Death on the Downs. A strangled spinster. And a flitch of bacon... The Date is 1207 A harmless contest turns deadly when one of the participants is murdered. Sir Aumary Belvoir, Lord of Durley and warden of Savernake Forest investigates the killing of one of his own serfs, a harmless spinner of wool, wife to one of his shepherds. Has her husband suffered a fit of the brain, and killed her? The town of Marlborough, close to the forest is buzzing with rumour.
Aumary must search for a motive for her murder and in doing so, is drawn nearer to death himself, for, as the number of bodies rise, the murderer becomes desperate and seeks to destroy the man who is endeavouring to unmask them. Aumary meets his deadliest foe yet; quick witted, clever and as cool as a cat. Can the Lord of Durley outwit this fiend and send them to the gallows before he too becomes a victim? Have you ever wondered what might be the story behind some of our most beloved ancient folk songs? This, the ninth in the series, offers a sinister interpretation to this jolly song.