Veil of Lies: A Medieval Noir

By: Jeri Westerson

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Synopsis: The main protagonist of this "medieval noir" is Crispin Guest, a knight who having plotted against King Richard II, is disgraced. King Richard strips Crispin of his rank, honor, and position in society. As a result, Crispin loses his betrothed, his friends, and his patrons. With no support from others and no trade to enter, he becomes a "tracker" and finds lost things for people. For one of his jobs, a rich merchant hires him to discover whether the merchant's wife had committed adultery. When he returns to the merchant to tell him of the findings, Crispin finds the merchant dead. The merchant had been murdered in a sealed room, locked from the inside. The Lord Sheriff of London becomes involved in the case and this adds to the conflict and intrigue. It turns out that this murder rests on a religious relic - a Mandyllon that has the image of Christ on it. When in its presence, no one can lie. This powerful veil is missing and everyone including criminals will do anything to obtain possession of it. Because of this Mandyllon, the plot of the novel which begins as a simple case of adultery turns to murder involving a beautiful woman, international intrigue, family, and personal conflicts. At the end of the novel, the author gives the readers some historical information to help them better appreciate the story. This novel is the first in The Crispin Guest Novels.