Muirteach MacPhee Mystery

Scotland, 1373, The Hebrides: Crispinus, the head of Oronsay Priory, is found strangled in the middle of the tidal strand separating the holy island of Oronsay from the larger island of Colonsay. The Lord of the Isles assigns the task of finding the killer to Muirteach, the Prior's son. Crispinus leaves behind a mistress and several other children, in addition to his embittered eldest son, who is thankful he will never hear the words, "My bastard son, the cripple" again.Muirteach searches for his father's murderer, aided by the physician Fearchar Beaton and Fearchar's daughter, Mariota. The killer strikes again, the Lord of the Isles wants the mystery solved quickly, before the Pope and King learn of it, and Muirteach must face his own troubled relationship with his father while he strives to find the killer. The investigation plunges Muirteach deep into a whirlpool of deceit, long buried sins, and treachery, from which no one emerges unscathed. A fine mystery, full of deception, personal turmoil, treachery, and romantic attraction.

Autumn 1373: The grandson of the powerful Lord of the Isles vanishes on the windswept island of Colonsay, and rumors fly that he has been spirited away by the faerie. Muirteach MacPhee investigates, suspecting the boy's disappearance has more to do with the mysterious piece of gold the lad found before he vanished. Mariota Beaton arrives from Islay to aid Muirteach, but struggles with demons of her own. Muirteach's investigation brings old wounds to light, but can he save the life of the missing boy, or his burgeoning relationship with Mariota? Praise for THE FAERIE HILLSNew Mexico Book Awards Best Historical Novel 2011 Well-paced and engrossing, this blend of faerie lore and all-too-human intrigue will satisfy fans of fantasy and mystery alike. Kirkus ReviewsA solid plot and an authentic rendering of the Hebrides Islands in 1373 make this a good choice. Library Journal "THE FAERIE HILLS beautifully evokes life, death, and romance in the windswept Hebrides of 1373. Deeply rooted beliefs about the danger of stealing faerie treasure run like a golden thread through a closely woven plot as intricate as a Celtic knot.."Mary Reed, co-author of the Lord Chamberlin historical mysteries

Oxford, 1374: At the command of the Lord of the Isles, Muirteach and his wife Mariota accompany Donald, the lord's surly thirteen-year-old son, to Oxford. Shortly after their arrival a winsome tavern maid disappears. Muirteach attempts to help Undersheriff Grymbaud with the investigation, as well as keep Donald at his studies and out of the taverns. He has little success with either venture, although the discovery of some bizarre drawings on old parchments piques the curiosity of Donald and his peers. Mariota thirsts to attend medical lectures at the schools and seeks a way to gain admittance to these classes.An Oxford master is found brutally bludgeoned to death, and Grymbaud asks Muirteach to investigate the slaying. The arrest of an aged servant for the murder stirs the ever-simmering discord between townsfolk and university students. Then Mariota vanishes.Gleaning clues from a cryptic manuscript and desperate to save his wife, a determined Muirteach tracks a wily killer through a dark and twisted labyrinth of deceit.Praise for THE STUDY OF MURDER,New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards Finalist Best Historical Novel 2013"THE STUDY OF MURDER is a worthy addition to Susan McDuffie's 14th century mystery series. Muirteach and Mariota may be in an alien world, when they accompany the son of the Lord of the Isles to Oxford, but neither town nor gown can match their clever wits in solving crime. This book is a treat for those of us eager for a fresh era, well-integrated history, and a host of interesting characters." Priscilla Royal, author of the Prioress Eleanor/Brother Thomas mysteries "If you like your mysteries very well written, interspersed with history, and a cozy wit and charm, THE STUDY OF MURDER is a lesson you cant afford to miss!" WTF Are You Reading

Scotland, 1375: Muirteach MacPhee and his wife Mariota visit Edinburgh Castle, assisting the Lord of the Isles in his negotiations with King Robert II. A trading vessel arrives at the nearby port of Leith from the far away Norse settlement in Greenland. The ship brings unexpected diversion and carries coveted wares: gyrfalcons, unicorn's horns, and fine furs. Both King Robert and the Lord of the Isles desire the rare birds, easily worth a king's ransom. Muirteach and Mariota, unaccustomed to the sophistication of castle life, initially find pleasure in the heady and flirtatious glamor of the royal court. Then sudden and unexpected cruelty, followed by the senseless death of a beautiful young girl, plunge the couple into a murky sea of alliances and intrigue that stretches from Scotland across the icy western ocean to the far northern lands of the Norse, leaving trails of treachery and murder in its wake.