The Abbot’s Gibbet

The knights templar

They were warrior monks, dedicated to the protection of pilgrims in the Holy Land — until an avaricious king savagely destroyed the order. One knight, however, escaped the stake, vowing justice for his murdered brothers.

A gathering of evil

With scores of merchants streaming into Devon to participate in the Tavistock fair of 1319, a goodly amount of unlawful activity is expected. No one, however, anticipates a murder. The guests of Abbot Robert Champeaux, former Knight Templar Sir Baldwin Furnshill and Simon Puttock, bailiff of Lydford, have been asked by their host to investigate the grisly discovery of a headless corpse by a local butcher. Hunting a killer in the din and bustle of the fair could prove a daunting task, especially with the victim’s identity a mystery. But Sir Baldwin and Simon are determined to unravel the complex weave of intrigue, rage, and violence that has brought death to Tavistock — even if it means courting their own destruction.