Figure of Hate (Crowner John Mystery #9)

The Elixir of Death (Crowner John Mystery #10)

The Grim Reaper (Crowner John Mystery #6)

The Awful Secret (Crowner John Mystery #4)

The Tinner's Corpse (Crowner John Mystery #5)

The Poisoned Chalice (Crowner John Mystery #2)

Lion Rampant

Crowner's Quest (Crowner John Mystery #3)

The Noble Outlaw (Crowner John Mystery #11)

A historical "whodunnit, " set in 12th-century Devon. When Christina, the daughter of an Exeter businessman, is raped, Crowner (coroner) John must bring the unknown assailant to justice. Then lady Adele de Courcey dies after an illegal abortion, and John suspects that the two events are related.

Exeter, 1195. Renovations at the new school in Smythen Street are disrupted by the shocking discovery of a partially mummified corpse hidden in the rafters - and Sir John de Wolfe, the county coroner is called to investigate. Richard de Revelle, Sir John's brother-in-law and founder of the school, immediately tries to blame Nicholas de Arundell, a young outlawed knight living rough on Dartmoor. As Sir John discovers, Nicholas has good reason to bear a grudge against the unscrupulous de Revelle. But is he really a killer? With the victim's identity unknown and the motive a mystery, the murder remains unsolved. But then comes news of a second violent death - and Sir John is forced to track down the 'noble outlaw' in order to find the answers.

C12th Devon. Much of the country lies under the iron rule of the Royal Forest laws, with all hunting reserved to the King. The penalty for killing a deer on the King's land is mutilation or death. These harsh laws are rigorously upheld by the King's foresters, notorious for their greed and corruption. June 1195. A tall, brown mare gallops into the sleepy village of Sigford, its rider dragged by the stirrup, the broken shaft of an arrow protruding from his back. The embroidered badge on the dead man's tunic identifies him as a senior officer of the Royal Forest. But, with plenty of money still in the victim's purse, the motive is a mystery. When a second forest officer is violently attacked, Sir John de Wolfe begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy. And why is his unscrupulous brother-in-law, the sheriff Sir Richard de Revelle, taking such an interest in the case?

Fear in the Forest (Crowner John Mystery #7)

In 1195, high-spirited young knights, drunken squires, pickpockets, and horse thieves are pouring into Exeter for a one-day jousting tournament. Not even the discovery of a naked corpse in the River Exe can spoil the excitement. During the tournament, there is a serious altercation between Hugo Peverel, a manor lord from Tiverton, and a Frenchman by the name of Reginald de Charterai. When, two days later, Sir Hugo’s blood-soaked body is found in a barn on his estate, de Charterai would seem the obvious culprit. But there’s no shortage of people who wished the despised Hugo dead. All three of his brothers have a motive, as do his stepmother and his attractive young widow. And just what is the connection between Sir Hugo’s murder and the battered body in the River Exe? With so many suspects from which to choose, Sir John is confronted with one of the most difficult cases of his distinguished career.

It is 1195, and when a wealthy mill-owner falls dead across his horse, Sir John de Wolfe, the county coroner, declines to hold an inquest. The man was considerably overweight, had been complaining of chest pains, and showed no signs of injury. A clear-cut case of death from natural causes. But events take a sinister turn when a straw doll is discovered hidden beneath the man’s saddlebag, a thin metal spike piercing its heart. Convinced that her husband’s death was caused by an evil spell, the victim’s strident widow begins a campaign against witchcraft and the so-called “cunning women” who practice it. Soon Exeter is in turmoil, a hysterical mob is on the loose, and several local women are in danger. Still, the coroner declines to get involved—until his own mistress falls under suspicion. Can Crowner John discover the real cause of the merchant’s death, unearth the culprit, and save his beloved Nesta from the hangman’s noose?

Bernard Knight

Following are some books written by Bernard Knight