November 1217: Edwin Weaver is back in his home village of Conisbrough. But if he thinks life is going to be peaceful, he's wrong: the new bailiff is unpopular and cruel, and soon his murdered corpse is discovered. Everything points to the culprit being a Frenchman, one of the stonemasons building the earl's new hall, and the locals are happy for the blame to fall on a foreigner. Edwin thinks differently, but his former friends hinder his investigation at every turn ? and then accuse him of committing the murder himself. The easiest way to save his own life would be to let the stonemason hang, but Edwin is convinced the man is innocent. With the sheriff due to arrive any day expecting to supervise an execution, Edwin and his wife Alys must join forces to solve the mystery if it is not to be his neck in the noose.
