The sanctuary sparrow - ellis peters

Medieval monk Brother Cadfael races to save a young man he believes is falsely accused of robbery-in the Silver Dagger Award-winning mystery series.

In the gentle Shrewsbury spring of 1140, the midnight matins at the Benedictine abbey suddenly reverberate with an unholy sound-a hunt in full cry.

Pursued by a drunken mob, the quarry is running for its life.

When the frantic creature bursts into the nave to claim sanctuary, Brother Cadfael finds himself fighting off armed townsmen to save a terrified young man.

Liliwin, a wandering minstrel who performed at the wedding of a local goldsmiths son, has been accused of robbery and murder.

The cold light of morning, however, will show his supposed victim, the miserly craftsman, still lives, although a strongbox lies empty.

Brother Cadfael believes Liliwin is innocent, but finding the truth and the treasure before Liliwins respite in sanctuary runs out may uncover a deadlier sin than thievery-a desperate love that nothing, not even the threat of hanging, can stop.

The Sanctuary Sparrow is the seventh book in the Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, featuring a wily veteran of the Crusades.

The historical mystery series earned Ellis Peters a Crime Writers Association Silver Dagger Award-and a legion of devoted fans ( Los Angeles Times ).