When supper was ended...

A Benedictine monk is found dead in a priest-hole in a country house in Northamptonshire, and Chief Inspector Hood is baffled by the cause of his death. He must investigate several suspects, including an American Jesuit staying as a guest, and discern truth from legend. His investigation reveals that the past is another country, and you cannot really break away from it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 536 pages
Publication date: 28 January 2023
Publisher: Troubador Publishing

A Benedictine monk was found dead in a recently discovered priest-hole in a country house in Northamptonshire, which, before the reformation, was an Augustinian Priory. Chief Inspector Hood is initially baffled. The monk's injuries plainly show he was battered to death. But why and by whom? Was his death connected with the search for the Powdrell chalice associated with the family that lived in the house during the reign of Mary Tudor? Or was there some other motive?

Hood must work his way through several suspects, investigating their past lives, as he discerns truth from legend. Could the killer be the American Jesuit staying as a guest at the house, in the midst of a crisis of faith? Or was the killer, perhaps, someone from the monk's own past? Hood's investigation reveals that while the past is another country, you cannot really break away from it. It has always been there first and muddied the trail of truth with its own footprints.

The discovery of the Benedictine monk's body in a priest-hole in a country house in Northamptonshire, which was formerly an Augustinian Priory, has left Chief Inspector Hood perplexed. The monk's injuries clearly indicate that he was beaten to death, but the motive behind his death remains a mystery. The search for the Powdrell chalice, associated with the family that lived in the house during the reign of Mary Tudor, is one possibility, but there may be other factors at play.

Hood begins his investigation by examining the backgrounds of the suspects. He scrutinizes their past lives, looking for any connections or motives that could lead to their involvement in the monk's death. One of the primary suspects is an American Jesuit who is staying as a guest at the house. The Jesuit is facing a crisis of faith and has been known to express doubts about the Catholic Church's teachings.

As Hood delves deeper into the investigation, he discovers that the past has a way of intertwining with the present. It leaves its own footprints on the trail of truth, making it difficult to discern what is real and what is legend. The monk's past, for example, holds many secrets and revelations that could shed light on his death.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the investigation is the discovery of a hidden room in the house. The room is filled with ancient artifacts and religious symbols, including the Powdrell chalice. It is believed that the chalice was hidden in the house by the family that lived there during the Tudor period to protect it from religious persecution.

As Hood examines the chalice, he begins to suspect that it may hold the key to solving the mystery. The chalice is believed to be cursed, and it is said to have the power to bring misfortune to anyone who possesses it. However, Hood also discovers that the chalice may have been used for a different purpose, and that it may have been the catalyst for the monk's death.

In the end, Hood is able to piece together the truth behind the monk's death. He discovers that the American Jesuit was not the killer, but that the monk's own past holds the key to the mystery. The monk had been involved in a secret religious cult that worshipped a pagan god, and his death was the result of a power struggle within the cult.

The discovery of the hidden room and the chalice sheds light on the dark and mysterious past of the house and its inhabitants. It also highlights the importance of understanding the past in order to prevent it from repeating itself. Hood's investigation is a testament to the power of truth and the importance of investigating the unknown.

Weight: 810g
Dimension: 157 x 234 x 45 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781803135274