle, the base for a series of historical novels. I am a retired GP, medical journalist and novelist, writing in several genres. As Keith Moray I write historical crime fiction in the medieval era and in ancient Egypt, The Inspector Torquil McKinnon crime novels set on the Outer Hebridean island of West Uist, and as Clay More I write westerns. Curiously, my medical background finds its way into most of my fiction writing. In my spare time I enjoy the movies, theatre and making bread. I play golf and I run at carthorse speed. As a frustrated actor I have found occasional solace as a supporting artist, but enough said about that! I now live in Stratford-upon with my wife Rachel and whichever of our children and grandchildren who happen to pop in.
