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It is 1367, and the Pope and King Edward III of England are in disagreement over pluralism, a practice that allows one man to hold many state and church offices at the same time. The Pope does not want to dilute his authority by allowing church leaders to hold government offices, which would oblige them to obey and report to King Edward. Naturally, subverting the Pope's authority doesn't bother King Edward at all, and he wishes to make one of the richest pluralists, William of Wykeham, the next Bishop of Winchester.
To undermine the Pope's position, King Edward sends a mission, led by one-eyed soldier-sleuth Owen Archer, to convince the powerful abbots of Fountains and Rievaulx to support his nomination of William of Wykeham. When the mission is disrupted by murder, politics turn personal and Owen's fourth case becomes his toughest yet: He must prove his friend Ned Townley innocent of murder © St.. Martin's Press 1996
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