Fridgyth The Herb-Wife

"A herbwife on a mule may go where warriors cannot-she may see what warriors cannot see and hear what warriors cannot hear!" The Monastery at Whitby is ruled over by the powerful and independent Abbess Hild. But when she needs someone to confide in, she turns to the honest warmth of her friend Fridgyth, the half-pagan herb-wife. A divisive and life-altering decision taken at the Great Synod is swiftly overshadowed as the monastery is ravaged by a deadly plague. As she tends the sick, Fridgyth starts to suspect that not all the deaths are natural. Despite Hild's stern warnings "not to meddle" she sets out to investigate. Can Fridgyth's wisdom and intuition unmask the murderer and unravel the dark politics surrounding the deaths and clandestine arrival of two young scholars?

When an unwelcome visitor arrives at Hild's monastery, Fridgyth the herb-wife is forced to hold her tongue. The widow of the fierce Mercian king, who once brought death and destruction to the coastal community, is an uneasy sight for many. Although everyone is thankful for Northumbria's fragile peace, painful memories are still fresh and some can think of nothing but revenge. A young tanner is found dead after a mysterious liaison-his brother is nowhere to be seen, and the boy that used to help him is terrified to speak. While the Abbess is busy trying to secure an on-going peace for the kingdom, Fridgyth starts her own investigation, though she has no idea what she is dealing with or the danger she is in...