Old church meets new with a vengeance when a monk is brutally murdered at St. Botolph’s.

Murder wasn’t on the agenda for the symposium on the role of the Anglican Church today-until a brother is found dead in his cell. Suddenly the diverse guest list falls under suspicion. Could it be the bishop famous for his television appearances or his exotic counterpart from Africa; one of the three vicars who run the gamut from trendy to traditional; the nondenominational American with a passion for fundraising; or perhaps one of the two Norwegian lady divines? Or is it one of the brothers themselves, taking advantage of the camouflage provided by outside visitors? Surely the tensions between the cloistered clergy and their more worldly visitors can’t have led to such an unthinkable occurrence. But why is Father Anselm, the austere head of the Anglican Community, so reluctant to allow an investigation? Is he concerned simply about unfavourable publicity? Or is there a darker secret hidden behind the inscrutable walls of St. Botolph’s?

‘Robert Barnard … writes with irony and wit and considerable skill and grace’ St Louis Post-Dispatch

‘A first-rate suspense story … highly original and entertaining.’ Booklist

‘Robert Barnard is the most reliable and versatile practitioner of English mystery-comedy on the present scene. A virtuoso …’ New York Times Book Review