Owen Archer

Owen Archer returns in a mesmerizing short story about the danger of false miracles and the treachery of true believers. Magda the Riverwoman has called Owen Archer to her island hut in the middle of the River Ouse with a special favor-to guard a jar of human bones. No one in York is greedier than the relic dealers, the insatiable charlatans who sell flesh and bone as miracle cures, but Magda will not sell the remains at any price. Instead, she asks Owen to protect the jar and keep one eye out for the dark figure that has been watching the island, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike... THE BONE JAR is sure to delight long-time fans of Candace Robb's Owen Archer series and provide first-time readers with a gripping introduction to her beautifully rendered world of treachery and intrigue, set in medieval England.

1374. When a prominent citizen is found dead in the woods, rumors spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose throughout the city. Persuaded out of retirement to investigate, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is responsible. Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, Owen's enquiries will draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.

When two bodies are discovered in the grounds of York Minster shortly before the enthronement of the new archbishop, Owen Archer is summoned to investigate. December, 1374. With the great and the good about to descend on York for the enthronement of Alexander Neville as the new archbishop, the city authorities are in a state of high alert. When two bodies are discovered in the grounds of York Minster, and a flaxen-haired youth with the voice of an angel is found locked in the chapter house, Owen Archer, captain of the city bailiffs, is summoned to investigate. Tension deepens when an enigmatic figure from Owen's past arrives in the city. Why has he returned from France after all these years - and what is his connection with the bodies in the minster yard and the fair singer? Before Owen can make headway in the investigation, a third body is fished out of the river - and the captain finds himself with three mysterious deaths to solve before the all-powerful Neville family arrives in York.

When the wise woman Magda Digby is, suspected of murder, Owen Archer sets out to prove her innocence in this intricately plotted medieval mystery. May 1375. Owen Archer returns from London to find York in chaos. While the citizens are living in terror of the pestilence, which is spreading throughout the land, a new physician has arrived, whipping up fear and suspicion against traditional healers and midwives. With the backing of the new archbishop, he is especially hostile towards Magda Digby, the wise woman, who has helped and healed the people of York for many years. At the same time, Magda is uneasy about the arrival of two long-lost kinsfolk. Though they say they are, seeking her help, she senses a hidden agenda. Magda's troubles deepen, when she discovers a body in the river near her home, and finds herself under suspicion of murder. Days later, fire rips through a warehouse in the city. Amongst the charred, debris lies the body of a man, not burned, but stabbed in the back. Could there be a connection to the corpse in the river? Determined to prove Magda's innocence, Owen sets out to find answers, but the more he uncovers, the deeper the mystery becomes...

Owen Archer suspects an old adversary is on his tail as he seeks to solve the mystery surrounding a dead body found on the road to York. October, 1376. Owen Archer is summoned by sheriff Sir Ralph Hastings regarding a stripped and bloodied body discovered on the road north to York. Could it be connected to an attack on a carter and his labourers who were transporting stone destined for St Clement's Priory? The carter fled, but his men stayed to fight and are now missing. Is the victim one of them? At first Owen believes the catalyst for murder and menace in York is the arrival of the political pariah William Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester. But he soon suspects that a formidable and skillful adversary from his past has arrived in the city, thrusting him and his family into grave danger, and his investigation becomes a race to uncover the truth before his old nemesis destroys all he holds dear.

Where is taverner Tom Merchet? Owen Archer unearths a series of troubling secrets and a dangerous foe intent on retribution when his good friend goes missing. "A standout . . . Robb reinforces her place among the top writers of medieval historicals" - Publishers Weekly Starred Review York, 1377. Owen Archer is determined to find his friend, taverner Tom Merchet, who has been missing for five days. His wife, Bess, is frantic with worry. AN ENIGMATIC STRANGER. Who is the elusive Widow Cobb that Tom was seen visiting? And who is the man spotted following Tom before he vanished? As Owen hunts for clues, Bess decides to visit the widow's lodgings and makes a terrifying discovery. RETRIBUTION IS BREWING . . . Owen digs up past sins and long-buried secrets that answer some of the questions surrounding Tom's disappearance. But who is the sly and malevolent figure intent on destroying his friend, and why? A shocking confession will rock Owen to his core . . . An action-packed, evocative and masterfully plotted medieval mystery in the critically acclaimed Owen Archer series, perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom, Ellis Peters and Paul Doherty.