St. Peter's Fair

US: Time Warner Paperbacks, 1994. Very Good. Saint Peter's Fair is a grand festive event, attracting tradesmen from acro ss England and beyond. There is a pause in the civil war racking the countr y in the summer of 1139, and the fair promises to bring some much needed ga iety to the town of Shrewsbury. Until, that is, the body of a wealthy trade r is found in the River Severn. Was Thomas of Bristol the victim of murdero us thieves? And if so, why were his valuables abandoned nearby? Brother Cad fael offers to help the merchant's lovely niece Emma. But while he is seach ing for the killer, the man's wares are ransacked and two more men are murd ered. Emma almost certainly knows more than she is telling, as others will soon realise. Cadfael desperately races to save the young girl, knowing tha t in a country at war with itself, betrayal can come from any direction, an d even good intentions can kill.