An impossible mystery must be solved, and he is running out of time.

Men have been found dead in the scarlet chamber of an Italian manor. They have no marks upon them, they have not ingested poison, there are no secret passageways in to the room. And they all have awful expressions of terror upon their faces.

London, 1379. Sir John Cranston is invited to a banquet at the Regent’s palace on the Thames. There he is trapped into a wager with Signor Gian Galeazzo, Lord of Cremona and owner of the manor, who challenges him to resolve the mystery within two weeks.

Realising that his reputation and future wealth now depend upon him solving this mystery, Cranston seeks the help of his faithful secretarius Brother Athelstan. However, Athelstan has problems of his own...

A thrilling mystery with a twist you won’t see coming, perfect for fans of Susanna Gregory and S. G. MacLean.

Praise for Paul Doherty

'If you like Inspector Morse, you'll love Brother Athelstan' Prima

'The best of its kind since the death of Ellis Peters' Time Out